January 25th, 2024 edition by The St. Louis American

St. LouiS AmericAn

2024 St. LouiS AmericAn chAritAbLe FoundAtion non-ProFit executive oF the YeAr

Cheryl Jones keeps Girls Inc. on the go

By Alvin A. Reid

St. Louis American

Girls Inc. of St. Louis, under the leadership of President and CEO Cheryl Jones, was named the national organizations’ Outstanding Affiliate of the Year in the large budget category in 2020.

A year later, it was one of seven affiliates to share a $10 million grant by the Equality Can’t Wait Challenge, which is being directed toward its Project Accelerate program.

Yet Jones says she and her organization, which serves 9,000 girls annually through after school and summer programs, will not rest on its laurels.

“We also go into schools, and right now we have 72 school partners. The work is just beginning,” Jones said emphatically.

See

JONES, A7

Girls Inc. of St. Louis President and CEO Cheryl Jones has been named the 2024 St. Louis American Charitable Foundation Non-Profit Executive of the Year.

Ilyasah Shabazz says ‘control the narrative’

Michael McMillan, president and CEO of The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, talking with Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X, at the 12th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Tribute at St. Louis University Busch Student Center, on January 18,2024.

Shabazz said her mother, Betty Shabazz, taught her children about the contributions of all who were and are a part of the African Diaspora.

Malcolm X daughter spoke at MLK tribute

By Ashley Winters St. Louis American

Shabazz,

Dr.

annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Tribute,

hosted by SLU and the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis.

Shabazz said she strives to make her late parents proud through her role as Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Education Center chair. At the forefront is helping young people become more community-driven and civically engaged by providing them with the history of Civil Rights leaders.

Her mother insisted on teaching her

children about the contributions of all who were and are a part of the African Diaspora.

“When you control that narrative, this allows everyone to appreciate the sacrifice and contributions [of Black people],” Shabazz told the audience.

“We would not be able to call our country the leader of the free world [without us.”]

A new road for INROADS College Links

By Ashley Winters St. Louis American

INROADS College Links has found a new path to assist college students in the St. Louis region, many of whom are minorities.

During a kickoff event Tuesday, January 23, 2024, at Harris-Stowe State University, Andrea Johnson-Lee, INROADS national director, said the program is active in 17 cities in the US.

“I am truly elated that the 18th city is my hometown, St. Louis,” said Johnson-Lee. The nonprofit organization creates programs for high school students interested in STEM, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Students learn soft skills such as goal-setting and planning skills, and will also have an opportunity to advance in their career of choice while fostering diverse and inclusive workspaces. Students must be in grades 9 through 12 with a GPA of 2.5 or higher. They can apply online at the INROADS website,

See INROADS, A7

By Sylvester Brown Jr. St. Louis American

The period for presidential candidates to file to appear on the Missouri Democratic presidential primary ballot closed at 5pm on Tuesday. For decades, Missouri voters went to the polls to vote in a presidential preference primary. That process changed in 2022 after Republicancontrolled legislation passed that repealed the state’s primary.

The bill (HB 1878) eliminated Missouri’s state-run presidential preference primary election and designated a party-run system for choosing presidential nominees.

While Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft summarized the new way of selecting candidates as “a caucus system

See DEMS, A6

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Andrea Johnson-Lee

Photo by Marcus Allen / St. Louis Urban League

Tina Grimes

St. Louisan “Basketball Wives” star Brittish Williams fails to report to prison

Brittish Williams rose to prominence through her relationship with St. Louisan NBA player Lorenzo Gordon and then through the VH1 reality show ‘Basketball Wives.’

Williams was sentenced to four years in prison on counts of fraud-related felonies, particularly for fraudulent COVID-19 pandemic financial relief.

Williams was arrested last week after failing to show up to federal prison in West Virginia.

and duration of his two businesses.

Federal prosecutors say Gordon collected nearly $273,000 unlawfully, the newspaper reported, citing charging documents.

Chloe Bailey opens up about sister ‘Ariel’s’ ‘best kept secret’

Gordon is also charged with three counts of wire fraud and one count of theft of government property. Similarly, he is accused of lying on COVID-19 business relief applications about profits, ownership,

Halle Bailey, singer and actress, and her boyfriend DDG, a rapper and YouTuber, never disclosed her pregnancy. Then, surprise revealed their son, Halo, in early January.

Chloe, heavily emphasizing her sister’s privacy ability, called it “best-kept secret ever.

“I’m on cloud nine,” Chloe said. Chloe said dodging the persistent speculation was no sweat, and it was not her first time, not by a longshot.

“We just ignore it,” Chloe said. “I would tell her to take social media off

your phone. I keep all her other secrets. So this was just another one in the books.”

Father DDG shared his perspective on being private for the entire 9-month pregnancy.

“I have a son — I have a baby boy. He’s a newborn — he was born last year [but] we were just waiting on the right time to break the news or whatever. It’s been a lot of specula tion,” he explained.

Dave Chappelle scratches back at Katt

BET reports that Dave Chappelle took the stage at MonDERAYS at the Hollywood Improv on January 19 to

let Katt Williams know he didn’t appreciate comments in a recent “Club Shay Shay” interview. Chappelle was surprised that Williams only criticized Black comics. “What part of the game is this? He only ethered n****s. He didn’t say anything about any of these white boys. None of these white boys function like that,” said Chappelle. “Katt is one of the best painters in the game. So why are you drawing ugly pictures of us? Stop.”

While Williams did not torch Chappelle in the controversial interview, he had much to say about Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, Cedric the Entertainer, Tiffany Haddish, and Steve Harvey. Interestingly, Williams has been silent on Chapelle’s take on him.

Sources: The Associated Press, The Shade Room

News

A Special assignment

By Sylvester Brown Jr.

Dr. Michael Maclin, the recently appointed superintendent of the Special School District (SSD) of St. Louis County, is acutely aware of his magnanimous responsibility.

“This is a simply amazing, monumental organization,” Maclin explained.

“We have a staff of 6,000 who partner with 275 schools from nearly every district in the County serving almost 24,000 students on a half a billion-operating budget…all designed to meet the needs of our students.”

Recent estimates show that about one in six, or about 17% of children (aged 3 through 17 years) in the United States have one or more developmental conditions due to an impairment in physical, learning, language, or behavior areas. These disabilities may include speech, visual, language and hearing impairments, autism, serious emotional disturbances, traumatic brain injury or several other learning incapacities.

In 1957, St. Louis County voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum to establish a countywide local school district designed to support the educational needs of children with disabilities. This led to the birth of St. Louis County’s Special School District (SSD).

Maclin has been the district’s “acting superintendent” since October when its superintendent, Dr. Elizabeth Keenan, resigned after what the school district described as an “internal personnel matter.” Maclin, who

was unanimously approved to be SSD’s 20th superintendent earlier this month, is the first person of color to serve as superintendent in the district’s 66-year history.

Born in Peoria Illinois-the birthplace of the late comedian, Richard Pryor- Maclin said his parents moved to the St. Louis region when he was a third grader. He attended a couple different school districts before he was enrolled in the Parkway School district-mostly because his parents were impressed with its educational system, he said.

Maclin said he and his only brother were raised in a household of old-fashioned values.

His mother was a life-long University City kindergarten teacher and his father, also an educator at the collegiate level, ran a disciplined household.

“There were no menus for dinner, and they expected us to be in the house at a certain time,” Maclin recalled fondly.

Maclin was influenced by his parents’ vocation but wasn’t sure if he was destined for a career as an educator.

“What I did know is that I wanted to help people, I wanted to be a change agent,” Maclin said, adding: “Education chose me I didn’t choose it.”

He initially set his sights on being a guidance counselor. The idea of providing student aptitude assessments and helping them identify their interests and abilities appealed to him. He became a teacher’s assistant with the Parkway School District, a guidance counselor and athletic coach and filled multiple teaching and administrative roles with

the Hazelwood and MaplewoodRichmond Heights school districts before he was appointed principal at University City High School in 2012.

Those experiences caused Maclin to further embrace his role in responsive services (prevention, remediation, and crisis) for young people.

“I realized that I wanted to be the 411 before 911,” Maclin said. “I loved the counseling and therapeutic piece of it, having conversations with students. But as I got further into it, I began to see the loss for those who didn’t have a voice, the marginalized. So, wanting to speak out for them put me on this path.”

That “path” led Maclin to the Special School District. Within three years with SSD, Maclin served as the executive director of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) and as a key member of the district’s leadership team.

“I held the unofficial role of an assistant superintendent,”

Maclin said describing his multifaceted role with the school district. “By playing a strong role in the organization’s equity framework I had my hands in everything. I could be meeting with bus drivers in the morning and working the strategic plan in the evening…I knew what all the pieces looked like.”

In a press release, SSD’s Board of Education President, Katie Pottroff, praised Maclin’s “extensive experience and visionary leadership style.”

“We are thrilled to have Dr. Michael Maclin as our new superintendent. The Board firmly believes that his appointment will ensure continuity and alignment with the district’s current strategic plan. His proven leadership and dedication to education coincide seamlessly with our District’s mission, core values, and goals.”

Maclin’s lifelong academic credentials include a doctorate in teaching and learning, an education specialist superinten-

dent degree, a master’s degree in educational administration, a master’s degree in guidance and counseling, and a bachelor’s degree in communications. He has served as an educational consultant to some of the largest school districts in the nation, including LA Unified, Dallas ISD, and Philadelphia. Additionally, he is an adjunct professor for Missouri Baptist University’s education doctoral program.

SSD’s press release announcing his appointment recognized Maclin as an “inclusive, collaborative leader” with experience in “leading instructional innovation, organizational and leadership development, implementation of technology initiatives, development of interventions and support programs for diverse populations.

Maclin said he’s honored to be selected as SSD’s new superintendent and looks forward to working with “District stakeholders” on improving academic outcomes, fostering operational excellence, and prioritizing resources, support, and increasing educational opportunities for ALL SSD students.

Realizing that his district serves some students he defined as “mentally and medically fragile,” Maclin said he looks forward to fulfilling his goal aimed at “empowering the staff and students with all the resources they need.”

“Collaborating with our dedicated educators, supportive families, and engaged community partners on our collective mission to empower students to excel to their greatest potential is rewarding, fulfilling work.”

Sylvester Brown Jr. is the Deaconess Foundation Community Advocacy Fellow.

Dr. Michael Maclin

Guest Editorial

“We’re not just giving out books; we’re offering resources and coaching to family members, unlocking their ability to guide young learners in their reading journey.”

SLPS launching ‘Literacy for the Lou’ campaign

By Dr. Keisha Scarlett

Literacy is more than just the ability to read a book; it’s the key to understanding, opportunity, and engagement in our democracy.

As we embark on a groundbreaking initiative, Literacy for the Lou, the Board of Education for the City of St. Louis, has approved a $4.5 million investment in our school libraries, with additional investments in individual classroom libraries, and home libraries.

I, as the superintendent of SLPS, am proud to share this transformative journey with you.

In a world where literacy is the foundation of everything we do, we are launching Literacy for the Lou to engage our entire city to ensure that every child, not just those in SLPS, has the chance to develop a love for reading.

You might ask, “What sets this initiative apart?” The answer lies in our commitment to evidence-based strategies and training our educators on systematic structured literacy instruction also known as the science of reading. We understand that children need more than just any books; they need books that are inclusive and reflect their diversity.

But our commitment doesn’t end there. Literacy for the Lou will provide age-appropriate books for families to take home and build their own libraries. We want students to have books they genuinely want to read, wherever they are. However, having a book is only part of the battle.

Our young readers need support, and that’s where the science of reading comes in. We’re not just giving out books; we’re offering resources and coaching to family members, unlocking their ability to guide young learners in their reading journey.

Yet, there’s still more to be done. As a city, we must make it our responsibility to encourage the habit of independent reading. Simple questions like, “What are you reading? Why do you like it? What are you writing about?” can foster a culture of reading and writing in our community. These questions, posed to a six-yearold or a sixteen-year-old, can shape habits and create lifelong readers and writers.

I often quote a friend who speaks of the need to mobilize a “conspiracy of care.” Literacy for the Lou embodies this notion—a collective effort by the St. Louis community to surround our children with the care they need for this necessity: literacy. It is poised to become the largest reading movement in our city’s history, and what I’ve shared here is just the beginning. Great things are on the horizon. Let’s make literacy a shared goal, a shared responsibility, and a shared joy. Together, we can create a brighter future for the youth of St. Louis through Literacy for the Lou. All city residents are invited to join us at the Literacy for the Lou kickoff event Saturday, January 27th from noon to 3pm. It will take place at the St. Louis Public Library’s central library. Please RSVP and get more information at www.slps.org/ LiteracyForTheLou.

Dr. Keisha Scarlett is Saint Louis Public Schools superintendent

As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues

New York AG taking her shot at NRA

By Marc Morial

Wayne LaPierre helped supercharge the gunning of America, even as he and the NRA skillfully blamed America’s gun problem on everyone but themselves. Over 30 years, tragedy after tragedy should have brought with it, as it did elsewhere, the most minimal and common-sense of regulations. Instead, Americans now live in a country with more guns than people. — Andrew C. McKevitt Misdirecting tens of millions of donor dollars to fund the lavish lifestyles of chief executive Wayne LaPierre and other top executives, as New York State Attorney General Letitia James alleges, is hardly the worst of the National Rifle Association’s atrocities. But in suing the NRA for financial corruption, even if she doesn’t win the case, James has stricken the most effective blow in decades against one of the most poisonous influences in recent American history.

executive office. Even many Democrats were reluctant to antagonize the group by voting for common-sense gun safety measures.

The last congressional election in 2022 was the first time in 25 years that not a single Democratic candidate for Congress anywhere in the country received an “A” rating.

Desperate to prove their fealty to LaPierre’s NRA, right-wing politicians distribute Christmas cards featuring their children brandishing weapons of war.

In April 2019, The Trace, in partnership with The New Yorker, published an expose of the NRA’s misuse of assets and reckless spending.

Days before James’ lawsuit went to trial in New York City this week, LaPierre resigned from the NRA after more than 30 years. He leaves a legacy of unspeakable, senseless violence that has claimed the lives of more than a million Americans over the past 30 years.

Under LaPierre’s leadership, the NRA was transformed from a sportsman’s organization dedicated to improving marksmanship to the nation’s most brutally effective industry lobbying group. No organization has done more to drive a stake into the heart of bipartisanship and deepen the cultural divide.

In 1994, when LaPierre’s influence had just begun to permeate Congress, 46 House Republicans and seven Senate Republicans voted for the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which included a 10-year ban on assault weapons.

It’s impossible to imagine a single Congressional Republican making that vote in recent years, when an “A” rating from the NRA was an iron-clad prerequisite for any candidate seeking a legislative or

In August 2020, AG James sued NRA, LaPierre and other top executives, charging them with “illegal conduct because of their diversion of millions of dollars away from the charitable mission of the organization for personal use by senior leadership, awarding contracts to the financial gain of close associates and family, and appearing to dole out lucrative no-show contracts to former employees in order to buy their silence and continued loyalty.”

Ironically, the man who hoodwinked millions of Americans with the myth that carrying a gun would protect them from crime spent millions on private security for himself and his family. Thanks to legislation the NRA pushed through Congress, the gun industry rakes in $9 billion a year and faces no accountability for the tens of thousands of deaths and hundreds of billions of dollars that gun violence costs taxpayers.

If AG James’ lawsuit is successful, the NRA will be dissolved. But even if the only outcome is LaPierre’s resignation, she will have done more this year to stem the bloodshed of gun violence than any of LaPierre’s congressional devotees in the past 30 years.

Marc Morial is president/CEO of the National Urban League

As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues

Defending democracy is Biden’s best path

By Juanita Tolliver

In a speech on the eve of the third anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection President Biden declared that political violence has no place in our democracy, and he called out how Trump is committed to revenge and dictatorship if he wins re-election. Biden went on to say, “The choice is clear. Donald Trump’s campaign is about him. Not America. Not you. Donald Trump’s campaign is obsessed with the past, not the future. He’s willing to sacrifice our democracy, put himself in power.”

This direct call out on the national stage forces the public to confront the political violence and the continued fallout from the violent attack that Trump incited, and it counters all the right-wing efforts to rewrite history. While 55% of Americans believe that Jan. 6 was an attack on our democracy that should never be forgotten, there’s been a sharp decline in people who believe that Trump is to blame — including a 6-point decrease among all Americans, and a 13-point drop among Republicans.

concept of “freedom” was smart and essential. By mentioning the freedom to vote, the freedom of choice, the freedom of a fair economic shot and the freedom to read books, Biden deftly connected Trump as a threat to democracy with the day-to-day issues that voters care about. The economy, the cost of living, abortion access, voting rights and more are all front of the mind for regular people, more so than the concept of democracy.

Yes, democracy was a winning closing message in the 2022 midterms. Pairing that with the fact that voters have turned out across demographic and partisan lines for abortion rights since Roe was overturned and that voters are more engaged when their bank accounts are in better shape shows that the Biden campaign is aware of voters’ reality.

Guest Columnist Juanita Tolliver

Even with all the evidence, video footage and criminal prosecutions, Republicans don’t believe that Trump is to blame for Jan. 6. In fact, they think that the evidence feeds into the conspiracy theories and propaganda they’ve been fed by extremist right-wing media outlets for the past three years. Considering that Republicans have elected more white supremacists and election deniers since Jan. 6, and the current speaker of the House, Rep, Mike Johnson, R-La., was an architect of the efforts to overturn the 2020 election, none of this is unsurprising. But thankfully, 90% of Democrats are firm in their understanding that Trump committed a crime, and Independents largely side with them.

Given that level of awareness and acceptance of the truth, President Biden’s mid-speech pivot towards the broad

If the campaign centers that connection, it will undoubtedly help with engaging Black and brown people, and young people, who have been peeling off from Biden at alarming rates.

While these are the very demographics that helped elect Biden with wide margins of support in 2020, recent polling from USA Today and Suffolk University shows a significant drop in support as 67% of registered Black voters support Biden, down from 87% in 2020.

As we are just over 10 months out from election day, and a lot of people haven’t tuned in just yet, there is a lot of ground to cover, and the “democracy plus” approach may be a viable formula for 2024. It’s the balance between the existential threat and the daily challenges people are experiencing in real time that has appeal. Of course, it won’t solve all of Biden’s problems, but it is a start that could set him up for the “choice election” that Democrats hope this boils down to.

Juanita Tolliver is an MSNBC political analyst. Her commentaries are published on TheGrio.com

Columnist Marc H. Morial

Guest Columnist

Dr. Keisha Scarlett

Andre Walker, a mentor at Big Brothers Big Sisters, wants to be an example of a successful “everyday Black man” to his mentee — or “Little Brother.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters seeks Black men as mentors

By Miya Norfleet St. Louis Public Radio

Andre Walker, a Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri mentor, wants to be an example of a successful “everyday Black man” to his mentee — or “Little Brother.”

“I’ve noticed that a lot of our [Black] youth, they tend to [gravitate] towards the athletes or the entertainers because that’s what they see on their phones, on social media, on all of these different platforms,” Walker told St. Louis on the Air.

“I know with me and my mentee, just from some of the conversations that we’ve had, he has been able to see another way for him. And it’s opened up so many doors already for his path.”

Ericka Sanders, vice president

of Community

Outreach and Volunteer Recruitment at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri, said the data is reflective of local efforts as well.

“85% of our alumni graduate high school,” Sanders said. “[Former mentees] either go on to higher education, they go straight into what we hope is gainful employment for them, or they even look into [enlisting in] the military.”

While volunteers of all backgrounds are welcome, Sanders said the need for more Black male volunteers is critical because most of the youth waiting to be paired with a mentor are Black boys.

“[Families we work with] desire someone that they can relate to. Someone that their children can identify with, and have that sense of compatibility and relatability,” she said.

Here we go again in the new year

By E. Faye Williams

Just when we thought things were getting better around the world, and at home, some of the craziest stuff raised its ugly head not to resolve problems, but to create more.

We were heavily impacted by the Israeli-Hamas tragedy. Our hearts were broken for friends caught up in a tragedy they didn’t create. Yet, we find ourselves sadly impacted by what happened in Israel and the Israeli response.

We were already in disbelief about how much a former President of the U.S. could get away with as we try to teach our children how our democracy should be working, and how they should stay out of trouble when there comes a former President showing the worst of behavior. He disrespects all women, and now Black men. I would ask Black men who are said to be flocking to the side of Donald Trump to reconsider and think about what a disgrace that is, if true. Black women work so hard for all our people. Look at the case against our brilliant sister, Claudine Gay, former president of Harvard University for a brief time, and what happened to her as she sat before a hostile Congress treating her more like a criminal than the acts on which they defend Trump. I was horrified by the disrespect shown by some House members to Dr. Gay and the other women college presidents while speaking to a congressional committee.

Let’s move to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. He’s been commanded to appear to explain how dare he get sick and not personally get out of his hospital bed to get permission to take care of his health! Even if it’s a law that a sick person must follow, it must be changed so that the appropriate staff can make the call to interested parties.

I can’t imagine how a woman in charge of anything could have an emergency miscarriage and have to say to the doctor, “Wait, I have to call my boss first!” We must have rules, but they should make sense—especially in case of emergencies. Instead of taking time to heal, he’s having to defend himself because of his “failure to notify key government leaders of his recent hospitalization!” Give me a break! Is he the only person who can call appropriate officials?

DA Willis dares to get the truth for the people about Trump. What happens when she does her job so well that she gets investigated with attempts to destroy her? Gov. Brian Kemp has opted against a criminal investigation into her private life. This decision comes amidst allegations of Willis’ personal life. Who is Congresswoman Marjorie Greene to decide on an adult relationship? Is she just frustrated that her husband recently filed for a divorce from her?

Greene’s time would be better spent helping the Capitol Police investigate the 8,000 threats against Congress in the past year. I’m standing with DA Willis and supporting her right to have a personal life so long as she follows the law in doing her work.

We can’t point a finger at Dr. Gay, Secretary Austin, or DA Willis, while defending a man with over 90 charges and promises to be a dictator? Vote for the right reason and the right person this November. Think about how women and minorities are constantly having to fight for basic human rights while Trump and others works against us.

Photo courtesy of BBBS

E. Faye Williams

An award-winning author, Shabazz is also producing a series based on her latest book ‘The Awakening of Malcolm X.’

Malcolm X’s legacy and commitment to equity didn’t die when he was assassinated on Feb. 21, 1965, in Manhattan. It lived through his six daughters, and their respective families, according to Shabazz.

Fred P. Pestello, SLU president, reminded the audience of the historic October 12, 1964, evening when Dr. King spoke at the university.

“Dr King knew the importance of speaking the truth to the masses and that having faith in people dedicated to justice can create meaningful change,” he said.

“Dr. King’s insights are deeply rested here at St. Louis University.”

Among those honored during the event was 93-year-old, Xernona Clayton founder of the International Trumpet Awards. In 1966, she led Dr. King’s Committee for Implementation, which resulted in desegregating hospitals and health facilities in Atlanta.

“Dr. King believed strongly that we can and must learn to live together,” said Clayton.

Dr. Mulugheta

Teferi, outgoing Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis chief of staff, shares a thought with Ilyasah Shabazz following her remarks during the 12th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Tribute at St. Louis University Busch Student Center on January 18, 2024.

“The smallest actions can lead to a monumental change,” said Rochelle Smith, SLU vice president for Diversity and Innovative Community Engagement.

Dems

Continued from A1

Also honored were:

• Ryan Tisdale, Saint Louis University student in the College for Public

for established state political parties [to] nominate a candidate for the president of the United States,” the Missouri Democratic Party (MDP) cynically described the change as “another attack on free and fair democratic elections that makes it harder for people to exercise their voting rights.”

Not only did the state

Health and Social Justice, Dr. Jonathan C. Smith Emergent Student Leader Award

• Katrina Moore, Ph.D., Saint Louis University associate professor of History and African American Studies, Donald

Democratic Party adamantly oppose the change, not one Democrat serving in the Missouri State House or Senate voted at the time for the bill.

Nearly every Republican member did support the measure.

Brennan Humanitarian Award

• Charlotte A. Hammond, Challenge Unlimited, Civic Leadership Award

• Dr. Kendra Holmes, Affinia Healthcare, Civic Leadership Award

On Tuesday, Missouri Democratic Party Chair, Russ Carnahan, released a statement chastising Republicans for eliminating the state-run presidential primary but added Democrats had worked hard “to design the best party-run process possible given the barriers of the new law.”

“Missouri Democrats sought to make lemonade with these lemons and maximize voter participation by offering a mail-in and an in-person voting option to Democratic presidential primary voters,” said Carnahan.

“The old-fashioned caucus-only election makes it hard to participate in our free and fair democratic elections and disenfranchises too many senior citizens, military personnel, those with disabilities, and work or childcare obligations from exercising their right to vote.”

In alignment with new legislation, the following candidates filed and will appear on the ballot for

• William Johnson, J.D., Saint Louis University School of Law Dean, Donald Brennan Humanitarian Award

• Allan D. Ivie IV, Simmons Bank, Civic Leadership Award

• Dennis G. Serrette,

the presidential primary election scheduled on Saturday, March 23, 2024: Joseph R Biden, Jr, Dean Phillips, Stephen P Lyons, Armando Perez-Serrato, Marianne Williamson and Jason Michael Palmer.

Additionally, Missouri Democrats announced the Democratic National Committee conditionally approved its plan for the state’s 2024 Democratic Presidential Primary on Saturday, March 23, 2024.

Defining it as a “hybrid election,” party officials said Democrats will have the opportunity to cast votes by mail or at an in-person voting site from 8am until noon on the day of the primary.

Missourians must be registered to vote with the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office by February 21, 2024, to be eligible to vote in the state’s Democratic presidential preference primary election. Ballots will be available on request beginning February 1st via the

for

Missouri Democratic Party’s Website, with distribution beginning Feb. 17th. The request period will close March 12 and ballots must be returned to the MDP by 10 am on March 23, 2024. Votes will be counted by March 25th, with the announcement made by March 28, 2024. Despite initial opposition to HB 1878, the Missouri Democratic Party is committed to “greater participation in our democratic elections,” it stated in Tuesday’s press release. “It is what is best for everyone, and the Missouri Democratic Party will continue to advocate for policies that expand access to voting and fight against these attacks on our Democratic process and restore Missouri’s staterun presidential primary for future elections.” Sylvester Brown Jr. is the Deaconess Foundation Community Advocacy Fellow.

National Urban League, Civic Leadership Award

• David Steward II, Lion Forge Animation, Civic Leadership Award

Ashley Winters is a Report

America reporter for the St. Louis American.

Photo by Marcus Allen / St. Louis Urban League

“It’s not enough. We’ve got to keep going, keep doing.”

Jones has been named the 2024 St. Louis American Charitable Foundation Non-Profit Executive of the Year, something she describes as “pinch yourself moment.”

She will be honored during the 22nd Salute to Excellence in Business Awards and Networking Luncheon at 11 a.m. Thursday February 22 at the Ritz-Carlton St. Louis.

Under the theme of “Expanding Inclusive Growth,” the event is co-sponsored by the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and the Regional Business Council.

I grew up reading [the St. Louis American], and know it well,” she said.

“To be recognized by your own is such an honor.”

Of the girls involved with Girls Inc., many are from under-resourced, underserved areas. It is Jones’ mission to ensure that they “be strong, smart

INROADS

Continued from A1

from A1 have two letters of recommendation, and commit to the monthly sessions. The non-profit mission is to deliver innovative leadership development programs and creative solutions that identify, accelerate, and elevate underrepresented talent throughout their careers.

INROADS was a part of the St. Louis community during the 80s, according to Johnson-Lee, with a thriving high school and college program.

and bold with their life choices.”

If you’re in Girls Inc. you’re going to be involved in its STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) program, which partners with University of Missouri-St. Louis, Maryville University, Washington University, Fontbonne University, and Southern Illinois University Carbondale. There are also programs in creative arts, business, and

However, during the 90s its national director stated that there was less corporate interest in younger talent which dictated the decision to phase out or reimagine the program.

“Now we have seen a resurgence in the need and support of programs that expose students as early as possible to various careers,” said JohnsonLee.

“Today we are relaunching the St. Louis College Links program and we plan to be back even stronger.”

According to its website, INROADS “envisions

other fields.

“Project Accelerate has been a remarkable collaboration that will change the career trajectory for young women across the country, and especially here in St. Louis,” Jones said.

“This exciting, transformational award will enable future female workforce leaders to learn from top female industry executives whose mentorship will help pave career pathways for young

women who have been previously excluded from leadership opportunities. Jones’ honor was greeted by many St. Louis leaders with enthusiasm.

“Great honor for a great leader,” Flint Fowler, Boys and Girls Clubs of St. Louis CEO wrote on Instagram.

Well wishes also came from Michael McMillan, Urban League president and CEO, Kelvin Adams, president and CEO

n “We are the individuals that can help nudge our students to show up for the opportunity to be a part of INROADS.”

– Tina Grimes

a world where leaders enrich the composition and culture of business and social communities through diversity and inclusion.

Bev Porter, chief program officer for the St. Louis location, said “I get to work for an organization that gets to make a generational difference.”

“This is not a job, this

is a mission.”

INROADS St. Louis alum Tina Grimes, CEO of TINA Enterprises, was a participant in the INROADS program 38 years ago while attending Cardinal Ritter College Prep High School.

“Without hesitation, I decided to apply for INROADS,” said Grimes. She attributes her expe-

of the St. Community Foundation, Maxine Clark, founder of Build-A-Bear Workshop and former CEO, and Valerie Patton, Greater St. Louis Inc. chief DEI office president.

St. Louis’ local Girls, Inc. affiliate offers activities and programming for young women interested in STEM, creative arts, business, and other fields. Its STEM program partners with University of Missouri-St. Louis,

rience with INROADS to her success as an entrepreneur, public speaker, and as an overall successful adult. She says the weekly meetings helped prepare her for corporate and community leadership.

“We are the individuals that can help nudge our students to show up for the opportunity to be a part of INROADS,” said Grimes.

“If you were an INROADS intern, that meant something back then, and we want to make sure that we are instilling that same thing in high school students.”

Maryville University, Washington University, Fontbonne University, and Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Jones said the organization’s hope is to provide exposure and a glimpse into college. During their fourth and fifth year, students are expected to land internships or externships.

“We meet girls where they are,” Jones said. “We ask them what they want to do, try to get behind them and support them.

Now in her 12th year at the Girls Inc. St. Louis helm, Jones is responsible for the strategic leadership of the organization and oversight. She manages staff, program administration and relationship with the National Girls Inc. organization, and is also responsible for building partnerships with schools, government and community organizations, foundation officers, corporate and individual donors.

Cheryl Jones is everywhere and does everything for Girls Inc., but she says, “there is always more to be done.”

The late Frank C. Carr, INROADS founder, often said he was inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s landmark “I Have a Dream” speech. He left an executive-level corporate position and became committed to increasing the number of ethnically diverse employees in corporate management in the U.S.. It created additional pathways for candidates to gain entry into the business world. Ashley Winters is a Report for America reporter for The St. Louis American.

Former President Bill Clinton visited the Girls, Inc. Eureka! Program, in November 2017. Led by Cheryl Jones, president and CEO of Girls Inc. St. Louis, the not-for-profit organization now serves

more than 9,000 girls with afterschool and summer programs.

Photo courtesy of Girls Inc.

‘Taking Care of You’

In full Bloom

Generate Health helping to reduce maternal health gap

By Ashley Winters

St. Louis American

For the last 12 years, Lora Gulley has been advocating for maternal and child health for underserved St. Louis families. As Generate Health director of community mobilization and Advocacy, Gulley collaborates with community organizations to improve the health and well-being of communities impacted by social and health inequities.

n “Generate Health’s vision is zero racial disparities in infant and maternal mortality by 2033.”

– Lora Gulley

“My focus and interests are ensuring those most impacted by racial disparities have a voice in shaping issues impacting their health and well-being,” said Gulley.

“Generate Health’s vision is zero racial disparities in infant and maternal mortality by 2033.”

Gulley’s career spans over two decades helping improve the overall health of impoverished communities. Gulley believes that maternal and child health are key indicators to judge the overall health of a community.

According to the director, maternal well-being impacts the health of future generations, and she is committed to giving all St. Louis children a healthy start. The St. Louis American had the opportunity to talk with the director, and she discussed her frustrations with the health field and solutions that can help close the maternal health gap.

St. Louis American: Describe Generate Health STL and services it provides

Lora Gulley: Generate Health is a coalition that brings together diverse stakeholders from community, non-profit, for-profit, government, and academic institutions to address some of the region’s most pressing maternal

Lora Gulley, director of Community Mobilization and Advocacy of Generate Health has been advocating for women of color and family maternal health for 20 years. She says her organization’s vision is to eliminate racial disparities in infant and maternal mortality by 2023.

and child health issues. Our collective power aims to advocate for racially equitable policies and practices, centering, supporting, and celebrating Black families throughout their pregnancy and parenthood journeys.

By Dorothy S. Boulware

Everyone is weary of systemic racism in this country’s health system — the entire diatribe of diseases more common to Black people, aggravated by the lack of access and shortage of funds to acquire adequate health coverage.

No wonder Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows life expectancy for African Americans — 72.8 years — is more than a few years lower than the 77.5 years that non-Hispanic whites enjoy. It’s yet another imbalance for African Americans, but that’s not the end of the story.

Houses of worship have stepped in to help improve the health and well-being of their congregations by offering varied opportunities for movement.

n “Uniting faith with fitness creates a powerful synergy, transforming not only the body but also the spirit, inspiring a journey of wellbeing.”

– Rev. Jocelyn Hart Lovelace

The Bloom Network is a collaborative effort that provides quality care through home visitation, perinatal behavioral health, and safe sleep resources. These resources are critical drivers of maternal and infant health disparities.

Generate Health has developed a model of resident-driven leadership that governs our initiatives. Our approach is to support the leadership of those with lived experience – from

“Uniting faith with fitness creates a powerful synergy, transforming not only the body but also the spirit, inspiring a journey of wellbeing,” the Rev. Jocelyn Hart Lovelace, presiding elder, Boston Hartford District of the New England Annual Conference of the AME Church, said. At Allen Chapel AME in Hartford, Connecticut, members are offered step challenges, and they participate in walkathons. Some members fulfill their numbers by hitting area malls early in the mornings, according to the pastor, the Rev. Orsella Hughes.

In South Carolina, at the New Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Orangeburg, the Seasoned Saints have weekly classes that incorporate strength training

Black women often bear brunt of medical misdiagnosis

Many doctors are biased ‘without knowing it’

By Liz Szabo KFF Health News

Charity Watkins sensed something was deeply wrong when she experienced exhaustion after her daughter was born. At times, Watkins, then 30, had to stop on the stairway to catch her breath. Her obstetrician said postpartum depression likely caused the weakness and fatigue. When Watkins, who is Black, complained of a cough, her doctor blamed the flu. About eight weeks after delivery, Watkins thought she was having a heart attack, and her husband took her to the emergency room. After a 5½-hour wait in a North Carolina hospital, she returned home to nurse her baby without seeing a doctor.

When a physician finally examined Watkins

n In a study published Jan. 8 in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers found that nearly 1 in 4 hospital patients who died or were transferred to intensive care had experienced a diagnostic error.

three days later, he immediately noticed her legs and stomach were swollen, a sign that her body was retaining fluid. After a chest X-ray, the doctor diagnosed her with heart failure, a serious condition in which the heart becomes too weak to adequately pump oxygen-rich blood to organs throughout the body. Watkins spent two weeks in intensive care. She said a cardiologist later told her, “We almost lost you.” Watkins is among 12 million adults misdiag-

See WOMEN, A11

Photo courtesy of Generate Health

Charity Watkins experienced deep exhaustion for weeks after giving birth. Her doctor thought she was depressed. She had undiagnosed heart failure.

Dorothy S. Boulware

Photo by Kate Medley / KFF Health News

Gulley

Continued from A10

FLOURISH’s Community Leaders Cabinet using their voice to shape maternal and infant health policy and systems to the Black advocate-led Missouri MOMNIBUS Steering Committee crafting a package of policy recommendations designed to significantly improve Black maternal health disparities in Missouri.

SLAM: Why did you enter the field of maternal health?

Gulley: Despite advances in medical care in St. Louis, Black women are still 3 times as likely to die around the time of pregnancy than white women and over 84% of those deaths are preventable. The voices of those most impacted by racial disparities are often left out of decision-making roles and I am committed to ensuring the community has a voice in shaping the systems and policies to help families grow and thrive. By working to ensure Black families and communities have the support they need to be healthy and that systems are equitable and allow everyone a just opportunity to achieve healthy outcomes.

SLAM: What alarms

Women

Continued from A10 nosed every year in the U.S. In a study published Jan. 8 in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers found that nearly 1 in 4 hospital patients who died or were transferred to intensive care had experienced a diagnostic error. Nearly 18% of misdiagnosed patients were harmed or died.

In all, an estimated 795,000 patients a year die or are permanently disabled because of misdiagnosis, according to a study published in July in the BMJ Quality & Safety periodical.

Women and racial and ethnic minorities are 20% to 30% more likely than white men to experience a misdiagnosis, said David Newman-Toker, a professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the lead author of the BMJ study. “That’s significant and inexcusable,” he said. Researchers call misdiagnosis an urgent public health problem. The study found that rates of misdiagnosis range from 1.5% of heart attacks to 17.5% of strokes and 22.5% of lung cancers.

Weakening of the heart muscle — which led to

Boulware

Continued from A10 and cardio.

“We bring our weights to class, but everything else is provided,” says Sandra Harris, Seasoned Saints leader. This group, which is under the church’s Family Life Ministry, does different exercises. “Some involve getting on the floor, but not everyone is up for that. Mostly, we do chair workouts, work on balance, and breathing. And

‘Taking Care of You’

you concerning maternal health in women of color?

Gulley: St. Louis is unconcerned that Missouri is one of the most dangerous places to give birth in the country. Giving birth in Missouri is too often a battleground for Black birthing people and their babies. Toxic stress, barriers to healthcare, and other social determinants impact the survival rates of both moms and babies during their first year of life. Disturbing new data from the CDC show an increase in the nation’s infant mor-

tality rates for the first time in twenty years, with Missouri cited as one of four states (Iowa, Georgia, Texas) experiencing significant increases (16%) in infant mortality. According to the latest Pregnancy Associated Mortality Report, the pregnancy-related death rate increased from 25.2/100000 (20172019) to 31.8/100000 (2018-2020) with mental health conditions cited as the leading cause of pregnancy-related death.

SLAM: How can we as a community shrink the health disparities

gap?

Gulley: Improving Black maternal health outcomes demands a multi-faceted, holistic approach that addresses Black women’s health across the lifespan, improves access to quality health care, addresses social determinants of health (improving family and community conditions), and provides greater economic security: Providing patient-centered care that is responsive to the needs of Black birthing people, expanding and protecting access to trust-

Watkins’ heart failure — is the most common cause of maternal death one week to one year after delivery, and is more common among Black women Heart failure “should have been No. 1 on the list of possible causes” for Watkins’ symptoms, said Ronald Wyatt, chief science and chief medical officer at the Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine, a nonprofit research and advocacy group.

Maternal mortality for Black mothers has increased dramatically in recent years. The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among developed countries. According to

sometimes we do yoga,” Harris adds. She said group members are over 60 and all women, so far. For some churches, like St. Paul AME in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the movement is incorporated into the actual Sunday morning worship experience. Every fifth Sunday, members come prepared to move, stretch, and do calisthenics for a good portion of the service. And at The Hill, in Waterloo, Maryland, every second Sunday is Holistic Sunday, and

the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, non-Hispanic Black mothers are 2.6 times as likely to die as nonHispanic white moms. More than half of these deaths take place within a year after delivery.

Research shows that Black women with childbirth-related heart failure are typically diagnosed later than white women, said Jennifer Lewey, co-director of the pregnancy and heart disease program at Penn Medicine. That can allow patients to further deteriorate, making Black women less likely to fully recover and more likely to suffer from weakened hearts for the rest of their lives.

Watkins said the diag-

that means highly energetic worship music and high-impact movement for a good 20-30 minutes. By the end of the workout, everyone is filling the air with exclamations of worship.

The leader of this movement is Dr. Daphne R. Snowden, author of “Dance Ministry 101: Genesis to Revelation.”

ed community providers, expanding access to quality, patient-centered, and comprehensive reproductive healthcare, addressing the social determinants of health (conditions under which people live, work, and play), expanding paid family and medical leave.

SLAM: How can women advocate for themselves during doctor visits?

Gulley: Simply put, know before you go. Women should seek out evidence-based information on pregnancy, birth, and postpartum so that they know what to expect and can be aware when something is not right. We also must be bold and seek second opinions or change providers when we are not being respected and listened to. Lean into your community to find providers that Black and Brown women have positive experiences with. Until providers are held accountable by the medical boards and society, the community must hold them accountable and not stay with or recommend harmful providers.

Having a trained advocate like a doula as a part of the process makes an impactful difference. Doulas can have a wide range of skills and knowledge that help birthing people navigate their experience from pre-pregnancy through postpartum (after

birth). While doulas are not the fix to the maternal health crisis, they improve the experience and outcomes of birthing people and their families.

SLAM: What postnatal care does Generate Health STL provide?

Gulley: The BLOOM Network, an initiative of Generate Health, exemplifies our collaborative approach, co-creating an equitable system of support for home visitation, prenatal behavioral health, and safe sleep for Black pregnant and parenting families. Addressing factors that contribute to toxic stress such as substance use, intimate partner violence, trauma, and maternal care providers and organizations that meet social needs. BLOOM also works at the systemic level to advocate for increased access to transportation, housing, and food.

In March, Generate Health will launch its Community Leadership Fellows training that will equip 12-15 community residents with lived experience to participate in decision-making roles to build collective power to influence maternal and health policies and drive systemic change.

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

dicitis were less likely than their white peers to be correctly diagnosed, even when both groups of patients visited the same hospital.

Although few doctors deliberately discriminate against women or minorities, Goyal said, many are biased without realizing it.

“Racial bias is baked into our culture,” Goyal said. “It’s important for all of us to start recognizing that.”

disease.

nosis changed her life. Doctors advised her “not to have another baby, or I might need a heart transplant,” she said. Being deprived of the chance to have another child, she said, “was devastating.”

Women and minority patients suffering from heart attacks are more likely than others to be discharged without diagnosis or treatment.

Black people with depression are more likely than others to be misdiagnosed with schizophrenia

Minorities are less likely than whites to be diagnosed early with dementia depriving them of the opportunities to receive treatments that work best in the early stages of the

Her doctoral degree is in education, so she’s a gifted teacher who knows how to engage her students.

“When we first started, many people would just

stare, some would sing, but they wouldn’t participate, but that is changing over time,” Snowden says. “Some would explain they couldn’t participate because of health challenges, but I’d tell them exercise is always good for the body.”

So most of those same people are participating regularly now, the result of her great desire for their health.

“I prayed for guidance concerning the music I

Misdiagnosis isn’t new. Doctors have used autopsy studies to estimate the percentage of patients who died with undiagnosed diseases for more than a century. Although those studies show some improvement over time, life-threatening mistakes remain all too common, despite an array of sophisticated diagnostic tools, said Hardeep Singh, a professor at Baylor College of Medicine who studies ways to improve diagnosis.

In a 2020 study, Monika Goyal, an emergency physician at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., and colleagues found that Black kids with appen-

selected, my attire, the routines, everything,” she says, adding that this is a learning experience for her, too — although she’d done Zumba training since 2020. And this is not her first church exercise assignment.

“During COVID, the gospel classes grew, and there were notable successful body changes, health praise reports, and the community became more committed and dedicated to the whole process,” Snowden says. Her fitness ministry is part of a larger vision for the

Seven years after her misdiagnosis, Watkins is an assistant professor of social work at North Carolina Central University in Durham, where she studies the psychosocial effects experienced by Black mothers who survive severe childbirth complications.

“Sharing my story is part of my healing,” said Watkins, who speaks to medical groups to help doctors improve their care. “It has helped me reclaim power in my life, just to be able to help others.”

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF

church.

“We’ve been providing time for movement for almost three years now,” says the Right Rev. Antoine O. McClurkin, chief steward of The Hill.

“Our purpose is to invoke wholistic logic and cause awareness to movement for the sake of temple care. It’s the seed for our future healthcare ministry.”

Rev. Dorothy S. Boulware is a religion writer and columnist for Word in Black.

Rose Anderson-Rice, Generate Health deputy director, speaks at the annual Standing Up For Black Moms and Babies event on October 5, 2023 at St. Louis Art Works. Her organization is a coalition of community, non-profit, for-profit, government, and academic institutions that address maternal and child health issues.

Photo courtesy of Generate Health

Charity Watkins’ daughter recently drew portraits of her parents, which they display with her baby photo.

Photo by Kate Medley / KFF Health News

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

Ninth-grade student Kyrin RequenaHarris, in Ms. Cheryl M. Christian’s class at Jennings Senior High School, is reading the

Did you know that bacteria are all around us? Most people think of germs and disease when they think of bacteria. Harmful bacteria are called pathogens. Examples of pathogens include leprosy, food poisoning, pneumonia, tetanus, and typhoid fever. Pathogens cause disease in people, plants, and animals.

Bacteria can also be helpful. Good bacteria live in our bodies, particularly our stomachs to help aid in digestion. Some forms of bacteria also help your immune system to stay strong and fight off disease and infection. Good bacteria can also be found in your food. Some examples

Background Information:

In this experiment you will evaluate the effectiveness of hand soaps and sanitizers.

Materials Needed:

• 8 Slices of Fresh Bread With No Preservatives • 16 Sealing Plastic Sandwich Bags • Latex Gloves

• Sticky Labels or Masking Tape

• Pen • Toaster • Knife • Spray Bottle • Baking Sheet • Camera • Sanitizer

• Measuring Teaspoon • Liquid Soap Process:

q Put on the gloves and toast 4 slices of bread.

w Cut all 8 pieces of bread in half. You will have 8 pieces of toasted bread, and 8 pieces of untoasted bread.

e For each of the 4 sets, you will place one piece of toasted bread, and one piece of untoasted bread in separate bags, one to be sealed, the other unsealed, for a total of 4 bags per set (16 bags total). Label each bag appropriately— ”untoasted, sealed,” “untoasted, unsealed,” “toasted, sealed,” and “toasted, unsealed.” Be sure to label each set of bags with the additives you sprayed on the bread.

SET 1 – NO ADDITIVES

The first set has no additives.

SET 2 – WATER ADDED

Fill the spray bottle with water. Spray each piece in the second set lightly with water. Follow the directions in 3.

SET 3 – SOAPY WATER ADDED

Now that you’ve been practicing your math facts, you are ready to solve equations.

An equation will display a math fact with a missing number. You will use your knowledge of math facts, and your critical thinking skills, to solve the problems.

DID YOU KNOW?

include yogurt, cheese, pickles, and soy sauce. Bacteria are found everywhere—in the air and soil, on our skin and in our bodies. You need a microscope to see bacteria because they are so small. Bacteria come in many shapes, including rods, spirals, and spheres. Some bacteria use a tail called a flagella to swim.

For More Information, Visit: http://www.biology4kids.com/files/micro_bacteria.html.

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

Add 1 teaspoon of soap to the water in the spray bottle. Mix well. Spray each piece in the third set lightly with soapy water. Follow the directions in 3.

SET 4 – HAND SANITIZER-WATER ADDED

Dump out the soapy water in the spray bottle and wash the bottle well. Fill it again with water and add 1 teaspoon of hand sanitizer. Mix well. Spray each piece in the fourth set lightly with water. Follow the directions in 3.

r Lay out all of the bags on the baking sheet spray-side up. Be sure the labels are visible. Place the tray in a warm, dark place.

t After 1 week, seal all of the open bags. Be sure not to open any of the bags again once mold starts to grow. Which bread do you think will grow the most mold? Which bread do you think will grow the least? Why? Use this as an opportunity to formulate your hypothesis.

y Take notes and pictures over the next 21 days. When does mold start growing? Which grows the fastest? After you’ve completed your experiment, dispose of the bread, keeping the bags sealed, and evaluate your hypothesis.

Learning Standards: I can follow sequential directions to complete a procedure. I can form and test a hypothesis.

AFRICAN-AMERICAN BACTERIOLOGIST & EDUCATOR: Welton Ivan Taylor

Welton Ivan Taylor was born on November 12, 1919, in Birmingham, Alabama. He was a descendent of President Zachary Taylor. When he was young, Taylor’s family moved to Chicago, where he attended DuSable High School. Taylor was very interested in science and nature. Louis Pasteur was his idol. He was also active in the ROTC while in school. His academic performance and strong interest in science inspired local African Americans to sponsor him and pay for his bachelor’s degree in bacteriology (the study of bacteria) from the University of Illinois. Next, Taylor was part of an African-American division that fought in World War II. While serving in the military, Taylor was promoted to First Lieutenant. His fondest memory of the war was seeing Charles Lindbergh pilot a P-61. His service in the war allowed him to earn a GI Bill, which helped pay for his master’s and doctorate degrees in bacteriology from the University of Illinois. While earning his degrees, Taylor faced racism from some of the professors who did not want to see him earn a degree.

In 1948, Taylor began working at the University of Illinois as a bacteriology instructor. It was during this assignment that he learned that antibiotics could be used to treat gangrene and tetanus to help war victims. In 1954, Taylor was asked to help solve an outbreak of salmonella poisoning in baby food. After he was successful, Taylor’s approach was used in labs worldwide. Taylor helped hospitals, health care organizations, and government agencies. From 1961 to 1962, he worked abroad with British and French scientists. After that time, he developed a method to detect bacteria that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) still uses to this day. His research was also used by the World Health Organization. The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta named a bacterium in his honor. Taylor received numerous grants to help fund his research. He spent a lot of time lecturing about health issues, such as STDs and HIV. In 1960, he began the Chicago chapter of the Episcopal Society for Cultural and Racial Unity.

Discuss: Why is the study of bacteria important?

Learning Standards: I can read a biography about an individual who has made contributions in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.

Sharpen Your Math Skills With This Fun Equation Search: http://www.learn-with-math-games.com/ elementary-math-activities.html.

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

A dollar bill has 3,000 types of bacteria.

MAP CORNER

Use the newspaper to complete the following activities.

Activity One Point of View:

Choose a news story to read. Is it written in first, second, or third person point of view? How do you know? Rewrite the story in a different point of view.

Activity Two — Healthy Living: Look through the newspaper to find examples of healthy foods, exercise options, and medical treatment or prevention. Healthy living includes mental health, as well. How many examples of healthy living can you find in the newspaper?

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can identify point of view. I can identify examples of healthy choices.

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.

Photo by Cheryl Christian

PeoPle on the Move

Here

five ways to help improve credit scores in 2024

Building, or re-establishing, a good credit score is a great resolution for 2024. This could lead to saving money on interest fees over time.

Biden backs plans that could help Black consumers

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire

President Biden’s administration has acted over the past week with initiatives that could help millions of Black consumers and borrowers nationwide.

First, Biden announced a proposal to dramatically reduce the cost of overdrawing a bank account. The initiative targets what it views as unnecessary financial burdens on consumers, particularly those living paycheck to paycheck.

In addition, Biden announced the approval of student debt cancellation for an additional 74,000 student loan borrowers. The latest action contributes to the record-breaking relief the administration has provided to more than 3.7 million Americans.

Challenging banking fees

The proposed banking regulation

BIDEN, B2

Hammock is new United Way STL executive

The United Way of Greater St. Louis recently named Kiesha Hammock as its new vice president of community investment.

She will supervise and oversee United Way investment opportunities, portfolio managers and volunteers while also implementing and monitoring the investment portfolios of partnerships across the United Way safety net agency network.

She previously served as director of partnership and capacity building at the Deaconess Foundation, where she stewarded the Foundation’s grantmaking portfolio and nonprofit support programming. Additionally, Hammock currently serves on the board for Philanthropy Missouri and previously served as board chair for Places for People.

Darren James named TBAE chair

KAI Dallas-Fort Worth

President Darren L. James, FAIA, NOMA has been appointed chair of the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners (TBAE) – a multiprofession regulatory agency that oversees the examination, registration and professional regulation of architects, interior designers and landscape architects. A graduate of the University of Kansas School of Architecture & Urban Design, James started his career as an architect 31 years ago and has been president of St. Louis-based KAI, a Black-owned national design and construction services firm, for the past 18 years. Darren L. James

Dennis is new HSSU chief of public safety Promotion, board appointment,

Photo courtesy of Chase

Catherine Dennis Keisha Hammock

Photo courtesy of

Credit

Continued from B1

A credit score consists of your payment history, available credit, total balances, the mix of credit type, length of credit history, and the frequency and amount of new credit you’re applying for.

If you don’t have a credit history or you’re rebuilding your credit, your credit score will likely be on the lower end. Here are a few simple steps, including some you may already be doing, that can help start the year off on the right foot and improve your score:

1. Report rent or bill payments and pay on time Ask a service provider, such as a landlord, to report payment activity to the credit bureaus. Also remember to pay bills on time. Paying your utility bills, rent, credit cards and loans on time can demonstrate fiscal responsibility to lenders.

2. Apply for a store or gas card. Retailers and businesses often approve applicants with little credit history for a card. Store cards usually carry a higher interest rate, but payments still become part of your credit profile. Remember to try to pay off the balance each month to avoid raking up interest.

3. Open a bank account and consider a new-to-credit card: Although checking and savings accounts don’t factor into

your credit score, lenders can review them to see how fiscally responsible you are. And in the case of Chase Freedom Rise, which is designed for new-to-credit customers, having a Chase checking account increases your likelihood of approval.

4. Become an authorized user or joint account holder. Ask a trusted family member or friend to be added to their credit card. You’ll get an extra card with your name on it, and activity from that card will be reflected on your credit report over time. Be sure this person has a good history of on-time payments and low credit utilization – if they have bad credit habits, it will reflect on your credit, too.

5. Find a co-signer. Apply for credit jointly with someone who already has an established credit history. Remember, the co-signer is putting their credit on the line for you, so keep up with your payments and don’t overspend.

These options can help you demonstrate your creditworthiness, and you may start seeing your score rise sooner than you might expect.

Resolve to build credit in 2024

It’s never too late to build -- or rebuild -- your credit. As you make your resolutions for the new year, put credit building near the top of your list. Not only will good credit help you have a happy new year in 2024, but you’ll also see your hard work pay off for many new years to come.

Biden

Continued from B1

could cap the overdrawn account fee at $3, which would represent a significant difference from the current banking landscape where fees can soar to as much as $39. “When companies sneak hidden junk fees into families’ bills, it can take hundreds of dollars a month out of their pockets and make it harder to make ends meet,” Biden stated. “That might not matter to the wealthy, but it’s real money to hardworking families— and it’s just plain wrong.”

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) outlined two approaches for banks to calculate overdraft fees. The first requires banks to charge customers only the cost of overdraft services, with a mandate to disclose the costs to the CFPB transparently. Alternatively, a benchmark fee could be implemented across all affected financial institutions, with proposed figures of $3, $6, $7, and $14. Officials said public input and industry feedback will determine the final fee structure.

Overdraft fees have long been contentious, with research indicating that the average fee is $26.61. The CFPB and public records from banks reveal that major banks still generate approximately $8 billion in overdraft fees annually. Experts reported that the burden of these fees disproportionately affects lowincome households and communities of color.

“This is about the companies that rip off hardworking Americans simply because they can,” added Biden, who has made eliminating what he calls “junk fees” a cornerstone of his economic agenda leading into the 2024 election. “Banks call it a service—I call it exploitation. Today’s proposal would cut the average overdraft fee by more than half, saving the typical American family that pays these fees $150 a year. That would add up to save families $3.5 billion every year. Unfortunately, some Republicans in Congress continue to defend these exploitative fees.”

The proposed rules would apply to banks with assets exceeding $10 billion, impacting approximately 175 large financial institutions. “This is just one part of my administration’s broader plan to lower costs for hardworking families,” Biden asserted.

“We’re going to continue doing everything in our power to bring down costs and grow our economy from the middle out and bottom up, while standing up to extreme Republican attempts to provide more giveaways to the wealthy and big corporations and undermine competition.”

Should the rule be adopted and withstand political and legal challenges,

the new regulations could take effect late in 2025.

Helping college borrowers SAVE

Biden also championed the accelerated implementation of a crucial provision under the Student Aid for Voluntary Education (SAVE) plan, which the administration said has helped 3.6 million Americans by canceling their student debt. Biden said the plan aims to create a more affordable student loan repayment structure while providing life-changing support to students and their families.

“My administration approved debt cancellation for another 74,000 student loan borrowers across the country, bringing the total number of people who have had their debt canceled under my administration to over 3.7 million Americans through various actions,” Biden said in a statement on Jan. 19.

The beneficiaries of the latest round of relief include nearly 44,000 teachers, nurses, firefighters, and other public service professionals who have earned forgiveness after a decade of dedicated service. Additionally, close to 30,000 individuals who have been in repayment for at least 20 years without receiving relief through income-driven repayment plans will now see their debts forgiven.

Biden credited the success of these relief efforts to the corrective measures taken to address broken student loan programs. He asserted that these fixes have removed barriers preventing borrowers from accessing the relief they were entitled to under the law.

The president outlined the broader achievements of his administration in supporting students and borrowers, including achieving the most significant increases in Pell Grants in over a decade, aimed at assisting families with incomes below approximately $60,000 per year. Other accomplishments include fixing the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program and introducing the most generous income-driven repayment plan in history, known as the SAVE plan, he said. Borrowers are encouraged to apply for this plan at studentaid.gov.

In response to challenges, including the Supreme Court’s decision on the student debt relief plan, Biden affirmed the administration’s commitment to finding alternative paths to deliver relief to as many borrowers as possible, as quickly as possible.

“From Day One of my administration, I vowed to improve the student loan system so that higher education provides Americans with opportunity and prosperity, not the unmanageable burdens of student loan debt,” Biden asserted. “I won’t back down from using every tool at our disposal to get student loan borrowers the relief they need to reach their dreams.”

The proposed banking regulation could cap the overdrawn account fee at $3, which would represent a significant difference from the current banking landscape where fees can soar to as much as $39.

n “It was just a great night, I had it going.”

– 76ers center Joel Embiid on his 70-point performance against San Antonio

InSIdE SportS

By Earl Austin Jr.

It takes two

Pair of powerhouse challenges charge into STL

Two major basketball events will take place in the St. Louis area in coming days, beginning with the fifth annual Vashon Winter Classic boys event on Saturday January 27 at Vashon High. On the girls side, Webster Groves will host its annual Winter Challenge, which will begin next Tuesday, January 30. The Vashon Winter Classic is a six-game boys basketball showcase that features top teams from all across the state of Missouri and Illinois. Here is a look at the six game schedule.

Session I

John Burroughs vs. Granite City, 11:30 a.m.

- The Bombers entered the week at 14-3 and are one of the top teams in Class 4. They feature one of the area’s top inside combos in 6’8” sophomore Tristan Reed and 6’9” sophomore Sheek Pearson. They also have a nice pair of guards in senior Ramzi Salem and Owen Walther. Granite City enters the week on a nine-game winning streak. The Warriors are led by 6’4” senior Mario Brown, who is averaging 14 points a game.

Chaminade vs. St. Laurence (IL), 1 p.m.

- Chaminade features a young and talented team, led by junior guard Collin Perry, who is averaging a team-high 12 points a

game. They also have a talented pair of forwards in 6’7” sophomore Jamison White and 6’8” Jahidi White Jr, who are the sons of former Cardinal Ritter star and NBA player Jahidi White.

Webster Groves vs. Springfield Central, 2:30 p.m. - Webster Groves is having a strong season as one of the top contenders in Class 5. The Statesmen have a strong dynamic duo in 6’4” senior forward Iziah Purvey and 6’3” freshman guard Scottie Adkinson. Springfield Central comes down from

the Southwest part of the state. The Bulldogs have one of the top teams in Class 6. Central features a talented group of guards, led by 6’4” senior Tyrique Brooks, 6’1” junior Keion Epps, 6’1” junior Rue Wells and 6’6” junior forward Bryce Walker.

Session II

University City vs. Staley, 4:30 p.m. - University City is a talented team that enters the week with a 10-4 record. They are led by 6’5” senior small forward Lee Williams, who is averag-

ing 14.9 points a game. They also feature the junior pair of 6’6” forward Jayden Creighton and 6’1” guard Miyel Taylor. Staley is a strong team from the Kansas City area. The Falcons are led by junior guard Avian Webb, 6’2” senior guard K.V. Stone and 6’7” junior forward Xavier Wilson.

Father Tolton vs. Chicago Whitney Young, 6 p.m. - Father Tolton has one of the top teams in Class 4 this season. The Trailblazers have a tremendous starting backcourt in 6’2” junior

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

Vashon’s Nicholas Randall (24) slams it home during fourth-quarter action Friday, January 19, 2024.

one of the top teams in the SEMO area. The Tigers are led by 6’3” senior Jay Reynolds, a SEMO recruit and the talented sophomore pair of 6’3” guard Marquel Murray and 6’6” forward Tyseandre Edwards.

Webster Winter Challenge is loaded

Aaron Rowe and 6’1” Zay Wilson. Whitney Young is perennially one of the top programs from the Chicagoland area.

Vashon vs. Cape Girardeau Central, 7:30 p.m. - The host Wolverines are once again one of the best teams in the state as the defending three-time Class 4 state champions. Vashon has talented up and down the lineup with its talented junior guard tandem of Christian Williams and Trey Williams along with 6’8” junior Nicholas Randall. Cape Central is

The Webster Winter Challenge features a Who’s Who of top girls programs from the St. Louis area, along with perennial Mid-Missouri power Rock Bridge from Columbia. The highlight team of the field is Incarnate Word Academy, which enters this week on a 115-game winning streak. The action begins on Tuesday, January 30 with four first-round games. The semifinals will be held on Friday, February 2 with the championship game set for Saturday, February 3. Here is a look at the schedule for the Webster Winter Challenge: Tuesday, January 30 (First Round) Webster Groves vs. John Burroughs, 4 p.m. Rock Bridge vs. Cor Jesu, 5:30 p.m. Cardinal Ritter vs. St. Joseph’s, 7 p.m. Incarnate Word vs. Pattonville, 8:30 p.m. Friday, February 2 Semifinals, 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Saturday, February 3 Seventh Place, noon Fifth Place, 1:30 p.m. Third Place, 3 p.m. Championship, 4:30 p.m.

AFC Championship will showcase elite Black quarterbacks

Black History Month will again feature a starting Black quarterback in the Super Bowl on Sunday Feb. 11, 2024.

Barring injury, Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson guaranteed this by leading their teams to respective wins in AFC Divisional Playoff games. Mahomes was masterful in the Chiefs’ 27-24 win on the road at Buffalo. In his first true playoff game away from Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, he connected on 17 of 23 passes for 215 yards, and two TD passes to Travis Kelce.

Following the win, Mahomes immediately paid respect to Jackson and the Ravens, who will host the AFC Championship game at 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

“It’s going to take our best effort. Defense, offense, special teams, they do it all. It’s always a great challenge and that stadium’s going to be rocking, so we’re excited

for the challenge,” said Mahomes. While the Chiefs-Bills game came down to a Bills’ missed field goal late in the fourth quarter, Jackson and the Ravens dominated the second half to rack up a victory over the upstart Houston Texans With the teams knotted at 10-10 after two quarters, Jackson lit into his team with “a lot of cursing” at halftime. The Ravens responded by shutting down Texans’ rookie Black QB CJ Stroud and cruising to a 34-10 victory.

“We was rusty [after a two-week layoff], it was windy, it was cold, everything played a factor. We came out in the second half, and we did what we were supposed to do, put points on the board,” Jackson said following the game.

Jackson, favored to be named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player, certainly was the most valuable in the win over the Texans. Jackson completed 16

of 22 passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 100 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries.

He noted that Mahomes and the Chiefs are the only things on his mind heading into Sunday’s showdown, not his first trip to the Super Bowl.

“We got to finish, not in the dance yet. But I’m looking forward to next

week to be honest. I’m not even thinking about [the] Super Bowl until we handle business,” he said. This will be the first matchup between Mahomes and Jackson in the postseason.

The Ravens topped the Chiefs 36-35 in Baltimore on September 19, 2021, but faltered early in the playoffs that season while the Chiefs progressed to

the AFC Championship game and lost to Cincinnati.

Mahomes has a 3-1 career record against the Ravens, and his playoff record far exceeds Jackson’s, who is 2-3 in the playoffs following last Saturday’s win. Kansas City or Baltimore fans will be bitterly disappointed should their respective team lose. But as a fan of Black quarterbacks, the contest is a win-win situation.

The Reid Roundup

Green Bay Packers

quarterback Jordan Love threw an ill-advised pas that resulted in a gameclinching interception for the host San Francisco 49ers in a 24-21 playoff win on Saturday. He finished 21-of-34 passing for 194 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He called the pass “a mortal sin.” …The NFL has a pair of new Black head coaches. The New England Patriots tabbed assistant coach Jerod Mayo to take over

for the departed Bill Belichick and the Las Vegas Raiders removed the ‘interim’ for Antonio Pierce’s title. The hires bring the number of NFL Black head coaches to four, and six positions remained open as of Tuesday morning…Mayo didn’t shy from the fact he is the first Black head coach in his franchise’s history. “You want your locker room to be pretty diverse, and you want the world to look like that. I do see color because I believe if you don’t see color, you can’t see racism,” Mayo said… Coco Gauff progressed with ease at the Australian Open, the first WTA Grand Slam event since Gauff won the U.S. Open in September, until her quarterfinal match on Monday. She dropped her first set of the tournament but held off Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine to reach the semifinal round…Are the St. Louis Cardinals so desperate to sell tickets or appease fans that they re-signed Matt Carpenter?

Earl Austin Jr.

Alvin A. Reid

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) throws a pass during the second half of the NFL divisional round playoff game against the Houston Texans, Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024.

Photo courtesy of the AP

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Mark C. Darrell joins CAO as co-chief of staff

Mark C. Darrell has joined the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office as co-chief of staff.

Darrell spent most of his 40-year career as a lawyer and executive in the natural gas industry, spending the last 19 years as chief legal officer at Spire holding company, advising its board, CEO, and senior management on legal and business matters.

“Mark is a skilled, seasoned leader with enormous scope, and a collaborative management style that will strengthen our leadership team and ensure the seamless internal operations of our office,” said

Since launching “Pay

It Forward” in 2021, Spectrum Reach has invested more than $50 million in advertising and resources and helped more than 2,000 underserved businesses in 36 states across its footprint, from coffee shops and childcare facilities to restaurants and law firms.

Among the 2023 “Pay It

The HSSU Center of Innovation (CIE) Funding for Founders Incubator is accepting applications through Friday, Apri12, 2024.

The incubator is designed to equip Micro non-profit founders with

Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore.

“With Co-Chief Jeff Jamieson, Darrell will have oversight of victim services, human resources, facilities management, technology, and the day- to-day operations of the Circuit Attorney’s Office.”

In addition to advising Spire’s board of directors and senior management on legal matters facing Spire and its principal subsidiaries, Darrell supervised the legal function and, at various points during his time at Spire, the corporate secretarial, enterprise risk manage-

ment, insurance, claims, internal auditing, industrial relations, corporate communications and corporate security functions of the company. He was part of Spire’s senior executive and policymaking group and is past chair of Spire’s charitable foundation.

Darrell began his legal career in 1982 as a staff lawyer at the U.S.

Department of Energy.

From 1984-1987 he was a staff lawyer for the American Gas Association and from 1987-1992 he was an associate in private law practice in Washington, D.C.

From 19922004 he served in legal and executive positions at NiSource Inc., Columbia Energy Group, and New Jersey Resources Corporation.

Darrell holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Syracuse University and a Juris Doctor degree from Georgetown University Law Center.

He is past chair of the American Bar Association’s Infrastructure and Regulated Industries Section, past chair of the American Gas Association’s Legal Committee, and a member of the Energy Bar Association.

He has served on the boards of Webster University (where he served as chair of the

Spectrum Reach assists 2,000 businesses

Forward” participants was GreaterHealth Pharmacy and Wellness in St. Louis, which used Spectrum Reach’s complimentary resources and advertising to introduce itself to potential customers after launching in late 2022.

“As a Black-owned, full-service pharmacy, our goal is to close the

culture and trust gap in communities of color to help improve the health of the residents who live there,” said Marcus Howard, founder of GreaterHealth.

Marcus Howard

Howard said Spectrum Reach helped introduce the busi-

ness to the St. Louis community with a three-month TV advertising campaign and free commercial that was shown on a wide range of channels, including during an NBA playoff game.

“Having our commercial on major

network channels built instant credibility; we saw a 23% increase in calls inquiring about transferring prescriptions, and customers started coming into the pharmacy saying they saw us on TV and were excited to try us out,” he said.

To apply for Spectrum Reach’s 2024 “Pay It Forward” program,

Funding for Founders application deadline April 12

training and funding development tools, and access to shared resources, as they are often under-resourced and working in isolation. Interested applicants should have less than $50,000 in revenue,

and we prefer two participants from each organization to participate.

The program will include 10 weekly in-person sessions. You must be available to attend 9 of the 10 sessions to successfully graduate from the incuba-

tor.

There is a $300 fee to participate in this program upon acceptance. Scholarships and payment plans are available.

The CIE is a leader in small business development, innovation, and

leadership development by catering to the needs of scholars, local and regional minority entrepreneurs by providing support, education, and consulting for the small business and startup community.

Audit Committee and Investment Committee), United Way of Greater St. Louis (where he chaired the Charmaine Chapman Society Giving Campaign), Boys and Girls Club of Greater St. Louis, and the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis. In 2019, Darrell received the Legal Legend Award from the Mound City Bar Association. The award recognizes AfricanAmerican attorneys who have devoted more than 30 years to the highest standards of the practice of law and exemplary service to the community.

underserved businesses must be legally registered to operate within a designated market area served by Spectrum Reach. The deadline for applications is February 25 and this year’s participants will be announced in late March. More information is available at www.sprectrumreachpayitforward.com.

Its mission is to serve as a hub of entrepreneurial activities to foster the growth of emerging entrepreneurs and cultivate the next generation of entrepreneurs and leaders as future business owners.

Mark C. Darrell

Living It

“When you’re an artist you go out and create art.”

- Marlon Wayans responding to Katt Williams criticism

Slatkin and Aaron Diehl premiere Mary Lou Williams with SLSO

By Chris King

For The St. Louis American

Conductor Laureate Leonard Slatkin and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra celebrated the 50th anniversary of their pivotal recording of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with the soloist on that original recording, Jeffery Siegel, taking the solos at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on Sunday, January 21 – and somehow that wasn’t even the most remarkable aspect of this concert.

n Williams took the temperaments attributed to the various Zodiac signs seriously and based each movement on people she admired born under that sign (Franklin D. Roosevelt for Aquarius, Lena Horne for Cancer).

The first half of the program ended with a dual SLSO premiere: of the Aaron Diehl Trio and of Mary Lou Williams’ Zodiac Suite, her 1945 blending of jazz and classical music that Diehl revived with a new recording last year. Williams took the temperaments attributed to the various Zodiac signs seriously and based each movement on people she admired born under that sign (Franklin D. Roosevelt for Aquarius, Lena Horne for Cancer). Sometime between when the Playbill (which promised “Selections” from the suite) was printed and the concert itself, Slatkin decided also to perform the three movements he had planned to exclude – he told the audience he didn’t want to “insult” anyone of us born under those signs (Gemini, Libra and Pisces). That was a good call. Though the complete suite clocks in at 30 minutes, nearly twice the length of the Gershwin rhapsody that named the concert, “Pisces” is its final movement, and it needed to be performed in this setting. It’s a jazz waltz for solo piano, and it was fitting to end the performance with just Diehl at the piano. Throughout the performance of the suite, whenever Diehl or his trio performed without the orchestra, Slatkin relaxed and leaned against the rail on the conductor’s podium. Seeing Leonard Slatkin take five onstage during an SLSO performance was an astonishing sight to behold.

Zodiac Suite brought other uncanny moments. It brought a drumkit to center stage of the SLSO, staring the con-

See SLSO, C8

‘Hold

On’ playwright basks in Black Rep’s world premiere staging

Paul

Webb

applauds stage adaptation of Academy Award winning film

By Kenya Vaughn The St. Louis American

British screenwriter and playwright

Paul Webb spoke of how his play “Hold On” managed to make its world premiere on the Black Rep stage as the opening production of their 47th season with sheer wonder and delight.

“Pure miraculous chance – pure serendipity,” Webb said of how the staging, which continues through Sunday

at Washington University’s Edison Theatre, came to be.

“My agent called and said, ‘Someone from America inquired about the film’s stage rights,’” Webb said. “And guess who owns the stage rights?’”

Turns out, it was Webb.

He’s tied to two Academy Award winning films thanks to writing a draft of “Lincoln” for Steven Spielberg, and his work on the screenplay that became Ava DuVernay’s cultural phenomenon

“Selma.” But there isn’t a hint of the jaded Hollywood veteran stereotype one might expect of someone with his credentials. And the thought of adapting “Selma” for the stage instantly excited him.

“The thing that appeals to you straight

‘Origin’ carefully interlaces fact with fiction

Ava DuVernay at her best with film inspired by life and work of Isabel Wilkerson

By Kenya Vaughn The St. Louis American

With her latest film

n DuVernay interweaves a touching personal narrative that gives viewers an authentic depiction of the common threads of Black womanhood.

“Origin” Ava DuVernay proves that her gifts as a filmmaker are only eclipsed by her valor when it comes to using cinema as a medium to reflect complex elements of American history. The life and work of Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author Isabel Wilkerson served as the framework for a well-crafted story that demonstrates the toll oppression and bigotry have taken on society. In “Origin,” which was released nationwide on Friday, January 19, DuVernay takes creative liberties and makes it clear that it is a fiction inspired by Wilkerson’s life and work. In doing so, she flexes her talent as a screenwriter by syphoning a touching drama from the core of a book intended for social analysis. She starts the story with a tragic flashpoint that sparked both terror and ignited outrage – and birthed the Black Lives Matter movement. This tragedy compelled Wilkerson to take a deep dive into how American history had a hand in it for the follow

‘Origin’ the latest film by Ava DuVernay, which is inspired by the life and works of bestselling author and journalist Isabel Wilkerson, opened in theaters on Friday, January 19.

up to her New York Times bestseller The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration As she goes about completing the work for what became CASTE: The Origins of Our Discontents, DuVernay interweaves a touching personal narrative that gives viewers an authentic depiction of the common threads of Black womanhood through the exploration of relationships and responsibilities within Wilkerson’s orbit. She’s a bestselling author, but she is also a caregiver to her aging mother who relies on the emotional support of a dear “sister cousin.” She has a Pulitzer Prize – but her choices, expressed expectations, professional expertise, boundaries and opinions are called into question because

Aaron Diehl Trio and SLSO premiered Mary Lou Williams’ Zodiac Suite, a 1945 blending of jazz and classical music that Diehl revived with a new recording last year.

Photo courtesy of www.aarondiehl.com

Photos by Dunsi Dai

The Black Rep’s presentation of the world premiere of ‘Hold On’ by acclaimed screenwriter and playwright Paul Webb continues at Washington University’s Edison Theatre through January 28.

CONCERTS AND LIVE SHOW

Big Lou - A Big Extravaganza

1/27/2024 7:30pm

Pop’s Concert Venue

300 Monsanto Ave Sauget, IL $10.00

Anita Baker Tribute

1/28/2024 6:00pm

5225 N Illinois St

Fairview Heights, IL

$25.00 - $40.00

City Of Laughs

Featuring Tyler Chronicles And Darren

Brand Ft. J. McNutt

1/31/2024 7:30pm

Comedy Show

City Winery St. Louis

3730 Foundry Way Suite 158 St. Louis, MO

$25.00 - $35.00

One of R&B’s greatest voices Jeffrey Osborne with special guest Will Downing 5/10/2024

Mother’s Day Weekend Stifel Theatre St. Louis, Missouri

NIGHTLIFE

Night Out / Mud +

Merlot: Slab Mugs

1/26/2024 6:30pm

Create with clay while mingling with other adults to learn how to make a personalized mug using textures and color.

Laumeier Sculpture Park

12580 Rott Road St. Louis, MO $58

STL Sites & Sounds

FAIRS, FESTIVALS AND MARKETS

ART ACTIVITIES, EXHIBITS AND MUSEUMS

LBB Presents: Keith Boykin - Why Does Everything Have to be About Race?

1/25/2024 7:00pm9:00pm Left Bank Books and Webster University Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Conference present New York Timesbestselling author, TV and film producer, former CNN political commentator, and St. Louis native Keith Boykin. Boykin will discuss his newest book

“Why Does Everything Have to Be about Race?: 25 Arguments That Won’t Go Away”, which shows us how to refute lies, myths and misinformation with history, knowledge and truth.

Left Bank Books 399 N Euclid Ave St. Louis, MO

Broken Heartsa juried art exhibit

1/26/2024 12:00pm 1/27/2024 12:00pm 1/28/2024 12:00pm 1/29/2024 12:00pm 1/30/2024 12:00pm 1/31/2024 12:00pm 2/1/2024 12:00pm Broken Hearts - a juried art exhibit. 13 resident artists create artwork which explores the complexity of emotion within a broken heart. Diverse collection of works, including painting, drawing, ceramics, sculpture, photography, and

jewelry. The gallery also hosts group exhibitions in the main gallery every month for artists to submit their work for display. Gallery hours are Thursdays 4-8 pm, Fridays and Saturdays 12-8 pm and Sundays 1-5 pm.

Soulard Art Gallery St. Louis, MO Free

Eliza Film Screening

1/26/2024 5:00pm

Based upon extraordinary true events, this is the story of Eliza Rone, an enslaved woman who, in 1856, worked for the richest family in St. Louis – the Campbells. Eliza’s

Davis (Virginia Campbell), Tom Taylor (Robert Campbell).

Washington University Brown Hall, Room 100

1 Brookings Dr. St. Louis, MO Free

Family Sunday 1/28/2024 1:00pm

Hands-on art activities and special interactive components for kids within the galleries. Each week’s activities focus on a different, family-friendly theme.

Saint Louis Art Museum One Fine Arts Drive St. Louis, MO Free

LBB Presents: Calvin Riley - Black Saint Louis 1/30/2024 6:00pm

Left Bank Books presents St. Louis educator and lifelong collector of Black memorabilia Calvin Riley to discuss the popular new release Black St. Louis.

enslaver, Robert Campbell, was a member of Washington University’s Board of Directors, and his sons attended WashU. As part of its efforts to examine and address the university’s historical entanglements with slavery, the WashU & Slavery project is hosting a free screening of the historical short dramatic film Eliza The screening will be followed by a discussion with panelists including the film’s co-director and co-writer, Delisa Richardson; Executive Director of the Campbell House Museum, Andy Hahn; and actors Kazia Steele (Eliza Rone), Meg

Black St. Louis explores the history of African Americans in St. Louis from the city’s founding as a French fur trading post during the Spanish colonial era to the new millennium.

Left Bank Books 399 N Euclid Ave St. Louis, MO

Black Authors Scavenger Hunt 2/1/2024

Spot the famous Black authors and illustrators in the children’s area and win a prize. Ages 3-10. St. Louis Mid-County Branch 7821 Maryland Ave.

St. Louis, MO

Black History Month Scavenger Hunt 2/1/2024

Search for pictures around the children’s area and learn about Black history heroes.

Ages 3-12. Samuel C. Sachs Branch 16400 Burkhardt Pl. Chesterfield, MO

COMMUNITY

Changemaking Through Coalition: Health and Healing in Community 2/1/2024 6:00pm A series at The Griot called Changemaking Through Coalition

Keynote and panel symposiums will highlight the ways in which organizations in our region rely on coalition building to create effective and lasting change in their communities.

The series, our program centered on Health and Healing will focus on the work from regional healthcare groups and discuss topics such as historical healthcare disparities, holistic well-being, and community-driven health initiatives.

Featuring Dr. Heidi Miller, Chief Medical Officer for Missouri’s Department of Health and Senior Services.

The Griot Museum of Black History 2505 Saint Louis Avenue St. Louis, MO Free

Photo by Carolina Hidalgo | St. Louis Public Radio

St. Louis educator and lifelong collector of Black memorabilia

Calvin Riley will discuss the new release of Black St. Louis at Left Bank Books on Tuesday, Jan. 30, at 6:00pm.

Be a Tourist in Your Own Town

It’s a month worth celebrating

By Barry Draper

Want to heat up the coldest days of winter?

We’ve got just the ticket!

St. Louis Comedy Festival

February 3

The St. Louis Comedy Festival will have you laughing all the way home. Energetic, quick-witted, sarcastic and downright hilarious, the stars of the show at Stifel Theatre include Sommore, Lavell Crawford, Bill Bellamy, Tony Roberts and Don Curry.

Bud Light Grand Parade

February 10

Attracting tens of thousands of merrymakers, the Bud Light Grand Parade is the crown jewel of the Soulard Mardi Gras season – and the largest parade outside of the Big Easy. Approximately 130 Krewes spend months building their floats, hoping to win prizes as well as bragging rights at the parade. In addition to the floats, the parade features marching bands and, of course, millions of beads flying through the air. Beginning at 11 a.m. at Busch Stadium, the Bud Light Grand Parade makes its way to the heart of Soulard

and ends where the King of Beers is brewed: the Anheuser-Busch Brewery.

African American History Trolley Tour

February 10 and 24

Join the guides at Bellefontaine Cemetery and Arboretum for a twohour trolley tour. During the tour, you’ll hear stories about fascinating figures in Black history, including Rev. John Berry Meachum, who established the Freedom School aboard a steamboat anchored in free territory in the middle of the Mississippi River in 1847. Laws of the time forbade the education of Black children, but the reverend’s ingenious floating school found a way around them. You can see Meachum’s gravesite as well as other highlights of the cemetery’s grounds and monuments on the African American History trolley tour.

Drake with J. Cole

February 12 and 13

Drake, we like your style. See the artist perform at Enterprise Center with special guest J. Cole next month.

Fly

February 14

to March 10

Premiering OffBroadway in 1997, this one-person dramatic comedy received three AUDELCO awards for excellence in Black theater. Now, The St. Louis Black Repertory Company will perform Fly as part of its 47th season. The story centers on an African American man who believes he will receive the power to fly during a special celestial event. As he prepares for the miraculous moment on a rooftop in Brooklyn, he shares the comic, dramatic and tragic experiences that have pushed him to the edge of reality.

Lift Every Voice: A Black History Month Celebration

February 23

Join the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and the IN UNISON Chorus for a one-of-a-kind celebration of Black History Month.

Led by conductor Kevin McBeth, the IN UNISON Chorus, which will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2024, is dedicated to the performance and preservation of Black American musical expression. This concert will take place at Stifel Theatre on Feb. 23.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2024

The Chase Park Plaza Royal Sonesta

Join us for the sweetest event in town in support of Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri! Guests will enjoy cocktails, cookie-inspired desserts and a seated dinner, while helping us celebrate the achievements of three Changemaker Scholarship Awardees and honor the contributions of our 2024 Legacy Builders. Purchase tickets at girlscoutsem.org/dessertfirst

Presented by:

The Black Rep’s presentation of “Hold On” continues through Sunday, January 28 at Washington University’s Edison Theatre.

Black Rep

Continued from C1

away is that your ideas change,” said Webb. “You have a second chance and you have different priorities and ideas. You say, “I neglected this character. I didn’t do that character justice. It’s a wonderful second chance, really.”

His agent wanted the play to premiere in London. Webb disagreed.

“I was thinking that this was an American play, why aren’t we thinking about doing it in America? That’s where I want it done,” Webb said. “It belongs in America.”

With this in mind, his agent passed the play along to another theater industry professional across the pond. He passed it along to Ron Himes, who loved the idea of premiering the play at The Black Rep.

Webb had never heard of The Black Rep before it was confirmed that they would be the theater to bring his work to the stage for the first time. The performance and production quality – and the way Himes and The Black Rep served his story – is something Webb will never forget.

“You go into a theater production of your work and it can be so different each time and that is absolutely wonderful, because you think “I didn’t see it that way – or I wish I had seen it that way,” Webb said. “This is one of those cases where it was like, ‘this is better than any-

thing I could have imagined, actually.’”

The way his story was handled with such care and intention were not lost on Webb as he saw the play staged for the first time.

“I prefer it to the film,”

Webb confessed. “I think it is more truthful than the film. Theater can be true in ways that cinema can’t. They are just so different.”

The biggest difference that audiences will notice between the film and stage version of the moment within the movement that adds context to the events surrounding what would become known as “Bloody Sunday” is the added character depth applied to the role of President Lyndon B. Johnson. The fleshing out serves Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as much as Johnson, according to Webb.

“It was a fascinating conflict between Johnson and King and it wasn’t just good versus bad,” Webb said. “Far from it actually, much more complicated and much more interesting. And that’s what you get from the play that you don’t get from the film.”

Webb says that In “Hold On,” audiences get to see King as the brilliant and fearless tactician that he was.

“He was actually more like a war general in many respects,” Webb said. I wanted to show what a powerful man King was. And for him to come up against Johnson – the president of the United States – like he did. I mean, King was 36 years old.”

The play also gave Webb the opportunity to showcase the political shrewdness of Johnson,

which he feels gets overlooked in the larger landscape of American history.

“He was a brilliant politician,” Webb said. “But King had moral courage – he listened to his better angels. Johnson had the right ideas, but it was King who possessed the moral courage.”

He hopes that audiences are inspired by bearing witness to the efforts of movement leaders and soldiers and their success in the seemingly insurmountable quest to dismantle white supremacy and Black oppression.

“The right leadership and the right belief in the possibility of justice and the right to demand justice is a tremendously powerful thing – but it does need inspired and inspiring leadership,” Webb said. “Now more than ever we need to be aware of those possibilities and what can be achieved if you go after them.”

And more than anything, he is happy that his play was in the proper hands for its world premiere.

“A Black theatre company in St. Louis,” Webb said. “To be honest with you, I scarcely knew such a thing existed really. So, I am sitting there [on opening night] in awe and wonder, thinking, ‘how did I get this lucky?’”

The Black Rep’s presentation of “Hold On” continues through Sunday, January 28 at Washington University’s Edison Theatre, 6445 Forsyth. For tickets and additional information, visit www. theblackrep.org or call 314-534-3807.

St. Louis Comedy Festival, February 3, at Stifel Theatre

Religion Quest continues for Black

Catholics seeking saintly recognition

By Rev. Dorothy S. Boulware For Word In Black

Black Catholics in America, who are three million of the 1.3 billion church members, are angry about a lack of representation in the church. Of those polled, three-quarters say opposing racism is essential to their faith and that churches should offer a sense of racial affirmation, according to recent Gallop polling.

But what specifically has them riled up is that of the 11 Americans canonized as saints by the church, none of them are African American. How can that be?

African Americans make up at least 3% of Catholics in America, a number that could be 1.375 billion, according to the Association of Statistics of American Religion Bodies, which issues those numbers every 10 years.

At the same time, the number of Black saints from this country is nowhere near a 3% representation. In fact, the saints who are Black are from African countries.

“I was meditating in the chapel of the neighborhood school, wondering what I would say to these young people about the racial problems that continued to arise,” the Rev. John Johnson, co-chair of the Commission in Racial Harmony for the Diocese of Baton Rouge, said in “A Place at the Table: African Americans on the Path to Sainthood,” a doc-

umentary about The Saintly Six.

The Saintly Six, as they are called, are six Catholic African American candidates for sainthood: Mother Mary Lange, Father Augustus Tolton, Mother Henriette DeLille, Pierre Toussaint, Julia Greeley, and Sister Thea Bowman.

“The Saintly Six are already saints in my mind. I have come to admire and respect each of the lives they’ve lived,” Mary H. Sewell, one of the leaders of the cause, told the AFRO in October.

Johnson said he noticed the image of Jesus was white, the image of Mary was white, and the image of St. Michael was white. “The only image that was dark was that of Satan,” he said.

In the same documentary, Deacon Ajani Gibson from the Archdiocese of New Orleans said it’s more than a racial issue.

“It’s an ecclesial gospel Christo-centric issue. We are a nation that has been making disciples that have contributed to the traditions and the patrimony of the church and the fulfillment of his command to make disciples of all nations.” Gibson said it’s past time for this to be highlighted, “especially when sometimes the church is told we aren’t Catholic enough.”

But they are not just complaining about their lack of representation among the saints; they are determined to see the elevation of those they feel should

Catholics are rallying to

sainthood — canonized

be considered for sainthood.

“I have never prayed in color or based upon nationality. However, when it was brought to my attention that there are no African American saints, I wondered why. I felt I had to do something to help change that,” Gibson said.

The movement began two years ago with a letter-writing campaign spurred by the Social Justice Circle of St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church in east Baltimore. And each year, more letters have been sent,

the

but nowhere near the required thousands.

On November 1, All Saints Day, the committee met at the Vatican with the appropriate officials to make their voices heard — not only about the need for equality in the sainthood, but also about the possibility of overriding the long sainthood process. And now they wait.

“They loved when they were hated. They forgave when they were being despised. They showed compassion and mercy

though little of it was given to them,” said Washington Auxiliary Bishop Roy E. Campbell, referring to the Saintly Six at a 2021 Black Catholic History Month gathering.

“We stand on their shoulders and the shoulders of many others, and we are called to do the same as Black Catholics today. They trusted in God’s mercy. They trusted in God’s grace. They believed in their people, and they believed in their nation.”

FOSTER CARE CASE MANAGER

Provide case management services for children in foster care. Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in social work or related field. Minimum of one year of employment in child welfare field. Interested candidates forward letter of interest and resume to:vatkins@posimpacts. com, Attention: Valerie Atkins. Employee will be employed by Positive Impacts, Inc. and contracted to Epworth Children & Family Services.

CASE MANAGER

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

SLDC IS EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

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

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

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

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

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

Public Notices

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Sealed bids for the Weidman Road ARS Resurfacing project, St. Louis County Project No. AR-1743, Federal Project No.

STP-5538(603), will be received electronically thru the County’s Vendor Self Service portal at https://stlouiscountymovendors. munisselfservice.com/Vendors/ default.aspx, until 2:00 PM on February 28, 2024

Plans and specifications will be available on January 22, 2024 from the St. Louis County Web Site (www.stlouiscountymo.gov) or by contacting Cross Rhodes Print & Technologies, 2731 South Jefferson Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63118 (314) 678-0087.

DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES ST. LOUIS, COUNTY

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Design & Construct Elevator & Assembly at Ike Skelton Training Site, Project No.T2211-01, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, February 22, 2024 via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. Project information available at: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

#NMSA-10, DESIGN FURNITURE AND INSTALLATION

Harris-Stowe State University (HSSU) is requesting qualifications for Design Furniture and Installation at HarrisStowe State University’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

A copy of the Request can be obtained by contacting Ms. Corey Freeman at freemanc@hssu.edu or telephone #: (314) 340-3325.

Qualifications must be emailed no later than 2:00pm.m on January 30, 2024 to freemanc@hssu.edu

Public Notices

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Sealed bids for the Hudson Drive Bridge No. 105 and Vorhof Drive Bridge No. 106 project, St. Louis County Project Nos. CR-1774 & CR-1775, Federal Project Nos. BRO-B096(004) & BRO-B096(006), will be received electronically thru the County’s Vendor Self Service portal at https://stlouiscountymovendors. munisselfservice.com/Vendors/ default.aspx, until 2:00 PM on February 21, 2024.

DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES ST. LOUIS, COUNTY

INVITATION TO BID FERGUSONFLORISSANT SCHOOL DISTRICT INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVAL @ LITTLE CREEK

Sealed bids are being requested from the Ferguson Florissant School District and will be received and publicly opened on FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD @ 1:00pm cst at 2295 Dunn Rd. Florissant, MO 63033. Pre Bid Meeting will be held THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15TH 2024 @ 11:30am @ 2295 Dunn Rd. Florissant, MO 63033. Bid specs must be obtained at http:// new.fergflor.k12.mo.us/ facilities-rfq. Contact Eric Hadley @ 314-517-7247 for further information/ questions.

SEALED BIDS

Bids for: MSHPTroop A Super Site, 1950 NE Independence Avenue, Lee’s Summit, Missouri, Replace Parking Lot, Project No. R2334-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, February 15, 2024. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http:// oa.mo.gov/ facilities

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Constructions Services –Electrical, Central Region, Project No. IDIQMCA-4006, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, February 1, 2024, via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. Project information available at: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

INVITATION TO BID FERGUSONFLORISSANT SCHOOL DISTRICT INSTALLATION OF CHILLER @ STEAM MIDDLE

Sealed bids are being requested from the Ferguson Florissant School District and will be received and publicly opened on Friday, February 2nd, 2024 @ 1:30pm CST at the Operation and Maintenance dept. located at 8855 Dunn Rd. (REAR) Hazelwood, MO 63042. Bid specs must be obtained at http://new.fergflor.k12. mo.us/facilities-rfq. Contact Matt Furfaro @ mfurfaro@fergflor.org for further information/ questions.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Greater St. Louis, Inc. and the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership hereby give public notice that they are soliciting proposals from interested firms with experience to develop a regional advanced manufacturing cluster baseline assessment and action-oriented strategy and roadmap as well as to conduct ongoing advanced manufacturing regional cluster evaluation through mid-2026. This work will be funded through the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge Grant.

The Request for Proposals (RFPs) can be found at: www. GreaterSTLinc.com/RFPs

The deadline for proposal submission is 5:00 pm CT on February 20, 2024. A pre-proposal virtual vendors meeting will be held at 11:00 am –12:00 pm CT on February 5. 2024. See the RFP for more information.

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Upgrade HVAC System, Boonslick State School, St. Peters, MO, Project No.E2317-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 2/8/24. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

PARIC Corporation is requesting proposals for the following work packages on Missouri University of Science and Technology’s new Protoplex Research Facility located in Rolla, Missouri. The scope of work we are seeking proposals for include General site services, foundation sheet/waterproofing and elevators. You can find additional design guidelines on UM system website here: https://www. umsystem.edu/ums/fa/facilities/guidelines/ (Click on Section 3 Design Guidelines and then click on Division Guidelines hyperlink). If you have questions or would like further information on this project, please contact Chris Lucas (clucas@paric.com) at 636-561-9794.

Construction is slated to start February 2024 and be substantially complete by October 3, 2025.

Bids are due 2-19-24 at 10:00am CST. PreBid meeting will be held on 2-6-24 at 10:00am CST at the General Services Building located at 1701 Spruce Drive, Rolla, MO 65401.

The project is tax exempt, and has MBE and WBE goals according to the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 11.4% Minority participation and 6.9% Female participation in each trade. Structural Steel will be subject to the Build America, Buy America Act.

The Project will be subject to prevailing wages per Missouri Division of Labor Standards Annual Wage Order for Phelps County. All bids should be delivered to Paric via e-mail (bids@paric.com) or fax (636-5619501).

PARIC CORPORATION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURAL & DESIGN SERVICES

3940 DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING DRIVE, 63113

ISSUED JANUARY 22, 2024 RESPONSES DUE FEBRUARY 12, 2024

The Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority of the City of St. Louis, (LCRA) is seeking Qualifications from qualified firms to perform engineering, architectural & design services.

Selected firm(s) will provide comprehensive services for the assessment, design/rehabilitation, and transformation of the facility at 3940 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive.

Responses will be received at 1520 Market Street Suite 2000 St. Louis, Missouri 63103 (Attention: Security Services RFP), until 4:00 PM on February 12th, 2024.

The Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) allocated to SLDC, passed through the St. Louis City Community Development Administration, may provide funding for certain projects. SLDC is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity.

The full invitation and all other documents may be downloaded at: https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/ procurement.cfm

PUBLIC NOTICE

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

> Doing Business With Us

> View Bid Opportunities

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

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS:

Citation Management, On-Street Meter Maintenance & Coin Collection, Booting & Towing Program, Delinquent Ticket Collections

City of St. Louis Treasurer’s Office

www.stltreasurer.org/ request-for-proposals

REQUEST FOR BIDS

Great Rivers Greenway is hiring two (2) Project Managers, up to two (2) Outreach Specialists and multiple Seasonal Field Staff. Go to www.greatriversgreenway. org/jobs-bids and apply.

SOLICITING BID

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

CP220692 Laboratory for Infectious Disease Research (LIDR) – Renovate West Animal Holding, Rms 144-149

Contact: Mike Murray ; mikem@ reinhardtconstructionllc.com

Phone: 573-682-5505

REQUEST FOR BIDS

Alberici Constructors, Kwame Building Group and the Saint Louis Zoo seek bids from qualified firms to submit proposals for a project at the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park.

The project consists of subcontractor scopes of work related to:

1. Procurement of electrical equipment

2. Civil and fencing work in the safari pastures

3. Motorized vertical observation tower and platform.

To request bid documents, please send an E-mail to stlzoobids@alberici.com

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

Curtiss-Manes-Schulte, Inc. is soliciting bids from MBE/ WBE/SDVE/DBE subcontractors and suppliers for work on the New Arena Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia, MO. If you are interested in bidding, please contact Shawn Schulte at 573.392.6553 or shawn@ cms-gc.com by February 5, 2024. Curtiss-Manes-Schulte, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Sealed Proposals for B24-1227 Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Solutions will be received at Lincoln University Purchasing Dept 1002 Chestnut St, RM 101 Shipping & Receiving Bldg, JC, MO 65101 until 2PM CT on 26JAN2024. Download Proposal Request at “https://www.lincolnu.edu/ about-lincoln/purchasing/ bid-information/index. html

REQUEST FOR BIDS

Alberici Constructors, Kwame Building Group and the Saint Louis Zoo seek bids from qualified firms to submit proposals for a project at the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park. The project consists of subcontractor scopes of work related to:

1. Procurement of electrical equipment

2. Civil and fencing work in the safari pastures

3. Motorized vertical observa tion tower and platform. To request bid documents, please send an E-mail to stlzoobids@alberici.com

INVITATION TO BID

CF Vatterott Construction

Co. is looking to hire minority and women disadvantage businesses, section 3 contractors, and section 3 employees for work on single family and multifamily homes in the West End neighborhood of St. Louis City.

• Prebid Conference –1/30/2024 at 3:00pm at 10143 Paget Dr. 63132

• Plans and specs can be obtained at bid conference or through email by contacting timd@cfvatterott.com

• Intended qualified applicants for subcontractors are selected without regard to race, color, sex, age, religion or national origin.

ARMORED CAR SERVICES RFP 2024

The Saint Louis Zoo seeks bids from qualified firms to submit proposals for Armored Car Services RFP 2024. Bid documents are available as of 1/24/24 on the Saint Louis Zoo website: stlzoo.org/vendor.

INVITATION TO BID

PARIC Corporation - [the GC] - is requesting pricing feedback from the subcontractor community for all applicable trades, with the intent to award subcontracts for Design-Assist on the following trades.

• Elevators

• Plumbing

• Mechanical

• Electrical

The project consists of the Historic Renovation of an existing 9-story building in the heart of St. Louis to a new 161 Guestroom Tapestry Hotel by Hilton.

PARIC is requesting that pricing feedback be due on [February 15th] by end of day, by email to [Mskalski@ paric.com] or bids@paric.com.

A Pre-Bid Site Walk will be held on January 25th, at 10:00am at the project location. Contractors are advised to meet on the 9th street entrance. Please Note, building is currently occupied so please register w/ Mskalski@paric.com if you plan to attend so a head count can be taken. The project is not tax exempt, and taxes shall be included.

The anticipated construction start date is Fourth Quarter of 2024. Diversity requirements for this project will comply with business and workforce participation as mandated under the St. Louis City Ordinance No. 70767 and 71094.

All questions regarding this Invitation to Bid shall be directed to: Michael Skalski Senior Estimator

Direct: 636-561-9740

Main: 636-561-9500

Mobile: 314-956-6203

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: Advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, imitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial\status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.“We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.”

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

she a Black woman. In CASTE, Wilkerson proposes that her readers look beyond race in the examination of the systemic oppression that have been the reality for African Americans since their arrival in this country by comparing the experiences of the Jewish people in World War II Germany and the plight of the Dalits – members of the lowest social order in India. In “Origin,” DuVernay makes it clear that American racism is nothing short of an atrocity, but she doesn’t broach the subject of why.

Contrary to popular belief, ignorance and fear are not at the root of American racism – but merely byproducts. They are also scapegoats for those unwilling to acknowledge or reconcile with the fact that racism was a construct established to justify one group’s renegotiation of the terms of humanity they applied to other groups in

the name of capital gain and power preservation. In all fairness to DuVernay, in doing so she made the best choice for the sake of the story due to the alignment with Wilkerson’s book.

DuVernay displays the violent “caste system” Wilkerson says is at the core of racism in America, but without pointing the finger at racists – the same tactic Wilkerson says was the secret of the Nazis success of extermination of millions of Jewish people as millions more sat idly by.

“Origin” is not for the casual movie goer. Stories within stories – and subplots that DuVernay somehow managers to write herself out of without spiraling into a tornado of convoluted muddle –require one’s undivided concentration. Isabel’s revelations that come in the form of voice over narration become cumbersome towards the end, but DuVernay snatches the audience’s attention back just in time.

The performances in “Origin” are absolutely stunning. In Isabel Wilker-

son, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor is given the fleshy, complex and nuanced character that only an actor of her caliber can properly execute. Jon Bernthal as Isabel’s husband Brett is the on-screen pairing one never thought they needed, but will influence the expectations of every one after because of the pure chemistry that compels their unlikely, but heartfelt romance.

But the most compelling love story in Origin is not a romantic one, but the bond shared between cousins portrayed by Ellis-Taylor and Niecy Nash-Betts Marion Wilkerson. In the film, the two bear a striking resemblance to each other. And through their bond DuVernay charters new territory as far as the sacred relationships between Black women cousins. And Audra McDonald makes the most of her moment on screen as she relives the racial trauma imposed on her as a teen.

Origin is open in theaters nationwide. The film is rated PG-13 with a running time of 135 minutes.

ductor right in the face. One of the movements started with the pianist stomping his foot. I have never seen that at the symphony. Diehl’s bassist, David Wong – who studied with New York Philharmonic bassist Orin O’Brien at The Juilliard School – played along with the orchestra too. I have never seen someone within a jazz trio join the orchestra’s double bass section. SLSO principal double bass Erik Harris, also a Juilliard alum, surely appreciated the help; I saw him grinning from the wings at one of Wong’s jazz bass solos. After the performance concluded came more unexpected treats. Featured guest artists typically wait for a third curtain call before they play an encore. With these jazz cats, they jumped back in after the first ovation, like they were not about to miss their chance to jam in front of Slatkin, a symphony orchestra and its audience. Diehl, who was kept plenty busy during Zodiac Suite, if only for the nerve-wracking assignment of wrapping up an orchestral composition playing solo, gave his sidemen, Wong and drummer Aaron Kimmel, all the tastes in the encore. The audience at the Touhill proved perfectly

the term “Third Stream.” It was every bit of 12 years after Zodiac Suite Williams wrote shrill violin drone parts that played off the piano in ways contemporary composers (St. Louis’ own Christopher Stark comes to mind) are still exploring. She uses strings as lush beds for and jagged off-sets to the jazz trio. She flies harmonies on winds high above the piano. When she wants the trio to become a quartet, she has a wide pallet of soloists to choose from –even bassoon, played by associate principal bassoon Andrew Gott. Gott followed Diehl in a piano/ bassoon duet that made me wish that were more of a thing, the piano/bassoon duet.

All of that – and Slatkin directing SLSO performing Rhapsody in Blue on the 50th anniversary of their recording of the piece – with the soloist from a half-century ago, Jeffery Siegel, in the house! Slatkin said he and his soloist are “a combined 161 years old,” which makes Slatkin (79) the spring chicken to Siegel’s 82. I am not sure science can explain how a pair of 82-year-old hands can cover that much ground on the piano or conjure such a rich sound. On more than one occasion, during what I thought was a solo piano run, the sound was full I would look around for accompaniment (a brass instrument must be filling out this sound) –and there would be none.

it again in 1977 – and had not since before Sunday. It was too much fun. Turok did not write for Joplin’s instrument, piano, but he gives everyone a taste of Joplin’s syncopations; my favorite was the staccato trombone and tuba interplay. Something was going on in the percussion section – I heard and saw xylophone and glockenspiel – that sounded agreeably like steel drums. I can’t imagine why St. Louis audiences are not hearing this homage to one of the greatest composers associated with our city more often.

John Alden Carpenter’s Krazy Kat: A Jazz Pantomime has an even crazier SLSO performance history. SLSO’s first performance of it was February 9, 1923, one year after its premiere in New York, and its most recent performance was the next night, February 10, 1923. This thing is as crazy fun as its title suggests, with snare rolls, what sounded like a polka band, trombone slides, sarcastic soprano saxophone asides, and trumpet plungers that spread chuckles and guffaws throughout the house. I thought of an ice cream shop with a bewildering variety of flavors, way more than 31, and we got to sample every single one. I had an out-of-body experience when Slatkin introduced this composition. There he was standing up there – the first person I ever saw conduct a symphony orchestra, the

New proposed tax deal revives expanded Child Tax Credit

By Bria Overs Word In Black

An expansion of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) is back on the table in Congress. Lawmakers announced an overall $78 billion tax plan, including $33 billion over three years for the CTC.

The 2021 American Rescue Plan expanded the CTC for six months and was deemed a major success because of its impact. In that time, the national supplemental child poverty rate hit a historic low of 5.2% and lifted 3 million children out of poverty. At the same time, the child poverty rate for Black children

under 17 dipped to 8.1%, with an estimated 716,000 Black children no longer in poverty.

However, Congress failed to make a deal to save it before the end of 2021, and by the following year, the supplemental child poverty rate more than doubled to 17.8% for Black children. In 2022, without the expansion, 38% of Black children were not eligible for the full credit

this opportunity to pass pro-family policy that helps so many kids get ahead,” Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said in a statement

“Sixteen million kids from low-income families will be better off as a result of this plan, and given today’s miserable political climate, it’s a big deal to have

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) estimates around 16 million children whose families are low-income would benefit from the proposed expansion. And more than one in three Black and Latino children under 17 would benefit

The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024 is a bipartisan tax framework approved by Sen. Wyden and Republican U.S. Rep. Jason Smith of

Missouri, Ways and Means Chair. Here’s what it currently features:

Changes to the calculation for the refundable credit

To qualify for the CTC, a taxpayer’s earned income must be $2,500 or more. Under this proposal, a taxpayer’s earned income would be multiplied by 15% and multiplied by the number of qualifying children.

Increase to the maximum refundable amount per child

Child Credit

Continued from D2

The current maximum per child is limited to $1,600. The new proposal would increase the amount per child to $1,800 in 2023, $1,900 in 2024, and $2,000 in 2025.

“There are large gains for larger families under this proposal,” says Sophie Collyer, research director at the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at Columbia University. “They were also the most disadvantaged under the current structure.”

Adjustment of credit for inflation

In the 2024 and 2025 tax years, the value of the CTC would be rounded down to the nearest $100. Collyer says

the actual value of the CTC has fallen drastically in recent years because it was not adjusted for inflation, even in years when inflation was at its highest.

Determining earned income

For the 2024 and 2025 tax years, taxpayers can use their income from the prior year to calculate the maximum CTC if the earned income in the current year was less than the previous.

What’s next

Not everyone in the country’s legislature is excited about this plan. Senate Republicans and House Democrats argue that the proposed expansion of the CTC does not go far enough, The New York Times reported. It does not have the full support of all, including President Joe Biden, who would prefer a broader expansion.

Parents and caregivers with the Economic Security Project gather outside the White House to advocate for the Child Tax Credit in advance of the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health on September 20, 2022 in Washington.

Photo by Larry French / Word In Black

Combating the racial wealth gap

By Sarah Foster Bankrate

White Americans hold eight times the wealth of the typical Black family and five times the wealth of the typical Hispanic household, the Federal Reserve estimated in its 2019 Survey of Consumer Finances. White families also had the highest median level of wealth at $188,200, the survey found, compared with $24,100 for Black families and $36,100 for Hispanic families.

Here are some tips to help reduce the historic gap

1. Increase your financial literacy

Seven money moves for individuals of color

through education

An estimated 13.8% of Black households were unbanked in 2019, along with 12.2 percent of Hispanic households, according to a 2019 Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. survey

That’s where education and financial literacy comes in, an important part of combating wealth disparities. Start by exploring what online resources are out there to help you increase your personal finance knowledge. That could be through nonprofits, such as the National Endowment for Financial Education, training on social media sites such as LinkedIn or explanatory websites such as Napkin Finance and Bankrate.com

2. Automate your savings

Education also goes beyond just personal finance but looking into the causes of the racial wealth gap, so you can arm yourself with the knowledge and tools you need to combat it as much in your financial life as possible.

Financial experts say it’s important to also share your experiences with others — whether it’s to help individuals of color navigate the issues you’ve dealt with or to engage your White counterparts in a discussion about the privileges they’ve had.

3. Negotiate for higher pay and advocate for yourself

Negotiating for a raise might be an uncomfortable money conversation, but experts say it’s an important part of combatting the racial wealth gap to make sure you’re not leaving money on the table and getting paid less than you’re worth.

“Don’t be humble when filling out your appraisals,” says Alanna Anthony, founder of Financialdemic. “Brag on yourself because even though you think your manager knows what you did all year, it’s not at the forefront of their mind. You have to advocate for yourself.”

4. Automate your savings and build

Wealth Gap

Continued from D4

a financial plan

Wealth gaps can make saving, paying down debt and investing money seem impossible, especially when individuals of color are contending with being paid less than their White counterparts.

Yet, experts say they’re all important goals that can help build more financial confidence and security, meaning formulating a financial plan is a crucial step to ensure that you’re maximizing your money.

For example, the more cash you have stashed away in a rainy day fund, the more likely you’ll avoid accumulating debt when emergencies hit. The less money you spend on nonessential purchases, the more you might be able to contribute to your retirement accounts or investments. Paying down debt will also

help you continue to build wealth in other areas, like homeownership.

5. Don’t shy away from investing

Just 34% of Black households and 24% of Hispanic households reported owning stocks, compared with 61 percent of Whites, according to the Fed. That might be turning a corner, with

Increasing financial literacy should be a family project in Black households. Teaching children the basics about savings accounts and investments can put them on a path to financial security.

6. Consider starting a business or side hustle

Individuals of color are taking an interest in finding their own path toward financial freedom, particularly by starting their own business. On average, 380 out of every 100,000 Black adults became entrepreneurs in 2020, up from 240 in the prior two years, according to an annual study from the Kauffman Foundation

7. Plan for retirement

29% of Black investors under 40 in a Charles Schwab survey reporting that they jumped into the market for the first time in 2020. But a Bankrate survey from March 2021 suggests that more work needs to be done, with 56 percent of investors and 41 percent of noninvestors seeing the stock market as rigged.

But even beyond salaries, sometimes high-skill positions can offer you valuable workplace benefits that aren’t always gleaned from looking at your salary information, such as the opportunity to invest in workplace retirement plans

Black and Hispanic families are far less likely to have retirement accounts, Fed data shows. Even among middle-aged families, 65% of White families have at least one retirement account, compared with 44 percent of Black families and just 28% of Hispanic families.

Photo courtesy of Bankrate

How to protect yourself from cyber security threats

Practice

good ‘cyber hygiene’

By Renata Sago

In 2000, Tami Hudson was working as a consultant implementing security standards for a company. Her team was conducting a review and noticed that the code in one of the databases had changed – all within a two-week period.

“The code was totally different,” Hudson remembers.

“It wasn’t a matter of ‘I think we’ve been attacked or ‘Let’s look at our cybersecurity program.’ It was really a matter of How did this change? How did someone get access to it? Who has the password?”

This happened during the Y2K scare when organizations around the world were grappling with how to transition computer systems into a new format. The language for cybersecurity had not yet developed. Neither had some techniques for how to deal with cyber threats. These days, Hudson spends her time helping people protect themselves from cybercriminals in personal and business activities.

According to the Internet Crime Report, there were 800,944 reports of cyber-attacks and incidents to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center in 2022. The estimated potential loss was $10.2 billion.

“Fifteen years ago when a lot of people thought of threat actors, they would think of a kid in his parents’ basement with a hoodie in a dark room doing all these things,” Hudson says. “That has changed. You don’t have to be extremely technical.”

Typical cyber threats include phishing, malware, fraudulent advertising, and fraudulent applications. Throughout the year, threat actors play upon human behaviors, such as being in a haste, wanting to be charitable, not looking through

emails in detail or eagerly clicking links that are not secure. They often use bots to gather information from the internet, too.

“Bots are applications that are programmed to perform certain tasks. So essentially, they are digital tools – and there are good bots and bad,” says Hudson. “They are moving faster than you or I.”

In the midst of potential threats, it’s important to develop a plan for protecting yourself. Hudson encourages practicing good “cyber hygiene” through the following practices:

• Keeping a unique password – and keeping it private.

• Changing your password regularly.

• Being careful about the information you provide to websites, especially when answering security questions.

• Using two-factor authentication

• Updating software

• Setting up account alerts

• Opting out saving credit card information after a purchase

• Steering clear of too-good-to-betrue emails and links.

“Look up the name of the company,” implores Hudson. “This is something threat actors don’t want you to do. They don’t want you to research them. Look up the name of the company and type

in the word scam and see what comes up there. That is just another really easy way to see if the person or the business that you’re doing business with is actually legitimate.”

• Knowing how to identify a secure link and domain.

The spelling, domain name, and URL are helpful hints. Websites that have https are technically secure compared to websites that have http.

This article was provided by Wells Fargo and is part of it’s the Financial Journey Series

Photo courtesy Getty Images

Six best money management tips for personal finances

By Ashley O’Neil Midwest Bank Centre

Effective money management is crucial for achieving financial stability and security. By adopting smart money management practices, individuals can reduce financial stress, make the most of their income, and work towards their financial goals. This article presents six essential money management tips that can help you take control of your personal finances and pave the way for a brighter financial future.

Tip 1: Create and prioritize financial goals

One of the first steps in effective money management is to establish clear and realistic financial goals. Whether it’s saving for a down payment on a home, paying off student loans, or building a retirement nest egg, defining your objectives will give you direction and purpose. Break down your goals into short-term and long-term targets, and assign priorities based on your financial situation and aspirations. This will guide your financial decisions and help you stay focused on what truly matters.

Tip 2: Master the art of budgeting, expense tracking

A well-crafted budget is a powerful tool for managing personal finances. Start by tracking your income and expenses using budgeting apps or spreadsheets. Categorize your expenses and identify areas where you can cut back. Set realistic spending limits for different categories and be diligent in tracking your progress. By actively monitoring your spending habits, you can make informed decisions, avoid unnecessary expenses, and stay within your financial means.

Tip 3: Build and maintain an emergency fund

Life is full of unexpected surprises, and having an emergency fund is vital for financial stability.

Tip 6: Plan for

retirement, secure financial stability

Retirement planning is crucial for long-term financial security. Contribute regularly to retirement accounts such as 401(k)s or IRAs and take advantage of employer matching programs whenever possible. Evaluate your retirement goals and seek expert advice to develop a sound retirement strategy. The earlier you start saving for retirement, the more time your money has to grow through the power of compounding.

Take control of financial future

Tip 4: Optimize savings and investing strategies

Saving money is not just about putting it aside; it is also about making your money work for you.

Aim to save three to six months’ worth of living expenses in an easily accessible account. Set up automatic transfers from your paycheck or designate a portion of your income specifically for this purpose. Building an emergency fund provides a safety net during unforeseen circumstances and prevents you from relying on credit cards or loans for sudden expenses.

Look for savings accounts with competitive interest rates and explore investment options that align with your risk tolerance and financial goals. Consider diversifying your investments through mutual funds or retirement accounts, allowing you to benefit from compound interest and potential market growth.

Seeking professional financial advice can help you make informed decisions and maximize your savings potential.

Tip 5: Manage credit cards, improve credit

score

Credit cards can be valuable financial tools if managed responsibly. Pay your credit card bills in full and on time to avoid interest charges and late fees. Keeping your credit utilization ratio low and maintaining a healthy credit history can positively impact your credit score. Regularly review your credit report for accuracy and address any discrepancies promptly. A good credit score opens doors to better interest rates on home or commercial real estate loans and can save you money in the long run.

By implementing these six best money management tips, you can take control of your personal finances and work towards achieving your financial goals. Remember that financial success is a journey that requires discipline, perseverance, and continuous learning. Develop good money management skills, seek financial education, and adapt your strategies as your financial situation evolves. The team at Midwest BankCentre with effective money management, you can create a brighter and more secure future for yourself and your loved ones with the help of a St. Louis mortgage company.

At Midwest BankCentre, we know how important effective money management is to you and your family, now and for future generations. Call us at 314-631-5500 or visit a branch today for a no-obligation conversation with a banking specialist. Bring all your questions and doubts, and we will listen, learn and decide how best to help you achieve your dream of a bright financial future.

Ashley O’Neal is SVP Retail Market Manager of Midwest BankCentre www.midwestbankcentre.com

Photo courtesy of Midwest BankCentre