January 4th, 2024 edition

St. LouiS AmericAn

‘Naturally grown as naturally diverse’

Dave Steward II is 2024 Entrepreneur of the Year

By Chris King

For The St. Louis American

David Steward II, founder and chief executive officer of Polarity and an Academy Award-winning producer, is the St. Louis American Charitable Foundation’s 2024 Entrepreneur of the Year.

Steward founded Polarity in 2018. It encompasses a portfolio of content companies that produce graphic novels and comics, animated television, streaming and cinematic features, and gaming. In 2019, he launched Lion Forge Animation and produced Hair Love, which won the 2020 Academy Award for Best Animated Short. That company was rebranded to include a wider range of content as Lion Forge Entertainment in 2023. Steward found-

See STEWARD II, A6

David Steward II, founder and chief executive officer of Polarity and an Academy Awardwinning producer, is the St. Louis American Charitable Foundation’s 2024 Entrepreneur of the Year.

Black Out

By Sylvester Brown Jr. St. Louis American

The news of an all-white, conservative-led Francis Howell School Board voting to drop elective courses on Black history and Black literature - then almost immediately rescinding the mandate made national headlines.

The decision, however, wasn’t exactly breaking news to some who live and raise children in the district.

“It’s a follow-the-trail kind of thing,” said Harry Harris, father of a seventh grader in the district.

Referring to the newly elected Francis Howell school board, Harris said, “These people know what they’re doing.

WWT tapped for ‘Great Place To Work’ DEIB initiative

WWT, a global technology solutions provider, is among 11 other organizations to be part of a threeyear study to transform business through the development of inclusive leaders.

They were all backed by a PAC (political action committee) which has shown nothing but disdain for everything and anything that has to do with blackness, diversity, equity, or inclusion.”

Harris referenced “Francis Howell Family,” a national PAC, locally headquartered in St. Peters, that supported candidates in last years’ school board race that were aligned with its views; such as its belief that there are hidden agendas involving critical race theory (CRT) and social justice in the elective courses offered in the district.

According to a 2021 press release, the PAC stated it was

Gay resigns as Harvard University president

By Alvin A. Reid NNPA Newswire

Harvard President Claudine Gay resigned Tuesday afternoon, leaving behind a somber resignation letter that touched on the racist attacks spewed against her.

Gay, Harvard’s first Black woman president, served just six months and two days after facing allegations of plagiarism and “lasting doubts over her ability to respond to antisemitism on campus after her disastrous congressional testimony Dec. 5,” according to the Crimson She faced national backlash for her administration’s response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel and intense scrutiny of her scholarly work.

“It is with a heavy heart but a deep love for Harvard that I write to share that I will be stepping down as president,” she said in a letter to the Harvard University community.

“This is not a decision I came to easily. Indeed, it has been difficult beyond words because I have looked forward to working with so many of you to advance the commitment to academic excellence that has propelled this great university across centuries.

“…It has become clear that it is in the best interests of Harvard for me to resign so that our community can navigate this moment of extraordinary challenge with a focus on the institution rather than any individual.”

By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American

While the atmosphere was fittingly somber during the Mothers Advocating Safe Streets Candlelight Vigil, there was a bit of hope in the chilly night air.

As the names of people murdered in the region during 2023 were read, the city was closing a year in which there was a 21% reduction in murders. There were 158 in 2023 compared to 200 in 2022.

“I offer my condolences to each of you who are mourning the loss of a loved one this year, and to families who are still in mourning of loved ones lost in years past. You and your families are in my daily prayers,” Mayor Tishaura Jones said during the vigil. I stand before you tonight not only as your Mayor but also as someone who has See CRIME, A6

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis AMerican

Claudine Gay

The Spirit of Angela West African Dance and Drum performed in Ferrell Hall at the St. Louis Art Museum Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023.

Salute to Business

ESPN analyst speaks on Simone Biles, hubby Jonathan Owens controversy

ESPN NFL analyst and “The Pivot” podcast host Ryan Clark recently came to the defense of “their own,” Jonathan Owens. Owens received significant social media backlash for claiming not to know who Simone Biles was.

“I always say that the men are the catch,” said the St. Louis native who is married to the most decorated gymnast of all time with an estimated $16 million value as of August 2023

The couple matched on a dating app about three years ago.

“I’m like, ‘Lemme see who this is.’ I never really paid attention to gymnastics, so it piqued my curiosity,” Owens said. “The first thing I saw was that she just had a bunch of [Instagram] followers. So in my mind, I’m like, ‘OK,

she’s gotta be good.’”

“Everyone is now twisting and taking that and then making it something negative,” Clark said in response to numerous mocking posts about Owens.

“He was telling the story about how he met his wife Simone on our show. She was also there. He told the story with so much love in their eyes and every time they looked at one another, you could tell how beautiful it was to them.”

Snoop to ‘smoke the competition’ in Paris

Look out Paris and Summer Olympics, here comes Snoop Dogg.

NBC announced on New Year’s Eve Snoop

will provide coverage of the sporting spectacle beginning on July 26, 2024.

“We’re going to have some amazing competitions and, of course, I will be bringing that Snoop style to the mix. It’s going to be the most epic Olympics ever, so stay tuned, and keep it locked.

Let’s elevate, celebrate, and make these games unforgettable, smoke the compe-

The breakout St. Louis rapper Sexyy Red said she will make a radical musical shift After Telling Children’s Ballet Teacher to play her song ‘Pound Town.’

“It’s horrifying,” The anonymous Ballet Teacher said on a Tiktok video.

and Olympic LOVE, ya

dig?,” Snoop said in a

St. Louis rapper Sexyy Red to switch to making ‘Kidz Bop Songs’

“Your five-year-old daughters are asking to listen to ‘Pound Town’ and ‘SkeeYee.’ Your daughters, your five-year-old daughters, are asking, ‘Can we hear ‘Pound Town?’” Red reposted that video and asked the teacher to “stfu” and play her songs regardless of the explicit content. “Gurl play poundtown skeeyee & stfu,” Red said. “Ima make some kidz bop songs for y’all fr.”

SOURCES: ESPN, Tiktok, NBC

By Alvin A. Reid

St. Louis American

U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver is a pastor, a politician, and beacon of positivity.

All were on display as he offered the keynote address during the 161st Annual Emancipation Proclamation Celebration on New Year’s Day at Greater Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis.

“People get excited about Juneteenth. We must remember that there is no Juneteenth without an Emancipation Proclamation,” he said early in his remarks.

“There are 364 days in front of us. Days we never thought we would experience in the United States of America.’

It did not take many words before Clever addressed the specter of another Donald Trump administration – and the fear that Black Americans could help him win re-election.

“This is a year of extreme challenges when some polling shows that 13% of African American men support Donald Trump,” Cleaver said.

“They would help seat a man (in the presidency) that has launched all kinds of outrageous claims, including the Barack Obama is not an American.”

Cleaver listed Trump’s indictments, a past lawsuit filed

against his company for housing discrimination, and other racially tinged exploits that should cause any African American voter to choose another candidate.

“Yet, 13% (of Black men) supposedly support him.”

Cleaver bristled and grew louder when taking on those that said the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol “did not happen.”

“I was there. I had to walk through mud and blood after hiding for six hours in my office. They had urinated everywhere; broken glass destroyed things. We have to deal with reality. It happened,” Cleaver shouted.

“Millions of people have bought into this. We’ve got to turn this around. There is a role for the church. Remember, there is not one mention of God in the constitution. The founding fathers struggled with this issue.

“What it comes down to is ‘Why should I impose my religion on you?’” That’s what people want to do. As Christians, we must stand against this kind of thinking.”

Cleaver, who is former lead pastor of St. James United Methodist Church in Kansas City where he and his family still attend, devoted a segment of his remarks to climate change and the Black Church role in reversing alarming environmental statistics.

“The church has a responsibil-

ity. The Earth is the Lord’s and everything in it,” Cleaver said citing a biblical verse.

“It is clear we have damaged our planet. Flood waters in Manhattan. Wildfires in Hawaii. The warmest year in history. I have a 6-year-old grandson. I want him to be able to breathe.”

Cleaver cited the facts that over 42,000 animal species are now on the endangered list and 7 million people die annually around the world solely because of air pollution. In staying with the occasion,

Cleaver reminded the congregation of a piece of history.

On Dec. 31, 1862, New Year’s Eve night before the Emancipation Proclamation would be officially adopted through an executive order of President Lincoln, hundreds of Black people from the Washington D.C. area gathered near the Capitol to await midnight. It poured down rain throughout the evening but although dressed in long gowns and tuxedos, no one departed until after

midnight.

“719 words that changed history,” Nadine V. Nunn said during her overview of the Emancipation Proclamation.

She shared a historic footnote that the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation was adopted on Sept. 22, 1862. If the Southern states did not cease their rebellion by Jan. 1, 1863, it would be enacted.

Nunn said after the Union victory at Sharpsburg, Maryland on Sept. 17, 1862, the proclamation became a reality and “freedom of slaves became a legitimate war aim.”

“Abraham Lincoln considered it the most crowning achievement of his presidency,’ she said.

The St. Louis Progressive Missionary Baptist District Association Inc. presented the 161st Annual Emancipation Proclamation Celebration. The Rev. Earl Nance Jr. of Greater Mt. Carmel was host pastor and Rev. Frederick Lemons II was moderator.

The St. Louis Progressive District Music Ministry performed several gospel tunes, and the thunderous showing often spontaneously rose members of the congregation to their feet.

“I don’t know what is down the road. I don’t know if our form of government will last,” said Clever.

“I do know God has blessed our country and we can create an atmosphere of goodness. I have not given up. I have not quit.”

Photo by Wiley Price I St. Louis American U.S. Rep. Rev. Emanuel Cleaver from Kansas City, Mo. brings the message as the keynote during the Emancipation Proclamation celebration Monday Jan.1, 2024 at Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church.

Guest Editorial

Claudine Gay’s attackers send a clear message

By Natasha S. Alford

From the time Black children come into the world, they are told to be “twice as good.” The command is a form of protection. A reminder that no matter what spaces you may ascend to, someone will be waiting in the wings to pounce — to weaponize an error or gray area to deem you unworthy. It doesn’t matter if they do not hold themselves to the same standards, or if you have been exceptional in nearly all endeavors. It is you, Black child, Black teenager, Black adult, Black professional, who will be accused of being unfit, should the time come.

When Dr. Claudine Gay resigned as president of Harvard University on Tuesday in the wake of a ramped-up campaign to slander her name and reputation launched by conservative activists who dug up her 1997 dissertation with accusations of plagiarism, there was a collective deep sigh for many of grief and sadness.

We recognized this moment for what it represented; that scene we had been warned about from childhood. We understood that this was more complicated than a few paragraphs of inadequate citation (defended even by some of the academics whose work Dr. Gay drew from). This was bigger. In these scenarios where judgment calls are made, Black women do not get the same benefit of the doubt. And in an era where elite universities are now pawns for right-wing political activists hoping to dismantle DEI, this was another lost battle.

ebrations of Dr. Gay’s resignation from the likes of Rep. Elise Stefanik (who was removed by the Harvard Institute of Politics board for supporting election denialism in the wake of Jan. 6), we see the true aim of this campaign: To invalidate all efforts tied to diversity as lacking merit. To play into the worst stereotypes of Black people as intellectually inferior and unworthy of inclusion or promotion.

We should understand that the campaign to take down Dr. Gay is one that will continue until diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is destroyed. We saw it with Nikole Hannah-Jones and the University of North Carolina. We saw it in the striking down of affirmative action and lawsuits against Black-focused businesses and even maternity programs. And the indignity of these takedowns will chafe even more in an election year featuring a Teflon Donald Trump, who has broken every norm and rule of a president and gets a pass from his supporters and the GOP establishment to do it all again.

“We launched the Claudine Gay plagiarism story from the Right,” tweeted anti-critical race theory activist Christopher Rufo smugly before her takedown.

“The next step is to smuggle it into the media apparatus of the Left, legitimizing the narrative to center-left actors who have the power to topple her. Then squeeze.”

Media outlets played their part and regurgitated the plagiarism allegations until they became an immovable stain. Rufo’s plan worked in broad daylight and will be used again. In the vein of Maya Angelou, they told us who they were, and we should keep believing them.

In the joyous and nasty-spirited cel-

In Dr. Gay’s resignation statement, we can almost hear the exhaustion of a weary soul who recognizes that the cost of being “the first” and staying resilient was too high even for her: “It has been distressing to have doubt cast on my commitments to confronting hate and to upholding scholarly rigor—two bedrock values that are fundamental to who I am—and frightening to be subjected to personal attacks and threats fueled by racial animus,” she wrote, noting that she will return to teaching at the university and her hopes for Harvard remained “undimmed,” a remarkable statement despite all she’s been through.

With a new generation of Black students and young people looking to us adults for lessons from this moment, perhaps they are better served to know the truth: that even being “twice as good” won’t always protect you from people who need your failure to justify their blind rage.

Natasha S. Alford is VP of Digital Content and a senior correspondent at TheGrio, where this commentary was originally published.

As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues

Let’s get ready for what’s ahead

By Janice Ellis

After the holiday celebrations and respite, hopefully we will be ready to face the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities the new year will bring. It often boils down to our perspective. Given any challenging situation, do we perceive the glass as half empty or half full? Do we believe in the power of positive thinking? One thing is certain — some level of change will occur whether we choose to be active participants or not.

On the public front, as 2023 comes to a close, it is not too early to consider what is before us in 2024, both for Missouri and our nation and to determine the role we are willing to play to effect positive outcomes and create a better future.

For Missouri, a new legislative session begins Jan. 3. While we may not be thinking about the policies and problems that need to be addressed, many legislators have been busy for weeks pre-filing hundreds of bills on a plethora of issues that could ultimately become law that we will have to live by.

zens of Missouri, we also have an important role to play as citizens of this nation in selecting the next president, which by many standards and measures could be the most consequential election in American history.

The presidential campaign is well underway, and there is time for us to carefully weigh our options before we have to cast a vote.

There is so much to consider.

There is so much hanging in the balance.

But how do we cut through the muck and mire to make the best decision?

Our challenge is being able to navigate the vitriol, the lies, the hypocrisy and the double standards and find where the real truth lies.

Pre-filed bills that have gotten the most media attention have been those that deal with LGBTQ issues and abortion But there are many others that address a variety of issues — education, elections, voting, the state Constitution, gambling, firearms, taxes and healthcare among them.

Also, there are major elections that will occur and many offices to be filled, including governor, U.S. senator and representatives, secretary of state, attorney general and treasurer. Do you know the candidates vying for your vote? Do you know what they stand for, their positions on issues that are important to you, your family and your community?

There are many potential ballot measures regarding the voting process, taxes, abortion, wages, guns and a host of other issues. Do you understand their potential impact?

In addition to our obligations as citi-

As

Remaining engaged and arriving at the right decision on who to choose to lead this country after being bombarded daily with one issue after the other — real or created — until our votes are cast will take some doing.

The last thing we can afford to do is to become fixated on all the negatives that will be a part of our political process for the months to come and decide not to get involved. Let us search diligently for the good, those positions and proposed policies that candidates have to move our nation forward.

As we pause this holiday season, let us think about and appreciate what is good about our nation, our way of life and become recharged and energized.

Let those thoughts motivate and propel us into action in what is bound to be a challenging year ahead, but also filled with many great opportunities to create and shape a better future.

We can only do that if we improve our state of readiness and are willing to get off the sidelines.

Missouri Independent columnist Janice Ellis analyzes educational, political, social and economic issues across race, ethnicity, age and socio-economic status.

We must address ‘social isolation’

By Benjamin Jealous

The news is filled with endless examples of hyper-partisanship out of Washington. It is no surprise most people think that’s the only thing happening in Washington. It’s not.

People still reach out across party lines to try to get great things done.

A few weeks ago, I was at a bipartisan press conference reintroducing the Outdoors for All Act. Members of Congress from both parties spoke. One, a Latina Democrat from the West. The other, a white Republican from the East. Unfortunately - and surprisingly - most of the press missed the chance to cover the rare and encouraging example of bipartisanship. More striking, though, was the reason both lawmakers had such a passion for the bill. In addition to the benefits for the planet and equity, each was urgently concerned about the need for parks to help their communities combat growing social isolation.

in our country, is the sharp edge of that isolation. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2020, there were nearly twice as many deaths by suicide (45,979) in the US as there were homicides (24,576).

That sharp edge cuts deepest among men. A good test for social isolation is to ask someone how many people they talk to when they are having or just had a really bad day. Women, on average, will say they speak with multiple people. Men, too often, don’t talk to anyone.

And while men in general – and white men a bit more than most, are the hardest hit – the social isolation fueling the suicide pandemic knows no racial or economic bounds.

Social isolation drives many social epidemics in America, including our country’s mental health crisis and the silent pandemic of suicide. Community parks can ensure access to natural spaces, which is a human right. The health benefits of getting out in nature are physical and mental, but they also can be social. Especially in more densely populated areas. Building and protecting parks is one of the few things government can do to structurally decrease social isolation.

I’ve researched the impact of social isolation in leading to mental health crises and suicide. I wrote about it in my book, Never Forget Our People Were Always Free Human connection, as well as connection to nature, makes us resilient. Social isolation attacks our ability to have those lifesaving connections. And suicide, which is at crisis levels

The lack of opportunity and downward economic mobility we often see in our low-income and inner-city communities can lead to despair and addiction, which in turn lead to suicide. So can the physical isolation and lack of interdependence in the suburbs and exurbs. If you live somewhere where people are often asking for help, sure that can be felt as a burden, but it also creates a sense of communal responsibility and empathy. That the social isolation crisis cuts across Black and white and every race … across urban and rural, affluent and poor, Republican and Democrat, alike, means we have an opportunity to build bridges and find common ground across the lines that too often divide us. Protecting access to nature is only one remedy. But it’s encouraging that members of both parties acknowledge the importance of social isolation. Because the only way we’re going to fix this problem for all of us is to do it together. And maybe we can help heal the soul of our country in the process.

Ben Jealous is the executive director of the Sierra Club and a Professor of Prac-

Guest Columnist

Natasha S. Alford

tice at the University of Pennsylvania.

Guest Columnist

Janice Ellis

Guest Columnist Ben Jealous

Salvation Army reaps Schnucks ‘Round up’ support

St. Louis American

Schnuck Markets, Inc. and The Salvation Army are thanking Schnucks customers as the company donated $230,000 to The Salvation Army’s annual Tree of Lights campaign through the most recent “Round Up at the Register Campaign.”

Schnucks customers could round up their purchases to the nearest dollar, with 100% of donations from the 15-day campaign benefiting The Salvation Army. Customers donated $212,281, and Schnucks added $17,719.

“As they do each holiday season without fail, Schnucks customers once again showed their appreciation towards The Salvation Army through their generous round ups as well as their donations to the red kettles at the entrances of our stores,” said Schnucks chair and CEO

Todd Schnuck.

“The work The Salvation Army does in our communities, not only during the holiday season but year-round, truly aligns with our company’s mission to nourish people’s lives.”

Donations raised during Round Up at the Register stay in the community in which they were donated to support local programs and services, including helping to provide food, shelter, support for veterans, addictions treatment and emergency disaster services throughout the year.

“Every dollar matters as we invest in our community, meeting needs and creating lasting change,” said Major Adam Moore of The Salvation Army.

“We are grateful to Schnucks, their customers and to the entire community for supporting us during this vital campaign. Together we ‘Do the Most Good.”’

A New Year of promise

By E. Faye Williams

By the time you read this message, we will already have said goodbye to 2023. It is my hope you have made your resolutions for 2024 that you really plan to keep! It is my experience that we make resolutions but forget them a few weeks later.

I have counted myself among those who forget them, but I am determined to do better in 2024.

Time requires us to be serious about keeping many of what I hope will be in your resolutions. For example:

1. Did you wish for the killing of our brothers and sisters who are still living in Gaza to stop immediately and may the hearts of those still living be healed?

2. Did you wish for our brothers and sisters in Israel to have their relatives who’re hostages returned safely to them, and may their broken hearts be healed for friends and family they lost?

3. Did you wish for all the broken hearts from 2023 to be healed?

4. Will you do all you can to prevent the senseless killing of our people, including our children?

5. Did you pray for America to end homelessness?

6. Did you pray for ending food deserts, and a way to feed healthy food for all to eliminate hunger?

7. Will you take any steps necessary to truly make voting a right that is worth exercising?

8. Will you work to make voting easy and urge every citizen to know about and exercise their right to vote?

9. Will you speak with your Members of Congress to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act immediately?

10. Will you contact your Members of Congress to urge them to make Rosa Parks’ birthday a Federal Holiday?

11. Will you encourage your local, state, and National leaders to recognize the urgency of working on climate change?

12. Will you work to get politicians to provide more support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities?

13. Will you support efforts to continue taking down Confederate statues representing slavery and glorifying racist actions in this country?

14. Will you support National and World Foster Care?

15. Will you work to support women’s right to choose and take away that practice from politicians?

16. Will you support efforts to find common ground for the U.S. and Cuba to work cooperatively?

17. Will you work to end book bans and support educators who are taking a stand against banning books?

18. Will you do all you can to improve healthcare for all?

19. Will you work to end racism in every form and for all our brothers and sisters no matter from whence they have come?

20. Meanness against immigrants must stop!

21. Finally, will you do all in your power to make this a kinder, gentler nation for all?

Inaction by our leaders must be called out and voted out if they can’t solve the problems. When I heard a seasoned politician like Lindsey Graham say he wasn’t concerned about Donald Trump’s highly offensive rantings and ‘poisoning the blood of this nation’ statement, I was shocked.

Trump no longer shocks us, but Graham is intelligent enough to do better. We have a lot of work to do in 2024, so no one is exempt from helping to resolve the craziness going on all around us. It seems these multiple cases against Trump will never be resolved, so we can’t help by wishing things away.

Voting is more critical now than ever before and Black people can’t be mad about anything and sit out the election because we don’t like one thing President Biden did. You need to vote!

E. Faye Williams is president of “The Dick Gregory Society” and a member of the board of the World Conference of Mayors.

Photo courtesy of Schnucks

E. Faye Williams

Major Adam Moore of The Salvation Army and Bill Bradley, Schnucks chief marketing and communications officer, announced that Schnucks customers and the company donated $230,000 to the organization through its ‘Round Up at the Register Campaign.’

ed his first entertainment company, The Lion Forge, LLC, to publish comic books in 2011.

Steward has maintained his initial mission – to publish comics and graphic novels with content for everyone, regardless of gender identity, ethnicity, or cultural background –and expanded it to cover more forms of content. Executing this mission has led him to build unusually diverse rosters of talent. Polarity and its subsidiaries employ more than 60 staff, 70% of them minorities and women. Of its more than 35 productions, 90% are minorities and women.

For his inclusive leadership, Steward was recognized in Variety’s 2022 Inclusion Impact Report, highlighting the entertainment industry’s most impactful advocates for inclusivity. In another mainstream industry accolade, the Hollywood Reporter listed Steward among the 75 Most Powerful People in Kids Entertainment in 2023. Steward’s namesake father – David Steward, founder and chair of World Wide Technology – received the St. Louis American Foundation’s inaugural Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2000. The American asked Steward Sr. about his son

Crime

Continued from A1

lost two family members to gun violence in 2023. In April, I lost my cousin, Al Logan in Chicago. Just last week on Christmas Eve, my cousin Barry Martin, Jr lost his life as well.

Jones said gun violence “touches the lives of everyone who calls St. Louis home.”

“Whether you knew the

following in his footsteps.

“My son honors his family legacy of faithfilled entrepreneurship. I know his grandfather, Harold Steward, the original Steward entrepreneur, would be overcome with emotion at the work Dave II has accomplished. My wife, Thelma, and I are extremely proud of the groundbreaking work he has done in the animation and entertainment industries,” David Steward said.

“We know there is a bright future ahead for our son and his company as he continues to follow the faithful call for his life. He is using his entrepreneurial spirit and highlighting the importance of diversity while touching many lives for the next generation and beyond.”

The American spoke to David Steward II about lessons he learned from his father, how he has grown a diverse portfolio of diverse entertainment companies, and why St. Louis is the place where he thinks his two young children can learn to follow the North Star.

The American: Obviously, this honor is about you and your companies, but there are two major figures I need to get out of the way first, and one is your father. I asked him about your winning this award, and he talked about your being, like him, a faith-filled entrepreneur. How does faith guide what you do with your compa-

victims or not. We know that they were someone’s child, someone’s parent … a brother, sister or cousin and friend.”

A day later, Jones and St. Louis Metropolitan Police Chief Robert J. Tracy released highlights of 2023 year-end crime data, which showed not only a decline in murders, but also other violent crimes.

There was a 24% reduction in shooting incidents (550 in 2023 compared

nies?

David Steward II: I’ve learned a lot of lessons from my father by watching him start his businesses, how he grew them, how he worked with others, how we treated people, how he conducted business. The guiding tenants of how we have always operated are all biblically based. Sometimes it’s simple things in terms of treating people well at various levels in your organization, whether it’s the person helping clean up the building or the executive vice president. Everyone in our organizations is treated with respect and in a way we would like to be treated as well, and these things have been instilled in me by my father. We have to run our business and make a profit, but we’re not going to cut corners or treat someone badly just to make a profit.

The American: I see comparisons and contrasts between your businesses and your dad’s main business. There’s a shared sense of ambition, scope, and scale. You acquire businesses, you add businesses, you grow, and that’s what he’s always done. As a contrast, he was always selling things that everybody knew the world needed – technology and supply chain solutions – but you’re selling people things with a lot less obvious market value. What pushback and feedback

to 722 in 2022); and a 23% reduction in shooting victims (631 in 2023 compared to 821 in 2022).

The department also reported reductions in juvenile shooting incidents (47% decrease) and victims (50% decrease) compared with the prior year.

“In just one year, Chief Tracy has delivered effective crime reduction strategies that keep our communities safer,” said Jones.

“By addressing violent crime head on and part-

did you get when you said of all the things you might do, this is what you want to do?

Steward: I’ve always had a passion for visual arts. My dad told me early on, “If you do something you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” He’s always instilled in us to follow our passions and our dreams. And what we’re doing, it’s a commodity product, and certainly there are other comic book and animation companies, but we are very different. There are no other companies focused on diverse content and working with diverse creators. We really blaze trails in working with diverse creators that have been very marginalized, Black artists and writers and other persons of color. With the types of stories that we’re putting together, coming from those diverse creatives’ point of view, we’re doing something that a lot of companies have really leaned on us for, whether it’s HBO or Nickelodeon. We’re helping them find those diverse creatives’ work and these stories.

The American: Looking at your track record, “diversity” for you is not a code word for “Black.” Your staff and content are genuinely diverse. What’s your diversity strategy?

Steward: It’s not one that’s exactly written on paper. Our strategy is our mission, which is diverse

nering with community organizations to provide additional services, we are putting St. Louis on the right track. These numbers reflect what we can do when we combine the tireless work of our officers and of our newly established Office of Violence Prevention.”

Tracy said the yearend date “underscores the progress we have made in making St. Louis a safer community.”

“I have been proud to

Culture club

stories authentically told.

To tell diverse stories is very important for us –and to include people who look like the people we’re portraying on screen. So, if I’m going to do a Native American story about a Native American group, then I’m going to have people representing that

work alongside some of the most dedicated and passionate law enforcement professionals around, and the sharp reductions in serious crime categories are a reflection of their relentless efforts to make our city safer,” he said.

The city also experienced a 22% reduction in “overall Part 1 crimes” (murder, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, felony theft and auto theft) compared with 2022 – including individual reductions in the majority of those crime categories.

There were also:

A 39% reduction in felony theft.

A 19% decrease in auto theft.

Native American group on that creative team in meaningful positions. Because of that mission, we naturally end up having a diverse staff. Our team is naturally grown as naturally diverse because of the types of things that we’re doing in the marketplace.

“While these numbers provide us an opportunity to celebrate some progress, there remains much work to be done – and a great deal of progress to make as we enter another year,” the chief said.

During the vigil., Jones also honored the legacy of the late Ms. Jeanette Culpepper and members of her family who began the annual ceremony.

“Ms. Culpepper was a powerful voice in gun violence advocacy and activism. [Her] advocacy was rooted in the love she had for her family and her city,” Jones said.

A 12% decrease in burglaries. An 11% reduction in robbery incidents; and a 6% reduction in aggravated assaults.

Kendra Thornton and her son, JJ 3, enjoyed an afternoon at the St. Louis Art Museum that included participating in Kwanzaa festivities on Dec. 30, 2023.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Continued from A1

specifically created “in response to the Francis Howell School District Board [of Education] and superintendent developing and teaching the dangerous and racist critical race theory and social justice agenda in its high schools and middle schools…”

Without citing specific examples, the PAC went on to state that it was rejecting “any attempt to divide people by race, gender, or other immutable characteristics or to teach that those characteristics determine their destiny.”

Heather Fleming, a St. Charles resident, mother of three Francis Howell school district children and a consistent critic of its school board, is highly frustrated by the nonsensical far-right culture wars that have invaded the nation’s school systems.

“The anti-CRT argument is just something people have just made up in their heads; It’s not even taught in our schools,” Fleming stressed, adding: “How do you strategize against something that people just make up and lie about over and over again?”

At the time, 2021, there

Gay

Continued from A1

The backlash to Gay’s resignation was fierce and forthright.

were two contentious issues Francis Howell Family and its chosen candidates swore to revise or rescind. One was a non-binding, but symbolically relevant proclamation adopted in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. Francis Howell students who complained about discrimination against students and staff of color passionately advocated passing the resolution.

The PAC, however, drafted an alternative proclamation “against all acts of racial discrimination,” which included “racially divisive Critical Race Theory, labels of white privilege, enforced equity outcomes, identity politics…and Marxism.”

Of course, it gave no concrete examples of how or where those topics were taught at Francis Howell or any other St. Charles County school.

The other “controversial” issue was the board’s 6-0 adoption, in 2021, of two elective classes – Black History and Black Literature. The curriculum is based in part on the Southern Poverty Law Center’s “Teaching Tolerance” project. The PAC interpreted a section of the curriculum that focused on leading “Critical Conversations” writing that it indicated

“Well, they got what they wanted from their well-executed plan,” wrote Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and 1619 Project founder Nikole HannahJones on X. She had previously called out critics, saying “this is how racism works.”

Keith Boykin, co-founder of the National Black Justice Coalition, said Gay faced an interrogation and search for faults unlike many of her counterparts.

“If we’re going to start scrutinizing every detail of college presidents’ past writings for technical attribution issues, then let’s do it. Let’s go look at everyone’s past writings, not just Claudine Gay at Harvard,” he said.

educators “who developed the curriculum do in fact have the goal of turning our students into social justice warriors with elevated critical consciousness.”

In April 2023, three candidates backed by the PAC, Ron Harmon, Mark Ponder and Jane Puszkar won three open seats on Francis Howell’s school board. They comprised a conservative majority by joining Board President, Adam Bertrand, and Vice President Randy Cook Jr., both who had already expressed desires to purge the anti-racism proclamation approved by the previous board.

By July 2023, the resolution was revoked with Cook bragging: “the board “doesn’t need to be in the

Let’s put them all under a microscope and see how they hold up.”

Janai Nelson, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund president and director-counsel called the attacks against Claudine Gay “unrelenting and the biases unmasked.

Her resignation on the heels of (former University of Pennsylvania president) Liz Magill’s set dangerous precedent in the

business of dividing the community.”

Neither Bertrand, Cook or any of the other newly elected board members bothered to define what exactly was divisive about a declaration stating that the school district would “speak firmly against any racism,” “promote racial healing” and acknowledge “the challenges faced by our Black and brown students and families.”

A Post Dispatch editorial at the time chided the board’s response to the resolution:

“The newly seated conservative majority on the board somehow found enough fault with these words of racial tolerance to vote last week to effectively purge them from the record and literally

academy for political witch hunts. The project isn’t to thwart hate but to foment it [through] vicious takedowns. This protects no one.

According to Gay’s resignation letter, she also takes the sudden resignation to be the result of what she called “personal attacks and threats fueled by racial animus.”

The backlash was so obviously bigoted even the Fellows of Harvard College issued a let-

remove printed versions of them from school building walls,” it read. True to the ultra-conservative movement throughout the country,

St. Charles County school board members launched book bans in schools and public libraries and championed destructive policies targeting LGBTQ+ students. Before last year ended, the school board finally got around to the PAC’s agenda aimed at dropping elective courses on Black history and Black literature.

“As a Black person in America who has a child in a predominantly white district, it’s sickening, it’s frustrating,” said Harris, responding to the board’s December decision. “We know that Black history is American history. To craft this where we can only mention parts of history or where we can’t bring up social justice-which is the backbone of how Black people have gotten where we are today-is just appalling.”

Harris further vented his frustration: “What this board has done is really a slap in the face to the educators who put time and effort into creating this (curriculum) and the students who wanted it…it’s just disgusting.”

“If we just look at the

ter in response to her resignation saying most of it took the form of “repugnant and in some cases racist vitriol.”

Ibram X. Kendi, founder and director of Boston University’s Center for Antiracist Research, said on X, “Racist mobs won’t stop until they topple all Black people from positions of power and influence who are not reinforcing the structure of racism. What these racist mobs are

patterns they’ve established we can see that this is 100% about who in this district will be entitled to rights, privileges and protections,” Fleming said, adding: And it’s not going to be for students who look like my daughter.”

The district received criticism not only from St. Charles-area parents, students, and residents but the national media attention drew local and nationwide scorn. More than 3,350 people signed a student-led petition calling on the board to reinstate the courses and the St. Louis County NAACP had called a community meeting to discuss protesting the board’s decision.

Within days of announcing its plans to nix the Black History and Black Literature courses, the board announced it was reinstating the programs…kind of.

“Students can enroll in the elective courses at the district’s three high schools next fall” after the board approves a new curriculum “that is rigorous and largely politically neutral,” Bertrand and superintendent Kenneth Roumpos wrote in a press statement.

Sylvester Brown Jr./ Deaconess Foundation Community Advocacy Fellow.

doing should be obvious to any reporter who cares about truth or justice as opposed to conflicts and clicks.”

Rev. Al Sharpton told USA TODAY on Wednesday, “To act like this president, Claudine Gay, was not qualified to be president, and that she was only given the job because she was a Black woman, is a threat to Black women in high positions all over the country.”

Rion Harris, a student at Barnwell Middle School in the Francis Howell R-III School District, with his father Harry Harris Tuesday, Jan. 2.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis AMerican

January events at the Missouri History Museum

By the Missouri Historical Society

The new year is officially here, and it’s the perfect time to reprioritize your well-being. From 5:00pm to 8:00pm on Thursday, January 4, join the Missouri History Museum and The Collective STL as we reflect on the past year, take a moment for self-care, and set our intentions as we move forward. At 6:30pm there will be a gentle yoga class suited for all levels, followed by a 30-minute visioning workshop. The Museum’s exhibits will be open late, food and drink will be available for purchase from the Key Bistro, and Myah Maedell Singh of Theatre De La Rue Textile will host a vendor booth.

On January 11, Thursday Nights at the Museum will commemorate Missouri Emancipation Day (5:00–8:00pm). Join Greenwood Cemetery, Father Dickson Cemetery, and St. Peter’s Cemetery as we share stories of the Black individuals living in our community in 1865. Plus, learn more about the diverse stories of emancipation with the African American History Initiative; explore additional resources on St. Louis Black history with representatives from the Griot Museum of Black History; and join Okunsula M. Amadou of Jamaa Birth Village for a pop-up talk on the role of enslaved midwives during the antebellum era.

One Friday and Saturday each month, the Museum celebrates education and family learning with History Exploration Days (10:00am–2:00pm). This event is free and open to all families and educators who are teaching and learning at home or at school. As part of the MLK Community Celebration, the theme for January 12–13 is “Activist City: Creating Community in St. Louis.”

Timed activities include storytelling with American Sign Language interpretation by Deaf Inc. (10:30am), a workshop on leaders and legacies for middle and high school students (10:30am), a presentation on evaluating messages for middle and high school students and educators (Friday only, 11:30am), and a movement workshop with Mama Lisa (Saturday only, 12:00pm). Drop-in activities include a craft room with sensory play, “The Dagen Family Home” time travel room, a touch table and inquiry station, and a scavenger hunt. Unless otherwise stated, activities will take place on both days.

The MLK Community Celebration

continues on Sunday, January 14, and Monday, January 15. From 2:00pm to 3:30pm on Sunday, commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. King with spoken word, a discussion of his philosophies, and a gospel concert. The program will open with an invocation by Reverend Kevin M. Kosh of Beloved Community United Methodist Church, followed by an empowering spoken word performance by Tracy Stanton. Dr. Terry Harris, founder of The Collective STL, will delve into the practice of ahimsa, or nonviolence, and the program will end with a performance by the Community Gospel Choir. Afterward, from 5:00pm to 6:30pm, The Collective STL will lead a gospel yoga practice in the Grand Hall, followed by a sound bath, cookies, and conversation. Bring your yoga mat, water bottle, friends, and family. All ages and abilities are welcome.

On Monday, January 15, youth activism workshops for ages 6–18 will be held at 10:30am and 11:45am. Students will use primary sources to explore the complex legacies of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights activists and think about how we will honor them in the future.

St. Louis Black Authors of Children’s Literature will present a storytelling performance for ages 1–10 at 10:30am and 2:00pm, featuring a DJ and music, positive affirmations, and a special reading of I Am My Ancestors’ Wildest Dream by author Tanisia Moore. Each session will be followed by a book giveaway and book signing by the author.

At 1:15pm and 2:30pm, children can learn about the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and those who have fought for our civil rights through a special all-ages workshop that incorporates music, movement, and storytelling with Mama Lisa.

Also at 1:15pm, The Collective STL will lead a discussion inspired by the practice of ahimsa, followed by creative reflection. This program is suitable for all ages but geared toward those ages 6 and up, including adults.

Drop-in activities throughout the day include “The Dagen Family Home” time travel room (10:00am–2:00pm) and make-and-take advocacy-inspired crafts (10:00am–4:00pm).

Visit mohistory.org/events for updates and additional information. African American History Initiative programming is presented by Wells Fargo.

MLK Community Celebration at the Missouri History Museum.

‘Taking Care of You’

‘There’s

opportunity for great change in this region’

Dwayne Proctor of Missouri Foundation for Health

By Chris King

For The St. Louis American

The St. Louis American recently interviewed Dr. Dwayne Proctor, president and CEO of Missouri Foundation for Health, an independent philanthropic foundation committed to changing systems and removing barriers to health for all Missourians.

He assumed this statewide leadership position in 2021 after nearly 20 years with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the largest American philanthropic foundation focused solely

on health. This follow-up interview delves more into his personal narrative.

Who is an important mentor for you?

Dwayne Proctor: Uncle Joe is a gentleman in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He is working to suppress violence among young people in Tennessee. He and I met 30, 40 years ago, and he is still a very good friend and mentor to this day. But no one knows Uncle Joe, right? But people have heard of Julian Bond, and so I would hold up Julian

Bond in that same way. Amos Brown, who was one of Dr. King’s students, I put on that list. But, you know, when I think about Uncle Joe – I’ve had more mentors that people don’t know than those that people have known.

How did Uncle Joe shape you?

Dwayne Proctor: It’s the idea that the show must go on. You’re gonna do whatever you can to make certain that you complete your job at the end of the day, to make certain that you

By Dr. Graham A. Colditz Siteman Cancer Center

As we make our way past the busy winter holidays, and look toward the new year, let’s all remember to stop, take a breath, and enjoy the moment. It’s an accomplishment to make it through another year, and now we can enjoy the promise of 2024. For many of us, that can mean putting together some health goals for the next 12 months. And whether those goals are big or small, learning some new, stressfree tips may just prove helpful as we work toward improving our health and lowering our risk of disease.

Dr. Graham A.

So, here are five tips that have resonated with me recently. Some are pretty specific; some are more general. But each can have important benefits now. And these benefits continue to grow as they’re repeated and become part of our regular wellness routines.

n Poorquality sleep and short sleep can increase the risk of depression, weight gain, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.

Don’t forget healthy sleep. It may not be what most people think of when they think about healthy behaviors, but getting good sleep certainly qualifies. Among other conditions, poor-quality sleep and short sleep can increase the risk of depression, weight gain, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. So, it’s good to regularly get the recommended seven or more hours of sleep each night. Keeping electronics out of the bedroom, avoiding large meals and caffeine close to bedtime, and going to bed at a regular time are some strategies that can help.

City public health officials make Plan B kits available

They also are addressing STDs

By JoAnn Weaver St. Louis American

The City of St. Louis Department of Health is participating in the new “Free EC” project to offer no-cost emergency contraceptive kits to Missourians. Launched in early 2023 by the Missouri Family Health Council, the Department of Health is one of more than 60 sites statewide where kits are available.

“This project provides necessary access to reproductive health information and birth control methods, which is needed after recent statewide changes to how we provide those services,” says Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis, St. Louis director of health.

“The Department of Health continues to work toward equitable health access for all St. Louisans, including reproductive care.”

n “Folks can’t get to the doctor or get health insurance if they’re not working, and the people who bear the brunt of that are Black people and have been for hundreds of years. We just need to do better.”

– Dr. Suzanne Alexander, Communicable Disease Division bureau chief

Kits can be picked up at the Department of Health’s Communicable Disease Bureau in Room 4027 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., according to a statement on the City of St. Louis Department of Health’s website.

“One of the things that has changed about this

See STD CASES, A11

Launched in early 2023 by the Missouri Family Health Council, the Department of Health is one of more than 60 sites statewide where kits are available.

President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints greets Dr. Dwayne Proctor and Rev. Theresa Dear, during the 110th NAACP convention in Detroit on Sunday, July 21, 2019. Proctor and Dear serve on the National NAACP board of directors.

Photo by Jeffrey D. Allred, Courtesy of Deseret News

Colditz

‘Taking

STD Cases

Continued from A10

project is that we now have 60 partners across the state providing emergency contraception in different areas. The mayor’s office brought this initiative to us, and we’re proud and happy to support it,” Dr. Suzanne Alexander, bureau chief of the Communicable Disease Division, said.

A goal of the Free Emergency Contraception project is to eliminate birth control barriers, including geographical and financial.

“The City of Saint Louis Department of

Health has always had a screening clinic for STIs, and one of the things that we provide is birth control in the form of condoms, so it made sense for us to carry another form of birth control as well as soon as it was made available to us,” Alexander said.

“While we would never suggest that Plan B is to be used regularly and consistently as birth control; it is good to know that it is an option when you need it the most.”

In addition to providing family planning services, Alexander said services provided by the health department aim to combat another issue: the rise of STIs, such as syphilis and

HIV, being transmitted through pregnancy.

In 2021, 63 congenital syphilis cases were reported in Missouri, representing the highest number of cases reported since 1994, according to a report from the City of St. Louis Department of Health on their website.

One of the major problems Alexander sees is the increase of transmissions from pregnant people who have a STI to unborn children.

“One of the big prob-

lems with women in our area who have substance use disorders, who have been involved with the criminal legal system, they often have transient or unstable housing, no transportation, and it is difficult to find them when we lose track of them after their initial prenatal care visit or emergency room visit,” Alexander said. “It is treatable in the womb; anything that starts to happen can be reversed with a full course of treat-

ment.”

Congenital syphilis occurs when syphilis is transmitted from mother to baby during pregnancy and can cause miscarriage, stillbirths, infant death, and long-term disability, according to data from the City of St. Louis Department of Health.

Each case is preventable with timely maternal syphilis testing and treatment.

From 2020 through 2022, there were 56 cases of congenital syphilis reported in St. Louis County and the City of St. Louis. This is more cases than in the previous 20 years combined (47 cases in 1999-2019).

“Communicable diseases are a direct result of

institutionalized racism because when you do not have economic opportunities, barriers to access to care, generational wealth, or any kind of stability in your finances, you have infectious diseases,” Alexander said. “Folks can’t get to the doctor or get health insurance if they’re not working, and the people who bear the brunt of that are Black people and have been for hundreds of years. We just need to do better.” The City of St. Louis Department of Health provides free, confidential sexual health testing services through its “Health Stop” testing and referral center.

can do it in a way that has integrity and dignity to the work, and to be compassionate and empathetic to those who are in bad situations, who are trying just to find a way to live and survive each and every day.

What was your connection to Mr. Bond?

Dwayne Proctor: We are both on the board of the National NAACP together. He was also one of the folks who started what is now known as the NAACP Foundation, and I am the NAACP Foundation’s first board chair. He was there to coach me and help me along the way, so that the lessons learned from the past could be applied today. One thing he did tell me was really important. I was a bit impatient one day, and I was also very eager to sit down and have some time with President Obama together, and Mr. Bond was there with me, and he saw me pacing back and forth from his seat, and he looked at me and says, “You know, Dwayne, sometimes if you just have a seat, you can change the world.” But I was anxious. I was eager. President Obama was running late. Hence the pacing and things like that. But it let me know that there are very simple things that you can do to make change in the world.

How about that meeting with Mr. Obama? What was your takeaway from that?

Dwayne Proctor: Conserve your energy and use it when you need it. He walked in, and he lit up the room by his presence, by his demeanor. He was focused, he was present, he was in good humor. And I’m thinking about this president of ours, who was probably solving some world problem. He had held me up by about 15 minutes, but he came in fresh, on point, and he inspired folks to want to do well and to go further

Colditz

Continued from A10

Try “activity snacks.” These aren’t the snacks you keep in your backpack or desk drawer to fuel your physical activity. Though, those can be important as well. “Activity snacks” are short bits of physical activity – just a few minutes of walking or stretching or some other activity you enjoy. They can fit easily into our rou-

with our mission. Tell me about someone you mentored, and there must be many. Who’s someone that really told you that you really helped them on their way, and what was that relationship?

Dwayne Proctor: One of the first people who comes to mind is – I’m quite local, and he’s situated here in the Midwest, he’s the vice president of the Wyandotte Health Foundation in Kansas City, Kansas – Randy Lopez. I met him when he was a National Urban Fellow, which is a great program for mid-level professionals who are looking to up their game with a Masters of Public Administration from Georgetown University. They get assigned to a foundation, and Randy had been assigned to the nonprofit I worked. He was not directly reporting to me, which meant that we could actually have a mentor/mentee relationship and not a supervisor/ employee relationship. We’ve stuck together for about 12 or 13 years. And now to know that he’s in a great leadership position at another health foundation just on the other end of the state. He’s someone I think about quite a bit.

Starsky Wilson was someone who was here for a long time you’ve

tines, and there’s growing evidence that adding even small amounts of physical activity to our days can give a boost to our health and well-being. “Activity snacks” can be one easy way to do that.

Take a stand against too much sitting. It’s a fact of modern life: many of us spend a lot of time sitting during the day. And, it turns out, that’s just not great for our health. Being sedentary has been linked to an increased risk of many

probably crossed paths with who worked hard on those issues and probably still is working hard. He’s now at the Children’s Defense fund.

Dwayne Proctor: Starsky was one of my first connections to Missouri. Back when Governor Nixon wanted to have a Ferguson Commission, Starsky and my predecessor here, Bob Hughes, both called my office and said, “Is there anything that your foundation can do to be helpful in that moment?” And we were able to make a contribution so that the commission had access to experts from across the nation. Starsky made that phone call. It’s the first time I’d met him at that point. Here I am still in touch with Starsky. He’s on the board of NCRP –he’s the board chair. It’s an interesting circle that’s come back.

So, what part of our region have you made home since you came to Missouri? And why did you choose that town?

Dwayne Proctor: I live in the City of St. Louis. I live in a neighborhood called Shaw. It’s about a mile from where I work, which is great. I have multiple ways of commuting. And I like the neighborhood itself. I like the vibe it gives. It’s a great place. It was Michael Brown Jr. and his death and the

chronic diseases, even in those who exercise otherwise. So, on top of being regularly active, it’s also important to break up long periods of sitting. Try standing breaks every hour or so, starting small, and then slowly building up the amount of standing.

Spend time in parks and other green spaces Along with the recommendation to get more sleep, this may be one of the more appealing health tips for 2024. But as with sleep, there’s good science

uprising here, when so many folks were highlighted as being progressively minded that wanted to really solve the systemic problems that exist here, that made me want to be here in that mix, because I think there’s great potential for that type of thinking and that type of leadership here.

So, the kinds of people and networks you envisioned hearing about or seeing Ferguson from afar, did you find them more or less as you expected them? What have been your surprises or confirmations in those areas?

Dwayne Proctor: I would say I found them, and they were on their way up, right? And there’s several in the city who are leaders of different foundations, banks, nonprofit organizations, churches, who really have made a name for themselves within the city, within the state, but also in the nation. They are now touchstones for equity in so many different ways. And it’s good to put a face with a name and then to discuss how we can think about working together to advance good things, here in the city and outside the city.

Seen a good movie at the theater lately?

Dwayne Proctor: At the theater, the last thing I saw that I liked was

behind it. Spending time in parks and other open green spaces can help with mental health and lower the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases. Take some time to search out and visit parks in your area, especially when the weather turns nicer, or plan a visit to state or national parks when you have more time.

Toast to alcohol-free alternatives. Winter is big on celebrations, and that can make it a great time to try toasting with

Woman King. I do enjoy Africa and African studies and things like that quite a bit. You know, there’s an African proverb that says it is the lioness, not the lion, who hunts.

Comfort music?

Dwayne Proctor: Afrobeat.

Recent binge watch?

Dwayne Proctor: Whoo-whoo! It’s Bel-Air.

Recent vacation or adventure?

Dwayne Proctor: I was on Mogo Hill in Accra, Ghana. It’s a fascinating place to be. There’s a great history there. And, again, when it comes to women and women’s leadership and how women lead societies, being on Mogo Hill was fascinating. And then also going to Kumasi in Ghana. Kumasi is matriarchal, so instead of running to go see the chief right away, I start off with going to see the queen and making certain that I have her permission and blessings to be in that region. I’m fascinated by everything I find in Ghana.

What’s a guilty pleasure for you?

Dwayne Proctor: Playing my drum, my djembe drum. There’s no better way for me to spend my time.

Habit you’re trying to break?

alcohol-free options. The science has shown for a while that when it comes to diseases like cancer and our overall health and well-being, zero alcohol is the healthiest choice. And the marketplace is quickly catching up, with many alcohol-free options that can taste a lot like regular drinks with alcohol. And for even healthier, lower-calorie options, there are always alternatives like fizzy water or unsweetened coffee and teas.

March 2015,

Dwayne Proctor: Not riding my bike.

Biggest bragging rights in the kitchen?

Dwayne Proctor: I make some delicious Moroccan food, I make delicious Senegalese food, and I’m really good with lasagna.

Was there anything else you wanted to throw out here for the record?

Dwayne Proctor: There’s a lot of opportunity for a great change in this area, in this region. You know it can seem hopeless at times. But there’s a lot of good people here who are willing to work with others to do good things, and I think we need to take advantage of it. I think that our children deserve to see adults that are leaning into civic engagement. Our young people know that they can also work hard to improve their communities, improve their states, and that they have some examples of how to do so. We have an obligation to make certain that the young folks are safe, secure, protected, but also inspired and can see in their everyday life adults who are doing things that will make their society better. We need to act accordingly, so that our children can behave accordingly and lead us into a brighter situation. Then we might find our way.

Here’s to a healthy and happy 2024. It’s your health. Take control.

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

Proctor

Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis

In

Dr. Dwayne Proctor served on a panel during the “What Shapes Health” forum at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Proctor, who now serves as Missouri Foundation for Health president and CEO, was joined by Rebecca Onie, Lisa Berkman, and Robert Blendon.

Photo by Emily Cuccarese / Harvard Chan School Communications

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

At the St. Louis American’s 2023 Summer Science Academy, participants work in teams on an engineering project to build a roller coaster out of recycled items.

Have you heard of the scientific method? It starts with a question. For example, maybe you are curious about how fluorescent light affects plant growth. Next, is background research. You’ll look up facts using books and the internet. You can also talk to people who have knowledge about your topic. After research, you’ll form a hypothesis. This is where you state what you believe will happen, (ex: Fluorescent lights will negatively impact plant growth). Then, you’ll

SCIENCE INVESTIGATION

Background Information:

In this activity, you will experiment with “mean” and “median,” which are two important math concepts.

Materials Needed: • Deck of Cards with Face Cards Removed (jacks, queens and kings)

• Paper • Marker • Partner Process:

q Divide the sheet of white paper into three sections using the marker. Write the word “mean” at the top of the far left column, “median” on top of the center column, and “Which is greater?” on the far right column..

experiment to test your hypothesis—gathering data and making observations. When it is completed, you will draw conclusions on the results and share what you’ve learned. View the Scientific Method Rap Here: https://www. youtube.com/ watch?v=wlb7tLJy5AI.

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

RIght in the Middle?

e Calculate the mean of the cards by adding all five cards together and dividing by five. (Aces=1). Write the answer in the “mean” column.

r Find the median of the four cards. Arrange them from smallest to largest and find the number in the middle of the sequence. Write the number in the “median” column.

t Finally, determine which number is greater—the mean or the median—and write that answer in the final column.

y Continue steps 2-5 until the deck is depleted.

Analyze: What did you learn about mean and median?

w Shuffle the deck of cards. Hand the cards to your partner and ask them to deal you five cards.

MATH CONNECTION

Probability is the likelihood that an event will occur. For example, there may be a 60% probability for rain storms. For these questions, you will need a deck of cards to determine probability.

Directions: Determine the probability of each question.

z What is the probability of drawing a red card from a deck of cards?

DID YOU KNOW?

Learning Standards: I can follow sequential directions to complete a task. I can analyze results.

Probabilty & Math!

x What is the probability of drawing a club from a deck of cards?

c What is the probability of drawing a 3 from a deck of cards?

v What is the probability of drawing a joker from a deck of cards? ______________

b What is the probability of drawing a king from a deck of cards? _______________

Learning Standards: I can determine probability.

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

AFRICAN-AMERICAN STATISTICIAN AND EDUCATOR:

Nancy Glenn

Nancy Glenn was born in Charleston, North Carolina. In 1987, she earned her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of South Carolina. Eight years later, she earned her statistics degree there. In 2002, Glenn became the first African American to earn a PhD in Statistics at Rice University in Houston, Texas. She completed her postdoctoral research with the National Security Agency.

Glenn returned to the University of South Carolina as an assistant professor in the Department of Statistics while she completed research about cancer cells and DNA, publishing her findings in research journals. Her research in Nonparametric Statistics and Bioinformatics was funded by such organizations as the National Institute of Health and NASA.

Glenn also was a reviewer for several statistical research journals. In 2007, she became an assistant professor at Texas Southern University, teaching for the Department of Mathematical Sciences.

There, she developed a course for STEM students that prepared them for graduate school, to earn more advanced degrees. Glenn is also a representative for the American Statistical Association.

Learning Standards: person who has made contributions in

MAP CORNER

Use the newspaper to complete the following activities.

Activity One

Theme: Choose one story from each section of the newspaper. Identify the theme of each story. As a class, compare the various themes found in each section of the paper, as well as specific details that develop the theme.

Activity Two — Sports Statistics: Locate sports statistics in the newspaper. How are they reported? Calculate statistics for your school’s sports teams. How do the numbers compare?

Learning Standards: I can identify theme, calculate statistics, and compare numbers.

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.

MLK Statewide Celebration Kickoff Jan. 6

St. Louis American

The 38th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Statewide Celebration Kick-Off Program for Missouri will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, January 6, 2024, at Harris-Stowe State University in the Dr. Henry Givens, Jr. Administration Building, Main Auditorium.

Since its establishment in 1985, the Martin Luther King, Jr. State Celebration Commission has recommended and fostered appropriate activities for the recognition and celebration of Martin Luther King Day in the State of Missouri.

This year’s theme is “Keeping the Dream Alive: It Starts with Me.”

The keynote speaker will be Rev. Dr. Freddy J. Clark, founder of Shalom

Church (City of Peace), and this year’s featured performer is national gospel recording artist Jesse D. Williams and Total Praise.

Distinguished honorees include Bishop Ron Webb (Poplar Bluff), Alana

Green (St. Louis), and Mary Ratliff (Columbia). Edward Berry (Fulton), John Gardner (Kirksville), Lester Gillespie (Bootheel), Davis Maddox (Kansas City), Ryana Parks-Shaw (Kansas City), David Tyson Smith

Keynote speaker Rev. Dr. Freddy J. Clark, founder of

(Columbia), and

Wharton (St. Louis) will be recognized for their outstanding service to the community.

This annual celebration brings together people from all walks of life and will be the first of many events this year to pay tribute to the life and legacy of Dr. King.

Admission is free and open to the public.

Veterans, military families honored with Sunday Supper on January 14

St. Louis American

Members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., and the Salvation Army of Greater St. Louis will host a salute to veterans and military families at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 12th Annual Sunday Supper at 3 p.m. Sunday, January 14 in the Omega Center located at 3900 Goodfellow Blvd. Candace Ifabiyi, Veteran’s Administration St. Louis Health Care Medical Center director, will serve as keynote speaker. The event is free for veterans

and military families.

“The MLK Sunday Supper is a unique celebration that brings the community and veterans together to honor Martin Luther King, Jr.’s vision of service and enjoy a Sunday Supper,” said Betherny Williams, president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Gamma Omega Chapter.

“The men of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. are excited to once again host the MLK Sunday Supper Support to honor veterans and military families in this way who have sacrificed so much for our country,” said Derrick

Mitchell, basileus of the Upsilon Omega Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

The MLK Salute to Veterans Sunday Supper honors veterans of all service branches including those who served in the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, and U.S. Marines.

Members of Gamma Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha and Upsilon Omega Chapter of Omega Psi Phi along with members of the undergraduate chapters, Beta Delta of Alpha Kappa Alpha and Omicron Sigma Chapter of Omega Psi Phi, and youth

in the Fashionetta program are honored to serve veterans, military families, and community.

The Salvation Army of Greater St. Louis caters the hot home-style, sit-down dinner. In addition, social services and resource booths are also available to attendees.

Veterans and military families are encouraged to register for the Sunday Supper in advance at the Eventbrite address, bit. ly/2024MLKSundaySupper before January 10, 2024.

Marlon

Shalom Church (City of Peace).

WWT tapped for

‘Great Place To Work’ DEIB initiative

Will show world how to combat systemic issues

World Wide Technology hosted its inaugural DEIB Summit on July 24, 2023 at its world headquarters in Westport, and representatives of companies throughout the region were in attendance. The theme of the one-day summit was Driving Progress: The Future of DEIB at Work” and featured discussions, presentations, and networking opportunities.

St. Louis American staff

World Wide Technology (WWT) has been named a select member in The Great Transformation, an initiative of Great Place To Work, a leading global authority on workplace culture, “to crack the code on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB),” according to a release.

WWT, a global technology solutions provider with $17 billion in annual revenue, is among 11 other organizations to be part of a three-year study to transform business through the development of inclusive leaders and closing the gaps on DEIB.

Collectively representing more than 1.4 million employees, WWT and the organizations participated in data-backed, multi-year pilot initiatives

n WWT, a global technology solutions provider with $17 billion in annual revenue, is among 11 other organizations to be part of a threeyear study to transform business through the development of inclusive leaders and closing the gaps on DEIB.

designed to unlock the full potential of all employees and improve organizational productivity, agility, resilience and innovation.

As organizations reevaluate DEIB efforts in a challenging economic cli-

mate, these pilot initiatives are intended to show how dedicating time and money to such programs can pay dividends to the bottom line.

“WWT was thrilled to be invited to participate in The Great Transformation pilot initiative. As an organization that has embraced diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging since our founding, we take great pride in our efforts and understand that creating a culture of inclusion and belonging is an ongoing process,” said Ann Marr, executive vice president, Global Human Resources at WWT.

“We value our relationship with GPTW and its CEO, Michael Bush, and it has been a privilege to participate in this program with organizations similarly dedicated to growing and developing DEIB.

See WWT, B2

Six tips to help you on your way

By Bria Overs

In

director of Diverse and Multicultural Wealth Segments at Bernstein Private Wealth Management, recommends thinking big as you make your resolutions.

“Don’t be shy!” he says.

“Identify some of your biggest goals and dreams for your money and let that inspire how intentional you are with your budgeting. Purpose creates perseverance, so ensure that your budgeting outcomes create a pathway to achieve some of your biggest dreams.”

See it and believe it

these are trendy because they help people get a “visual of their goals and encourages them to remain focused.”

Vision boards have grown in popularity in recent years. LaQueshia Clemons, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and accredited financial counselor at Freedom Life Therapy, says

For example, she adds, “Maybe you need to buy a new couch, so you put it on your vision board and plan to save money to buy a new one within your budget.” Or use it as inspiration for life without the burdens of debt.

Personal finance brunch club

Food is a great way to bond with others. Why not bring finances and accountability into the mix?

“The idea is to blend financial learning with the social, relaxed atmosphere of a brunch,” Renée Baker, founder of The RBI Group, says. It could be a monthly club or quarterly, depending on the availability of the group. But each meeting should involve meeting somewhere with food and drinks and discussing one or more book chapters.

“This format not only makes learn-

PeoPle on the Move

Gina Calder named to board of directors

Gina L. Calder, FACHE, president of Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital and BJC Progress West Hospital, has been named to the board of directors of the Economic Development Council (EDC) of St. Charles. EDC is a business resource and advocacy council that helps foster the growth of companies, communities, institutions, and individuals in St. Charles County, Missouri since 1990. Prior to joining BJC HealthCare, Calder was vice president at Bridgeport Hospital, part of Yale New Haven Health System. She holds a master’s degree in business administration; a master’s degree in public health, health policy and administration, from Yale University.

Andrea Jackson named to Bi-State board

the COVID-19 Regional Response Team (RRT) co-chairs hired Jackson as the collaborative’s new managing director. RRT is a collaboration of more than 30 area non-profit, public and philanthropic organizations that joined forces last year to meet the social needs of people most adversely impacted by COVID-19.

Wade Johnson named a director at Harris-Stowe

Regina Wade Johnson has been named director, Academic Resource Center and ADA at Harris-Stowe State University. She holds a BS degree in exceptional child education, and a master’s degree in applied science and assessment from Missouri Western State University. Wade Johnson, who previously served as Fontbonne University’s director of the Kinkel Center, academic support and accommodations coordinator, and recipient of the 2019-2020 Staff Excellence Award. Wade Johnson has a long history of classroom teaching, with an emphasis in special education.

West-Bruce promoted at Washington U.

Stacy West-Bruce, OTD, MSW, OTR/L, was recently promoted with tenure to assistant professor of occupational therapy and medicine at Washington University in St. Louis. Dr. West-Bruce is the course master for Professional Identity and Practice I and II and provides course support for Theoretical Foundations, Applied Teaching Strategies and Leading Change. She holds a doctorate of physical therapy from Saint Louis University, as well as master of social work degree from Washington University.

Gina L. Calder

Photo courtesy of WWT

Andrea Jackson

Regina Wade Johnson

Stacy WestBruce

James Thompson Renee Baker

Financial Goals

Continued from B1

ing about finances more enjoyable but also encourages practical application of the concepts discussed in the book. It’s a fresh approach to financial literacy. Moving beyond the basics of budgeting and debt reduction, and fostering a community of like-minded individuals eager to expand their financial horizons.”

Baker recommended “Why Should White Guys Have All the Wealth?” by Cedric Nash and books by Deborah Owens, author, wealth coach, and founder of WealthyU, to get started.

Financial fun for kids

Children need to understand money’s value and potential when used strategically. Evan Potash, executive wealth management advisor at TIAA, recommended opening a brokerage or investment account for the children in your life.

“Get them involved in buying a share of their favorite companies — whether it’s a Disney princess or Activision Blizzard, [a video game company],” he says. “This can help build financial habits early and make them feel like they’re an owner of their favorite company.”

Plan to travel for free

Potash also recommended taking a new approach to travel in the new year by utilizing credit cards from airlines and companies that might be offering large signup promotions.

“If you have a good habit of paying off your credit cards, now it’s your turn to get paid from the airlines,” he says. “When you sign up for some credit cards and spend a certain amount, you get as many points as you would when you buy domestic, roundtrip tickets. Keep in mind, though, that you don’t want too many

credit cards because it can lower your credit score.”

Save for Christmas, holidays now

“People should resolve to set up a “Christmas club” or “holiday club” account, which was popular many, many moons ago,” Jeffrey Mellone, executive wealth management advisor at TIAA says. “They were subconscious savings that people did to achieve their overall savings goals.”

Mellone tells Word In Black that the easy way to do this is to set up a bank account without a debit card and automate monthly deposits. Every month, try to increase the amount added.

“The idea is to see how much you can save/remove from your normal monthly cash flow without really noticing,” he says. “Once you find a level that’s sustainable, see how long you can continue without needing to access it.”

Use this method for general savings goals like an emergency or moving fund.

Use it or lose it

Many Americans can access employer-sponsored savings plans like a 401(k) or Roth 401(k). The Internal Revenue Service recently announced a new maximum for yearly contributions. Starting this year, Americans can deposit up to $23,000 into a 401(k).

“Make the most of your workplace benefits,” Lawrence Delva-Gonzalez, auditor and financial literacy educator at The Neighborhood Finance Guy, says. A new take on potlucks In addition to workplace benefits, Delva-Gonzalez suggests taking up meal prep challenges with friends and family to save money.

“Every month, link up with five friends to exchange dishes,” he says. “It’s a delicious way to save money by cooking at home, learning recipes, and even eating great by exchanging a dish.”

WWT

Continued from B1

Together, we look forward to continuing to advance our efforts.”

WWT’s program, Inclusive Leadership, focused on leveraging current initiatives that support the development of inclusive leaders across the organization, while expanding these same training opportunities to new managers and future leaders

Part of WWT’s The Great Transformation initiative also included participation in GPTW’s annual For All Summit, where members of the executive leadership team led a breakout session focused on WWT’s listening sessions and employee storytelling programs.

The Great Transformation also fostered a powerful consortium across participating organizations and WWT was able to leverage these relationships when hosting their inaugural DEIB Summit in July 2023. The Summit featured several speakers and panelists from companies participating in The Great Transformation, including KPMG, Synchrony and Cisco.

“Participating in The Great Transformation has provided WWT the opportunity to collaborate with a coalition of organizations focused on creating meaningful change around diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Michael Bush and GPTW created a program that offered insight, support and fellowship, which ultimately enhanced our organization’s efforts,” said Bob Ferrell, EVP, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Public Sector Strategy, WWT.

“It has been gratifying to see the results of our participation in The Great Transformation, specifically the development of programs focused on fostering inclusive leaders. We are sincerely appreciative of the opportunity to participate in this effort and are proud of the outcomes we’ve achieved through our work with GPTW and the cohort companies.”

The Great Transformation initiative is an extension of WWT’s commitment to invest in a culture of inclusion that drives shared value across its workforce, busi-

ness and communities.

Technology All Stars Eight (WWT) employees were honored during the 28th Annual Women of Color STEM Conference on October 12-14. In conjunction with Women of Color magazine, the conference helps women to advance their education and excel in their careers pertaining to the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.

The Women of Color STEM Awards has been recognizing the significant contributions of women in the STEM fields since 1995. Each year, judges select award recipients from a talented pool of promising new hires, mid-career professionals, managers and executives.

This year’s WWT Women of Color STEM award winners include:

Technology All-Star Category

Kim Miller-Anderson, Sr. Director Strategic Initiatives & Operations

Sandi Tolliver, Director of Communications

Technology Rising-Star Category

Kristin Casey, Senior Marketing Director

Krystin Hogan Pettaway, Software Quality Engineer

Mia Hunt, Strategic Engagement Manager-Strategic Resourcing

Rachel Gore, Army Global Enterprise Modernization Software and Services (GEMSS) Customer Success Executive

Aparna Kumar, Managing Director of Public Sector Advisory Services

Jyothsna Rajyam, Professional DevOps Engineer

The women recognized in the RisingStar category are young women of color who have shown dedication to help shape technology for the future, whereas the All-Star category comprises accomplished women of color from mid-level to advanced stages of their careers who have demonstrated excellence in the workplace and in their communities.

More information on WWT’s DEIB initiatives may be found here: wwt.com/ diversity-and-inclusion

n “That’s what everyone wanted. It’s a late Christmas gift.”

– Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant on dunking over 7-foot Victor Wembanyama

InSIdE SportS

By Earl Austin Jr.

Outstanding teams, players hold court during holidays

The holidays set the stage for some outstanding prep basketball tournaments throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area. Here is a quick recap of some of the great holiday hoops action from around the area.

Visitation (Girls): Incarnate Word Academy won yet another Visitation Christmas Tournament with a 50-46 victory over John Burroughs. The Red Knights ran their impressive winning streak to 109 games, but they had to work for it as the Bombers pushed the nationally-ranked Red Knights to the very end. Seniors Zoe Best and Abbie Sextro had 13 points each for IWA while junior BreAunna Ward led John Burroughs with 18 points. In the third-place game, Cardinal Ritter defeated Columbia Hickman 56-54.

Coaches vs. Cancer: Webster Groves defeated DeSmet 60-55 in the championship game to win the Coaches vs. Cancer Holiday Tournament for the fourth time in the past 10 years. Standout freshman guard Scottie Adkinson scored a gamehigh 19 points to lead the Statesmen while senior forward Iziah Purvey added 17 points, while dominating the action inside.

Vashon in Hawaii: The Vashon Wolverines participated in the Iolani Prep Classic, which is a big national tournament in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Wolverines finished the week with a 3-1 record against a talented field of teams. Junior guards Christian “Mouse” Williams and Trey Williams were both selected to the All-Tournament Team. Vashon will head to Springfield (MO) to compete in the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions, which will be held from January 11-13 at Missouri

State University.

MICDS: The Ladue Rams took home the championship of the Don Maurer Invitational after winning a pair of close contests. Ladue defeated MICDS 54-53 in the semifinals on a last-second layup by Ahmaad Ba. Ladue then came back to defeat Francis Howell 65-58 in overtime in the championship game. On the girls side, Fort Zumwalt West took home the championship with a 42-36 victory over Marquette.

Collinsville: The championship game featured two of the top teams in the state of Illinois as host Collinsville defeated Quincy 44-39 in a battle of undefeated teams. The Kahoks got a big game from 6’9” senior Zach Chambers, who had 14 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks in the victory.

St. Paul Jingle Bell: St. Mary’s continued its excellent play this season as it defeated Hazelwood East 86-78 in the championship game. Junior

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

With a new year begun, here are a few things I want to transpire during the next 12 months.

May outfielder Jordan Walker and shortstop Masyn Winn of the St. Louis Cardinals become one of Major League Baseball’s most dynamic Black duos.

May Marcus Stroman surprise the National League Central and sign with the Cardinals to bolster its pitching staff.

Webster Groves’ Iziah Purvey (34) is swarmed by Des Smet’s Braden Butler (11) and Dillon Duff (30) during fourth period action of the Coaches vs. Cancer Basketall Toury at Maryville University. Webster would win the tourny 60-55 over the Spartans of Des Smet.

guard Zyree Collins led the Dragons with a season-high 46 points in the championship game. The 6’0” Collins is averaging 30 points a game for the 16-1 Dragons.

Legends of Winter: John Burroughs went 3-0 during the week to win the Round-Robin Tournament. Tristan Reed, a 6’8” sophomore forward, was dominant in the tournament as he had 29 points and 11 rebounds in the victory over Hazelwood Central in the championship game. He also had 24

New year, new outlooks as the 2024 sports world turns

left-handed quarterback of the undefeated Washington Huskies, lead his team to a national championship victory over the undefeated Michigan Wolverines on Monday, January 8. May Penix also be drafted in the top 10 of the NFL Draft in April.

May Jayson Tatum finally get over the hump and lead the Boston Celtics to the NBA Finals championship in June.

May Bradley Beal of the Phoenix Suns shake the nagging injuries that have kept him out of the lineup much of the NBA season and help lead his team to the NBA Finals.

May Tatum and Beal convince the NBA to let them host an exhibition game in St. Louis next fall before the regular season begins.

May Michael Penix,

May Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs AllPro quarterback, add to his growing legend by guiding his team to the AFC Championship game and then to the Super Bowl. May Antonio Pierce have the interim title removed and become head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders.

May Luther Burden, Missouri wide receiver, record a 2024 season that takes him to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony in December.

May Dennis Gates Missouri Tigers men’s basketball coach, piece together a winning season, and make a run at the SEC Tournament title.

May C.J. Stroud Houston Texans rook-

ie quarterback, lead his team to a win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday to secure an AFC playoff spot.

May DeMeco Ryans Texans head coach, be named AFC Coach of the Year for reaching the playoffs with a team picked to be one of the NFL’s worst.

May the late Alphonse Smith, a Kirkwood native

and Cleveland Indians star during the 1950s, be enshrined in both the St. Louis and Missouri Sports Hall of Fames.

May the St. Louis Blues, an NHL team in transition, add a Black player to the roster before next season begins – or before the trade deadline on March 8.

May Simone Biles cap

her historic gymnastics career with a bevy of gold medals during the Summer Olympics which begin July 26, 2024 in Paris.

May Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys quarterback, find a way to guide his team to the Super Bowl.

May Ron Washington Anaheim Angels manager, not tear out what little hair he has during the season.

May Tiger Woods at least look like he’s having fun playing golf in 2024 – and hopefully win a tournament.

May the St. Louis youth sports community not see the violence and upheaval that clouded games and seasons in 2023.

May everyone have a peaceful and rewarding 2024.

The Reid roundup

The New York Rangers and defenseman K’Andre Miller visits the St. Louis Blues at 7 p.m. Thursday Jan. 11. Miller, one of the NHL’s brightest young Black stars has seven goals, nine assists and a solid +10 rating…Yes,

points and seven rebounds in a win over Lift for Life.

St. Dominic (Girls): Lutheran St. Charles defeated Francis Howell Central 74-41 in the championship game. Sophomore forward Kennedy Stowers had 18 points to lead the Cougars while junior guard Jordan Speiser had 15 points and 14 rebounds and junior Chloe Reed added 14 points.

Highland Shootout is Set for Saturday

The lineup is set for the 2024 Highland Shootout, which will be held on Saturday at Highland High School (IL). It is annually one of the top basketball events of the new year. The eight-game event features teams from Missouri, Illinois and Kentucky. Top teams Vashon, Chaminade, Vianney and Cardinal Ritter will be representing the area. Here is a look at the schedule for Saturday’s Highland Shootout.

• Highland vs. Father McGivney (girls), 9 a.m.

• Highland vs. Breese Central, 10:30 a.m.

• Quincy vs. Cardinal Ritter, noon

• Peoria Richwoods vs. Vashon, 1:30 p.m.

• Vianney vs. Chicago Whitney Young, 3 p.m.

• Chaminade vs. Great Crossing (KY), 4:30 p.m.

• Chicago Kenwood vs. Normal Community (IL), 6:15 p.m.

• Thornton (IL) vs. Metamora (IL), 8 p.m.

Tommy Pham is 36 and yes, he can be caustic at times. But the former Cardinal is a free agent, and the current clubhouse could use a no-nonsense guy like him…The St. Louis Battlehawks are one of eight United Football League franchises. The spring league merged teams from the USFL and XFL. UFL owners Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Danny Garcia made the announcement last weekend…In six games since returning from a 25-game suspension, Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant averaged 25.2 points, 7.8 assists and five rebounds. Memphis also recorded a 4-2 record…San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama tallied 30 points and seven blocked shots in a 118-105 road win over Portland on Dec. 28. He and Hall of Famer and former Spur David Robinson are the only rookies to reach that stat line. Only nine NBA players have accomplished the feat, and he is the only teenager to do it.

Earl Austin Jr.

Alvin A. Reid

Masyn Winn teams with Jordan Walker for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2024.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Photo courtesy of ROCNATION

Reuben Shelton completes term as Grand Polemarch

He is a member of the St. Louis Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. He has served as senior grand vice polemarch (vice president) since 2015 and a member of the Board of Directors since 2007.

Reuben Shelton was initiated into the fraternity, on November 23, 1974, at the University of Kansas, the Mu Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, where he was captain of the basketball team.

He retired in 2016 as Lead Litigation Counsel for Monsanto Company. Before Monsanto, he was special chief counsel in the office of the Missouri Attorney General, he served as judicial law clerk for the Honorable Clyde S. Cahill in the United States District Court, Eastern District of Missouri.

Shelton is a past president of the Missouri Bar Association and vice president of the Missouri Development Finance Board. He is past president of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, and the St. Louis Bar Foundation, and was the first African American ever elected to those positions.

He earned a BS from the University of Kansas, a JD from St. Louis University, and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis.

Last Sunday marked the official announcement regarding the launch of the United Football League (the “UFL”), the premier spring football league that will result from the merger of the XFL and USFL.

XFL, USFL merge to create United Football League (UFL)

The 2024 season for the UFL is set to kick off on Saturday, March 30, 2024. Russ Brandon, former president and CEO of the XFL, will lead the UFL as president and CEO. Daryl Johnston, former USFL

president of football operations, will lead football operations.

The league will be divided into two conferences: USFL and XFL. In addition to the St. Louis Battehawks, XFL teams

joining the UFL include the Arlington Renegades, D.C. Defenders and San Antonio Brahmas. Former USFL teams in the new league are the Houston Roughnecks, Birmingham Stallions, Memphis

Showboats and Michigan Panthers. The UFL’s 10-game regular season will start on Saturday, March 30, 2024, with a battle of the 2023 champions: Birmingham Stallions (USFL) vs Arlington

Reuben A. Shelton, Esq. recently completed his term as Grand Polemarch (president/CE0) of Kappa Alpha Psi, Fraternity, Inc. He was elected in August of 2019.

Renegades (XFL). The St Louis Battlehawks were best as far as the average attendance for the 2023 regular season of the XFL with 35,104 on average attending home games.

BJC completes merger with Kansas City-based Saint Luke’s Health System

BJC Healthcare has formally closed the deal that merges the St. Louisbased company with Saint Luke’s Health System in Kansas City, officials announced Tuesday.

The $10 billion merger creates a system that comprises 28 hospitals across Kansas, Illinois and Missouri.

Saint Luke’s joined the BJC system but will still operate as Saint Luke’s in the western part of the company’s service region, which includes

Kansas City and eastern Kansas.

BJC, already one of the region’s largest employers, now has 44,000 employees, representatives say.

“By working together to deliver extraordinary

clinical care and becoming the region’s premier destination to practice medicine, we will enhance patient care and accelerate medical breakthroughs,”

BJC CEO Richard Liekweg said in a prepared

statement.

Leaders of the two health systems have said the merger will result in better care for patients, since the two academic health centers will be able to pool their resources to create innovative

treatments and cures and bargain for better deals on equipment.

BJC representatives say patients likely will not notice any changes in the care they receive at the hospitals.

Living It

“It was my decision to end the relationship, despite different narratives being presented.”

- TV producer Tracey Edmonds on her split from Deion Sanders

‘The Culture’ closes, but continues

SLAM exhibition featuring St. Louis hip hop and visual artists heads to Germany

By Kenya Vaughn

The St. Louis American

Andréa Purnell was still searching for the words to describe her feelings about bidding farewell to the Saint Louis Art Museum’s presentation of The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century, which enjoyed a sold-out final day on January 1.

“Sometimes it becomes more powerful than you can explain to see your likeness bedazzled and represented in such a magnificent way – and respected,” Purnell said. “I have all the feelings.”

One of the primary emotions she associates with her experience is perfectly aligned with the type of energy that the masses seek to absorb with the start of a new year.

“How do you tell someone to proceed with a radical yes,” Purnell said. “To find a way to do it afraid.”

She has spent several years as Audience Development Manager for the Saint Louis Art Museum, but The Culture was her debut within the curatorial space. She and Hannah Klemm represented St. Louis as co-curators for the collaborative exhibition between SLAM and the Baltimore Museum of Art. The show set the visual arts scene ablaze when it opened in Baltimore this spring. The fire became an inferno when The Culture made its way to St. Louis in August.

And that “radical yes” was a collective one that echoed from all parties involved with growing the idea to execution – participating institutions, artists, community partners, advisory boards and museum visitors – like a chorus.

“I think of words like mind bending, earth shattering in the sense of the true magnitude in the way we have seen an evolution – not only in the museum space, but in the way in which a typical museum goer is forced – and I mean that in the best possible way – to reimagine what art is, what art means and who gets to decide what art is and what it

See SLAM, C6

Powerful acting gives ‘American Fiction’ a much-needed surge

Wright is masterful among strong ensemble in the slow burn dramady

By Kenya Vaughn

The St. Louis American

A film festival season hit – the dramatic comedy “American Fiction,” which finally gives veteran actor Jeffrey Wright the billing his talent deserves –lands in theaters nationwide on Friday, January 5. The film reaches the masses with a Toronto International Film Festival People’s Choice award win. Wright is also nominated for a “Best Performance in a Motion Picture –Musical or Comedy” Golden Globe and a featured topic in Oscar conversations for his performance as frustrated author and college professor Thelonius “Monk” Ellison. Monk is so exhausted from constantly

Left: JeanMichel Basquiat, American, 1960–1988; With Strings Two, 1983; acrylic and oil stick on canvas; 96 x 60 inches; The Broad Art Foundation, Los Angeles; © ‘The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century’ closed on New Year’s Day after a phenomenal run at the Saint Louis Art Museum that began in August. The exhibition, a collaborative venture with the Baltimore Museum of Art, will be showcased in Frankfurt, Germany, Cincinnati and Ontario, Canada following its SLAM presentation.

of

being put in the position to defend his work based on long held misconceptions regarding the concept of Blackness that he decides to do something about it by satirizing what he believes to be the only type of writing publishers deem acceptable from Black writers. His plan backfires and the plot thickens as he finds himself compelled to lean into the stereotypes he perpetuates in his attempt to hold a mirror to the industry. If the concept and storyline of Cord Jefferson’s feature film directorial debut feels a bit dated, it’s because it is. With today’s influx of Black literature (from fiction, nonfiction, poetry, young audi-

Reports reveal deep pay disparities in Hollywood for women

‘The math ain’t mathing’

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA

Shortly after actress Taraji P. Henson said the “math ain’t mathing” when raising concerns about equal pay for women in Hollywood, two new reports not only support the star’s claims, but each go a bit further in revealing the overwhelming disparities in film and television.

The latest report from The Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University sheds light on women’s ongoing challenges, particularly those from underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds, in behind-the-scenes roles. Titled “The Celluloid Ceiling: Employment of Behind-the-Scenes Women on Top Grossing U.S. Films in 2023,” the report comprehensively analyzes the industry’s gender and racial dynamics.

It reveals a concerning decline in the overall representation of women in key behind-the-scenes roles, dropping from 24% in 2022 to 22% in 2023. Examining specific roles, women comprised 16% of directors, 17% of writers, 26% of producers, 24% of executive producers, 21% of editors, and a mere 7% of cinematographers. Notably, films with at least one female director demonstrated higher inclusion of women in various roles than those with exclusively male directors.

While the overall figures indicate sluggish progress over the past 26 years, the study emphasized the pivotal role of women directors in driving positive change in the industry.

The analysis further extends to on-screen representation, revealing a persistent gender gap. In 2022–23, females accounted for 45% of speaking characters on original streaming pro-

Photo courtesy of

Facebook n “I’m just tired of working so hard, being gracious at what I do, getting paid a fraction of the cost.”

-

grams and 44% on broadcast network programs, representing a decline from the previous year. Reality programs and game shows fared better, with 50% female representation.

A glimmer of hope did emerge from the Indie Women study, focusing on independently produced feature-length documentaries and narrative films. While men still dominate key roles, the percentage of female directors increased from 40% in 2021–22 to 42% in 2022–23, reaching a recent historic high. The study also noted increases in the percent-

Photos courtesy

the Saint Louis Art Museum

Taraji P. Henson’s

Taraji P. Henson

American Fiction, which features St. Louis native Sterling K. Brown and stars Jeffrey Wright opens in theaters nationwide on January 5.

Photo courtesy of Amazon/Orion Pictures

First

STL Sites & Sounds

MO

See STL: Cherokee Street

1/6/2024 10:00am St. Louis is a city steeped in soul and grit, and no place proves it more than Cherokee Street Missouri History Museum 5700 Lindell Blvd. St. Louis, MO

See STL: Urban Renewal 1/7/2024 10:00am

Come learn about the people and places that made the Chestnut Valley and Mill Creek Valley neighborhoods so special, the public policies that led to their destruction, and their lasting impact.

Missouri History Museum 5700 Lindell Blvd. St. Louis, MO

Family Sunday 1/7/2024 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

COMMUNITY

Student Auditions for 2024 Summer Musical: The Color Purple 1/6/2024

The Color Purple Rehearsal Calendar Fee: $275 for The Color Purple COCA 524 Trinity Ave

St. Louis, MO

Consent Decree Status Hearing - In Person 1/9/2024 10:00 am Feguson, Missouri

Please note that there will be an opportunity for public comment at this meeting. https://www. fergusoncity.com/calendar. aspx?EID=4859 Additional Information will be forthcoming at a

IT’S GLOW TIME.

TIMES

November 18–December 14 | 5–9:30 p.m. December 15–January 1 | 4:30–10 p.m. January 2–6 | 5–9:30 p.m. Advance ticket purchase is recommended.

later date

City Council Meeting 1/9/2024 7:00pm https://www.fergusoncity.com/calendar.aspx?EID=4204 Ferguson City Hall 110 Church Street Ferguson, MO

City Plan Commission 1/11/2024 7:00pm City Hall

St. Louis is a city steeped in soul and grit. “See STL: Cherokee Street” at Missouri History Museum on Jan. 6 at 10:00 am. Fashion designer Brandin Vaughn cuts fabric for a client’s custom suit at Brandin Vaughn Collection, his Cherokee Street storefront and workspace.

415 Elm Grove Lane Hazelwood, MO Northwest 79 Alumni Committee is NOW planning for their 45 Year Reunion. Please contact: Duane Daniels (314) 5682057, Howard Day (414) 698-4261 or Martin Gray (706) 573-0852.

Photo by Carolina Hidalgo |

St. Louis Public Radio

Religion Taking on Florida

Gov. DeSantis from the pulpit

‘Teaching our own history’

By Rev. RB Holmes Jr.

“I’m for truth, no matter who tells it. I’m for justice, no matter who it is for or against. I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” – Malcolm X

A statewide task force has been launched, in conjunction with the Florida General Baptist Convention, to demand that the governor of Florida and the State Department of Education, teach Black history accurately, factually, and forthrightly.

The Reverend Dr. Carl Johnson serves as president.

In the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in the state of Florida, we organized a task force labeled, “Teaching Our Own History.”

Carter G. Woodson, the founder of Negro History Week, encouraged us to not sit idly by and allow this system to “mis”-educate Black people.

Our Task Force will present to the government a comprehensive curriculum that correctly and effectively teaches African and African American history to students in Florida’s public schools.

Moreover, we will develop 40-plus “Freedom Schools” by 2025. We will not sit idly by and allow any governor to erase the accurate teaching of Black history.

The Objectives of “The

Teaching Our Own History” Task Force are as follows:

1. To encourage the accurate and unbiased teaching of African American history, culture, experiences, and invaluable contributions in the state of Florida and this nation

2. To develop strategies and solutions to support and strengthen public education in marginalized communities

3. To develop and adequately support 40 Freedom Academies across the state of Florida

4. To create significant after school programs for students in Title One schools in marginalized communities across the state of Florida, using an age-appropriate African American History Curriculum to strengthen reading, writing and mathematics skills

5. To create summer “Freedom Schools” to teach youth the importance of African Americans contributions, self-respect, personal responsibility, and African American contributions

6. To empower and encourage the three private HBCUs in Florida to develop laboratory schools on their respective campuses by 2025

7. To cultivate and create partnerships with foundations, businesses, and philanthropists to support programs and events that consistently celebrate the contributions of African American history, culture, literature, faith,

and heritage. We all must redouble our efforts to fight for social justice, voting rights, civil rights, diversity, equity, and inclusion. The dismantling of programs of diversity, equity and inclusion is shameful and insulting.

Over the next several weeks, members of “The Teaching Our Own History” Task Force will publish articles for dissemination through The National Black Press, addressing the critical components for teaching our own history.

I encourage our readers to enthusiastically engage in meaningful discussions in their various constituent groups and organizations as we speak “truth to power.”

Photo courtesy of Tallahassee Democrat

Rev. RB Holmes speaks on the basketball court outside the FAMU Hansel Tookes Student Recreation Center on Dec. 2, 2022 following a shooting that left a man dead and four people wounded. Holmes and other clergy members are forming a task force called ‘Teaching Our Own History, which will demand that Black history be taught “accurately, factually and forthrightly” in Florida public schools.

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.

STL MAIN STREET PROGRAMS EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS

Executive Directors are responsible for leading the economic development and sustainability of the organization. Will direct efforts to integrate entrepreneurship and foster economic growth and development. Must have experience with small businesses, fund development, grant writing, and working with diverse groups of people. Community engagement, place-based development, or leadership experience is preferred. Accepting Resumes now through January 10th. Apply now: Delmar Main Street DelmarmainstreetSTL@gmail. com

Dutchtown Main Street Latasha@dutchtownstl.org

BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN PLANNING COORDINATOR

The Planning Coordinator supports the development and creation of plans and may serve as the primary contact for small projects involving contracted partners, municipalities, schools, or engineering firms. Managing all planning tasks including developing documents, creating maps, and analyzing data. Read the full job description here. To apply please send a cover letter and resume to hr@trailnet.org

RECREATION SUPERVISORRENTAL SERVICES

The City of Richmond Heights is accepting applications for the position of Recreation Supervisor - Rental Services $54,338 - 58,321. To apply go to https://richmondheights. applicantpro.com/jobs/

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT AND CAMP RANGER

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

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

Confluence Academies is seeking bids for HVAC Replacement of a 50 ton unit, 20 ton unit and computer control system. Interested companies should visit our website, www.confluenceacademy. org for more information and proposal requirements. A mandatory pre-bid meeting will be held at 10:00 AM on Wednesday January 24, 2024, at our Old North Campus, 3017 N. 13thStreet, St. Louis, MO 63107. (Weather Permitting)

REQUEST FOR BIDS

Millstone Weber, LLC is soliciting proposals for the Improve I-70 Columbia to Kingdom City Design-Build Construction project that will include pavement demolition, pavement construction, excavation, storm sewer, bridge demolition, bridge construction, culverts, guardrail, traffic control, signage, electrical, seeding, erosion control, pavement markings and miscellaneous work as developed through the design process. Please phone 636-688-8795, fax 636-949-3129 or email mike. nowak@millstoneweber. com. Quotes can be sent to bids@millstoneweber.com

NLT 01/05/24 4:00 pm CST. Millstone Weber encourages MBE/WBE subcontractors & vendors to bid this project. Requests for project information and opportunities can be sent to bids@millstoneweber.com

DIRECTOR & COORDINATOR

Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri is growing! We’re now accepting applications for two brand new roles – (1) Director, Girl Recruitment and Outreach, and (2) Engagement and Belonging Coordinator. The Director, Girl Recruitment and Outreach provides strategic leadership and management for the recruitment and outreach efforts of GSEM’s 28-County Eastern Missouri Council. The Engagement and Belonging Coordinator promotes and provides leadership for the causes of girl empowerment, gender equity, social justice, access, and belonging. Apply at https://www.girlscoutsem.org/ en/discover/our-council/careers. html.

TEACHERS

St. Louis Catholic Academy is a faithfilled, K-8 school, located in the Penrose neighborhood of North Saint Louis. We’re a vibrant, urban community committed to partnering with families and ensuring each student’s success. Our school offers students a “family feel” and wrap-around support to help our students thrive through high school and beyond.

St. Louis Catholic Academy is currently looking to hire teachers interested in helping our students grow academically and walk more closely with Jesus. Our open positions include a science teacher, a second grade teacher, an English teacher and an art teacher. We seek Christian teachers interested in sharing the gospel message, but our staff does not need to be Catholic. Teachers of color are especially invited to consider. Please email cover letter and resume to Christy Toben at toben@slca-stl.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.

MANAGER - INSURANCE OPERATIONS

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

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

SENIOR CENTER COORDINATOR/ADMIN. ASSISTANT

www.stlouiscityseniors.com. Position may be

SEALED BIDS

Bids

Office Building, Project No. O1911-01, will be received by FMDC, State of

UNTIL 1:30 PM, January 25, 2024 via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. Project information available at: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

by

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BID

Goodwin Bros. Construction Co.

is requesting subcontract bids and/ or material quotations from qualifying women and minority business enterprises for relevant portions of work for MSD’s project, LMRDP ORS SCADA PLC and Network Upgrade, Contract Letting No. 13832-015.1. Interested parties should contact the Goodwin Office at (636) 931-6084. A pre-bid meeting for all interested W/MBE’s will be held at Goodwin Brothers office at 4885 Baumgartner Road, St. Louis, MO 63129 at 10:00 am on Thursday, Jan. 4th, 2024. Subcontractor/Supplier bids are due in our office by Jan. 18th at 2 p.m.

An Equal Opportunity Employer

CITY OF ST. LOUIS BOARD OF PUBLIC SERVICE

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS for PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FOR OPENENDED MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL, AND PLUMBING DESIGN SERVICES AT ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. Statements of Qualifications due by 5:00 PM CT, FEBRUARY 14, 2024 through the Bid Express online portal at https://www.bidexpress. com/businesses/20618/ home?agency=true. RFQ may be obtained from BPS website https://www. stlouis-mo.gov/ government/departments/ public-service/bps-online-plan-room.cfm under On Line Plan Room-Plan Room, or call Board of Public Service at 314-589-6214. 25% MBE and 5% WBE participation goals.

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Sealed bids for the Midland Boulevard (East) Resurfacing project, St. Louis County Project No. AR-1471, Federal Project No. STP-5523(623), 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 Plans and specifications will be available on January 1, 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

SAINT LOUIS ZOO FOOD & BEVERAGE VENDOR DIVERSITY MIXER

January 24, 2024, 9-11 a.m. Mix and mingle with our teams to learn more about partnering with the Saint Louis Zoo – and meet others in the industry to foster new relationships! Register using the QR code

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Sealed bids for the Kingsland Avenue Resurfacing project, St. Louis County Project No. AR-1717, Federal Project No. STP-5526(648), 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 7, 2024

Plans and specifications will be available on January 1, 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

NOTICE TO

CONTRACTORS

Sealed bids for the Larimore Road Sidewalk project, St. Louis County Project No. CR-1844, Federal Project No. TAP5509(602), 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 14, 2024 Plans and specifications will be available on January 1, 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

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Sealed bids for the South Woods Mill Road - Conway Road Intersection project, St. Louis County Project No. AR-1829, Federal Project No. CMAQ5529(616), 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 7, 2024 Plans and specifications will be available on January 1, 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

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Sealed bids for the Bayless Avenue Bridge No. 419 project, St. Louis County Project No. AR-1686, Federal Project No. STP-4900(637), 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 January 31, 2024

Plans and specifications will be available on January 1, 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

CITY OF PINE LAWN

SEEKING 3 SEPARATE BIDS FOR EACH OF THE FOLLOWING:

1. Purchase/install of 2 furnaces to heat City Hall

2. Supervisor for Pine Lawn Public Works

3. Demolition Contractor or Restoration Investor for dangerous commercial properties at 6305, 6300, 6261 Natural Bridge and 4120, 4311, 4314 Jennings Station Rd.

4. IT Computer Company to install computer server/ network for multi users of Quickbooks (the professional version) & new Housing Code Software for efficient property management

Bid openings 12 noon - Friday, January 12, 2024 @ 6250 Steve Marre Ave., Pine Lawn, Mo. 63121

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Sealed bids for the New Ballwin Road ARS Resurfacing project, St. Louis County Project No. AR-1747, Federal Project No. STP-5494(602), 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 14, 2024

Plans and specifications will be available on January 1, 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

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Sealed bids for the North Elizabeth Avenue ARS Resurfacing project, St. Louis County Project No. AR-1736 Federal Project No. STP5513(610), 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 January 31, 2024 Plans and specifications will be available on December 25, 2023 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 Replace Fire Sprinkler System, Cottage 2 (Bissel Hall), Missouri Hills Youth Center, St. Louis, Project No. H2306-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 1/23/24. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http:// oa.mo.gov/ facilities

SEALED BIDS

Bids for RE-BID

Replace HVAC and Controls at Shady Grove State School, Project No. E2010-01 RE-BID, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, January 18, 2024, via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. Project information available at: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Will receive electronic bids for the Equipment & Furniture Work for Contract No. F24 401-A Transformed Projects at the Forest Park Campus for the New Transportation Center, until January 18, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. local time CST.

Proposals MUST be submitted electronically to Travis Aly, Project Manager at tcaly@tarltoncorp.com on or before the time and date stipulated in the Request for Proposal (RFP) document. Specifications and drawings may be obtained from Cross Rhodes’ Plan room at 1712 Macklind Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110 –https://www.x-rhodes.com/sendfiles.php

Documents are also available in Bonfire at https://stlcc.bonfirehub.com.

Questions regarding the scope of work should be directed to Travis Aly.

The College has the proposed minority goals MBE 15% and WBE 12%. Also proposed for Contractors to participate in a registered Apprenticeship Program approved through the United States Department of Labor.

Individuals with special needs as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act may contact 314-644-9039.

An Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer

Date: December 19, 2023

Site Development for Aircraft Assembly and Flight Testing

St. Louis Lambert International Airport St. Louis, Missouri

The Federal Aviation Administration has approved a Finding of No Significant Impact/Record of Decision (FONSI/ROD) for the improvements identified at the St. Louis Lambert International Airport, St. Louis, Missouri. The FONSI/ROD is being made available to the public pursuant to Part 1506 of the Council On Environmental Quality Regulations concerning implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act. The FONSI/ROD can be viewed online at https://www. flystl.com/ civil-rights/public-notices-and-reports and copies can be viewed at the airport administration office, the Berkeley City Hall, and the following local libraries near the airport: Ferguson Municipal Public Library and the Bridgeton Trails, St. Charles Rock Road, Florissant Valley, Prairie Commons, Parkview, and Natural Bridge branches of the St. Louis County Library. Copies can also be viewed at the Federal Aviation Administration, Airports Division, 901 Locust St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

means,” Purnell said of The Culture’s St. Louis run. “We stretched ourselves as an institution, but we didn’t break. Someone said the other day that the code has been broken and I don’t know if we will ever be able to go back.”

The exhibition is traveling to Frankfurt, Germany in late February – where it will be housed at the Schirn until the end of May before it returns stateside for a run at the Cincinnati Art Museum this summer and ends the year at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Through the show, St. Louis’ role in the global footprint of hip hop continues.

“Being the first region to ever play it on the airwaves, we are in the connective tissue of the origins of this movement,” Purnell said. “And to think of ourselves in such a way, in celebration – and then adding another layer of bringing our visual artists in the mix and having them in conversation with the classics – has been amazing. You have Khalil Robert Irving literally holding space with a Basquiat. I hope that the

[local] artists see themselves as equals and not in any way less than. It is the quality of them all in conversation together that truly makes the story. St. Louis’ part, Baltimore’s part and all of the artists from all over the world are included in truly telling this global story of how hip hop has influenced contemporary art over these last fifty years.”

The phenomenon is particularly evident in artist Aaron Fowler’s “Live Culture Force 1’s, 2022.”

The enormously scaled replica of designated St. Louis hip hop footwear made internationally famous by hip hop star Nelly’s “Air Force Ones” were a focal point in the SLAM Sculpture Hall. The work sat across from Anselm Kiefer’s Breaking of the Vessels – a work Fowler more than likely saw while visiting the museum as a youngster.

“I would love to be somewhere 20 years from now and it is a motivator for why a young Black woman becomes a curator, or a young Black man becomes a museum director or visual artist,” Purnell said. “I think through this we are creating the power of, ‘yes you can.’”

It’s a “yes” the little Black girl from North

County that will forever reside within that Purnell especially appreciates.

“I surely couldn’t bask in it by myself, because it took all of us to get here,” Purnell said. “And I hope it feels good to all of us to have this light shine on our city in this way, because we deserve it. Our hip hop community deserves it. Our visual arts community deserves it. Our cultural institutions deserve it. It has been powerful – and I don’t know if we can ever be the same again.”

Purnell is also an actress – which she said informed her work within the curatorial space in ways she could have never imagined. She likened the work to writing and performing a play – and sees The Culture’s next chapters as writing a play as similar to what happens when a production is handed to another company to create its own staging.

“[There is] the legend of leaving the ghost light on as holding the memory for the actors and the work that was performed on the stage,” Purnell said. “I am confident that The Saint Louis Art Museum will find ways to keep the ghost light on for the culture as we look to 2024 and beyond and we further engage with community in nontraditional ways – and

ences…you name it) currently promoted and available for consumption, it is easy to forget how that just wasn’t the case when Percival Everett’s 2001 novel Erasure hit shelves. Back then, particularly with the fiction of new and emerging writers, the only Black characters that had the attention the mainstream literary scene seemed interested in engaging with resembled those stereotypes that reside within the imaginations among gatekeepers of the power wielding publishing houses. The Black authors who were blessed enough to hit the jackpot of an Oprah Book Club selection were about the only exception to the rule that urban fiction and Black literature were perceived as absolutely synonymous. With Erasure, Everett not only confronted the book industry’s practices at the time – he also exclaimed that Blackness is not a monolith permanently tethered

to poverty and inner-city blues and examines complicated family dynamics and the rarely explored topic of what happens when generational wealth suffers an unexpected interruption.

Erasure made for a solid read that was radical and courageous at the time of its release. “American Fiction” makes its way to the big screen at a time where viewing audiences have been conditioned to experience films that cater to attention spans that live in a constant state of distraction thanks to smart phones, social media and superhero franchise films.

Jefferson deserves props for even attempting to tell a story that relies so heavily on anticlimax to such an audience. And even though his film is such an homage to Spike Lee that at points it feels like intellectual property infringement –particularly with respect to the cinematography, pace and musical score –Jefferson’s potential as a filmmaker shines through. And his stellar cast that also includes Sterling K. Brown, Issa Rae, Erika Alexander, Tracee Ellis Ross and Leslie Uggams motivate audiences to power through when the film lags.

It’s the price he seems willing to pay for his ability to completely separate himself from the work. He also seems devoted to the refusal of buying into the actor’s occupational byproduct of fame, which is often what creates movie stars – unfortunately, even more so than unmatched talent. Wright’s portrayal of Monk is on brand with his body of work, which sees him giving full value to every role he signs up for. He literally gives the same care and attention to detail to Peoples Hernandez – the fictional Dominican villain in the 2000 reboot of Shaft starring Samuel L. Jackson – as his portrayal of civil rights icon Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in HBO’s Boycott. Along with Wright, veteran stage actress Myra Lucretia Taylor that lights up the screen in American Fiction. Her supporting role of Lorraine deserves to be considered among those career-defining great small but mighty roles. The hope is that it will be for Taylor what “Doubt” was for future Academy Award winner Viola Davis.

Wright should be on everyone’s list of the best actors of his generation.

“American Fiction” opens in theaters nationwide on January 5. The film is rated R with a running time of 117 minutes.

Reverend Dr. Freddy J. Clark

Continued from C1

ages of women writers, producers, and editors.

A separate report by USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, examining portrayals of gender, race/ethnicity, LGBTQ+, and disability from 2007 to 2022, reveals persistent disparities both on and offscreen.

Only 34.6% of characters in the 100 top-grossing films of 2022 were female-identified, with a persistent ratio of 1.89 males to every female character since 2008. While there was an increase in films featuring gender-balanced casts, the overall percentage remained stagnant at 15%. Moreover, underrepresented racial and ethnic groups

reported compensation for her projects, “Uncle Sam” often takes 50%, and another 30% goes to her team. “It seems every time I do something and break another glass ceiling, when it’s time to renegotiate, I’m at the bottom again, like I never did what I just did, and I’m tired,” Henson said. Behind the camera, the report highlights ongoing challenges for underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. Only 23.6% of directors, writers, and producers across the 100 top films of 2022 were women. While showing slight improvement, women directors still accounted for only 8.8%. The study emphasized the positive impact of having a female director attached to a film, correlating with increased female leads and speaking characters. Finally, breaking down racial and ethnic representation, the report noted that 61.7% of characters in 2022 were white, with underrepresented groups comprising 38.3%. While some groups have seen positive trends, erasure and underrepresentation persist for Black, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, and other ethnic groups.

“Annually, we offer solutions that industry leaders can use to create change,” researchers at USC wrote. “Given the lack of progress across many data points in this investigation, it is unclear if the same leaders have read or listened to these suggestions. We suspect they do not read this far into the report.”

Photo courtesy of Amazon/Orion Pictures

Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Leslie Uggams in “American Fiction."