July 11th, 2024 edition

St. LouiS AmericAn

Triumphs and challenges

Kitty Ratcliffe shares

her

She has led the CVC since 2006

By Mike Jones For The St. Louis American

American: You’ve been the head of the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission for 18 years. what was the road that brought you to St Louis?

n “I’ve been fortunate enough to have a career doing something I truly love.”

– Kitty Ratcliffe

KR: I started my career as the one-person shop director for the Carbondale Convention and Tourism Bureau. One day I was at a meeting when the man who had the job that I have now asked me if I’d be interested in a sales job they had open in St. Louis. That was in 1985. I was moved to St. Louis to do convention sales. After 4 years I was recruited for the Director of Marketing job for a hotel in Denver and I moved on. Over the years I took increasingly more responsible roles in Baltimore (VP Sales and Marketing), Jacksonville (President) and New Orleans (Executive Vice President), and then one day I got the call for this job in St. Louis. I came back here in 2006.

insights with The American

St. Louisans were dancing with delight in Fairground Park during the Freedom Summer STL Juneteenth event on June 19, 2024. Freedom Summer STL is a multidisciplinary effort focusing on four priority areas: voting, expungement, abolition, and housing justice.

Freedom Summer STL

A Nod to the Past; A Path for the Future

By Sylvester Brown Jr.

The St. Louis American

It almost seems unfathomable. A mere 60 years ago – the lifetime of a young grandparent – Black and white Americans were engaged in a bloody and brutal struggle to attain the simple but constitutional right to vote. That time in 1964 saw such courageous activism and was so confrontational and so critical, it’s been designated “Freedom Summer.”

n “We’re trying to create ways for people to be a part of this democratic project that’s shaping all our lives.”

– Blake Strode, executive director of ArchCity Defenders

The 1960s project was designed to draw the nation’s attention to the violent persecution Mississippi blacks experienced in their attempt to exercise their voting rights. Unlike similar direct-action efforts in southern cities like Montgomery and Birmingham, white Mississippi segregationists put up intense, brutal and murderous resistance. The goal of the organizerswas to strategically resist oppression while developing a grassroots voting rights movement

that could be sustained after student activists left Mississippi.

Today, a local legal advocacy organization, ArchCity Defenders and its partner agencies kicked off “Freedom Summer STL” during the Juneteenth weekend. Noting that this year is also the 10th anniversary of the Ferguson Uprising following the police killing of Michael Brown Jr., events connected to “Freedom Summer STL” include civics training and legal services, criminal record expungement support and other civil and human rights and community-building activities.

This year, the Deaconess Foundation awarded a $100,000 “Policy Campaign Award” to ArchCity in support of Freedom Summer STL. The grant is gifted to organizations working in the arena of “political and voter rights education

Jenifer Lewis to be honored by STL Walk of Fame after dangerous fall in Africa

By Kenya Vaughn The St. Louis American

Two days from the two-year anniversary that Kinloch native Jenifer Lewis was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, her name will be enshrined on the St. Louis Walk of Fame. Is the date a coincidence? Absolutely not. The stage, film and television actress and singer received her Hollywood star on “Jackie Washington Day,” the fictional holiday from her cult-classic Lifetime network film “Jackie’s Back.” Because July 15 lands on a Monday, the celebration in St. Louis is scheduled for Saturday, July 13. The Webster University alum is one of a very select few who has stars in both places.

Lewis

“I really don’t want to compare the two,” Lewis said. “But The St. Louis Walk of Fame goes a little deeper because it’s home. I haven’t written my speech yet, but at the end of every paragraph there will be two words: thank you.”

Lewis was as hilarious as ever when she spoke to The American last week about the upcoming honor, even though the life-altering moment that magnified her constant state of gratitude was no

Mayor Jones, Chief Tracy decry loose gun laws

By Justina Coronel Ksdk.com

A violent July 4th weekend saw police report that 24 people were shot in 16 different shooting incidents.

Officers also arrested 37 people downtown, with 15 arrests involving firearms. A total of 39 firearms were seized.

“We are making the proper investments with our police in overtime to make sure downtown is safe and vibrant and beautiful. We are also pulling in our private partners to reinforce that message. We’re doing everything that we can to make sure that downtown stays safe for anybody who wants to come visit and have fun here,” Jones said.

Jones told reporters her own teenage son was downtown on the Fourth of July.

“Unfortunately, he was downtown just before all of that happened. He was driving around with his friends, but he

Jenifer

Kitty Ratlciffe and St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones have collaborated closely throughout Jones’ political career as has each mayor since Ratliffe became president and CEO of the St. Lous Convention and Visitors Commission in 2006.

Photo courtesy of Archcitydefenders.org

Courtesy photo

Busta Rhymes rips

Essence

Fest phone addicts

Busta Rhymes busted loose on his Essence Fest audience on the July 4th Weekend in New Orleans after many concert goers couldn’t get their faces out of their cell phones long enough to watch the show.

In a twist of irony, a person at the show captured Rhymes’ dissatisfaction on their cell camera.

“A-yo, f—k them camera phones, too. Let’s get back to interacting like humans. Put them weird a— devices down. I ain’t from that era. Them s--ts don’t control the soul.

F—k your phone!”

He got personal, calling out those he saw with phones.

“I will point every last one of y’all out

until y’all asses is up,” he shouted. “I don’t give a f--k. All age groups get yo’ a-up now!”

“Everybody up top, too, get y’all big head a--es up! Make me feel like we home.”

BET reported there was a range of responses on social media. Some scolded Rhymes because of his language, reminding him this wasn’t a hip-hop concert.

Another patron said he was singing the right tune.

“He right its disrespectful. Imagine going on a date and the person on

Attention-starved

Eric Benét says NOLA has ‘a free slave’ vibe

Without clarity, R&B singer Eric Benét said the beloved city of Jazz made him feel like an enslaved man who gained freedom on TikTok on July 5, potentially about his

performance at the Essence Festival 2024.

“Not to make light of a devastating history of my people…” Benét said. “But something about walking around in New Orleans makes me feel like a fr……a free slave. I am free,” Some fans saw where Benét was coming from.

“Boy, he ain’t lie. It’s part of GA that make me feel like that too… even worse when you pass a plantation property that still has old slave quarters on it. And they are like, ‘Why is everything about race!! Slavery was 400 years ago!’ Oh yeah, knock that s*** down off your property, including that plantation home.” @jaylittlelisa said.

with any and sometimes every public figure, primarily on social media, has potentially barked up the wrong tree. As reports came onto social media that Banks had allegedly been evicted, the reaction was divided. Half of the commentators showed empathy, while the other half celebrated due to her history of attacking plus-sized women and people in the LGBTQ+ community.

“I get what he’s saying….then I feel a strong presence of voodoo, witchcraft, cemeteries and ghosts everywhere,” @ anais_hayden said.

Azealia Banks out of house and luck after landlord evicts her Azealia Banks, infamous for arguing

Azealia Banks filed a lawsuit on the grounds of wrongful eviction practices and intimidation against her landlord, Isis Claro Banks alleges that Claro wrongfully blamed her for a rodent infestation and allowed the filming of her personal belongings, including lingerie. Claro said the lease was an oral agreement and alleges she owed $8,000 in back rent for the 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom property in Palmetto Bay, Florida.

Banks also alleged Claro was refusing rent payments, neglecting maintenance tasks, and invading her privacy, including filming.

The case is pending a judge’s ruling.

Eric Benet´

Azelia Banks

Busta Rhymes

- White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre

Comptroller’s office survives

Charter Commission challenge Aldermen to debate possible changes

By Alvin A. Reid

St. Louis American

When the St. Louis Charter Commission released its draft proposals earlier this month, the two that sparked immediate debate – both in support and ire – were elimination of the city Board of Estimate and Apportionment and the Comptroller’s office.

Comptroller Darlene Green quickly warned in a July 1 statement that an end to the office she holds could quickly lead to “closed door meetings, …removing transparency, and weakening checks and balances.”

The proposals were also opposed by Mayor Tishaura Jones and several members of the Board of Aldermen.

Last week, the Charter Commission released a list of proposals that will be sent to the BOA for debate. The changes to the Comptroller’s office and Board of Estimate and Apportionment have been removed.

Any proposal that receives approval from the BOA would be voted on in November and would need 60% of ballots to pass.

After a public hearing last week, Green released a statement saying, “I am overwhelmed and grateful by the response of the community who turned out to oppose the Charter Commission’s plan to eliminate the office

of Comptroller.”

Green said the changes “will forever completely dismantle the strong financial structure of the city…thus, removing strong protection of city taxpayer’s dollars from corruption.”

“Together the Board of E&A, and an independent elected comptroller, provides for a layer of structural protection and accountability for local government finances.”

Green also warned the city’s A-category credit rating would be in jeopardy.

“The city’s credit rating had not been an A+ in over 35 years when it was upgraded under my leadership in May of 2008. Strong financial management has long been a relevant component of the city’s A-category credit rating, and these proposed charter changes threaten to damage the city’s credit. Damaged credit

increases borrowing costs.”

The Charter Commission also abandoned a proposal that would allow the mayor to directly appoint the fire chief, police chief and director of personnel.

The surviving proposals include increasing the BOA’s budget power and changing the date of city elections. In addition, the board will consider the creation of a public advocate office, which could examine alleged corruption among its duties.

Green opposes the office.

“The public advocate charter change is not about protecting or supporting the city against corruption and abuse as is true of the current government structure that includes an elected comptroller who serves as an independent advocate for the people and watchdog over taxpayer dollars,” said Green.

The BOA Legislation and

St. Louis Comptroller Darlene Green takes the oath of office during an inauguration ceremony at City Hall in April.2017. Green, who was appointed Comptroller in 1995 and won re-election eight times, battled against a Charter Commission proposal that would have eliminated her elected office and prevailed with backing from Mayor Tishaura Jones.

Rules Committee will first hear the proposals. Its members will finalize proposals and language for the November ballot. Its first meeting is scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 23.

Full BOA meetings are scheduled for Thursday, August 8 and August 16 to both pass charter-related legislation and meet the Board of Election’s August 27th deadline to place items on the November 2024 ballot.

Voters approved the creation of a nine-person commission in April 2023 to recommend changes to how the city government functions. Other proposals it is sending to aldermen include:

-Giving the Board of Aldermen an opportunity to increase, decrease or add budgetary items without a Board of E&A approval.

-Converting the Streets Department into the Department of

Transportation -Moving some city elections from March and April of odd-numbered years to either August and November of even-numbered years or August and November of odd-numbered years. This would hopefully increase voter participation in municipal elections.

-Lowering the required number of signatures on initiatives petitions, newly require approval voting for all County offices except the Circuit Attorney and rename the “Board of Aldermen” to the “City Council.”

-Making changes to Charter language to convert pronouns to titles of offices, update methods of advertisement, remove obsolete language, reflect modern titles of offices and officers, and provide for compensation to be set by ordinance.

Photo by Carolina Hidalgo

| St. Louis Public Radio

Guest Editorial Commentary

Our ‘Black Job’ is protecting democracy

By Keith Boykin

Yes, Joe Biden is a flawed candidate, but Donald Trump is a threat to America. Our Black job, if there is such a thing, is to stop him.

While Democrats debate how to respond to Biden’s debate performance, Trump and the Republicans are plotting to erase the entire American 20th Century

That’s not an exaggeration. Donald Trump has publicly threatened to be a dictator on “day one” if he wins in November, and the Supreme Court justices he appointed have just immunized him from accountability and vested him with the unchecked powers of a monarch. If Trump wins, he would empower an army of radical right-wing activists who plan to implement Project 2025, dismantle civil rights, women’s rights, and LGBTQ rights, rescind long-established progressive laws and policies, and swing a wrecking ball against the fragile institutions of government and democracy.

But some critics are making the same miscalculation they made with Hillary Clinton. A Trump victory will not bring on a progressive people’s revolution, strengthen thirdparty candidates, or buy us time to elect a better Democrat in the next election. It will set us so far back that it will take decades to unravel, no matter who wins in 2028. America cannot afford to make that mistake again.

presidential primary. But now it was 2016, and Clinton was the Democratic nominee facing a Republican opponent, Donald Trump, who posed a clear and present danger to democracy.

“If Hillary Clinton wins, we may have a liberal majority on the Supreme Court for the first time in nearly 50 years,” I posted on Twitter a few weeks before the election.

That was eight years ago.

Now, as Trump cements his legacy on the right-wing court, that opportunity could be lost for a generation, as Republicans have appointed six of the nine Supreme Court Justices.

Joe Biden is not the ideal candidate to represent the Democratic Party. He’s an 81-year-old white man leading a party that is increasingly represented by young people, women, and people of color.

I worked for Biden’s opponent when he ran for president in 1988. I did not vote for Biden when he ran the second time in 2008. And I did not support him in the Democratic primary in 2020. I even wrote articles criticizing him after he was elected president. But I did vote for him in 2020 because I knew he was the best available option.

The enemy is us

By Mike Jones

In the 2002 blockbuster, “Star Wars: Attack of the Clones,” Yoda explains “The dark side clouds everything. Impossible to see the future is,”

This is the most honest response to the question; what’s gonna happen in November?

Donald Trump is the poor man’s aspiring Emperor of the Evil Empire and white MAGA Republicans are a clone army straight out of central casting.

Joe Biden and the disorganized band of Democrats, without a plan or strategy to defeat the Republican evil empire, are the Resistance. This is the American political reality heading into the November election. You know it’s real because it’s too unbelievable to be fiction.

We’re also in this drama as well (we’re always in this drama), but we’re not any of the characters alluded to in the preceding paragraph, neither protagonist nor antagonist.

We’re once again cast in our historic role as the Black Other, we’re not the only Other, we’ve just been playing this Other role longer than anybody else. But we have issues, the truth is we always have issues, usually a function of white America, but today our issues are more about us than them.

around a white patriarchal political and social system. If you were a person of color or a woman, you were part of the permanent underclass.

The system worked well for white men for about 166 years, then 1954 happened. Brown v Board of Education, which was the beginning of the end of the white patriarchal political and social system.

For the rest of the 20th century, and the first decades of the 21st century, America was dismantling, albeit slowly one brick at a time, its racial and gender caste system.

Donald Trump and all his despicable minions can’t put Humpty Dumpty back together again. Understand when you see MAGA America, you’re not looking at strength or toughness, you’re looking at fear and desperation.

Walt Kelly, the creator of the Pogo comic strip back in the day, created a classic iconic panel for Earth Day which addressed who’s responsible for the massive pollution of our environment. Pogo says, “we have seen the enemy, and he is us.”

This brings us to the other half of white America, let’s call it Joe Biden’s America.

In 2016, I was teaching at Columbia University when some college students were complaining about Hillary Clinton as the Democratic nominee for president. Many raised legitimate concerns, including her support for the unpopular war in Iraq. But others raised less substantive issues. She’s not likable. She panders. And the most memorable critique: they didn’t believe her when she appeared on “The Breakfast Club” and announced that she carried hot sauce in her purse I, too, opposed the war in Iraq, and that was one reason why I voted for Barack Obama instead of Clinton in the 2008

I am not invested in the question of replacing Biden on the ticket. I would vote for Biden, Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom, Gretchen Whitmer, Wes Moore, Pete Buttigieg, or any other credible candidate that Democrats nominate. This election is not about them. It’s about protecting our rights.

Unfortunately, polls show that most white voters want a twice-impeached, quadruple-indicted, convicted criminal with a 50-year history of racism in the most powerful position in America.

My Black job, if there is such a thing, is to stop them.

“Black Vote, Black Power,” a collaboration between Keith Boykin and Word In Black, examines the issues, the candidates, and what’s at stake for Black America in the 2024 presidential election.

The internal tensions within the Black community have always been complicated, but now they’re also complex. We now have multiple generations of Black people who have experienced America in separate ways. A younger generation that is legitimately estranged from the older generation, a Black leadership class that’s politically alienated from the Black body politic, and a Black professional class with social/economic agenda that ignores the Black working class.

Never in our history in North America have we been so unprepared for what the future may portend for us.

The United States is a country founded and organized for the benefit of white people, who were an array of European identities before they came to America. The founders organized the country

This America suffers from a different cognitive dissonance than Trump’s MAGA America. It believes that America is an idea founded on an aspirational principle that all men (and women) are created equal and American society should reflect that.

It also believes that most white Americans agree. There’s no objective rational review of the history of the United States that would lead you to that conclusion. It chooses to believe that Donald Trump and MAGA America are an anomalies.

To believe otherwise contradicts their United States creation myth and requires the acknowledgment of a domestic white existential threat.

The key to a Democratic win in November will not be Black and Latino turnout. There will be no minority cavalry coming to rescue white America from itself.

Commentary

It’s time to slow down St. Louis

By James Clark

There is a public health crisis on our streets that rivals gun violence: vehicular violence.

In African American communities, it’s nearly impossible to drive five blocks without seeing a mangled bumper, smashed headlight, or other car carnage. Many of us have faced danger on St. Louis streets that could have resulted in devastating crashes or fatalities.

In May, the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and the Regional Business Council launched Slow Down St. Louis, a public campaign to raise awareness about reckless driving, especially in Black communities. We designed yard signs urging drivers to slow down, and the demand has been overwhelming.

Two months later, the inequity behind these crashes has become clearer with the release of a detailed report highlighting the disturbing number of fatalities and serious crashes on our streets.

regions happened in disadvantaged neighborhoods. That’s 423 individuals hit by vehicles over a five-year period.

The causes highlighted in the EastWest Gateway report range from poorly designed and disinvested roadways and intersections to reckless, violent driver behavior.

The report also recommends bringing back red-light cameras. This passive enforcement works. When the cameras were removed, red light running increased dramatically.

Our schools and youth services programs can raise greater awareness about roadway safety. Schools communicate best with parents and can effectively warn them about the dangers. Many students travel home from school or practice at dusk, so schools can inform parents and students that most crashes, including those involving pedestrians, occur at dusk when visibility is low, and distractions are high. They can also emphasize that in most fatal crashes, drivers or passengers were not wearing seatbelts.

The East-West Gateway Council of Governments found that more than a third of crashes between 2018 and 2022 occurred in disadvantaged neighborhoods. The report, “Gateway to Safer Roadways,” includes maps showing the areas with the highest incidents of fatal or severe injury crashes. It reveals a clear racial disproportionality.

Many of these crashes happen in North St. Louis County, North St. Louis City, and St. Clair County. When you overlay factors of race and income on these highcrash maps, it becomes evident that poor and Black residents endure most of these tragedies.

These crashes often occur in areas where a high number of people cannot afford their own vehicles and must walk, take transit, or bike. This puts walkers— our children going to school, our seniors taking the bus, our adults going to work— at significant risk. The study found that 48% of pedestrian-involved crashes in the city and surrounding seven-county

The “Gateway to Safer Roadways” report made our region eligible for billions of dollars in federal funding opportunities to fix dangerous roads and intersections. The grants could also support initiatives to curb dangerous driving, change seat belt laws, increase enforcement, use new vehicle safety technology, and more. As residents, it is critical to let your elected officials and local agencies know that this money is available —but they must apply.

The Urban League is dedicated to solving systemic problems with long-term solutions for the African American Community. We work to implement impactful changes to reduce gun violence, curb opioid addiction, eliminate food and resource deserts, and now, stop vehicular violence. The last is very solvable. The time is now to slow down St. Louis.

James Clark is the vice president of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis Division of Public Safety and Community Response

Guest Columnist Keith Boykin

Guest Columnist James Clark

Columnist Mike Jones

Metro Transit still offers summer savings

While July 4 is considered the midpoint of summer, Metro Transit is offering riders ages 13 to 25 a discounted pass that can be used for two more months on MetroLink and Metro buses.

The $80 passes are valid through Aug. 31 and are available to anyone in the age range. A Metro spokesman said the passes are the equivalent of three regular $78 monthly Metro passes.

The Gateway Go passes must be bought at the transit agency’s MetroStore at 801 Pine Street downtown, which is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays.

Proof of age is required. Organizations and individuals also can place group orders and should call the store in advance at 314-982-1495.

Meanwhile, the city of St. Louis is continuing a separate program of free bus

and MetroLink passes for city residents in the same 13-to-25 age range.

That program, begun in 2022 and funded by federal pandemic aid, is restricted to people living in lower-income federally qualified census tracts or who are from households with designated income levels. Also called Gateway Go, it continues through December.

The city’s free passes are available through the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment, also known as SLATE, in Room 3050 at 1520 Market Street. The office is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. other weekdays.

Applicants must bring proof of age, residence and income as outlined in an eligibility form. Applicants under 17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to sign the form.

Acknowledging the crisis of gun violence

By Marian Wright Edelman

“I’m graduating, I’m going to college, I get to go home, I get to see my dog, I get to do all this when they don’t. It’s just really hard.”

Amid graduation celebrations in May, one commencement ceremony stood out in a heartbreaking way because of the friends who were missing.

Emma Ehrens told an interviewer she was a 6-year-old first grader in December 2012, looking forward to making gingerbread houses later that afternoon, when a shooter armed with a semiautomatic assault rifle burst into her classroom at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

When the gun jammed for a few seconds, one of those classmates, Jesse Lewis, yelled, “Run!” Emma ran, but Jesse was one of the 20 children and six adults killed at Sandy Hook that day. On June 12, about 60 survivors of the Sandy Hook shooting graduated from Newtown High School. Like Emma, many of them are still grappling with their memories of that day, the missing teachers and administrators who might have been in the audience, and the other beautiful students who should have been crossing the stage too.

A group of these high school students have joined the Junior Newtown Action Alliance. The alliance is part of a national grassroots organization founded in Newtown after the shooting to transform their town’s tragedy into meaningful action. They work to end gun violence and reverse our nation’s escalating gun violence epidemic through the introduction of smarter, safer gun laws and broader cultural change. The students of Junior Newtown Action Alliance join Hadiya Pendleton’s friends, who began the Wear Orange movement after she was shot and killed standing in a Chicago park; the survivors of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, who led the March for Our Lives movement; and other young people across the country taking action.

As Ella Seaver, also a Sandy Hook survivor, Newtown High graduating senior and Junior Newtown Action Alliance member, explained: “Putting my voice out there and working with all these amazing people to try and create change really puts a meaning to the trauma that we all were forced to experience. We’re fighting for change and we’re really not going to stop until we get it.”

On June 25, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared gun violence a public health crisis for the first time, underscoring what the American Medical Association and many others have believed for years. The surgeon general’s advisory notes that gun violence leads to cascading harm across our society: those who lose their lives to guns, those who are injured, those who are direct witnesses, those who lose their loved ones, those who are exposed in affected communities, including schools, and those who experience collective trauma and fear. There is so much more we can do. The surgeon general’s advisory includes recommendations for a number of common-sense measures, including an assault weapons ban, universal background checks, secure storage requirements, including child access prevention laws, and increasing federal funding for gun violence prevention research and community investment in educational programs and mental health resources.

As Surgeon General Murthy said: “Our children should not have to live in fear that they are going to get shot if they go to school. None of us should have to worry that going to the mall or a concert or house of worship means putting our lives at risk. Marian Wright Edelman is founder and president emerita of the Children’s Defense Fund.

St. Louis American

Metro Transit Service Manager David Hawthorne nears a MetroLink station in East St. Louis last July. Discount passes remain available for use through August 31.

Photo by Tristen Rouse / St. Louis Public Radio

Marian Wright Edelman

Unsolved homicides: 1000 St. Louis families in justice limbo

The investigative series on the unsolved homicides by the St. Louis Police Department (SLPD) was revealing and confirming. St. Louis Public Radio, American Public Media and The Marshall Project joined forces to find out the reasons and presented their findings to the public recently. I attended the community forum and took the opportunity to give my humble and unvarnished opinion to the why question: it’s the racist belief by the SLPD that Black lives are not worthy of attention or resources.

The group looked at homicides from 20142023. During this time, 1,900 people were murdered. St. Louis had the highest homicide rate in the country for nearly a decade when compared to cities with similar population sizes. Not surprising, two-thirds of the cases involving white victims

Gun laws

Continued from A1

saw the danger coming and he thought well enough to say, ‘I have to get out of here before things get bad.’” Jones said she believes police did everything they could, and she thanked officers for being active.

“I think this calls more attention to what the state is not doing. I’m not trying to pass the buck at all, but what I am saying is that the state created the conditions that we are currently living under.

Freedom

Continued from A1

and advocacy that creates spaces of service, activation, and a recommitment to justice and transformation for the region.”

“Freedom Summer STL” collaborators include Action St. Louis, Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, Freedom Community Center, Homes For All, and other grassroots community partners.

Although 2024 is a critical election year, Blake Strode, executive director of ArchCity Defenders, stressed that Freedom Summer STL is not an attempt to directly compare the racial and political conditions of 1964 to those of this generation.

“We’re certainly not equating where we are today with where we were then,” Strode said. “But we are trying to revive the spirit of mobilization and resistance while noting we still have a very long way to go before we can say ‘we’re a free and liberated society’ particularly Black folk in Missouri and much of the country.”

Today it may be hard to imagine how 1960s organizers and activists confronted a segregated system that employed laws and fear tactics to intimidate and disenfranchise Black voters. Prospective volunteers were alerted to conditions in Mississippi that would possibly result in their arrest or worse outcomes.

The connection may not directly mirror the horrors of the summer of 1964, but unfortunately there are still issues that parallel that perilous time in history.

According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), since 2008, states across the country have passed voter suppression laws aimed at making “it harder for Americans — particularly black people, the elderly,

were solved, leaving the families of Black victims in justice limbo for years. These three respected media entities worked on the report for almost three years, fighting the police department every step of the way to get data –public data. They finally had to sue the department to get what they needed, a route that many other media outlets, organizations and ordinary citizens have had to take in order to get access to public documents.

Here are some of the findings from the multipart series: Investigative reporters cited shoddy detective work as an important factor in the unsolved cases. Critical evidence was not pursued. Tips were not chased down, including interviewing key witnesses. The detective unit did not include the most experienced and trained personnel.

Everybody has access to a gun, and when everyone has access to a gun, that makes our communities less safe.”

St. Louis Police Chief Robert Tracy backed up what the mayor said in a town hall Monday, which addressed the downtown community.

“My message is that in this state, it’s not illegal to carry a firearm. It’s not illegal for a juvenile to carry a firearm, we do have an ordinance in place but it’s a summons that goes to municipal court that has some teeth but not a lot of teeth,” Tracy added.

The Way I See IT

By Jamala Rogers

One detective got a transfer despite his troubled history of police brutality, credibility and drug abuse. (Former Police Sgt. Heather Taylor had documented gross incompetence of the unit.)

Complaints filed on other officers included sleeping on the jobs, lying to commanding officers and not staying in touch with families.

Police claimed a lack of resources hampered investigations. This is blatant deceit. This department has found money whenever it needed it from millions for overtime pay to spy equipment. The funds

from asset forfeitures have been a slush fund with little accountability. Someone needs to investigate that big pot of money. Even when federal agents were called in to assist the local police with the backlog, the feds were stonewalled. The investigative report disclosed that SLPD refused to share information (here we go again) and maintained ineffective methods of records. It concluded that the department failed to maximize the resources available to tackle the unsolved murders.

There were other issues that were explored such as staffing shortages and lack of cooperation by witness-

es which I’ve spoken to in many of my previous columns. Both of these issues are directly related to the manner in which policing occurs in Black neighborhoods. The level of mistrust will not aid in the recruitment of officers or get vital information from a community besieged by police terrorism, surveillance and occupation.

Two of the most disturbing elements in the report and from the public forum were the complete disregard and disrespect for grieving families who never get a call back from detectives about progress on their loved one’s case. I guess there is no progress to report because there’s no investigation going on.

The other element is that we have a police chief who has become notorious for his lack of cooperation and for maintaining secrecy to protect the blue wall of brotherhood.

Chief Robert Tracy, whose $270,000 annual salary is subsidized by the Police Foundation, has made it abundantly clear that he is not accountable to the citizens of St. Louis. This behavior continues to be unacceptable from the leader of a department which sucks up one-third of the city’s budget. The practices also give justification for the Re-investing in Public Safety campaign that strives for real public safety while addressing the human needs of citizens. Without the cooperation of the police chief, substantive solutions to this serious problem remain as elusive as the answers grieving families have long been seeking.

Jamala Rogers is a columnist for The St. Louis American and one of the founding members of the Organization for Black Struggle based in St. Louis.

students and people with disabilities — to exercise their fundamental right to cast a ballot.”

“The fight is ongoing,” Strode added. “We are still fighting for voting rights and access to the polls. We still have millions of people that are disenfranchised; we still have a threat to bodily autonomy that’s on the ballot. We have people and families criminalized, uprooted and torn apart every day. We are facing a crisis of hopelessness, poverty, criminalization, mass incarceration and our response should be reflective of that crisis.”

Leaders of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) went to great lengths to recruit Northern white student volunteers to take part in the freedom movement. Just one week after the first group of volunteers arrived in Oxford, Mississippi, three civil rights workers – James Chaney, a black Mississippian, and two white northerners,

Michael Schwerner and Andrew Goodman – went missing. The abduction and murder of Chaney, Schwerner and Goodman failed to break the spirit of Freedom Summer staff and volunteers. Instead, the atrocity only served to intensify their commitment to move ahead with the campaign.

Strode, when recalling the courage and resilience of protestors during the 2014 Ferguson uprising, referenced the sacrifices of the three civil rights workers 60 years ago and the need to cherish the practice of organizing and mobilizing for change.

“That was a tremendous undertaking on their part, so I do want people to know we’re honoring that,” Strode said.

“When you leverage the language of something as monumental as Freedom Summer, I think you have to be clear that, I hope, we’re in the tradition of it but also want people to remember that people risked their lives in 1964.”

The multi-racial

approach employed to combat racism and exclusion in the 60s is not lost on Strode, who stressed the importance of “multi-racial coalition-building.”

“ArchCity is a Blackled but multiracial organization, and both are intentional,” Strode said.

“We know the interests of Black people deserve its own space and resources but it’s also going to require all of us across racial lines, gender lines, and class lines to bring about the structural transformation we need. So, we hope that this can serve as an activation and mobilization point for people of all races in St. Louis.”

The Freedom Summer STL events focuses on political education and advocacy which include voter registration, voter rights information, civics training and legal services such as criminal record expungement support and counseling on housing-related issues.

“Far too many people

in our region are experiencing housing and economic insecurity at some of the worst levels we have seen in recent times,” read an early June ArchCity press release.

The statement highlighted the importance of bridging gaps between policymakers and those most impacted by their decisions.

Organizers of the local summer activities said they aim to “ensure that information and resources can be easily accessed in a singular setting so that community members have the tools needed to impact policy change.”

There were two events in June. The next Freedom Summer STL event is planned for July 27, at Habitat for Humanity on South Grand and Chippewa. Community activities will culminate with a march and rally downtown on Aug. 30, 2024.

The gravity of the upcoming general election is front and center with local organizers. For Strode, it provides

St. Louis Police Chief Robert Tracy speaking on the recent gun violence that has plagued the city over the holidays and in recent weeks at the St. Louis Public Library. At left is St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore.

The Freedom Summer STL celebration in Fairgrounds Park on June 19 was part of a series of community events throughout the summer hosted by ArchCity Defenders and its community partners.

a chance for personal accountability.

“For those of us who believe deeply in democracy, it’s an opportunity for us to try and build and shape the world we want to see,” Strode said. “And part of that is getting educated on the issues and candidates. Another part-a harder part-is community-building and collective engagement.

“We’re trying to create ways for people to connect and engage their neighbors, friends, partners and families so we can really be a part of this democratic project that’s shaping all our lives. This election serves as political context for where we are as a country, region, city and amplifies the urgency of doing this work right now.” Sylvester Brown Jr. is the Deaconess Foundation Community Advocacy Fellow For more information on Freedom Summer STL visit: https://www.archcitydefenders.org/

Jamala Rogers

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Photo courtesy of Archcitydefenders.org

American: You leave New Orleans, a top tier convention and tourist destination, to come to St. Louis. What’s up with that?

KR: I have always loved St. Louis. I made many friends here early in my career, and even though I didn’t grow up here, it felt like home. I’ve been approached many times over the years that I’ve been here, but I left New Orleans eight months after Hurricane Katrina to come to St. Louis and it was a very tough decision due to the calamity at the time there. It bothered me for a long time afterwards.

American: Why have you stayed here?

KR: When offers came for me to head up a convention center or the Destination Marketing Organization elsewhere, we always seemed to be in a crisis. I just wasn’t going to leave St. Louis when we had the Rams first tier issue looming, or when we had an international focus on us because of the Michael Brown tragedy in Ferguson, or when we needed to get major convention center improvements done to be able to compete for more business. Also, as I said, I truly love St. Louis, so I always said thank you, but no thanks.

American: St. Louis was a major American city, ranked in the top 10 in population. This is not the St. Louis you came to in 2006.

KR: Let me start with

Lewis

Continued from A1

Continued from A1 laughing matter.

“Something happens to you when you look death in the face,” Lewis said. “When you literally take your head out of the lion’s mouth.”

But leave it to Jenifer Lewis to find the funny in fighting for her life.

“You couldn’t make this [expletive] up,” Lewis said. “It wasn’t Daniel in the lion’s den, it was a diva in the lion’s den. The [expletive] wasn’t no joke. I fell ten [expletive] feet in pitch black.”

Not long after she received her Hollywood star, Lewis and a friend were vacationing in the Serengeti and having the time of their lives. She made the fateful decision to soak in her surroundings just before bed – and suffered a near fatal fall, tumbling from her balcony. Because it was so dark, she couldn’t see that the area was unsecured.

“It’s a bad [b-word expletive] that can get up off the ground of the Serengeti after falling like that, you understand me,” Lewis said. “When the baboon jumps out the tree and asks for a selfie because he saw you on ‘Fresh Prince,’ then come talk to me.”

Known for her famous six-o-clock kick, Lewis could not perform the simple act of separating her knees for five months. When she participated in the hit Fox show “The Masked Singer” several months after the fall, Lewis had to perform while in a harness that was bolted to the floor because she couldn’t move her lower body on her own.

“Getting my kick back – that was the goal,” Lewis said. “Because if you can get your leg up that high, that means that your core is centered and your pelvis and that means that you are back aligned. You can’t kick that high if the core of your body is not straight and aligned.”

She performed her

our assets We are the best family destination in America. The quality and cost of our visitor attractions like the Zoo, City Museum, Six Flags, the Magic House and so many more make this a place where families can come and have a great vacation for a low cost. And if you are not a ‘kid’ household we offer extraordinary experiences for adults, from food and cocktails to arts and culture. Whether it is Jazz St. Louis or Opera Theatre, The Fox, the Shakespeare Festival, or the Art Fair at Laumeier, the Black Rep or STAGES, on a year-round basis you can find world class experiences at low prices. And our market research shows that we have many repeat visitors from within a 350-mile radius.

What about the challenges?

KR: When I arrived in 2006, I thought the inside of the convention center felt like a hospital or a prison. It was stark with no artwork or seating areas and a lot of fluorescent lights. It seemed that no one really cared about how it looked and that was a negative reflection on St. Louis. Working with Comptroller Darlene Green we remedied that quickly with an infusion of more than two million dollars. We brought a sense of St. Louis into America’s Center with photographic artwork of key attractions, two signature pieces by James Smith commissioned by the Regional Business Council and the Staenberg Family Foundation and added lighting and seating areas with charging stations. It’s critical to create a good atmosphere inside the convention

signature song “Dig A Little Deeper” from Disney’s “Princess and the Frog” alongside Terence Blanchard on an episode of “American Idol” seven weeks ago in May. She lifted her leg up as a grand finale, and Lewis could not have kicked any higher.

“I took it all the way up, girl,” Lewis said. “Right before I kicked, I looked out – and in my mind I’m telling the world, ‘You can get up. You can come back.’”

Recovering with grace

“Get Up” is the working title of Lewis’ third book. It’s what she repeated to herself while she was laying on the ground in Africa. She could only move her left arm. Every inch of her body was in pain.

“It hurt me to breathe,” Lewis said. “I had to make my lips very small to suck in as much air as possible to scream for my friend. I told her, ‘I done [expletive] up. We will not be taking the hot air balloon to watch the sun come up over the Serengeti.’

A Massai warrior came to their rescue before medical assistance arrived. Lewis had a special connection with the team of professionals who came to her aid.

“At the height of COVID, I sent Doctors without Borders the biggest check I had ever sent in my life – because during COVID, they were doing the work,” Lewis said. “That woman leaned down and said, ‘Ms. Lewis, we are Doctors without Borders and we are here to take you back.’ You want to talk about the circle of life – there they were, airlifting me out of the Serengeti grasslands.”

She was airlifted from Tanzania to Narobi, Kenya. She learned that she fractured her acetabulum – the socket of the hip bone that holds the femur in place.

Lewis was taken to Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi and treated by Dr. Parmenas Oroko. Her injury

center as well as outside. We changed our marketing, which had convention planners taking notice, and worked with the taxicab commission to start driver customer service training, and many other things to improve our ability to sell St. Louis. It wasn’t ideal when I got here but we have made some major improvements.

American: Why should people care about conventions and visitors coming to St. Louis?

KR: People should appreciate conventions because they bring economic activity that drives downtown development as well as our entire regional economy. We love our sports teams in St. Louis, but our teams are all seasonal with limited dates. The Cardinals have a fantastic draw of out of towners, but they don’t create activity for six months, from October through March. Conventions come all year long and when we have a big convention of 10-20,000 people in November, December, or January, it is a major reason that hotels, restaurants, labor unions, and others continue to have work during the winter because new money is flowing in to support them.

The other reason people should care is that conventions provide an opportunity to bring people to St. Louis who would never have come here otherwise. It influences their perceptions of the city and perhaps changes some misperceptions they’ve had based on crime rankings or other negative media reports. A convention organizer selects the city, and the attendees go wherever that convention is being held, so we reach

required a nine-hour surgery, where Oroko replaced her acetabulum with titanium. She spent six days in the ICU and required three blood transfusions.

But that was just the beginning of her journey towards healing.

“After that fall – after this whole year and a half of being forced to be an observer of life from the bed as a human being as opposed to a human doing – You learn a lot of stuff. I have been made new from that fall.”

She learned a few very important lessons.

“I learned that love is the only answer. Love is the answer to everything,” Lewis said. “And to honor that light in yourself – and walk in gratitude.”

She was proud to share that she found her definition of grace while lying in her bed.

“Grace is the space between breaths that compels you to do more – to give more, to love more, to sing more and to give more,” said Lewis. “Grace is that space between breaths that gives you permission to take the next one. It helps you help somebody else. Whenever you don’t know what to do, go do something for somebody else.”

She will return home on Saturday not only as a star, but as a survivor seeking to inspire the next generation.

“My success is that I have a big smile on my face – because I did the work,” Lewis said. “I dreamed the dream and had a passion to honor the gifts that I have been given at birth. I want to say thank you to all those who believed in me. Thank you for telling me that I can be anything that I wanted to be.”

The St. Louis Walk of Fame induction ceremony for Jenifer Lewis will take place at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 13th across from the Moonrise Hotel at 6166 Delmar Boulevard. For more information, visit stlouiswalkoffame.org

an audience that cannot be reached in any other way. We have attendees leaving St. Louis with a very positive experience and that word-of-mouth spreads.

American: Anything else that makes what you do special?

KR: We provide opportunities for everyone. Some people in economic development circles discount hospitality by saying they only bring low wage jobs. The industry provides more than low wage jobs. The industry employs everyone who wants a job, and that includes high school and college students who only need part time or summer work, it employs seniors or those on disability who can only work a minimal schedule. And it also provides an entry into full-time and ever-increasing level roles for those that want it. The stories include every business - the housekeeper who became director of housekeeping, the front desk clerk who became a hotel general manager, the cook who opened their own restaurant, the girl from Chicago who didn’t go to college and became a national industry executive (me). You can’t offer that in many industries, but you can do it with us. When I look at our partner businesses today, I see many women and people of color in leadership roles. Visitors come 365 days a year and spend the night, so if you understand that and are willing to work odd hours, then anyone can have a great career in our industry.

American: You’re very passionate about this?

KR: Yes, I am. I’ve

been fortunate enough to have a career doing something I truly love, working in great places with wonderful people, but more importantly I was doing something that I knew mattered, that made a difference in people’s lives. That if I were successful at my job they would have an opportunity to be successful. They would have a chance to realize a dream, to even have a dream for themselves and their children. This industry is really a road to that can lead to a better place.

American: You’ve had to deal with some tough issues. Is it harder to work in St Louis than other places?

KR: Well, it’s not just sales and marketing, is it? Everyplace has unique challenges and we are no different. But yes, I think it’s a bit harder here. And if I had to name one thing that makes it harder, I’d say that the City not being within the County complicates things. But it doesn’t have to. For some people, there is a real County versus City divide mentality that is harmful to us all. We have our challenges, as every community does, but we have extraordinary people doing amazing things every day, and we need to celebrate better and work together. It is the reason I asked our board to create the St. Louis Civic Pride Foundation. We must learn to evangelize about all the good things that we have, while working to help the people and places in St. Louis that need it.

American: You have an impressive list of awards. Which one represents the ultimate validation?

KR: It’s so hard to say because they are all honors from organizations that have been very important to me in my career and really in my life. Last year Meeting Professionals International (MPI) gave me the Industry Leader Award. It isn’t something that I could ever have imagined. It was an extraordinary event. MPI is a global organization of more than 20,000 members which brings together meeting professionals who plan and execute business strategy and events. When I was elected to serve as its International Board Chairwoman in 1996-97, I was one of the first women and the very first person from the destination marketing side of the business. To be chosen from this group of talented, respected industry leaders for the recognition last year was the honor of a lifetime, I still pinch myself!

This chapter in the Kitty Ratcliffe story in St. Louis is ending. What are you thinking, how are you feeling?

KR: I’m sad that the convention center project got hijacked because it’s critically important for our community. But over the last 18 years I’ve had such great opportunities to work with so many great community leaders, both elected officials and heads of organizations doing critical work. It’s been a true joy to see collaborative projects come to fruition in wins for St Louis and our industry. It’s been an honor to work with our talented Explore St Louis team members, who all care about doing the best they can for our community and our visitors.

‘Taking Care of You’

Lupus disproportionately plagues African Americans

At higher risk for serious infections

By Aaron Allen

The Seattle Medium

A plethora of factors contribute to health disparities affecting the Black community, including trust issues, access to care, poor quality of care, community features such as inadequate access to healthy foods, poverty, limited personal support systems, and violence. Additional factors include genetics, language barriers, health behaviors, and environmental conditions like poor air quality. Statistics and data highlight the stark reality of health inequity. In the 30 largest American cities, there are

more than 74,000 excess deaths among Black people compared with White people each year. This disparity is evident in the prevalence and impact of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), or lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease that disproportionately affects the Black community.

Lupus is a chronic (long-term) disease that can cause inflammation and pain in any part of your body. It’s an autoimmune disease, which means that your immune system, the body system that usually fights infections, attacks healthy tissue instead. Lupus most commonly affects your skin, joints, and internal organs, like your

kidneys and heart. Because lupus affects many parts of the body, it can cause a lot of different symptoms.

According to the Lupus Foundation of America:

• African Americans have a higher prevalence of lupus than other groups, with rates ranging from 34% to 51%.

In comparison, Hispanic patients have a prevalence of 31% to 49%, Asian patients range from 33% to 82%, and White patients have the lowest prevalence at 13% to 23%.

See LUPUS, A9

Makeba Williams honored by Wash U medical students

Students celebrate faculty who exemplify university’s values

St. Louis American

Medical students at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis recently honored faculty and residents with Distinguished Service and Teaching Awards.

For the 2023-24 academic year students chose Makeba Williams, MD, an associate professor and the vice chair of professional development and wellness in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Williams’ work on women’s health and particularly menopause health is nationally recognized. She directs the menopause clinic at Washington University and investigates the

differences in menopause experiences between racial and ethnic groups. Her work has raised awareness about the distinct conditions typically experienced by Black women during menopause.

She recently published a review in Menopause: The Journal of the North American Menopause Society which examined health disparities and other factors that impact Black Americans going through and being treated for menopause.

“Going back to the 1800s, we’ve been interested in hormone therapy. And in part,

See WILLIAMS, A9

From ivory towers to ebony hubs

A call for reproductive justice for women

By Bethany Johnson-Javois

American women seeking healthcare find that we are navigating a challenging path that leads to a cliff. In our current healthcare system, women’s reproductive health is hyper focused on one specific period – our prime childbearing years. But this narrow interpretation of our womanhood and of reproductive health, which is best defined for me as the condition of a person’s reproductive system during ALL life stages, exposes the inherent break down in systems’ response to our unique and evolving needs. A liberated lifetime of health and wellbeing starts in our tender years before menstruation begins and continues in the years during and after menopause. Yet, because society derives value from us for what we can produce and how much we can produce, so called, “modern” medicine and westernized healthcare system design reflects this often-fatal flaw.

n In the limited research that does exist, Black and Hispanic women are further excluded from studies due to selection bias.

The narrow vision of reproductive healthcare we currently experience is evidenced directly by the designation of funding and resources (or lack thereof). Across the board, medical research in women’s health is underfunded, and poignantly, research on the perimenopausal and menopausal stages of a woman’s life is under resourced and under discussed, particularly in larger studies about aging.

In the limited research that does exist, Black and Hispanic women are further excluded from studies due to selection bias, even though Black women typically reach menopause earlier than white women and have worse symptoms. These inequities in research lead to inequities in diagnoses, care, and treat-

See JAVOIS, A9

Makeba Williams, MD (left), associate professor and vice chair of professional development and wellness in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, accepts the Humanism in Medicine award from medical student Isabella Gomes.

Jawanna Perine, holding a purple ribbon symbolic of the fight against lupus, began having symptoms when she was 10 but was not diagnosed with the disease until she was 29. African Americans often do not receive proper care as early as white Americans, according to studies.

Photo courtesy of Seattle Medium

Photo courtesy of Washington University School of Medicine

Bethany JohnsonJavois

TRIO Upward Bound to host blood drive

St. Louis American Students from Southern Illinois University

Edwardsville’s TRIO Upward Bound (UB) EC/ MLC Programs are stepping in to help meet a critical healthcare need in their communities.

SIUE Upward Bound will host its 5th Annual Blood Drive from 9 a.m.1 p.m. Friday, July 19 in room 1027-1028 of Building B on the Wyvette

Williams

Continued from A8

we had been basing how we care for women off how we care for men,” Williams said on St. Louis Public Radio

“Research was not being invested into women’s health. And it really took some political and social capital — the change of who was being represented, even in Congress — and we started looking at how women were being included in research studies that led to the Women’s Health Initiative.”

Through the WHI, Williams and five other doctors reviewed literature on menopause from the past 20 years.

“We found that African American women had an

Lupus

Continued from A8

• White patients are more likely to participate in clinical trials, representing as much as 51% of trial participants, whereas Hispanic patients make up 16% of prevalent cases and 21% of trial enrollees, and Asian patients account for 13% of prevalent cases and 10% of trial enrollees.

• Black and Hispanic women with lupus are more likely to die earlier than other groups. Black women with lupus can die up to 13 years earlier than non-Hispanic White women with lupus. Hispanic and Asian women with lupus are 4 to 6 times more likely to die than the general population. Additionally, African American and Hispanic women tend to develop lupus at a younger age and experience more severe symptoms than other groups.

Jawanna Perine suffered from a variety of pains and discomfort from an early age. It wasn’t until her twenties, after countless diagnoses from arthritis to growing pains, that she was diagnosed with lupus.

“I remember being very young and having these muscle and joint pains and going to the doctor and

Javois

Continued from A8

ment options, leaving many women unable to understand the changes happening in their own bodies – and ill equipped to prepare the generations behind them. If we want healthcare that reflects the spectrum of lived experiences, the research that informs our care must be fully inclusive across these oft-overlooked periods of

Younge Higher Education Campus in East St. Louis. ImpactLife Blood Center, of Earth City, Mo., is co-sponsoring the blood drive with SIUE. Upward Bound programs serve students from East St. Louis, Charter (EC) and Madison, Lovejoy, Cahokia (MLC) high schools. Participants receive instruction in literature, composition and STEM subjects on

earlier onset of menopause, they had a longer menopausal transition, what we often term as the perimenopause, and that their symptoms are different,” Williams said.

She and her cohorts found that Black women experience menopause symptoms longer than white women, an average of 10 years compared to six years. Black Americans are also less likely to receive treatment for their menopause symptoms.

“That is problematic because many of these symptoms are associated with poor health outcomes,” she said.

college campuses after school, on Saturdays and during the summer. The college-preparatory program is designed to serve low-income and/or potential first-generation college students who are currently in grades 9-12.

The activity is student-led, under the direction of Akiya Perry, BSN, RN, UB counselor, tutor and science teacher and blood drive organizer. Students are responsi-

“[Symptoms] can be markers of cardiovascular disease, and we see that there is a disparity in who bears the cardiovascular disease burdens along the lines of race and ethnicity.”

Other Wash U honorees include:

Glenn Conroy Module Leader of the Year: Steven Cheng, MD, professor of medicine.

Jane Phillips-Conroy Professor of the Year: Justin Sadhu, MD, associate professor of medicine.

Thread Leader of the Year: Erika Crouch, MD, PhD, the Carol B. and Jerome T. Loeb Professor of Medical Education in pathology & immunology.

Stanley Lang Teacher of the Year: Jonathan Mullin, MD, associate professor of pediatrics.

Distinguished Service Teaching Awards

this was before like age 10 and [the doctors] not really knowing what was going on,” says Perine.

“Throughout my grade school, middle school, and high school, I wasn’t able to participate in PE, sports, anything because I would have trouble with my legs. But I wasn’t diagnosed with lupus until I was 29, literally months from my 30th birthday.”

“So, all those years prior to that I had pretty much been misdiagnosed,” Perine continued. “It was kind of a bittersweet process because after a while of going to the doctors back and forth and being told that it’s arthritis or this or that and I remember in high school like for years they told me that it was just growing pains.”

According to experts, when people talk about lupus, they’re usually talking about systemic lupus. But there are four kinds of lupus: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the most common form of lupus; Cutaneous lupus, a form of lupus that is limited to the skin; Drug-induced lupus, a lupus-like disease caused by certain prescription drugs; Neonatal lupus, a rare condition that affects infants of women who have lupus.

Research shows Black patients with SLE are less

life. We demand that those institutions that brag about valuing translational science that exists to, “bring more and better treatments to all people quickly,” take a hard look in the mirror. The flaw in the translational science model is that it centers the institution as savior, teeming with people who are trained to extract science from the context of humanity. And this amalgam will somehow lead us to quality results in community.

ble for organizing, implementing and participating in the blood drive.

“At its core, the blood drive is aimed to alleviate healthcare disparities by ensuring a reliable blood supply for local hospitals and clinics,” said Perry.

“I recognize that many residents face barriers to accessing essential medical resources, including blood products crucial for surgeries, emergencies and ongoing treatments.

Inclusion: Dennis Chang, MD, associate professor of medicine

Research: Simon Haroutounian, PhD, associate professor of anesthesiology, director of the Division of Clinical and Translational Research, and chief of clinical pain research at the Washington University Pain Center.

Creativity: Allyson Zazulia, MD, professor of neurology and associate dean for Continuing Medical Education.

Critical Thinking: Amjad Musleh, MD, assistant professor of anesthesiology.

Diversity: Nigar Kirmani, MD, professor of medicine.

We hope to directly contribute to meeting these urgent healthcare needs by hosting this blood drive within the community.”

During UB’s summer program, students learned about the properties of blood, the cardiovascular system, the importance of blood collection and the donation process.

Students also visited the ImpactLife headquarters to learn how blood is pro-

Clinical Care: Tim Yau, MD, associate professor of medicine.

Phase Two Awards

Clerkship of the Year: Surgery.

Clerkship Administrator of the Year: Christine McIntosh, neurology medical student education coordinator.

Clinical Educator of the Year: Amanda Zofkie, MD, assistant professor of obstetrics & gynecology, attending.

Clinical Educator of the Year: Chris Noda, MD, general surgery resident.

Distinguished Service Teaching Awards

likely than White patients to receive standard-of-care vaccine recommendations from their physicians, despite higher risks for serious infections and acute care use for vaccinepreventable illnesses. The disproportionate burden of current individuals with SLE accentuates the importance of working to improve avoidable diseases

This is preposterous and insulting.

Translational science must begin with, weave through, and return to us. In my vision, ivory towers crumble and ebony community hubs of ingenuity and life force take their place. Ebony community hubs will see us in our wholeness at every stage and age; respect and integrate ancient wisdom with fresh medicine; and embed cultural humility knowing that we are inviting healing through the

and illnesses.

According to a report by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), “Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease,” according to the NIH.

“The complex relationships between race, ethnicity, and social determinants of health

hands of people who see themselves as healers and who enter the most sacred and often scariest times in our lives because of the level of unknown in the journey. We lift the arduous work of women legislators who are behind the beginnings of a larger movement at a national level to increase funding for menopause research and education for caregivers. Separately, the federal government recently called on Congress to

cessed after collection.

“Through these efforts, we aim to cultivate a culture of health and wellness within East St. Louis and encourage ongoing participation in healthcare initiatives,” Perry said.

Blood donors can earn a $20 gift certificate. To sign up to donate for the blood drive or for more information, contact Perry at akperry@siue.edu.

Inclusion:

• Brad Warner, MD, the Jessie L. Ternberg, MD, PhD Distinguished Professor of Pediatric Surgery, attending.

• Paul Kepper, MD, general surgery resident.

Diversity:

• Jennifer A. Mitchell, MD, assistant professor of obstetrics & gynecology, attending.

• Caroline Min, MD, obstetrics & gynecology resident.

Clinical Care:

• Cheryl McDonough, MD, assistant professor of medicine, attending.

• Katharine Caldwell, MD, general surgery chief resident.

• Gabriel Vazquez Velez, MD, PhD, neurology resident.

unemployment, and food insecurity, as well as features of the neighborhood and built environment, including lack of safe and affordable housing, crime, stress, racial segregation, and discrimination, are associated with race and ethnicity in the US and are risk factors for poor outcomes in lupus,” the NIH report continued. Anyone can develop lupus, but certain groups are at higher risk. This includes women ages 15 to 44, and certain racial or ethnic groups such as African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic/ Latino individuals, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders. Lupus is also hereditary, and those with a family member who has lupus or another autoimmune disease are at an increased risk.

(SDOH) in influencing SLE and its course are increasingly appreciated. Multiple SDOH have been strongly associated with lupus incidence and outcomes and contribute to health disparities in lupus.”

“Measures of socioeconomic status, including economic instability, poverty,

make a transformative investment of $12 billion in funding for women’s health research that would address a woman’s full lifespan. Women are at the forefront of these conversations in government and popular culture, with many making the choice to be radically honest and open about their experiences and pushing us all to destigmatize the lived experiences of navigating reproductive health while aging. Despite the progress,

“I know that disease does not discriminate,” says Perine. “But for some reason, the medical field measures through the disparities and even though men, women, because disease doesn’t discriminate, everybody is susceptible to lupus. But for some reason, Black people, Latino people, Asian people seem to contract it more than any other.”

there is always more work. This is my outcry to readers to hold accountable academic institutions, healthcare systems, and those who make their livelihoods off the experimentation and study of the psychological and physical distress of women to live up to their code of ethics and make good on our social contract as a moral imperative.

Bethany Johnson-Javois is Deaconess Foundation president and CEO

Business sPotlight

JULY 11 – 17, 2024

Microenterprise program helps Sistas’ Pop culture success

By Ashley Winters St. Louis American

Uniti Hicks knew her show-stopping recipe for buttery toffee popcorn was destined to be her gateway to success. After all, she says her popcorn is blended like no other. The one thing still missing, though, was the legal knowledge necessary for her Sistas’ Pop Gourmet Butter Toffee Popcorn to become a profitable, thriving business. That legal moxie was waiting nearby in the form of Marlene Elliot, managing attorney for the Legal Services of Eastern Missouri (LSEM), Community Economic Development (CED) Microenterprise Program.

“It makes me feel good that I can

n “[M]any low-income entrepreneurs start with a small pot of

– Marlene Elliot

reach out to them for their assistance,” Hicks said, praising the program and Elliot, who she considers a sister.

Innovative service provided at no charge by Legal Services of Eastern Missouri helps aspiring, low-income entrepreneurs gain the knowledge and resources they need to succeed.

CED Microenterprise helps clients to better understand core legal needs and how to expand their business. The

COVID-19 pandemic forced more people to work from home, and many are still doing that today. LSEM has seen interest from people wanting to start their own businesses, and the CED Microenterprise Program provides the necessary services for them to chase their dreams.

LSEM’s Community Economic Development (CED) Microenterprise Program was created in 2011 to provide legal services and education to aspiring entrepreneurs with limited capital to invest and to nonprofits that serve the low-income community. The goal is removing legal barriers while helping these businesses avoid the pitfalls that can hinder growth.

The CED Microenterprise Program

June jobs report a positive jolt for Biden campaign

Economy adds 206K jobs last month

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire

A recurring theme from supporters of President Joe Biden since the debate debacle has remained:

“Look at my record.”

Biden himself said, “I know how to do this job.” The latest jobs report has shown that the BidenHarris administration has been as effective as any other in American history.

According to the Labor Department’s report on July 5, 2024, the American labor market produced another solid month of employment gains in June. The economy added 206,000 jobs, while the unemployment rate edged up to 4.1% from 4% the previous month. This marks the 42nd consecutive month of job growth, with teen employment also reaching new heights. In June, 37.3 percent of 16-to-19-year-olds were employed, the highest rate for that month since 2007.

Addressing the latest figures,

Dr. Eddie McCaskill of Fathers and Families Support Center will be conducting a workshop on July 17, 2024, at the

Hughes new Behavioral Health Response exec

Robert Hughes

Robert Hughes is joining Behavioral Health Response (BHR) as chief business development officer. Hughes brings a wealth of experience and commitment to BHR where he will lead marketing, communications, and fundraising to increase the efforts in advocacy of mental health support. His responsibilities include enhancing the organization’s ability to deliver mental health services and making a significant difference in the lives of children, marginalized individuals, and veterans. According to BHR his role is “pivotal in fostering a healthier, more supportive environment for all.”

Moore, Isom join Chancellor’s Council

Evelyn Bailey Moore and Dan Isom have been welcomed by University of Missouri-St. Louis Chancellor Kristin Sobolik as members to the UMSL Chancellor’s Council.

Moore, who earned her BS in electrical engineering in 2003 at UMSL, oversees 700 engineers at Boeing, where she’s the F/A-18 and EA-18G director of engineering and chief engineer, along with serving as vice president and program manager for T-7A Red Hawk Advanced Pilot Training Systems and T-7 programs for Boeing’s Air Dominance Division. Moore also led the development of a warfare upgrade program for more than 400 F-15 aircraft and was a design engineer on the world’s fastest tactical fighter mission computer on the F-15.

Isom earned a BS, an MA, and a PhD from UMSL’s Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice. He currently serves as the vice president of corporate safety, security and crisis management at Ameren. Isom spent 25 years with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, rising through the ranks to become the city’s 33rd chief of police in October 2008. He held that post until his retirement in 2013. After he retired, he returned to his alma mater and served as the E. Desmond Lee Professor of Policing and the Community.

Dr. Eddie McCaskill

Marlene Elliott, left, LSEM managing attorney, CED Microenterprise Program is pictured with Uniti Hicks, owner of Sistas’ Pop at her North County basemant operation.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

See SISTAS, B2

Photo by Lauren Sausser / KFF Health News

Dan Isom

Jerrian Reedy (left), a student at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, assists Dorothy Gray, a student at Northside High School in the Mississippi Delta, as she practices intubation in a simulation lab. Gray, who is interested in pursuing a career in the mental health care field, would be entering a field that

jobs to the American economy in June, and is a national leader in

Evelyn Bailey Moore

Jobs

Continued from B1

and more Americans are joining the workforce, with the highest share of working-age Americans in the workforce in over 20 years.”

The unemployment rate for women in white, Black and Hispanic racial groups rose in June in line with the overall trend, according to the Labor Department.

The rate fell to 3.2% from 3.4% for white males, while falling to 4.2% from 4.7% for Hispanic men. Jobless rates also declined to 6.1% from 6.4% for Black men, although the category still has the highest unemployment rates among all the demographic groups.

Though the unemployment rate slightly increased, economists suggest this may not indicate a downturn. Tom Simons, a U.S. economist at Jefferies, noted to reporters, “Rather than indicating a big decline in labor market demand, we view this data as a sign that workers themselves have better opportunities for full-time employment such that they do not have to go to a temp agency.”

Sistas

The broader unemployment rate, which includes discouraged workers and those working part-time for economic reasons, held steady at 7.4 percent. Household employment, used to calculate the unemployment rate, rose by 116,000. However, the household survey also showed a decrease of

28,000 full-time workers and an increase of 50,000 part-time workers.

Nonfarm payrolls increased by 206,000 for the month, surpassing the Dow Jones forecast of 200,000, though it was below the revised gain of 218,000 in May. David Russell, global head of market strategy at TradeStation, commented on the data to CNBC,

saying, “The job market is bending without yet breaking, which boosts the argument for rate cuts. Things are not too hot and not too cold. Goldilocks is here, and September is in play” for a Fed rate cut. Government employment has nearly returned to its pre-pandemic level and trend, adding to the overall positive outlook. Despite these gains,

President Biden acknowledged ongoing challenges. “Too many Americans are still feeling squeezed by the cost of living,” he said. “I’m fighting to lower costs by taking on corporate price gouging, capping the cost of insulin and prescription drugs, and calling on Congress to lower rent by building 2 million new homes.” Biden contrasted

his administration’s efforts with those of Congressional Republicans, asserting that their policies would “supercharge inflation” and impose high tariffs, costing middle-class families thousands of dollars annually. “While they fight for Park Avenue, I’ll keep fighting for working families like the ones I grew up with in Scranton,” Biden concluded.

“That’s our goal; we want to see the entrepreneurs succeed … direct their own lives,” said Elliot.

That formula works for Hicks, who said she prides herself in using 100% butter, freeze-dried fruit and protein like strawberries and bacon for her popcorn recipes. The STL Mix is cheddar, 100% butter, and toffee. The Banana

Continued from B1 works with a network of pro bono attorneys across the St. Louis region who specialize in corporate and intellectual property law. The program offers a wide range of legal services from entity formation to drafting contracts to assisting with trademark and copyright applications. The attorneys ensure that the entrepreneurs know their rights and legal options to better position themselves to choose the best paths for their businesses.

Split popcorn is filled with freeze-dried strawberries, bananas, pineapples, and 100% buttered popcorn.

Getting the help she needed was just a phone call away. “To get the services I needed was very accessible,” Hicks said. “They helped me with reading over contracts and making sure my LLC was in order. I especially like that this all was free.”

The Microenterprise program is divided into three to six virtual legal clinics a month. Elliot has

helped formulate ideas, read over corporation documents, and draft contracts for the entrepreneurs.

“I like being here as a resource,” Elliot said.

In a previous interview, Elliot said she joined the program in 2022. She describes the work she does to help others as “really great.” The attorney wears multiple hats, assisting with community outreach, fundraising for the microenterprise program, and lastly, she’s a connector. “Even if we

can’t help people with what they need. We try to get them the proper services they need,” said Elliot.

In that interview, she said many low-income entrepreneurs start with a small pot of money, making it difficult for them to pay rent, utilities and other expenses. “It’s not easy to get access to a business loan or assistance to help start up a business,” she said.

Some entrepreneurs joined the program because they needed legal advice to get their products patented, while others needed to find an avenue to get connected to the right people.

“We try to level the playing field,” Elliot said.

“Information can be free, and I’m getting that information to the people who don’t have access to it.”

For more information, visit www.lsem.org

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

n “I’m just trying to be consistent for my teammates.”

–Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese after posting WNBA record 13th consecutive double-double

prEp SportS NotEbook

By Earl Austin Jr.

Prep Year in Review

STL tallies titles, record win streaks, player excellence

To say the 2023-24 year of high school sports was tremendous in the St. Louis metropolitan area would be an understatement.

The area produced a multitude of sparkling individual performances and state championship teams throughout the year. As we move into the summer months, it is time to take a look back at a great high school season in our annual St. Louis American Prep Year in Review.

Cardinal Ritter

Dominance: Cardinal Ritter College Prep continued its tremendous run of excellence across the board as it won state championships in football, boys basketball and girls track and field. After winning the Class 3 state title in football last year, the Lions jumped up to Class 5. It mattered little as Ritter dominated the competition all season, culminating in a victory over Republic in the state championship game.

In basketball, the Lions won the Class 6 state championship after winning the Class 3 state title in 2020 and Class 5 state titles in 2021 and 2023. The Lions rode a fantastic senior class to back to back state titles, led by Clayton Jackson, Quenton Parker and Nashawn Davis.

The spring belonged to the girls track team as they continued its dynasty with its fourth consecutive state championship. The

Lions scored more than 100 points as they ran away with the Class 5 state crown. Ritter’s star-studded lineup dominated in the sprints, hurdles, relays and jumps at the state meet. Senior sprinter Aniyah Brown concluded her brilliant four-year career with the Lions.

V, Get Ready To Roll:

The Vashon Wolverines continued its boys basketball dynasty by winning its fourth consecutive Class 4 state championship in March. The Wolverines defeated John Burroughs 68-37 in an All-St. Louis state championship game. Vashon was led by senior forward Nassir Binion, along with talented juniors Nicholas Randall, Trey Williams and Christian Williams. During the spring, head coach Tony Irons made news when he was named the head coach at Mineral Area College in Park Hills, MO, thus bringing an end to his incredible run at Vashon as its head coach.

The Streak: The incredible winning streak of the Incarnate Word Red Knights continued for another year en route to their seventh consecutive state championship. IWA defeated Kickapoo for the Class 6 state championship, while running its state-record winning streak to 134 games. Senior standout Kaylynn Janes finished her high school career without ever losing a game at IWA. Senior Zoe Best and juniors Nevaeh Caffey and Peyton Hill were also top standouts for the Red Knights.

DeSmet Scorches the Nets: The DeSmet

Vashon forward Jordyn Richard (21) going up for two points during the Class 4 quarterfinal game against Mexico at Vashon High Sat. Mar. 9, 2024. Vashon won state titles in football, boys basketball and girls track and field during the 2023-24 school year.

Spartans won the Class 5 state championship in boys basketball. It was the Spartans’ first state championship in 25 years. DeSmet won the state crown with a blistering perimeter shooting attack from 3-point territory. The Spartans were on fire from 3-point range in their Final Four victories against Winnetonka and Jefferson City.

IL. Edwardsville won the Class 3 state championship while East St. Louis brought home the Class 2 state championship trophy. Edwardsville was led by star triple jumper Malik Allen, who won the triple jump by eclipsing the magical mark of 50 feet.

JBS Girls Do it Again: The John Burroughs Bombers girls’ basketball team won its second state championship in three years. The Bombers defeated defending state champion Lutheran-St. Charles in an All-St. Louis Class 5 state final. JBS was led by its outstanding senior duo of Allie Turner and Monet Witherspoon along with talented underclassmen BreAunna Ward and Moriyah Douglass.

Lift for Life Girls

Bring it Home: Lift for Life Academy brought home its second state championship in girls basketball in March. The Hawks defeated Park Hills Central to win the Class 4 state championship. Lift for Life won the state title with an exciting brand of up-tempo basketball that featured a stable of talented guards in sophomores Zha Harris, Diamond Polk and freshmen twins Amaya and Cara Manuel.

SportS EyE

Reid

With Alvin A.

Metro East Double Champions: The Southwestern Conference produced two state championships at the IHSA state track and field championships in Charleston,

Ladue Doubles Up in Track: The Ladue Rams had a double dose of state championship glory this spring as their boys and girls both won Class 4 state titles. These two programs have been fielding excellent track and field teams for many years, but this is the first time that both have won state titles in the same season.

IWA Girls Track makes history: The Incarnate Word Red Knights brought home a state championship trophy for the first time by winning the Class 3 state crown. IWA was led by senior Kamari Brown in the throws and freshman Bailey Hensgens in the jumps.

Lewis Hamilton notches hallmark victory at Silverstone

As the sky drew dark and rain began falling on the British Grand Prix, F1 driver Lewis Hamilton lost his pole position lead on a Silverstone circuit straightaway that just so happens to carry the name Lewis Hamilton Straight. It is the only part of an F1 racecourse named after a driver. It is considered Hamilton’s home race circuit and he had won the British Grand Prix eight times at the location. Hamilton used his skill, wit, and fortitude to regain the lead and win a record ninth time at Silverstone. No F1 driver has won as many races on a circuit course.

when Hamilton last won in Saudi Arabia in 2021.

As Sky Sports commentators said several times, “this is a racer’s race.” And Hamilton displayed what has made him arguably the best F1 racer in history.

A tearful Hamilton hugged his father, saluted the crowd with a Union Jack draped around his shoulders and savored the win that came after 945 days and two-and-a-half F1 seasons.

The world was still in the grasp of the pandemic

He glided by Lando Norris during a final pit stop when he persuaded his Mercedes team to switch from intermediate to soft tires. His nemesis Max Verstappen, who only won the 2021 Driver’s Title over Hamilton because of an incorrect race steward decision on the final laps of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, was hot on Hamilton’s tail. It was in vain. Hamilton had his victory in the final event at Silverstone before he moves from Mercedes to Ferrari.

“When I came across that line, something released in me that I guess I’ve been holding on to

for a long time,” Hamilton said following the race.

“It was the most emotional end to a win that I’ve ever experienced. I’ve always wondered why I never cry, and I always thought I guess it doesn’t happen to me, but it hit me hard this time.”

Hamilton admitted that the drought in wins that began after the shocking disappointment in 2021 led to “just so many thoughts

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain celebrates on the podium after winning the British Formula One Grand Prix race at the Silverstone racetrack for the 9th time, Silverstone, England, Sunday, July 7, 2024.

and so many doubts in my mind along the way, to the point of, at times wanting to not continue.”

Mercedes struggled as Verstappen’s Red Bull team became dominant. Hamilton kept pushing, even with the knowledge he was departing for Ferrari.

“To arrive and to continue to get up and to continue to try and to finally succeed, is honestly

the greatest feeling I can remember having,” he said.

In winning the race

Hamilton also:

-Captured the 104th win of his F1 career with his first win coming 17 years ago with McLaren.

-Became the first F1 driver to win a race after his 300th Grand Prix start.

It was Hamilton’s 344th race.

-At 39 years and 182 days old Hamilton became the oldest driver to win a race in the 21st Century.

Hamilton said he will be “forever grateful” to Mercedes, adding that he can see his team winning again before he changes lanes to Ferrari.

“Not leaving on a low, but leaving on a high, which has been our goal.”

The Reid Roundup

Biniam Girmay of Eritrea won his second stage at the Tour de France on July 6 making history – again. Girmay became the first Black

rider to win a Tour de France stage earlier last week…During his introductory press conference, Bronny James said “I earned” his being drafted into the NBA…Masyn Winn, St. Louis Cardinals shortstop, is one of the notable snubs for the AllStar Game. Trea Turner who was injured and does not have enough at-bats to qualify for the batting title, was voted by fans as the starter…New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge is the only Black player elected by fans to start the All-Star Game on July 16 in Arlington, Texas. Marcus Simien of the Texas Rangers in the American League, Mookie Betts of the L.A. Dodgers and C.J. Abrams of the Washington Nationals in the NL are reserves on the team. Betts will not play because of an injury which could possibly create a spot for Winn. There are no Black pitchers on either team’s roster.

Earl Austin Jr.

Alvin A. Reid

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Photo courtesy of the AP

County Port Authority loan to anchor A Red Circle Nexus project

Williams.

The North County Community Nexus project includes renovation of an existing 43,000-square-foot strip mall and two-story office building located at 9300 Lewis and Clark Blvd. It was purchased by the nonprofit in March 2023 and is scheduled for completion in 2025.

St. Louis American

The St. Louis County Port Authority has awarded a $200,000 grant to A Red Circle to finance architectural expenses for its North County Community Nexus project.

The initiative includes renovation of an existing 43,000-square-foot strip mall and two-story office building located at 9300

Central Baptist Church, where Reverend Anthony L. Riley is senior pastor, earthday365 and Metropolitan Congregations United are partnering for a series of Environmental Justice Days of Action community clean-up events.

“We will build community outside the

Lewis and Clark Blvd. It was purchased in March 2023 and is scheduled for completion in 2025.

A Red Circle is one of 21 recipients serving St. Louis County and the region to receive a grant. According to the St. Louis County Port Authority, the grant’s goal is to fund community development projects that train

people to improve their employment opportunities, create new jobs, and redevelop areas in St. Louis County to improve economic conditions.

The Nexus will consolidate A Red Circle’s headquarters, a community-owned grocery store, the Learning and Opportunity Center, a bistro, a demonstration garden, and options available

for rent including a storage shed with communal farm equipment, cold storage so farmers can preserve their crops, a commercial kitchen, and office space for health providers to use with clients.

“Nexus is meant to be a multifaceted center addressing food insecurity and so much more,” said A Red Circle Founder and Executive Director Erica

“This funding enables us to move forward with a transformative project that will revitalize our region and foster economic growth.”

Founded in 2017, A Red Circle is dedicated to the advancement of racial equity in North St. Louis County through “education, employment, and empowerment,” according to Williams. A Red Circle has four Missouri locations – Healthy Flavor Community Garden in Riverview, North County Agricultural Education Center in Pine Lawn, The Creative Spot in Ferguson, and North County Community Nexus in Bellefontaine.

Community clean-up events begin July 20

church walls by engaging with our neighbors, by cleaning-up the surrounding neighborhood, and by advocating for environmental justice,” said Rev. Anthony L. Riley, Central Baptist senior pastor.

The partners will host a cleanup beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday, July 20,

2024. Volunteers should meet at Central Baptist Church’s Central Gardens at the corner of Reverend T.E. Huntley Avenue at Olive Street.

Food produced from Central Gardens goes toward feeding unhoused individuals and families suffering food insecurity. earthday365 holds

an annual Earth Day Festival where it connects with community and partnering organizations to create events for volunteers to engage and act. MCU is a faith and member-based nonprofit organization that brings stakeholders together to advocate for social justice. Comprised of

community leaders and congregations, MCU puts faith into action while promoting social justice and community empowerment in St. Louis. Central Baptist, which was established in 1846 by 23 free-born and enslaved Africans, first collaborated with MCU in 2022, for the Air

Movement initiated by AirWatch St. Louis to help to fill the air quality data gap throughout the region by addressing air quality concerns to public health. To register for the event, please visit https:// mcustlouis.org/

courtesy of A Red Circle

Living It

Fun under the Big Top

2nd

Annual STL FEST help bring back positivity and solutions that impact underserved communities

By Ashley Winters

The St. Louis American

The 2nd Annual STL FEST, a two-part festival at the Big Top on Washington Avenue in Grand Center, is all about St. Louis and continued its meteoric rise in popularity.

The event which celebrates Black culture and community was held on Sunday, July 7 and the free block party featured Black-owned vendors, food trucks, the Annie Malone youth zone, live music, and a car row presented by Rides N’ School Supplies.

“The inspiration behind STL FEST stems from all of our experiences growing up here. Our neighborhoods, creativity, schools, sports, food, etc. Teen parties, city anthems (songs),” said Sierra Brown,

production/stage manager for the festival.

The most important factor at the festival is to make sure Black St. Louis is represented in the best way possible. The goal of the festival is to help bring back positivity and solutions to challenges that impact underserved communities. Brown remembers growing up when St. Louis had teen nights, and more families were

Above: Murphy Lee and Shorty AKA Reggie Son (one of the founders of STL FEST) on stage at the annual STL FEST at the Big Top, Sunday, July 7.

Left: Rapper Yung Joc performing at the STL FEST.

“I’m happy that we found our way and the audience is now finding it.”

- Executive producer and star

Ernie Hudson on BET show

“The Family Business

Taylor made talent

Young

singer

makes

history at Busch Stadium with her amazing voice

Devored A. Horton Jr. St. Louis American

involved in the lives of young people. She hopes the festival will revamp and keep that tradition going. Brown believes St. Louis is filled with talented individuals, saying, “We have to make sure we showcase that and show

See STL FEST, C8

Terisa Griffin’s gift keeps giving

Morgan Taylor stood alone at a microphone as she began singing on the field at Busch Stadium on June 23, 2024.

She now stands alone in history as the first person to sing the Black National Anthem at the home of the St. Louis Cardinals. The 21-year-old vocalist performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing” before a game against the San Francisco Giants as part of the Cardinal’s Juneteenth celebration.

Taylor’s show-stopping performances at other events paved the way for her to make history.

By Kenya Vaughn

The St. Louis American

Singer/songwriter Terisa Griffin often speaks of her love for “our babies” as the motivation behind her Better Love Yourself Foundation. The incoming college freshmen who will be gifted with a trunk full of college/dorm essentials next weekend were literally babies when the national recording artist first included St. Louis among the select cities that host its signature event.

Next Sunday (July 21), Better Love Yourself Foundation’s Trunk Event and Pep Rally for Education returns to The Missouri History Museum for year 17.

“I fell in love with St. Louis – the food and the people,” Griffin said. “They get my music and my Southern style. And St. Louis is one of the places where kids need a lot of assistance and don’t always get the assistance that they need.”

A total of 50 students from the St.

Louis region will be the most recent benefactors of the Better Love Yourself Foundation as they enter the next chapter in their educational journey. They join hundreds of past local recipients and thousands across the country whom Griffin has served through her foundation over the past two decades. She remembered the feeling of love and support she felt when she was surprised with a trunk in her native Monroe, Louisiana. “When I left for college, I had no idea what to expect,” Griffin told The American in 2011. “But because of my trunk, I knew I was blessed and I wanted

National recording artist Terisa Griffin will bring her Better Love Yourself Foundation back to St. Louis for the 17th year to help usher students off to college with love and support on Sunday, July 21.

Courtesy photo

n “I realized I wanted to sing when I was nine years old,” Taylor said. “I started off singing in church, then I released my first gospel EP called ‘Yes Jesus Loves Me’ at 11 years old.”

- Morgan Taylor

“One of the ladies from the Cardinals organization heard me singing at the Deluxe Magazine Gala during Christmas time,” Taylor said.

“She heard me singing ‘O’ Holy Night’ and she asked one of my family members if I could sing at the Cardinal’s game and she had mentioned to the owner she would want someone to sing the Black National Anthem.”

Performing in front of Major League Baseball fans stirred her nerves before she took the field, Taylor said.

to give someone else that blessing.”

Griffin was blown away by the 13-inch black-and-white television that was given to her in the trunk just before she began her studies at Northeastern Louisiana University – where she received a scholarship to study music.

“My father was a minister, and the women in my church put together a trunk with all of these items that I wouldn’t have had sense enough to fill it with,” Griffin said. “It let me know that some-

“I was definitely nervous because I did not know what the response from the audience was going to be like,” she said. “I did notice a lot of people didn’t know the anthem when I was singing it, but it ended up being a really great experience and I got really good feedback.”

Taylor, a St. Louis native entering her senior year at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass., is studying pro music with concentrations on music business and performance. She said she fell in love with singing at an early age.

“I realized I wanted to sing when I was nine years old,” Taylor said. “I started off singing in church, then I released my first gospel EP called ‘Yes Jesus Loves

Photos by Taylor Marrie St. Louis American

Photo courtesy of Morgan Taylor Morgan Taylor stands alone in history as the first person to sing the Black National Anthem at Busch Stadium.

CONCERTS

AND LIVE SHOWS

A Call to Coscience Presents

“Live at Club Riviera”

7/12/2024 7 p.m.

7/13/2024 7 p.m.

Directed by Thomasina Clarke,

“Live At The Club Riviera”

features The Point of View Jazz Ensemble & The North County Big Band under the direction of Harvey Lockhart, with Choreography by Vivian Watt. It’s a landmark portrait of one of the most significant yet, scarcely documented, entertainment venues in St. Louis history. Rivaling the Cotton Club in Harlem; Club Riviera was the largest black owned nightclub in Missouri. The Church 1407 N. Taylor St. Louis, MO $15

The Ninguid Records Music Festival 2-Day Pass

7/12/2024 7 p.m.

7/13/2024 7 p.m.

General admission event: All ages GA: Seating not guaranteed $2 minor surcharge at doors (under 21/cash only) All tickets carry fees. Tickets purchased with cash will be discounted to face value. There is a delivery delay in place 72 hours prior to the event date.

Blueberry Hill Duck Room 6504 Delmar Blvd St. Louis, MO $30

“A Night of Nostalgia”

7/14/2024 7:30 p.m.

The Gateway Festival Orchestra and Guest Conductor Leon Burke III invite you to “A Night of Nostagia”, a blend of classical masterpieces and

STL Sites & Sounds

timeless favorites. Enjoy the grandeur of Glinka’s Ruslan and Ludmilla Overture and the haunting beauty of Schubert’s Symphony No. 8 (Unfinished), Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto, Bernstein’s Candide Overture, Anderson’s playful compositions, and Mancini’s iconic theme from Pink Panther. An informal discussion of the evening’s selections, begins in the auditorium at 7:10 p.m. The concert is free. For more information about this and other free concerts go to http://gatewayfestivalorchestra.

org 560 Music Center 560 Trinity Avenue

St. Louis, MO Free

NIGHTLIFE

Stargazing at

Tower Grove Park 7/13/2024 7:30 p.m.

Tower Grove Park

4257 Northeast Drive St. Louis, MO

FAIRS FESTIVALS

See STL: Cherokee Street

7/12/2024 10 a.m.

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

Storytelling: July 7/13/2024 10:30 a.m.

Storytelling themes in July include We Are America, I’m From the Lou, Disability Pride Month, Sweet Treats, and Alphabet Adventures! Missouri History Museum 5700 Lindell Blvd St. Louis, MO

Tower Grove Farmers’ Market 7/13/2024 8 a.m.

Tower Grove Park

4257 Northeast Drive St. Louis, MO

LaBute New Theater FestivalSt. Louis Actors’ Studio 7/14/2024 3 p.m. The Gaslight Theater 360 N. Boyle Avenue St. Louis, MO $40

See STL: Kirkwood 7/14/2024 9 a.m.

This tour will begin with Kirkwood’s origins as an affluent city and trace its growth to the 21st century as it evolved into one of St. Louis’s most interesting suburbs. Missouri History Museum 5700 Lindell Blvd St. Louis, MO

COMMUNITY

SciFest: Play and Creativity Expo

7/14/2024, 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Saint Louis Science Center 5050 Oakland Ave St. Louis, MO (314) 289-4400

Free—Free, some activities may require paid tickets

Dr. Gary S. May talk on STEM Education 7/14/2024 2 p.m.

The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), St. Louis Gateway Professionals Chapter, is hosting its 28th Annual Scholars Reception and Awards Program. Washington University St. Louis, Whitaker Hall 1 Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63105.

Religion

A new journey for Pastor Clifford Mayes

By Ashley Winters St. Louis American

Pastor Clifford Mayes was born into a teaching and preaching family in Alabama that helped him gain the vision he needed to navigate clearly the path he’s taken on the spiritual journey that has led him to his new church home – Olivet Missionary Baptist Church.

“(My parents) made sure my sister and I were not involved in anything we shouldn’t be,” said Mayes, who accepted Christ at the age of 6. He said he and his sister had to be home before the streetlights came on, attend revival services and Vacation Bible Study School. Like most kids, he found his parents’ rules annoying but as he matured, he began to feel grateful for their guidance.

The strict rules, he said, prepared him for his role as pastor at Olivet. After a 22-year assignment at Macedonia Baptist Church in Toledo, Ohio, Pastor Mayes said he felt he was being called to lead a new congregation.

“I knew God had another assignment for me,” he said, reminiscing about leaving his church in Ohio. Mayes spent about two years asking God for direction and, after much prayer and divine intervention, God led the pastor to Olivet Missionary Baptist Church in North County. He was elected at the end of 2023, and January 2024 he began his new journey in St. Louis.

At the top of the year, Pastor Mayes took the reins of leadership and hit the ground running, getting to know his congregation and building relationships with his members.

Deacon Chair Allen Bluiett Jr. likes that Pastor Mayes, 51,

is bridging the gap between the diverse age groups within the church. Mayes already has found a natural way to connect with his youthful members by sporting his impressive collection of Air Jordans. “It is nothing for him to challenge one of them to a 3-point shooting contest, Bluiett said. “He wins all the time.”

In the last seven months, the deacon has noticed that Pastor

Mayes is bringing positive change to the church. “He teaches us to focus on worship and God; keep our eyes on God and nothing else,” he said.

Joyce Rogers, administrative assistant to Pastor Mayes, said his sermons are geared to teaching his members about being righteous believers.

“Pastor Mayes has a wonderful way of bridging the gap

between youth, adults, and seniors.

We had many members who had stopped attending the church, and who have come back. The church is filled each Sunday,” she said.

Sweet home Alabama

Pastor Mayes accepted his

calling to preach at 18 years of age, just two weeks before he graduated from high school. Ministering during his teen years was a stark difference compared to what other teenagers were doing. “The places they were going, I couldn’t go to. The things they were doing, I couldn’t do,” he said, describing the challenges of being a young pastor.

He said he felt isolated and lonely but, in that quiet space, he found himself. “I realized there was a special anointing in my life,” he said. Two years later Mayes was called for his first pastoral ministry in Athens, Ala., at Ebenezer Baptist Church. Over the next three and half years the young minister led a congregation where he was the youngest adult. He learned to listen to the elders and grew the membership from 19 to 125 members. He used sports, especially basketball tournaments, as an evangelistic tool to attract more members.

The children are our future

In 1996 Pastor Mayes was called to pastor a church in Florence, Ala., where he also served as a volunteer youth counselor for misguided juveniles. He taught them better ways to resolve conflicts. Mayes said he believes that children are God’s gift to extend the immortality of a family’s lineage.

“It’s imperative that those who are mature pour into young people,” he said.

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

Photo by Wiley Price I St. Louis American

New Olivet Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Clifford Mayes in the sanctuary of the church Tue. July 2, 2024.

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 apply online and see a full job description go to https://www. developstlouis.org/careers and then click “Open Positions & Apply Online.”

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST FOR OUR SUMMER CAMP

Gene Slay’s Girls & Boys Club seeks a part-time Youth Development Specialist for our Summer Camp. The Youth Development Specialist (YDS) is passionate about working with youth and is responsible for the delivery and implementation of program activities in accordance with the established program plan. The YDS fosters an environment of positive outcomes for youth and promotes the development of academic, physical, intellectual and emotional potential of our members. To be successful in this position, you must possess knowledge of human development and trends in youth development; have 2 – 3 years previous experience working with children and youth in a group setting; high School diploma or equivalency, required; Associates or Bachelor’s Degree in Education, Human Services, Psychology, preferred and have the ability to organize and supervise members in a supportive and safe environment. This position may be financed in part through an allocation of Community Development Block Grant funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the City of St. Louis Community Development Administration. To see the full job posting and submit your resume, visit: https://www.gsgbcstl.org/ job-openings/

FOOD OUTREACH, INC.

Food Outreach is the only nonprofit in the St. Louis region providing Medically Tailored Meals and nutrition services to enhance the quality of life of men, women and children living with HIV or cancer. We are excited to welcome a new team member whose compensation will include platinum health benefits, 10 paid holiday days, paid vacation and sick time, family medical leave and employee/employer-contribution retirement plans. The Nutrition Services Manager is responsible for all aspects of Nutrition Center and Warehouse management, including inventory, ordering, stocking, scanning groceries and accurate data management. In addition, the Nutrition Services Manager trains volunteers and guides proper inventory rotation, sanitation, safety and quality assurance.

Essential Functions:

• Oversee operations of the Nutrition Center and Warehouse.

• Manages inventory, ordering and warehouse functions.

• Maintains adequate supplies of groceries and food products.

• Works closely with vendors for competitive pricing.

• Coordinates stocking of grocery shelves and freezers/ coolers.

• Manages all aspects of the Nutrition Center and Warehouse, including risk management, forklift maintenance, freezers, coolers and nutrition center equipment.

• Performs data entry of inventory.

• Assists with client check-in for Nutrition Center services.

• Manages regular bidding process for groceries and nutrition center repairs.

• Analyzes food cost comparisons.

• Analyzes Nutrition Center and Warehouse maintenance costs.

Position Qualifications:

• Experience in nonprofit, volunteer-supported community organizations.

• Experience in managing staff, volunteers, and vendors.

• Must have inventory management experience.

• Knowledge of computer networking and hardware.

• Familiarity with Access software a plus.

• Available to work or respond to emergencies on short notice and to work some evenings and weekends.

• 3 years of experience in nonprofit setting, management a plus.

Send resume to: joel@foodoutreach.org

EOE M/F/D/V For Full Description and to Apply for these positions Visit: https://www. employmentstl.org/ come-work-with-us Positions include Housing Specialist, DOCY Program Manager, DOCY Youth Specialist, Career Specialist (Missouri and Illinois Locations), WIOA Career Specialist, and Manager of Green Jobs.

DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT

The St. Louis County Library is seeking applicants for a full time Development Assistant. This position is responsible in providing support to the Advancement Team. This position manages the donor database, ensuring donor records are entered and updated properly and responsible for other administrative tasks. A Bachelor’s degree is required. Must possess excellent communication and organizational skills. Salary: $39,758.00 plus paid health insurance and other benefits. Apply online at https://www.slcl.org/ content/employment Equal Opportunity Employer.

EAST ST. LOUIS, ILLINOIS CLOSING DATE: AUGUST 12, 2024

The United States Probation Office for the Southern District of Illinois has a full-time vacancy for a United States Probation Officer. Please visit the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office website at https://www.ilsp.uscourts.gov

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) has openings for multiple positions. To apply online and see a full job description go to https://www. developstlouis.org/careers and click “Open Positions & Apply

JR82275 Medical Assistant II - FPP Ambulatory Cancer Building A Medical Assistant II prepares and maintains exam rooms, prepares charts, obtains reports and records; assists with patient flow and ensures the overall smooth running of the clinical office. They will Interact directly with patients in clinic setting and completes clinical tasks, which may include obtaining vital signs, conducting EKGs, completing a phlebotomy, and verifying medications. Also, prepares for office hours by doing tasks, such as obtaining charts, scheduling tests, and preparing exam rooms, assists with examinations, procedures and lab tests. An MA II may assist with renewal and authorization of non-narcotic medications per standing orders and department guidelines. They may also administer medications under the order of physicians or nurse practitioner (this includes vaccines and intramuscular and subcutaneous injections).

***Must obtain Basic Life Support Certification within 30 days of hire and Medical Assistants credentials within six months of hire from in-person proctored exams from the following certifying bodies: NHA, AAMA or AMT. ***

JR82848 Facilities Maintenance Technician III - OFMD (Evergreen)

Acts as primary Building Services contact for assigned areas, prioritizing work and making an initial assessment of conditions and service needs. Keeps Building Services supervisors aware of facility conditions, problems, and needs. Maintains effective communication with other Facility Maintenance Coordinators and other maintenance staff. The ideal candidate will meet the following required qualifications: High school diploma or equivalent high school certification. Three years of related experience in a skilled trade function or an equivalent combination of relevant education and work experience. Must obtain Valid Missouri Class E or Illinois Class D Driver’s license within 30 days of hire. Please visit jobs.wustl.edu for the full job description and to apply.

JR82871 Field Education/Practicum Coordinator - Brown School

The position will coordinate all administrative needs of the Assistant Dean of Field Education. This position coordinates the daily operations of OFE departmental projects. The role oversees, directs, and/or coordinates administrative, financial, personnel, and general business operations for the department and provides technical assistance and support to identify the needs and available resources related to projects. The ideal candidate will meet the following required qualifications: Bachelor’s degree and three years related program development, administrative or project management experience or equivalent combination of education/experience. Please visit jobs.wustl.edu for the full job description and to apply.

JR81562 Facilities Technician III (Controls Technician) - OFMD

The duties of this position include the programming, troubleshooting, and recommissioning of building automation/DDC systems. Assists in covering the Building Automation Control room as needed. Performs preventive and corrective maintenance, troubleshooting, optimization, and repair of the Building Automation System and DDC equipment. The ideal candidate will meet the following required qualifications: High school diploma or equivalent high school certification. Three years of related experience in a skilled trade function or an equivalent combination of relevant education and work experience. Must obtain Valid Missouri Class E or Illinois Class D Driver’s license within 30 days of hire. Please visit jobs.wustl.edu for the full job description and to apply.

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

Sealed Bids for:

WEST WING AHU REPLACEMENT

ST. LOUIS ART MUSEUM

PROJECT NO. 089369.000

Will be received by the Administration of the St. Louis Art Museum, Owner, at 1 Fine Arts Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63110 at 2:00 p.m. on August 13, 2024. The bids will be privately opened and read.

Electronic copies of the drawings, specifications and other related contract information will be available beginning at noon on July 12, 2024 and may be downloaded at no cost from Dropbox (https://bit.ly/3LdVj2L).

A mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 16, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. on the West Loading Dock, 1 Fine Arts Drive, St. Louis, Missouri.

Questions regarding the scope of work (or difficulty accessing the link above) should be directed, in writing, to Jeff Scott, McClure Engineering, jscott@mcclureeng.com. Questions over the phone will not be accepted.

The Owner reserves the right to waive informalities in bids or to reject any and all bids.

Construction Estimate: $3,250,000

SOLICITING BIDS

Great Rivers Greenway is soliciting bids for Kiener Plaza Playground Equipment Installation. Go to www. greatriversgreenway. org/jobs-bids and submit by July 30, 2024.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

SLATE is excited to release three new Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to enhance the St. Louis community. We invite entities with expertise and demonstrated experience in seeking out and applying for federal, state, and local funding opportunities to support our organization’s needs, goals, programs, and services.

1. Marketing and Branding Consulting Services Closes: 07/12/2024, 4:00 PM

2. Operation Brightside: Unhoused Edition Closes: 07/19/2024, 4:00 PM

3. Grant Writing Services Closes: 08/02/2024, 4:00 PM

How to Submit Your Proposal:

• Follow the RFP requirements.

• Submit by the closing date to slaterfp@stlworks.com and 1520 Market St, 3rd Floor, St. Louis, MO 63103.

• For detailed RFP documents, visit our website at https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/ government/departments/slate/ about-us/rfp.cfm

SOLICITING BIDS

C. Rallo Contracting Co. is soliciting bids from MBE, SDVE, WBE & DBE firms for Middlebrush Farm – NextGen Center for Influenza Research – Phase II. C. Rallo has goals of 10% MBE, 3% SDVE, 10% Combined WBE, DBE, Veteran Owned Business for this project. Please contact Mark Haynes with any questions or if you need assistance accessing bid documents. Contact: Mark Haynes 314-633-9703 markh@crallo.com

Website:www.crallo.com

REQUEST FOR PUBLIC COMMENT/NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING

East-West Gateway Council of Governments (EWG) seeks comment on amendments to Connected2050, the St. Louis Region’s long-range transportation plan, including the FY 2025-2028 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and related Air Quality Conformity Document. The comment period will also satisfy Madison County Transit District’s and Metro’s public hearing and program of projects requirement of the Federal Transit Administration Sections 5307, 5309, 5310, 5337, and 5339 programs in the St. Louis Region.

The public comment period begins Friday, 6/28/24, and ends Thursday, 8/1/24. The documents, comment forms, and a summary of the documents will be available on EWG’s website at www. ewgateway.org. Throughout the comment period, EWG staff will answer questions on the documents. Comments or questions must be received or postmarked by midnight, Thursday, 8/1/24. Send comments via the comment form on the website, by email to TIP@ ewgateway.org, or by mail to East-West Gateway Council of Governments, Attn: TIP, 1 S. Memorial Drive, Ste. 1600, St. Louis, MO 63102.

The public is also invited to view these documents and supporting materials at a series of open house meetings. Dates and locations are listed below. Each meeting will be held between 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

• Tuesday, 7/9/24 – Delmar Divine (Conference Room 2), 5501 Delmar Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63112

• Wednesday, 7/11/24 – Scenic Regional Library – Pacific Branch, 111 Lamar Pkwy, Pacific, MO 63069.

• Monday, 7/15/24 – Arnold Rec Center, 1695 Missouri State Rd, Arnold, MO 63010.

• Tuesday, 7/16/24 – Creve Coeur City Hall (Multipurpose Room), 300 N. New Ballas Rd, Creve Coeur, MO 63141.

• Wednesday, 7/17/23 – IDOT District 8 (Regional Room), 1102 Eastport Plaza Dr, Collinsville, IL 62234.

• Thursday, 7/18/24 – Wentzville City Hall, 1001 Schroeder Creek Dr, Wentzville, MO 63385.

EWG is committed to ensuring that all meetings are both ADA and LEP accessible. To request a reasonable accommodation for the open house meetings please contact EWG’s Title VI Coordinator at least 48 business hours prior to an open house meeting at (314) 421-4220 or (618) 274-2750 or titlevi@ewgateway.org

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.

2025 SAINT LOUIS ZOO CALENDAR RFP

The Saint Louis Zoo seeks bids from qualified firms to submit proposals. Bid documents are available as of 7/10/24 on the Saint Louis Zoo website: stlzoo.org/vendor

HERPETARIUM EXHIBIT GLASS II RFP 2024

The Saint Louis Zoo seeks bids from qualified firms to submit proposals. Bid documents are available as of 7/10/24 on the Saint Louis Zoo website: stlzoo.org/vendor

NOTICE OF APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM OPEN ENROLLMENT

You may have what it takes to be successful in the construction industry if you are…

- Dependable

- Someone that enjoys hands-on work

- Someone that works well in a team environment

- Someone that is looking for a career with room for growth

- Someone that wants to help build their community

Associated Builders and Contractors Heart of America is accepting applications for its Pipefitting and Plumbing Apprenticeship programs. All programs take place at our Eastern Missouri Training Facility.

To apply you must be 18 years or older, attend a scheduled orientation, and submit an application including the following documents in person: Valid Driver’s License

High School Diploma or Transcripts or a GED Certificate DD214 – Veteran Documentation (if applicable) Please visit www.abcksmo.org for more information and to complete an interest form in your trade of choice. Staff will contact you to schedule a time for you to attend an orientation.

All minorities, including women, are encouraged to apply. The recruitment, selection, employment and training of apprentices during their apprenticeship shall be without discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, creed, disability or sexual orientation. All contractor members are Equal Opportunity Employers.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Donald Maggi Inc. is accepting bids from Disadvantaged Business Enterprises for subcontracting opportunities on project:

Replace 29 Basic Sites with 25 New Premium Sites, Lake of the Ozark State Park, Kaiser MO. Project No.: X2316-01

Bid Date and Time: 1:30 pm July 18, 2024 Plans/Specification is available via Dropbox or google drive or https://missouribuys.mo.gov

Contact Donald Maggi Inc. at 573-364-7733 or email maggiconst@gmail.com Donald Maggi Inc.

St. LouiS american Bids & Public Notices St. LouiS

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The St. Louis County Port Authority requests proposals for an individual or consulting firm to verify, evaluate, and report the performance and impacts of past funded projects. The services shall primarily involve fieldwork to verify and evaluate the impact of projects and shall include multiple written reports to document results as well as a final cumulative report. A copy of the RFP is available at https://stlpartnership.com/ rfp-rfq/. Proposals must be received no later than 3:00 PM on Friday, August 2, 2024. Equal Opportunity Employer

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Construct Bellefontaine Readiness Center, St. Louis, MO, Project No. T2150-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 7/11/24. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http:// oa.mo.gov/ facilities

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Improvements to HVAC, Broadway Building, Jefferson City, MO. Project No. O2324-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, August 1, 2024. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

REQUEST FOR BIDS SIDEWALK REPLACEMENT

The City of Maplewood is accepting bids for sidewalk replacement services throughout the City. Bids must be received in a sealed envelope, marked “Sidewalk Replacement” at Maplewood City Hall, 7601 Manchester Rd. 63143 no later than 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 23, 2024. For specifications, please go to the city’s website at www.cityofmaplewood. com or contact the City of Maplewood at 314-645-3600. The City of Maplewood reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

CONSULTANT TO IMPROVE JAIL HEALTH CARE & MEET NATIONAL COMMISSION ON CORRECTIONAL HEALTH CARE (NCCHC) STANDARDS

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Replace 29 Basic Sites with 25 New Premium Sites at Lake of the Ozarks State Park, Project No. X2316-01, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, July 18, 2024 via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. Project information available at: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

The City of St. Louis Department of Health seeks applications for a consultant to improve jail health care and meet National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) Standards.

Request for Proposal application requirements may be obtained beginning July 2, 2024, by downloading from the City of St. Louis website at www.stlouis-mo.gov/health

The deadline for submitting proposals is July 30, 2024, by 5:00 p.m. to Craig Schmid, 1520 Market Street, Suite 4051, St. Louis, MO 63103. Please see the website for application specifics. Late or incomplete proposals will not be accepted.

The Department of Health reserves the right to reject any, or all responses with or without cause.

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Replace Fire Alarm System, Infrastructure at Chillicothe Correctional Center, Project No. C2326-01, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, August 8, 2024 via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. Project information available at: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Replace Fire Alarm System, Infrastructure at Algoa Correctional Center, Project No. C2315-01, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, July 16, 2024 via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. Project information available at: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

PUBLIC NOTICE

In accordance with Sec. 106 of the Programmatic Agreement, AT&T plans a MODS TO 44’-WOODEN POLE at 1400 SOUTH MCKNIGHT ST LOUIS, MO 63124. Please direct comments to Gavin L. at 818-391-0449 regarding the site MO1558.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING

A virtual public meeting for the Big Bend Boulevard Resurfacing - I-44 to South Elm project, St. Louis County Project No. AR-1851, Federal Project No. STBG-9901(679) will be held on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The goal of this meeting is to inform the public and local stakeholders of St. Louis County’s plans to resurface Big Bend Boulevard and repair and replace curb ramps, existing sidewalk, ensuring they are ADA compliant. Additionally, we will be replacing damaged and deteriorated driveway approaches. A road diet will also be implemented, creating one lane in each direction.

You can dial into this meeting by phone at 1-408-418-9388. Enter the meeting number 26337479944#, then enter the numeric password 1234#.

The following QR code will link to the in-person meeting information on the St. Louis County Department of Transportation and Public Works website. You will need to enter the webinar password 1234 to access the meeting.

INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Request For Proposals (RFP)

Service: Security Guard Services

Pre-Proposal Meeting Date: July 15, 2024 12:00 PM Meeting will be held via Zoom. See RFP for details.

Question Due Date: July 17, 2024

Proposal Due Date: July 30, 2024

M/WBE Goals & Incentives: MBE goals: 25% WBE goal: 5%

A 15% M/WBE incentive credit shall be applied to the evaluation of professional service prime contracts who are currently certified MBE-African American, Hispanic American, Asian American, Native American and WBE-Women owned Business Enterprises.

Point of Contact: Gigi Glasper – gxglasper@flystl.com

Proposal documents may be obtained at St. Louis Lambert International Airport, Airport Properties Division, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., or by calling (314) 890-1802. This RFP may also be obtained by visiting our website at www.flystl.com/business/contractopportunites.

Robert Salarano Airport Properties Division Manager

ADVERTISEMENT/NOTICE

McCownGordon Construction is soliciting preconstruction services for the Missouri S&T – Engineering Research Laboratory Addition and Renovation project, located at 500 St. Patrick’s Ln., Rolla, MO 65409. The scopes of work include Fire Protection, Plumbing, HVAC, Electrical, Fire Alarm, Low Voltage Systems. The preconstruction services for these scopes of work will be awarded based on the RFP response which includes an analysis of your firm’s qualifications, proposed team, fee proposal and estimate of probable cost.

The RFP responses will be submitted electronically through Building Connected by 2:00pm August 1st, 2024 or by physical delivery; please submit in sealed envelope to McCownGordon Construction, 850 Main St, Kansas City, MO 64105. If the bid date extends, an announcement will be made through Building Connected.

Contractors and sub-contractors may obtain RFP documents and information about pre-bid events on or after July 3rd, 2024, by emailing Kyle Pryor, kpryor@mccowngordon.com Missouri University of Science & Technology reserves the right to reject any and all RFP responses, and to waive all informalities in the RFP responses. McCownGordon Construction and Missouri University of Science & Technology are Equal Opportunity Employers.

CANDIDACY FILING FOR 2024

On Tuesday, November 7, 2024, the Castle Point Street Light District will vote to fill one seat (Six Year Term) on the Board of Directors who help Operate and Maintain Street Lights in the Castle Point Neighborhood. Qualifications: Must be a resident in the Castle Point Neighborhood, NO taxes owed, (An affidavit must be filled out , notarized, and returned to the Board Secretary). Must have a current Missouri State ID or Drivers’ License. Interested residents must appear to file a Declaration of Candidacy on Sat. July 20 or Sat. July 27, 2024 at the St. Louis County Library Lewis & Clark Branch (9909 Lewis & Clark Blvd. /Hwy 367) starting at 9:00 a.m. –12:00 noon. Candidate filing will close on Sat. July 27, 2024 at 12:01 p.m.

REQUEST FOR BIDS

Washington University in St. Louis is soliciting proposals for Project 240322 –North Campus Flood Door Installation project located at 700 Rosedale Ave, St. Louis, MO 63122.

An electronic copy of the Invitation for Bid can be obtained by contacting JoAnne Steineman, Project Manager WU Facilities Planning and Management, at email address jsteineman@wustl.edu

Your response to this ITB should be received no later than Thursday, July 18, 2024, at 3:00pm CST

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE:

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

Black National Anthem at Busch Stadium on

Me’ at 11 years old. That is when I realized I really, really loved music. In high school is when I realized that I wanted to do music for the rest of my life, and I transitioned into R&B.”

Taylor’s captivating performances generated buzz all over social media. Fans praised Morgan’s talent and stage presence, calling her performances a highlight of the games. Her future as a rising star is sure to be filled with more anthems, and she said her dream is to sing

the national anthem at the Super Bowl. Her music is on music platforms including Apple Music, Spotify, and Pandora. Taylor can also be heard on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Tik Tok, and X @highonmorgan. She also was scheduled to release a new song, “I Got Away,” on Wednesday, July 10.

Continued from C1

body loved me and remind-

ed me to love myself. And I’m hoping that that’s what we are letting the kids know with these events.”

The events include workshops to equip, educate and inform students as they transition from home to campus life, as many of the students will be navigating the world on their own for the first time. Money management, physical and mental wellness, goal setting and sexual health are among the topics on the agenda for the programming.

Unlike most artists who wait until they achieve global fame, Griffin started the Better Love Yourself Foundation early in her ca-

reer as a national recording artist – using her musical gifts as a catalyst to give back from the very beginning of her career. She had an urban adult contemporary hit on her hands with her single “Wonderful” from her first full-length EP “My Naked Soul” when she brought her trunk event to St. Louis, she was still emerging as an artist.

“Waiting to do something - until you go platinum, become a superstar… or whatever – to me is a waste of time,” Griffin said.

In the years that have followed, Griffin is still hard at work making a name for herself in the music industry.

Her fourth studio album

“More Than a Woman” dropped in February – and featured a well-received cover of Marvin Gaye’s

soul classic “Distant Lover.”

Audiences can get a sample of Griffin’s talent at next Sunday’s event –which, just as it has done for the past 17 years, includes a performance as its culminating event.

“What if this is my blow up, and by waiting I passed up the opportunity to bless the next president of Sony Records,” Griffin said. “You never know when your last day on this earth is going to be – if I can do this, then my life and my career have not been in vain.”

The Better Love Yourself Trunk Event and Pep Rally for Education takes place at 4 p.m. on Sunday, July 21 at the Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell (at DeBaliviere). To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.betterloveyourself.com.

STL FEST

Continued from C1

people anything is possible regardless of circumstances.

Local R&B artists like Be.Be The Neo Soul graced the stage with some of her soulful hits and DJ Nico Marie on the ones and twos kept the crowd dancing, playing hits from J Kwon and getting dancers super pumped with ‘Swag Surf’.

Brown hopes attendees feel that the festival “was a space designed for them to be their authentic selves, a space that provides comfort and safety.”

“We introduce them to new businesses, non-profits, community efforts, and people who they can build a lifetime of relationships with,” she said.

“We increased the presence of youth activations by partnering with the Annie Malone Foundation, the BGG Foundation, Rides N School Supplies, Race Forward/Forward Race adding Youth performers, and Skrt Go Karts so the youth could know they belong too.”

Local designer and owner of Limited Struggle, Kevin Boyd, a vendor at

the festival said, “STL FEST is big, it brings St. Louis together. The festival reminds him of the May Day Parade when it used to be on Natural Bridge and welcomed its diversity.

“It’s all positivity, we all support each other,” he added. Boyd donated a pair of sneakers to a patron at the festival–he loves giving back to the community,” he said.

Heavy metal lovers and no– not the music but lovers of old-school cars experienced a red carpet experience. The cars were roped off but guests still got close and talked with the owners.

An olive green 1979 Chevy Impala was one of the event’s highlights.

Derek Walker, the vehicle’s owner, said that STL Fest puts the spotlight on smaller organizations in the community and local talent.

“STL FEST feels like family,” he said. “It brings more business to the vendors that are out here.”

Bryniah Cole, local designer of the Butterfly Club said vending at STL FEST allows her and other vendors to network. “ We get to come together and be our authentic selves, it’s no violence, it’s good vibes,” she said. She said that she

met so many people and she is excited to connect and further build St. Louis up. Adjo Honsou, owner of FuFu n’ Sauce food truck, a second-year vendor at the festival said, “It is so great to see Black people out having fun, celebrating one another, and supporting Black businesses.” She likes that she gets to share her African culture with other diverse groups of people.

The Big Top Concert featured lit performances by local acts including D’Nerro, Rahli, and Shorty aka Reggie Son (a STL Fest founder.) The festival brought out the St. Lunatics ( Murphy Lee and KyJuan) and national artists Yung Joc and Rocko. Both Yung Joc and Rocko performed their early 2000s hits, and the audience loved it, singing word-forword. The nostalgia filled the Big Top.

“We strive to aim bigger every year. Our only goal is to have a safe event & outdo ourselves from the year before. Thanks to our team, sponsors, volunteers, festival participants, and St. Louis, we were able to accomplish that,” said Brown.

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

Continued from C1

Courtesy photo

Morgan Taylor singing the

June 23, 2024.

Photo by Taylor Marrie | St. Louis American

The "Just Us Mag Boyz" (from left) Stl Ice, Joker, Fast, Black, Polo and L enjoying STL FEST.

Midwest Center for AIDS Research to help end regional HIV epidemic

St. Louis American

Since the peak of the AIDS epidemic, the U.S. has achieved significant advancements in preventing and treating HIV, though progress has been uneven across regions and slower than necessary.

In Missouri, where the number of new HIV diagnoses and deaths has not improved since 2017, there is a need to recapture momentum in addressing the disease.

In a bid to jump-start the stalled campaign against HIV in the region, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Saint Louis University plan to establish the Midwest Developmental Center for AIDS Research with funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The center, slated to open in September, will aim to create a platform for researchers and public health workers to collaborate and coordinate their

efforts to fight the HIV epidemic together.

“There’s a public perception that we’re on the other side of the HIV

epidemic,” said Elvin Geng, MD, a Washington University professor of medicine who will direct the new center. “St. Louis

The great eight

Here are some foods that could help improve your memory

BlackDoctor.org

Have you been playing the Google memory game and noticed you’re getting worse each passing day? A lot of the time, your memory can deteriorate without warning, but there is a way to fight back.

This article introduces 8 foods that can get your brain back in working order and improve your top score in those memory exercises. You may even be shocked to learn that some of your daily favorites have been helping your memory all along.

Coffee Starting your day with a cup of coffee is a no-brainer. It gets your motor running early in the morning and helps you remember everything you need to do before you head into the office. Numerous studies have found that caffeine can positively impact your short and longterm memory.

Turmeric Turmeric is another fan favorite for those trying to live a healthy lifestyle because of its vast benefits. On top of improved memory, turmeric can help with inflammation because of its antioxidants, but it can also help arthritis, liver disease, and many other ailments.

Don’t be afraid to put turmeric powder in your next dish or make a smoothie with the beneficial spice. Turmeric tea is also a popular option if you want something warm.

Pumpkin Seeds Pumpkin seeds are abundant during the fall season thanks to the festive activities centered around the scary fruit. It has a profound impact on memory because of the zinc and magnesium components that lie

A team from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Saint Louis University have established the Midwest Developmental Center for AIDS Research to help end the HIV epidemic in the region by 2030.

tively to end the HIV epidemic in the region.”

Every year, about 500 people are newly diagnosed with HIV in Missouri, and nearly 200 die of disease related to HIV infection. Thirteen of the U.S. counties identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to be at highest risk of an HIV outbreak are in Missouri. Most people in the state get diagnosed late in the disease process, after their immune cells have begun to die off. This pattern of late diagnosis suggests that the official numbers probably underestimate the true infection rate in the state. Worse, it means that many people who could benefit from HIV treatment are not receiving it, which threatens their health and hinders efforts to limit the spread of the virus.

continues to have a significant HIV epidemic. One problem we face here in St. Louis is that the scientific and public health

communities are strong but siloed. The goal of this center is to break down those siloes so we can all work together more effec-

within it.

With that in mind, add a few more pumpkin seeds to that pumpkin pie recipe during the fall get-togethers so everyone can receive the wonderful benefits.

Broccoli Oh, broccoli, every small child’s worst nightmare. If only little kids knew that broccoli could help them remember why they should eat it in the first place, they’d be better off.

In all seriousness, broccoli is a part of the leafy green family, known for its ability to improve memory. This is primarily because of the lutein, vitamin K, and beta-carotene elements within the food group.

Chocolate If broccoli is a little kid’s worst nightmare, chocolate is their first obsession. Well,

luckily for them, chocolate also helps with memory and keeping your head on straight during bouts of brain fog.

Research has shown that consuming chocolate can improve your verbal episodic memory 2 hours after you eat it. Episodic memory helps you remember events in your life, such as where you placed your keys or what you bought from the store.

Oranges Oranges are another tasty treat that can help your brain when you can’t find your way. This is primarily because the orange fruit has citric acid, which has been found to slow memory deterioration. These benefits are great for early-onset dementia patients who could have Alzheimer’s.

See MEMORY, D3

The NIH established the Centers for AIDS Research (CFAR) program in 1988 to promote

By Aria Brent

The late Gil Scott-Heron warned the Black community about the consequences of alcoholism in his 1974 release “The Bottle.” Many Black artists have issued the same warning, but the consumption of alcohol is something you can find throughout many parts of Black history and culture.

Whether it be Snoop Dogg’s 1994 hit “Gin and Juice” or the infamous Billy Dee Williams ads, used to promote Colt 45 Malt Liquor, alcohol has been woven deep into Black culture which has resulted in a normalization of its consumption.

From Juneteenth cookouts to graduation parties, weddings and even baby showers– some members of the Black community associate the idea of relaxation and enjoyment with liquor.

“In my family, alcohol use was very prevalent and I myself associated alcohol with fun. In Black communities, we associate fun with alcohol. My family was no different–everybody drank,” stated Donivan Stone, a recovery counselor at First Step Recovery Center in Columbus, Ohio. “Later on in my life drinking really became like a marriage that I felt was made just for me.” A series of studies and research throughout the last 30 years has shown that Black communities

Photo courtesy of Washington University School of Health in St. Louis

By Terrance Harris

It was once taboo for athletes to discuss their struggles with mental health for fear that they might be banished. But in today’s more educated and understanding existence, it has become acceptable for even the biggest and strongest athletes to openly discuss their mental health and to even take time away when necessary.

There have been several athletes in recent years to open up about their mental health issues, but here are five athletes who stand out.

While tennis star

Naomi Osaka isn’t the first athlete to deal with mental health issues, she certainly became the face of a new way we view these issues when it comes to our sports heroes. Osaka opened up about her issues with depression and anxiety when she withdrew from the French Open in 2021. Osaka taught us and all athletes, “It’s okay not to be okay.”

Simone Biles

A month after Naomi Osaka stunned the tennis world by opening up with her concerns about her mental health, renowned and decorated gymnast Simone Biles shocked gymnastics enthusiasts when she suddenly withdrew from competition on the world stage of the 2020 Tokyo

Five Black athletes who stood up for mental health

Simone Biles is again dominant in her sport

Olympics. Biles cited concerns for her mental health after withdrawing from five Olympic events. The universe’s most decorated gymnast did return to earn the bronze in balance beam before then stepping away from the sport for two years before triumphantly returning in 2023. Now the Houstonian is competing to make her return to the Olympics this summer in Paris.

Dak Prescott

When it comes to

mental health, sometimes it’s hard to put in that box a player in the biggest sport, on the most visible team, and playing the prime position. But Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott stood up in 2020 and discussed his issues with mental health. While dealing with the pressures of leading America’s Team, Prescott was coping with much more personal issues. He had lost his brother to suicide and his mother years earlier to colon cancer. On top of that,

there were the feelings of isolation brought on by the COVID-19 quarantines. “I obviously got the help that I needed and was very open about it,” he said at the time.

Brittney Griner

On the court, the 6-foot9 Brittney Griner has been invincible throughout her basketball career. But it’s been a much different story off the court for the native Houstonian and WNBA star. Last year, Griner decided to take a

three-game mental health break from her sport to deal with all she had dealt with in a relatively short time. She went through a troubling 10-month Russian imprisonment on drug charges but was released well ahead of the nine-year prison sentence received after the U.S. agreed to a prison swap to gain her freedom. Griner got to return home to her wife, family, and career with the Phoenix Mercury. It seemed all was right with Griner. But it wasn’t. Not only was she dealing

with the residual emotions of being locked away in a Russian prison camp, but at home in an airport she was being verbally attacked by a person who wasn’t in agreement with how the government got her release from Russia. It all felt a little overwhelming. But Griner has bounced back and is now getting to represent the US in the upcoming Paris Olympics.

Vernon Maxwell

They called him Mad Max during his 13-year NBA career primarily because of his clutch freethrow shooting. Little did anybody know, but the nickname often matched what Vernon Maxwell was feeling inside. He knew something wasn’t right with his thoughts but during the 1990s it wasn’t safe to admit you were struggling with mental health. So, Maxwell played on, even helping the Houston Rockets win an NBA championship in 1994. Maxwell once infamously went into the stands in Portland and punched a fan for heckling him. There were other incidents and reactions because Maxwell was afraid to deal with his problems. Today, Maxwell has turned it around and is now creating safe places for athletes who are struggling with mental health issues.

HIV Continued from A1

high-quality research to combat the AIDS epidemic, which was then raging out of control. Over the years, 19 CFARs have been established throughout the country. The new center in St. Louis is a developmental CFAR, meaning it is in a five-year initiation phase.

“This center is built on collaboration between our regional universities,” said Enbal Shacham, PhD, a professor of behavioral science and health equity at Saint Louis University and the associate director of the center. “It will focus our efforts to grow research on HIV prevention, care and treatment to our St.

Alcohol

Continued from A1

along with other minority communities have a proportionately higher rate of alcohol advertisements. In 1998 it was reported by the National Institute of Health that Black and Latino neighborhoods had more advertisements for alcohol and tobacco than White and Asian neighborhoods. It was found that 23 percent of the billboards in Black neighborhoods were advertising alcohol, in comparison to the 13 percent of alcohol related billboards in White neighborhoods. Despite social norms, cultural significance and an increased amount of advertising in predominantly Black areas, Black people are less likely to consume and abuse alcohol in

Louis region together. I am thrilled to lead the Saint Louis University partnership particularly because of the opportunities this creates for our communities in improving HIV-related health equity and outcomes.”

The center will institute a variety of programs to enhance collaboration including:

• Show Me the Response, an annual regional symposium that will give scientists and public health practitioners the opportunity to meet in person and share data and insights.

• Partner Pilot Awards, which will go to research teams co-led by investigators from traditional research universities and non-research organizations.

comparison to their White counterparts.

In November of 2023 it was reported by AlcoholRehabGuide.org that “African-Americans are reported to drink less than their Caucasian counterparts. Historically, African-Americans have consumed lower amounts of alcohol. Although alcohol consumption is lower compared to Caucasian-Americans, African-Americans have been victims of alcoholrelated illnesses.”

“We have a lower number for use than our Caucasian counterparts, but we have more negative consequences from the use of alcohol. We suffer more mental, physical and health problems because of the alcohol use in the Black community,” said Carol Stegall, a senior counselor at the Afrocenticentric Persona Development Shop in Columbus, Ohio. “Alcohol has a dramatic

• Internship opportunities at the city’s Department of Health being offered for students from Harris-Stowe State

impact in the Black community. Whether it be health,socioeconomically or mental health wise– we are impacted at a greater rate.”

Stegall has been working in substance abuse for over 20 years and throughout her career she’s been able to focus specifically on how the Black community is affected by it. She went on to explain that although Black people are less likely to drink, the effects of drinking are a lot more severe on Black bodies.

Stegall said that Black people deal with an increased predisposition to alcohol, which makes it a lot more addictive for us. Stone furthered Stegall’s point by noting how predisposition leads to addiction

“When you have a higher genetic predisposition to alcohol, addiction is bound to happen; you just don’t

Toll of dementia on Black families, caretakers

What are the caregiving challenges the Black community is navigating, and what can help?

By Laura Onyeneho

Dementia has been a part of Reverend Linda Davis’ family for a long time. Her late mother had the syndrome, and so did her sister. She began to notice how often they both forgot about basic things. Her sister is a very strong and independent woman and business owner, but she slowly changed her behavior over a year after her diagnosis.

“It’s hard. You don’t know what you’ll get from day to day. It’s very emotional to see your loved ones suffer like that,” Davis said. “You have to learn different strategies to take care of them.”

For Black families facing dementia, the challenges extend far beyond managing the disease itself. The emotional toll on caregivers, particularly Black women who often take on the brunt of caregiving duties, can be immense.

What Is Dementia?

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, dementia is a general term for loss of memory, language, problem-solving, and other thinking abilities that are severe enough to interfere with daily life. The cognitive capacities, or thinking skills, begin to deteriorate with dementia symptoms to the point where daily functioning and independent living are affected. They have an impact on relationships, conduct, and emotions as well. The symptoms of dementia are progressive, meaning that they begin

Harvey Fields, PhD, dean of the College of STEM at HarrisStowe., says the Midwest Center for AIDS Research will help diversify efforts to mitigate the AIDS epidemic.

STEM at Harris-Stowe.

“The inclusion of Harris-Stowe State University leverages institutional strengths, enhances institutional capability and provides Harris-Stowe’s developing health-care scholars with opportunity to make meaningful contributions to their own communities even as undergraduates.”

The center will be based in St. Louis and initially will focus on building relationships within the city and county. Over the longer term, the center will expand into outlying counties to address the state’s significant rural epidemic as well.

slowly and progressively worsen with time.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states that roughly one in five Americans provide care for older adults or individuals with disabilities, and over half of these caregivers are women. However, the burden falls disproportionately on Black families. African Americans are twice as likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias compared to the national average.

Davis pastors Boynton Chapel Methodist Church where the average person is about 65 years old. Several church members struggle with stories similar to hers. Her mission has been to create a support group to help those families.

“We’ve been trying to partner with the University of Houston to offer resources and support for people in the Third Ward and other underserving communities,” she said. “When my sister was diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimer’s, we had no clue about who to talk to. Our family nurses helped us navigate healthcare providers, but not everyone has that assistance.”

The challenges faced by Black families go beyond simple numbers. For families where caregivers and dementia patients live under the same roof, generational differences can further complicate the situation. Members of younger generations, like Millennials, are more likely to have access to resources and open conversations about mental

health.

However, older generation members may hold onto the belief of keeping family issues private, creating a wall of silence that prevents them from seeking help.

The financial strain of caregiving adds another layer of stress for Black families. AARP research indicates that most African American caregivers are employed while caring for a loved one. This often translates to juggling work schedules, taking leave of absence, or arriving late/leaving early to accommodate caregiving needs. This constant state of imbalance can lead to burnout, financial hardship, and a decline in overall well-being for both the caregiver and the dementia patient.

Warning Signs Medina said that early signs vary depending on the type of dementia and the individual. They might have trouble navigating unfamiliar territory, getting lost in their home, paying their bills promptly, struggling to manage their medication, bumping into walls regularly, or getting lost in the neighborhood while driving.

So, how can Black families navigate these complex challenges? Experts emphasize the importance of creating a support system. This may involve connecting with community organizations or faith-based groups that offer resources and respite care.

Laura Onyeneho is Word In Black health reporter

University, an HBCU. “The Midwest Center for AIDS Research will help diversify the approach

know when. Sometimes you can drink 100 times and that genetic predisposition never kicks in–and then that 10th time it kicks in and the addiction comes alive,” Stone said.

He further explained that addiction isn’t based on the amount of substance consumption, but the frequency of it. The abuse expert shared the difference between someone who is dealing with an addiction as opposed to a substance abuse disorder, noting that someone who has two drinks everyday is an addict. On the other hand, someone who drinks a lot once a week is dealing with a substance abuse disorder.

The post “Alcohol abuse experts discuss alcoholism in the Black community” appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.

to, and the leaders engaged in, efforts to mitigate the AIDS epidemic,” said Harvey R. Fields Jr., PhD, dean of the College of

Memory

Continued from A1

So don’t be afraid to get extra orange juice in the morning because it helps you remember to feed your pet before you leave.

Green Tea Who doesn’t love a cup of green tea when they feel sick or lounging around the house? Well, now you have another reason to drink it religiously: the healing tea can boost memory. Green tea is full of caffeine and a molecule called L-theanine, the substances responsible for giving your brain the stuff it needs. You

This article was provided by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

only have to ensure it is regular green tea, not those innocent-looking green tea shots.

Eggs Last but certainly not least on our list is eggs. Eggs have many other benefits besides improving memory, so it’s always a good idea to crack open a few and make an omelet. This breakfast staple boosts long and shortterm memory because of the choline within the yolks. On top of making your brain sharper, it can also reduce inflammation, lessening any pain you may have.

Courtesy of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis