July 18th, 2013 edition

Athletes tweet against injustice

Mike McMillan to lead Urban League

‘Natural choice’to succeed Jim Buford, says board chair

American staff

“He’s been a partner with the Urban League for the last 20 years,” Debra Denham, board chair of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, said of the board’s pick for its new president and CEO, Michael McMillan. “He’s just a natural choice.”

This “natural choice” takes over from James H. Buford, who is stepping down after 28 years of leadership, having brought the organization’s annual budget from $2.5 million to more than $23 million and had it certified as the only Five-Star Urban League affiliate in the nation.

McMillan, who will resign as license collector for the City of St. Louis to accept the position, previously was

Michael McMillan,the new president and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan St.Louis,with board chair Debra Denham and James H. Buford,who is stepping down after leading the affiliate for 28 years.

By Rebecca S.Rivas Of The St.Louis

American

Across the entire country, from U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to NBAsuperstars to mothers in St. Louis, many Americans are wondering: What do we tell our sons now?

On Saturday night, when a Florida jury found George Zimmerman not guilty of killing unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, St. Louis City Treasurer Tishaura O. Jones asked herself that question.

“What lesson will I teach my son when he gets to be that age?” said Jones, whose son is almost six.

“Are we still living in a world where we have to instruct our black boys about their interactions with police and so-called neighborhood vigilantes? It’s scary.” Hundreds of devastated St. Louis community members of all races took to the streets on Sunday in front of the St. Louis Justice Center. Today at noon, local activist organizations will lead a protest of the verdict at the Old

By Jamala Rogers For The St.Louis American

and ramp up the discussion about preserving and protecting the lives of young, black males.

Scholars team up to research coordinated regional response to black health

By Chris King

Seven African-American scholars from Washington University and Saint Louis University are teaming up to produce a multi-disciplinary study on the health and well-being of African Americans in St. Louis with a $200,000 grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health. The Institute for Public Health and the Brown School of Social Work’s Policy Forum at Washington University and TheSt. Louis American are also partners in the study, which will culminate in a community conference in 2014 to coincide with the 60th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education and the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

A baby boy at the downtown St.Louis rally held in protest of the george Zimmerman “not guilty”verdict.

Photo by Wiley Price

Photo by Wiley Price

Lil Wayne finally apologizes to Till family

Back in February Lil Wayne came under fire for using the name of slain teenager Emmett Till as a euphemism for rough sex on the remix of Future’s single “Karate Chop.” At a concert in Tennessee over the weekend Lil Wayne apologized to the family of Emmett Till from the stage.

During Weezy’s set at The America’s Most Wanted music festival Lil Wayne switched his lyrics on Karate Chop to apologize to the Till Family. Wayne said “I apologize to the family of Emmett Till.”

Landlord calls the law when Kenya tries to film grand exit

The battle between “Real Housewives of Atlanta’s” Kenya Moore and her landlord rages on – even after Moore decides to move out. Moore’s landlord won an eviction judgment against the reality star after claiming Kenya fell behind on her rent and violated her lease agreement. According to a press release sent from Moore’s reps, an Atlanta Magistrate Court Judge vacated the judgment after Kenya proved the late rent claims were false, but Moore decided to move out anyway. That didn’t stop the landlord from calling the cops on Kenya to report strange vehicles in front of the house, who turned out to be Moore’s movers, all with Bravo cameras rolling. Moore and her landlord faceoff again in court on July 18 for Kenya’s counter claim for

THE STUFF THAT HAS PEOPLE TALKING

illegal eviction, slander and defamation of character.

Judge repos Chris Brown’s probation

Ajudge has revoked Chris Brown’s five-year probation stemming from his 2009 assault of then-girlfriend Rihanna.

According to TMZ, Brown went to court on Monday (July 15) to defend against the L.A. County district attorney’s motion to revoke his probation after Brown was charged with a hit-and-run

after a May 2013 car accident. The judge granted the motion to revoke the charges, and now Brown faces a probation violation hearing in August.

If the judge determines that Brown violated his probation, he could face up to four years in prison.

Currently, Brown has been released on his own recognizance, meaning he will not be in custody while time passes until the August hearing. The hit-and-run allegedly occurred in May, when Brown reportedly refused to provide his license after his Range Rover SUV collided with a Mercedes Benz. Brown also reportedly provided false insurance information.

Since the 2009 assault, Brown has been unable to stay out of legal trouble. In addition to the hit-andrun, in 2012, Brown was involved a bottle-throwing battle with rapper Drake at a New York nightclub, though he managed to escape any criminal charges. In January of 2013, Brown was involved in a brawl with singer Frank Ocean – for which he may still face charges. Just last month, Brown was accused of assaulting a woman in a California

nightclub. In addition, Brown was accused of falsifying records of his court-ordered community service stemming from the Rihanna case, which resulted in the police chief of Richmond resigning.

Does Chris Rock hate his wife?

According to Star Magazine, comedian/actor Chris Rock and his wife Malaak Compton-Rock have reportedly called it quits after 16 years of marriage. The news surfaced when Chris’brother, Tony Rock, made light of the situation during a performance at the Hollywood Improve Comedy Club. “Tony poked fun at his brother’s divorce during one of his acts,” an audience member told Star. “He said, “I’m not supposed to tell y’all this, but Chris is getting a divorce. I’m so happy because now we can get [expletive together]. I didn’t like her anyway.”

Sources say the Grown Ups 2 star, 48, grew tired of having to answer to 44-year-old Malaak.

Sources: TMZ.com, Allhiphop.com, 4UMF, Power105.1 FM, Star Magazine

Chris Brown

Lil Wayne

Commentary

Denied the right to be young

By Eugene Robinson Columnist

Justice failed Trayvon Martin the night he was killed. We should be appalled and outraged, but perhaps not surprised, that it failed him again Saturday night with a verdict setting his killer free.

Our society considers young black men to be dangerous, interchangeable, expendable, guilty until proven innocent. This is the conversation about race that we desperately need to have –but probably, as in the past, will try our best to avoid.

George Zimmerman’s acquittal was set in motion on Feb. 26, 2012, before Martin’s body was cold. When Sanford, Fla., police arrived on the scene, they encountered a grown man who acknowledged killing an unarmed 17-year-old boy. They did not arrest the man or test him for drug or alcohol use. They conducted a less-than-energetic search for forensic evidence. They hardly bothered to look for witnesses. Only a national outcry forced authorities to investigate the killing seriously. Even after six weeks, evidence was found to justify arresting Zimmerman, charging him with second-degree murder and putting him on trial. But the chance of dispassionately and definitively establishing what happened that night was probably lost. The only complete narrative of what transpired was Zimmerman’s.

Jurors knew that

Zimmerman was an overeager would-be cop, a self-appointed guardian of the neighborhood who carried a loaded gun. They were told that he profiled Martin – young, black, hooded sweatshirt – as a criminal. They heard that he stalked Martin despite the advice of a 911 operator; that the stalking led to a confrontation; and that, in the confrontation, Zimmerman fatally shot Martin.

The jurors also knew that Martin was carrying only a bag of candy and a soft drink. They knew that Martin was walking from a 7-Eleven to the home of his father’s girlfriend when he noticed a strange man in an SUVfollowing him. To me, the fact that Zimmerman recklessly initiated the tragic encounter was enough to establish, at a minimum, guilt of manslaughter. The six women on the jury disagreed.

Those jurors also knew that Martin, at the time of his death, was just three weeks past his 17th birthday. But black boys in this country are not allowed to be children. They are assumed to be men, and to be full of menace. I don’t know if the jury, which included no AfricanAmericans, consciously or unconsciously bought into this racist way of thinking. Police and prosecutors initially did. Their assumption was that Zimmerman had the right to self-defense but Martin – young, male, black – did not. The assumption was that Zimmerman would fear for his life in a hand-to-hand struggle but Martin would not. If anyone wonders why African-Americans feel so passionately about this case, it’s because we know that our 17-

year-old sons are boys, not men. It’s because we know their adolescent bravura is an imitation of manhood, not the real thing.

We know how frightened our sons would be, walking home alone on a rainy night and realizing they were being followed. We know how torn they would be between a child’s fear and a child’s immature idea of manly behavior.

And we know that a skinny boy armed only with candy, no matter how big and bad he tries to seem, does not pose a mortal threat to a healthy adult man who outweighs him by 50 pounds and has had martial arts training. We know that the boy may well have threatened the man’s pride, but likely not his life. How many murdersby-sidewalk have you heard of recently?

The conversation we need to have is about how black men, even black boys, are denied the right to be young, to be vulnerable, to make mistakes. We need to talk about why, for example, black men are no more likely than white men to smoke marijuana but nearly four times as likely to be arrested for it – and condemned to a dead-end cycle of incarceration and unemployment.

I call this racism. What do you call it?

Trayvon Martin was fighting more than George Zimmerman that night. He was up against prejudices as old as American history, and he never had a chance.

Eugene Robinson’s email address is eugenerobinson@washpost. com.

Eugene Robinson

The Upsilon Phi Omega Alumnae Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority,Inc.recently held its 3rd Annual “Hattitude”Scholarship Hat Luncheon at Lewis & Clark Community College.The event celebrated and awarded two Madison County high school seniors for their academic accomplishments,and encouraged girls and participants in the sorority’s mentoring program to pursue excellence.

The honorees – Audrey C.Hudlin,a 2013 graduate of Edwardsville Senior High School and Jada Y.Caffey,a 2013 graduate of Alton Senior High School – each received a $2,500 scholarship towards college.The Goddard School (Edwardsville,IL) also awarded both young women $250 book scholarships. More than 350 attendees showcased their finest hats.Pictured are members of the Madison County Alumnae Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority,Inc.during Hattitude.

RAC awards $50K to local artists

The Regional Arts Commission (RAC) has awarded $50,560 to 25 artists as part of the inaugural round of the Artists Support Grants.

The recipients, representing the disciplines of literature, theater, visual arts, dance, music and multi-media, were selected from among 185 applicants after being reviewed by RAC commissioners and staff. The grants range from $640 to $3,000 for a variety of projects.

Artists receiving grants included Rosalind Early (literature), Lois Ingrum (visual art – photography), Marilyn Robinson (visual art – photography) and Denise Ward Brown (visual art – installation).

Acomplete list of the artists and brief descriptions of their projects is at artstl.com/artistscount.)

The next round of Artists Support Grants opens for applications on September 9 and the deadline is October 15. Find the application at www.art-stl.com/artistscount.

STL250 Songwriting Contest

The Sheldon is hosting the STL250 Songwriting Contest. Open to amateur and professional songwriters in the St. Louis area, the contest is designed to encourage local songwriters to focus their talents to celebrate St. Louis’250th Anniversary in 2014.

Songs will be judged not only for the quality of songwriting and composition, but for their effectiveness in interpreting and relating to the history and culture of St. Louis. Special consideration will be given to songs in styles that reflect the musical heritage of St. Louis and the region’s contributions to American musical traditions.

Initial entries will be judged by a panel of local musicians, educators, music producers and Sheldon staff, must have lyrics and be not more than seven minutes long. Entries must be submitted electronically by October 1. Visit http://www.thesheldon.org/songcontest.asp for full details, eligibility and instructions on how to enter.

Guidance forpregnant and parenting students

The Department of Education has issued a Dear Colleague letter and accompanying pamphlet on supporting the academic success of pregnant and parenting students under Title IX.

The pamphlet, which was sent to school districts as well as colleges and universities across the country, provides information on school retention problems associated with young mothers and fathers and the requirements related to these issues contained in the department’s regulation implementing Title IX.

The pamphlet is aimed at secondary school administrators, teachers, counselors, parents and students. Although the pamphlet focuses on secondary schools, Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of pregnancy and parental status at all education levels, including at postsecondary institutions. It is illegal under Title IX for schools to exclude pregnant students from participating in any part of an educational program, including extracurricular activities.

To review the Dear Colleague letter and accompanying pamphlet, please visit: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-201306-title-ix.pdf and http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/ pregnancy.pdf.

Walking while black

By Dorothy Dempsey For The St.Louis American

When you look at him sitting in that courtroom seemingly showing no emotion at all after killing Trayvon Martin, it makes you wonder just who George Zimmerman really is.

Trayvon Martin did not initiate an attack on Zimmerman. Therefore, Trayvon had every right to try and protect himself from Zimmerman, who was not wearing a uniform of any kind.

If Zimmerman were really acting correctly and in a professional way in his role of Neighborhood Watch captain –instead of acting out on his prejudice toward a black man walking in his neighborhood, who he felt did not have the right to be there – none of this would have happened.

From all accounts, Trayvon was just walking in the neighborhood. What Zimmerman may not know is that just because a black person walks slowly and appears to be looking in a house window he is not necessarily a suspect. I can recall back in the day, black people of lesser means riding or walking through upscale neighborhoods as a Sunday afternoon excursion and admiring the homes of the ones more fortunate than them.

Zimmerman had every opportunity to let Trayvon know that he had a gun, which makes it very hard for one to believe that Zimmerman was screaming for help. Why do you need to scream for help when you have a gun in your posession?

George Zimmerman was enjoying his role as the aggressor, and there was nothing that was going to stop him from getting his man. George Zimmerman’s desire to be a policeman and his grandiose way of thinking caused the death of an innocent 17-year-old child.

Zimmerman’s mindset is very questionable when you take into consideration the testimony of his neighbor, Jonathon Milano. Milano testified that as Zimmerman was being handcuffed, he dropped his cell phone on the ground and asked his neighbor to call his wife. Milano called Zimmerman’s wife and was explaining what happened when all of a sudden Zimmerman told him, “Just tell her I shot someone,” as if Milano was taking too long with the conversation.

You would tend to think that someone in Zimmerman’s stressful situation would have some concern about how this news would impact his wife.

Now we hear the defense coming out with the idea of Trayvon circling around and attacking Zimmerman. If this is true, then why did Trayvon Martin not have the same rights as George Zimmerman to protect himself by all means necessary from someone acting strange and creepy and following him when he had done absolutely nothing wrong?

Unless, of course, you consider being black and walking in Zimmerman’s neighborhood a crime punishable by death.

Dorothy Dempsey

AKAs show ‘Hattitude’

Courthouse, 11 N. 4th Street.

On Sunday, the NAACP launched an online petition to urge the Department of Justice to file civil rights charges against Zimmerman. By Tuesday, they had reached one million signatures.

On Saturday NAACPleaders were gathering at its annual convention in Orlando, Florida – just 30 miles north of Sanford, the town where Martin was killed.

“When we lose Trayvon Martin due to the color of his skin and the clothes he was wearing, something is truly wrong,” said Adolphus Pruitt, president of the St. Louis city branch of the NAACP.

“The Zimmerman verdict has sparked a debate and social action that is reminiscent of African Americans’reaction to the bombing of the Birmingham Baptist Church and death of Emmett Till.”

As a speaker at the conference, Attorney General Eric Holder told NAACPmembers that he is still concerned about the case. Trayvon’s death last spring caused him to talk to his own 15-year-old son about interacting with police, Holder said.

“This was a father-son tradition I hoped would not need to be handed down,” Holder said. “But as a father who loves his son and who is more knowing in the ways of the world, I had to do this to protect my boy.”

Civil rights and Stand

Your Ground

Many legislators, organizations and individuals have urged the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department to take action. Convicting Zimmerman on federal hate crime charges requires proving beyond a reasonable doubt that Zimmerman shot and killed Martin because of race.

Although Zimmerman had a track record for racially profiling young black men in his

neighborhood, Saint Louis University law professor Justin Hansford said racial profiling is not a crime.

“When you think about hate crimes, it’s a lot more direct, such as KKK members who are outspoken about their hatred,” Hansford said. For many, Zimmerman’s verdict reaffirmed the danger of many states’Stand Your Ground laws. The self-defense statute, adopted in Florida in 2005, allows victims of perceived crimes to use force when there is reasonable belief of an unlawful threat. Florida state Rep. Alan Williams said he will submit a bill to repeal Florida’s law.

According to a June study by researchers at Texas A&M University, the rates of murder and non-negligent manslaughter increased by eight percent –or 600 homicides a year – in states that enact Stand Your

Ground laws.

Whites who kill blacks in Stand Your Ground states are 354 percent more likely to be found justified in killing a black person than a white person who kills another white person, according to a study by the Urban Institute’s Justice Policy Center. In non-Stand Your Ground states, that number is 250 percent.

Shanti Parikh, an anthropology professor at Washington University, said she was not surprised by the verdict given the complexities of demonstrating “reasonable doubt” in Stand Your Ground cases.

One juror’s recent comments also show how racialized perceptions influenced the verdict, she said.

“We see this contradiction very clearly in statements made by Juror B37 in her interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper,” Parikh

said.

“She claims that race didn’t play a factor in the case, while simultaneously drawing upon racial difference when discussing Rachel Jeantel,” the black teen who testified about her last minutes on the phone with Martin before he was killed.

‘The outrage must not stop’

For Parikh, like for many, the verdict was personal.

She said, “As a mother of two black boys, I have to face the reality that an unarmed black teenager in the U.S. can be killed for walking in the rain with a hoodie, his dead body get tested for substances, and he be blamed for causing his own death, while the living adult killer is not subject to the same drug tests or charged

A rally was organized in downtown St.Louis on Sunday in protest of the “not guilty” verdict a Florida jury delivered to Trayvon Martin’s killer George Zimmerman on Saturday.

with a crime and is eventually acquitted of any wrongdoing and seen as a victim.”

State Sen. Maria ChappelleNadal said the verdict was most hurtful to youth of color and their futures.

“I was very angry and felt hurt on behalf of all people of color, especially young people of color,” she said.

The verdict came down soon after the Normandy School District announced it would pay for its students’ transportation to Francis Howell School District in St. Charles County. At a recent public meeting, outraged St. Charles parents openly stereotyped Normandy’s students, who are 97 percent AfricanAmerican, as violent.

“African Americans in Normandy were called ‘trash’ by people who live in the Francis Howell School District,” she said.

“For our innocent children to be referred as ‘trash’last week, and to deal with Trayvon’s murder and the person who killed him to be found innocent – it was a sad day in America’s history and our culture.”

ANGRY

Continued from A1

about preserving and protecting the lives of young, black males. We need to hook up with other justice-seeking people and bust out of our trauma zone.

This is a national issue, but it’s no accident this incident happened where it did. Florida historically had a larger per capita percentage of Klu Klux Klan lynchings of black folks than any other state in the country. Central Florida, where Sanford is located, is still home to many Klansman and neo-Nazi groups.

Murders and assaults of blacks by whites have often gone unprosecuted there. The home of Seminole County’s first NAACPbranch president was firebombed in 1951 by the KKK. Harry Moore and his wife, Harriette, were killed. Even baseball great Jackie Robinson was run out of Sanford back in 1946. Police and vigilante terror was and is used to maintain the status quo of white supremacy in Sanford.

In the Zimmerman trial,the jury of five whites and one juror of unknown racial identity deliberated using a social and political perspective informed by life in Sanford. The jurors were also under the social pressure by their community to protect the gun rights of white citizens.

Where blacks are seen as criminals and white citizens cherish the right to use their guns to stand their ground, we find an intersection of deadly consequences. I watched most of the trial.

The prosecution deserves a share of the blame. It never gave the jury a compelling visual image of what happened that fateful night of February

Washington University’s Association for Black Students released a statement, saying, “We recognize that our best way to honor Trayvon Martin is to continue to work to improve the quality of our justice, the attitudes of our citizens and to increase the vigilance of the underlying issues in this case.”

Across the region on Sunday, many congregations fell to their knees in prayer to understand the verdict’s blow, said the Rev. Freddy J. Clark, founder of Shalom Church (City of Peace). The community is prayerful, he said – but outraged.

“This is a great time to have people engaged at this level, having this conversation about crime,” Pastor Clark said. “The outrage must not stop with Trayvon Martin but be the same outrage given to all senseless killings.” The conviction that a change must come – in laws, perceptions and actions – was as widespread as the rage.

“What do we do next?”

Tishaura Jones said. “That’s the question for all of us.”

26, 2012. As Roderick Bell told me on social media, the prosecution is “so used to railroading defendants, they don’t know how to present a real case.”

You’ve heard the police dispatcher tapes. Trayvon was walking home from the store and was identified by Zimmerman as a black criminal up to no good. Despite being told not to follow the kid, he continued to stalk Trayvon.

I believe the teen tried to lose the stalker by doing a duck and dodge. Zimmerman then appeared out of nowhere in front of Trayvon, who had no choice to defend himself. He punched Zimmerman and they got into a tussle. Aterrified Trayvon began fighting for his life and screaming for help.

He was able to knock Zimmerman off him and stand up. Zimmerman quickly stood up and took out his loaded gun out and shot Trayvon before he could get away.

Zimmerman, unable to prove his prowess as a cop in previous situations, believed this shooting would convince people that he had what it takes to protect his neighborhood. He had just saved the neighborhood from a black thug. His worst nightmare began when it was discovered the suspect was not a criminal on the way to a burglary, but an unarmed child on the way home from a store.

Zimmerman got away, but we must stop this from happening again. Otherwise, we will face escalating violence between black males and the police and other extrajudicial forces such as security guards and vigilantes.

Shame on us if adults can’t get it together and our young people are left with no choice but to defend themselves by any means necessary.

Photo by Mark Esters

HEALTH

Continued from A1

“We are going to focus on the social determinants of health and educational outcomes and how that impacts health in St. Louis city and county,” said Jason Q. Purnell, assistant professor at the Brown School and lead researcher on the project.

Purnell is joined on the research team by four colleagues at Washington University: Bettina F. Drake and Melody S. Goodman, both assistant professors of surgery in Public Health Sciences at the School of Medicine; Darrell L. Hudson, assistant professor at the Brown School; and William F. Tate, the Edward Mallinckrodt Distinguished University Professor in Arts & Sciences and chair of the Department of Education.

Saint Louis University scholars participating in the study are Keith Elder, associate professor and chair, Department of Health Management & Policy for the College for Public Health & Social Justice; and Keon Gilbert, assistant professor at the College for Public Health & Social Justice.

“All of the scholars are African-American, and most of us are junior, except for Bill Tate,” Purnell said.

As the study progresses, the team will release policy briefs – all pertaining to African Americans in St. Louis – in five areas: health disparities,

McMILLAN

Continued from A1

alderman of the 19th Ward. He will become the seventh president of the 95-year-old agency, recognized as “the top affiliate in the Urban League movement nationally” by national President Marc Morial.

“As former alderman of the 19th Ward, which is located here, right around the headquarters of the Urban League, we think he fits right in,” Denham said of McMillan.

“He’ll bring new resources to the organization and new energy.” If he does, he will be following in Buford’s footsteps.

“Jim was a strong leader for over 28 years, and he brought a large number of supporters, not only in the community, but also in the business community,” Denham said of Buford.

educational attainment and health, mental health’s impact on education, employment and physical health, the association between health and the region’s racial composition, and addressing risk factors for chronic disease.

The study will be prescriptive as well as descriptive. “We will lay out the way things are but also suggest a model for

Buford sees clear similarities between himself and his successor.

“When I was selected 28 years ago, I was 40. Mike is 41. We are right where we think we should be, choosing someone young and vibrant,” Buford said.

“But where Michael has a heads up on me is he is already an urban leader. As license collector and especially when he was on the Board of Alderman, he supported the Urban League any way he could, either through his foundation or through funds that he could get through the city. He also played a major role in helping us get the new facility on Vandeventer.” McMillan is board chair of the St. Louis Community Empowerment Foundation. The “new facility on Vandeventer” is the recently opened James H. Buford Community Outreach Center.

“This will not be just another study that says black people have poor health outcomes.”

– Jason Q.Purnell

how things should be,” Purnell said. The study’s intent to prescribe changes is one reason

Buford said McMillan has the right mix of community visibility, fundraising prowess and community engagment to lead the Urban League’s flagship affiliate.

“He’s already known in the community. He knows the status of the problems we have in this town, from being an alderman and license collector. He has fundraising capacity,” Buford said.

“The Urban League is also a civil rights organization. Michael is already established as a leader in this community. He has spoken to issues regarding African Americans and others. He has a grasp on that. I think he will excel as a leader and spokesperson for this community.” McMillan, who takes the helm August 5, said he is proud to lead an organization he has supported since he was a child.

“I’ve been involved with

the research team is multi-disciplinary. Purnell said, “Change is going to require a multi-sector approach – busi-

the Urban League since I was 16. Twenty-five years later, I’m happy to continue my involvement in the Urban League,” McMillan said.

“When I first got involved in civic and charitable organizations, the Urban League was the first one that I joined. It’s a continuation of that mission of trying to make St. Louis the best city and region it possibly can be.”

He said his first agenda item will be “to go on a listen-

William F. Tate,endowed professor in Arts & Sciences and chair of the Department of Education at

health, mental health and the social determinants of educational attainment. The study is local in focus because interventions for change would have to be local.

“Region-specific, targeted responses (i.e., policy and interventions) are needed, as public health research continues to show the substantial impact of place on health outcomes,” the team writes in a study proposal. There are some local initiatives already doing the work that needs to be done, the study will attest. “Remarkable stuff already is taking place,” Purnell told The Beacon, citing theWyman Teen Outreach Program, the Fathers’Support Center, Better Family Life and Beyond Housing.

ACommunity Partner Group with representatives from key sectors in the region is being formed to advise the scholars on the policy briefs and the final report.

Purnell said this will not be yet another gloomy report on health disparities. “This will not be just another study that says black people have poor health outcomes,” Purnell said.

ness, education, government, and non-profit organizations.”

The scholars’previously published work deals with socioeconomic factors that influence health behaviors in minority populations, the interactions between behavioral and biologic determinants of adverse cancer outcomes, chronic disease management, African-American men’s

ing tour” with all of the staff and board members. The affiliate has has 10 offices in three counties (St. Louis city, St. Louis County and St. Claire County) with approximately 200 employees, 65 board members and many stakeholders. His listening tour starts at the top.

“I think it is my job to learn the best I can from Mr. Buford, to try and maintain the excellent legacy that he has created here, growing the agency ten-

And he hopes it will not be yet another grant-funded flash in the pan that dies down with the grant funding.

“I know now we will give the recommendation that a standing coalition be formed around these issues,” Purnell said. “I don’t think we have a coordinated regional response to African-American health.”

fold since the time he came on,” McMillan said. Buford said he will work with his successor for a month and then “be available by phone after that,” presumably from a golf course. McMillan said, “I look forward to working with the staff and community to galvanize and mobilize support for the Urban League so we can maintain the legacy that Mr. Buford and the board have had.”

Bettina F.Drake assistant professor of surgery at WUSTL School of Medicine

Keith Elder, associate professor and chair,Department of Health Management & Policy at SLU

Keon Gilbert, assistant professor at the College for Public Health & Social Justice at SLU

Melody S. Goodman, assistant professor of surgery at WUSTL School of Medicine

Darrell L. Hudson, assistant professor at the Brown School at WUSTL

Jason Q.Purnell, assistant professor at the Brown School at WUSTL

WUSTL

McClellan speaks up forwhite flight

Veteran Post-Dispatch

columnist Bill McClellan published a piece of hero worship in this Sunday’s paper that included unapologetic and total empathy for outraged white parents in the Francis Howell School District who want pending transfer students from the Normandy School District to go back to Normandy – or, presumably, to Africa. His commentary was bereft of any acknowledgement of the past and present American experience of race.

The heroMcClellan worships is his father, the late Art McClellan. The aging pundit certainly is entitled to praise the man who sired him as lavishly as he wishes. The jarring note – for African Americans and anyone else concerned about the black students in the region’s unaccredited school districts, Normandy and Riverview Gardens – comes when McClellan proudly includes educational segregation (and, indeed, white flight) in the list of his departed herofather’s virtues.

After describing the old man as a tight-lipped, toughas-nails war veteran, McClellan imagines the dearly departed at the scene of the heated public meeting in St. Charles County over Normandy students transferring – at least potentially, en masse – to Francis Howell.

It was at this meeting that a white parent publicly told a black parent to go “back to Normandy.” It turns out the black parent who was the target of that insult is a current parent in the St. Charles County district, not the parent of a black child from Normandy who now intends to transfer to Francis Howell, with Normandy paying tuition and transportation, as per a state law recently upheld by the Missouri Supreme Court.

“Go back to Normandy” (or, presumably, to Africa), the angry white parent raged.

“Art would have shared their outrage,” McClellan writes of his hero. And just what would the hero have raged against?

“Part of his anger would have been aimed at the unfairness of a law that allows the administrators of a failed district to select a district to send their students to,” McClellan writes. “Why should administrators of a failed district have that power? Why would we reward failure? And the receiving district has no say?”

Those are questions that should and will be asked of the state legislators who passed the bill and Gov. Jay Nixon, who signed it into law. They are not unreasonable questions.

But, McClellan writes, his father would have understood the white rage “on another level, too.” This is the level of unwarranted, wholesale segregationist white flight, better understood (at least by black people) as fueled by outright racism and fear.

McClellan writes that many of the people at the school transfer meeting “moved to St. Charles County as part of a ‘white flight’migration out of North County.” McClellan then gives a summary of “blacks bringing down the neighborhood” (and the school district with it) straight out of Archie Bunker.

These enraged white parents, McClellan writes, “saw blacks move into their school districts. They also saw their school districts – Normandy among them – go downhill. They sold their homes – some of them took a financial hit –and they moved across the Missouri River.”

In case anyone might fail to understand this history lesson (call it White Flight for Dummies), McClellan dumbs it down even further: “The blacks arrived. The schools declined. The whites left.” As Art McClellan’s fellow unapologetic segregationist

POLITICAL EYE

Tony Soprano might have added, “End of story.”

But to the horror of the segregationists and their apologists, that was not the end of the story. Some blacks are going to follow them, thanks to state legislators and the court that upheld their contested law.

McClellan does not think his history lesson is open to dispute. It’s “uncomfortable perhaps, but indisputable,” he writes. “You can debate the underlying reasons, but you can’t argue the facts.”

What the EYE is here to argue – with a rage equal to that of the angry parents in St. Charles County and their pundit apologists – is the solution. McClellan seems to think an

Normandy. He would have understood their anger.”

McClellan, again, does not leave us to imagine where his own feelings lie. “I’m his son,” he writes. “I understand it, too,” boasting in a condescending tone as he sees still another opportunity for a sly celebration of his bigotry.

McClellan clings to his narrow construct about race in America that dismisses any broad historical context.

This is an opinion columnist in the major metro daily based in a plurality-black city writing in 2013 in unapologetic support of educational segregation and white flight.

McClellan prefers to use his platform to insult and condemn black people as inherently disruptive and dysfunctional.

What is missing here – in addition to an awareness of the heated racial environment and the necessity to understand the wishes and sensitivities of people unlike oneself – is any sense that we might try to address our shared problems constructively.

acceptable solution is to colorcode poverty and its effects, which certainly include academic failure, and to run away.

Indeed, that was the way of his hero. “Art knew something about white flight,” McClellan writes. Clearly, it is a heroic response to save your white family from the failure that black people bring with them, according to McClellan’s sense of the “undisputable facts.”

And clearly it would be heroic, having rescued your white family from black people, to try to keep black people – or, at least, their children –out of your sanctuary. He writes that his hero “would have agreed with the speakers who railed against the impending arrival of the kids from

In McClellan’s world, if there is a concentration of poor, black people who live in a failing school district, it sucks to be them. And if you are white and wish to run away from them, that’s a heroic attempt to rescue your family. And if some of the poor black people wish to take advantage of a state law and send their children to better-performing schools, it is a heroic defense of your family to try to keep those black children out of your schools.

“Go back to Normandy” –or, presumably, to Africa: McClellan’s father and McClellan himself “understand” this cry of white rage. But there is so much his lesseducated father clearly did not understand, and in McClellan’s case he does not seem to want to understand. You can’t just run away from your problems. And if you live in the St. Louis

region and do not “understand” that extended, intergenerational, poverty is one of our problems – one of our collective problems – then you have a lot to learn.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch readers of conscience, and African Americans in particular, should be deeply offended by McClellan’s persistent, illconsidered racist taunts and the lame everyman’s pose with which he attempts to disguise them.

New unaccredited district law

The problem of unaccredited school districts, like concentrated and segregated poverty, is not going away.

Gov. Nixon has signed into law Senate Bill 125, which eliminates the required twoyear waiting period before the state Board of Education can intervene in the governance of an unaccredited school district. It takes effect August 28. Arelease approved by Nixon’s education

Commissioner Chris L. Nicastro says the state Department of Education “will continue to work with the communities that are impacted by an unaccredited school classification to develop an appropriate plan to benefit the students in chronically low-performing school districts.”

The EYE sincerely looks forward to seeing any evidence that is true. And so should Bill McClellan and his fellow angry white people. Because, clearly, “the communities that are impacted by an unaccredited school classification” are not just the communities with an unaccredited school classification. Now more obviously than ever, it’s everybody’s problem.

Just ask the parents in the Francis Howell School District.

In his Sunday column,veteran Post-Dispatch columnist

Bill McClellan said he understands white flight and angry white parents wanting to keep black students out of their children’s school district.

Thaddeaus Ranoyce Murphy

September 18, 1991–July 28, 2012

The sound of “Welcome Home” is something that every traveler longs to hear. “Welcome Home” means you are in a place where you are fully embraced, welcomed, appreciated and enjoyed. It’s been a comfort in knowing that the words “Welcome Home” have been heard in Heaven. Upon the Anniversary of your “Going Home”, the beautiful memories of you remain in our hearts.

Thaddeaus

Ranoyce Murphy

Thaddeaus…

You will always be remembered for your warm smile that lit up a room, the hugs you gave out without reservation and the love and sincere concern you had for family and friends. You will always be missed, for no one can or EVER will take your place. You’ll never be forgotten.

We love you,

Your Granny (Lydia); Cousin Keke aka: Poohkembear (Keonna); Mom (Lynette); Son (Cordell); Sisters (La La) Mercia, Nene (Jon’Netha); Brother (Reggie); Step Father (John aka: Duck) & a host of family and friends... To God be the glory.

Simeon Joseph Brown was born the only son of Fred and Shirley Ann (Harris) Brown on November 12, 1981 in St. Louis, MO. He was the brother of two sisters, Christa Blackburn and Candace Brown. He was the proud father of two children, Gabriel and Nyla Brown.

Simeon graduated from Hazelwood East High School in 2001. He later received his Journeyman Certificate from the Carpenters’Union Journeyman Apprenticeship Program and HVAC Certificate

In Loving Memory

Patricia “Trisha” Prete

January 7, 1955 – July 24, 2012

The Broken Chain

We little knew the day that God was going to call your name, in life we loved you dearly, in death we do the same. It broke our hearts to

Simeon Joseph Brown

from the Albuquerque, NM HVAC School. Simeon was employed by Charter as a Broadband Installer-Advanced, until the time of his departure from this life. In his youth, Simeon went to church with his family. He was baptized in the name of Jesus at Bethesda Temple Church, under the leadership of Bishop James A. Johnson in 1991.

Simeon loved his family. His children were his pride and joy. He enjoyed working on home improvement projects with his father. It was during those times he gleaned the wisdom his father shared. He was also an avid sports fan. On Saturday, June 29, 2013 at 2 pm, Simeon departed this life.

Simeon Joseph Brown will be greatly missed and leaves to

Patricia ‘Trisha’Prete

lose you but in God we put our trust, in times as difficult as this, faith is such a must. You left us peaceful memories, your love is still our guide, and

BetterFamily Life opens cultural center

Better Family Life, Inc. will host a grand opening celebration and ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Better Family Life Cultural, Educational and Business Center, located at 5415 Page Blvd., from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 24.

The agency began its capital campaign in 1999 and has operated its myriad of programs in more than 10 satellite sites while raising the needed

funds to complete the $13 million renovation to open the center. The project restored 60,000-square-feet of the building’s original architecture while adding modern flair.

“Although it took us almost 30 years to establish the institution of Better Family Life Inc., and 13 years of rigorous and focused attention to ensure we were meeting all of our programmatic goals through a structured approach, we stayed

the course, never losing sight of the possibilities of opening the Better Family Life Cultural, Educational and Business Center,” said Malik Ahmed, the company’s CEO. Better Family Life also is now a chartered member of the NeighborWorks Network. NeighborWorks America is the nation’s premier leader in affordable housing and community development with a national network of more than

240 independent, communitybased nonprofits.

“I look forward to strengthening our work within housing and increasing BFL’s ability to provide more affordable housing,” Tyrone Turner, director of housing for BFL, said of the partnership.

BFLwill receive organization benefits and access to funding opportunities, technical assistance, training and programmatic support .

though we cannot see you, you are always at our side. Our family chain is broken and nothing seems the same, but as God calls us one by one the

chain will link again. Forever in our thoughts, Rosemary, Hazel, Vincent, Annette, family and friends

cherish his memory: his children, Gabriel and Nyla Brown; his loving parents, Fred and Shirley Ann Brown; his sisters, Christa Blackburn of Dallas, TX and Candace Brown of Phoenix, AZ; two nephews, Xavier Curtain and Christian Brown; grandmother, Thalia Brown of Atlanta, GA; one aunt; LyAnne Brown of Atlanta; three uncles, Marzell Brown, James Brown and Tony Brown of Nashville, TN; a host of cousins, friends and co-workers.

Simeon Joseph Brown

Patricia ‘Trisha’ Prete

Participation in summermeals falls short

Missouri letting children go hungry

American staff

Participation in the Summer Nutrition Programs continues to fall short in Missouri, with only 28,425 low-income children receiving summer meals on an average day in July 2012, according to a new national report released recently.

“This decrease compounds problems from the previous July when Missouri had a very low participation rate,” said Jeanette Mott Oxford, executive director of the Missouri Association for Social Welfare (MASW).

“Summer meals only reached 7.9 children for every

100 low-income children who got regular school year school meals in the 2011-2012 school year.”

Missouri’s performance of less than one in ten was worse than the national rate, which reached only one in seven lowincome children, according to Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation, an annual analysis by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC). The report measures participation in the Summer Nutrition Programs by comparing the number of children receiving summer meals to the number of low-income children receiving school lunch during the regular school year.

Low participation means missed meals for children and missed dollars for the state. If Missouri were to reach 40 children with summer food for every 100 children from households with low incomes who get school lunch during the regular school year, Missouri would have fed 115,227 more children every day in July 2012 and brought in $8,045,752 more federal dollars to do so.

Experts say that Congress needs to fix underlying problems in the 2015 Child Nutrition Reauthorization to truly repair the Summer Nutrition Programs.

FRAC President Jim Weill

said, “Congress must take a fresh look at the Summer Nutrition Programs and consider ways to improve this faltering program so it more effectively addresses hunger and obesity.”

The complete report is available at www.frac.org.

For information on Summer Nutrition Programs meal sites, visit http://gis.dhss.mo.gov/Web site/AGS_summerFood/su mmerFood.html. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services may be reached at 573-751-6400 or info@health.mo.gov.

Remembering Josephine Baker

St.Louisans Tom and Kathy Day recently traveled to Paris.They stopped by the Folies Bergereto remember Josephine Baker.Baker,also a St.Louisan,was a star at the Folies Bergere in the ‘20s and went on to be a hero of the Resistance in WWII.Tom and Kathyalso remembered Tom’s late father,Ed Day.Edused to tell a story of going to the Folies Bergere while waiting to be shipped home from WWII.“These small connections help make us a community.”Tom Day said.

Trust in doctor’s ability is crucial

By Kenneth Poole,MD

For The St.Louis American

As a primary care doctor, my job is to serve as a guide or an advisor to help patients navigate the health care system and assist them in preventing personal medical pitfalls. Still, much of their success in terms of health outcomes is dependent upon how they approach the health care system. Many patients are unaware of some basic healthcare literacy concepts that help promote healthy living. Below are several tips, facts and helpful information to improve navigating the health care system.

You should see your doctor at least once yearly for a general check-up and “screening” tests that may point to medical issues that have no outward physical signs or symptoms. You should be able to clearly express why you are visiting your doctor and what you want your doctor to accomplish. There is no such thing as a stupid question since you are paying your doctor for his or her services.

You should have an understanding of your previous medical problems and diagnoses. Your medical history includes conditions that have been treated by a medical professional long-term. Any previous hospitalizations are important. If there are previous surgeries, you should have a working list of when they occurred.

Be able to express and articulate any physical com-

plaints. Your doctor will want to know what those problems feel like. “It hurts” or “I have pain,” are not helpful descriptions. How severe is it? Your doctor will want to know when it started, if it is constant or intermittent. Know what makes issues better or worse, and what you have done to “self-treat” your ailment.

You should know what medical issues your biological parents, siblings and children have currently or have experienced in the past. The medical history of aunts, uncles and grandparent can be useful in

You should be able to clearly express why you are visiting your doctor and what you want your doctor to accomplish.

the event of certain cancers and hereditary diseases. When a doctor inquires about the kind of cancer a family member has experienced, he or she is referring to where the cancer started and not necessarily where it spread.

Have a working list of medications and dosages and any medication allergies. This helps the physician better interpret prevailing conditions, certain lab results and future management decisions. Dietary supplements are medicines too, but they should not be considered “natural” aids to good health. In fact, many dietary supplements are more dangerous than prescribed medications because a large number of them have not been submitted to an FDAapproved testing process that

includes clinical trials. All physician-prescribed medications are FDAapproved.

You should be candid about your smoking and alcoholic consumption, since tobacco, hallucinogens and alcohol can affect what labs and tests are ordered and how they should be interpreted.

Educate yourself on health topics that concern you and discuss them with your doctor in a non-combative manner. You may be aware of some things of which your doctor is not aware. Presenting information in a non-challenging way allows for a productive dialogue and maintains a good doctor-patient relationship.

You should be knowledgeable about allergies that have similar symptoms such as viruses, bacterial infections, a fungi, or parasites. All of these can cause an infection but require different classes of medications. An excessive use of anti-infective agents can lead to resistant organisms.

Blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, mood medications, etc. are effective when you take them as prescribed by your doctor. Once the medicines bring you to a particular goal level, you must continue to take them as your doctor has prescribed.

You should be aware that doctors do not prescribe medicines, order labs or tests for their personal financial gain. In fact, there are federal and state laws that protect consumers against doctors defrauding insurance companies and patients by over-prescribing labs and medications.

Trust in one’s doctor and his or her ability to manage medical issues is crucial. If you do not trust your doctor, then find a new doctor.

Kenneth Poole,MD

By Jesse Jackson Columnist

If Trayvon Martin were not a young black male, he would be alive today. Despite the verdict, it’s clear that George Zimmerman would never have confronted a young white man wearing a hoodie. He would, at the very least, have listened to the cops and stayed back. Trayvon Martin is dead because Zimmerman believed that “these guys always get away” and chose not to wait for the police.

Trayvon Martin’s death shatters the convenient myths that blind us to reality. That reality, as the Chicago SunTimes editorial board wrote, is that “black men carry a special burden from the day they are born.”

Both the prosecutor and the

What Trayvon’s death demands

Through the years, gruesome horrors have galvanized African Americans and public action on civil rights. Trayvon Martin’s death should do the same.

defense claimed that the trial was not about race. But

Trayvon Martin was assumed to be threatening just for walking while being young, black and male.

That is the reality that can no longer be ignored. Through the years, gruesome horrors –the murder of Emmitt Till, the shooting of Medgar Evers in his front yard – have galvanized African Americans and public action on civil rights.

Trayvon Martin’s death should

do the same. What it dramatizes is what Michelle Alexander calls “the New Jim Crow.” Segregation is illegal; scurrilous racism unacceptable. But mass incarceration and a racially biased criminal justice system have served many of the same functions. Since 1970, we’ve witnessed a 600 percent increase in the number of people behind bars, overwhelmingly due to the war on drugs.

Those imprisoned are disproportionately African Americans. The U.S. now imprisons a greater percentage of its black population than South Africa did at the height of apartheid. Drug usage is not dramatically

greater in the black community. But young black males are racially profiled, more likely to be stopped and frisked (something New York Mayor Bloomberg defends), more likely to be arrested if stopped, more likely to be charged if arrested, more likely to be jailed if charged.

In schools, zero tolerance –once again enforced disproportionately against people of color – results in expulsions, creating a virtual pipeline to prison. The results are devastating. Young fathers are jailed. Children grow up in broken homes, in severe poverty, since those convicted never really leave prison. They face dis-

crimination in employment, in housing, in the right to vote, in educational opportunities, in food stamps and public support. As Alexander argues, the U.S. hasn’t ended the racial caste system, it has redesigned it.

As Trayvon Martin’s death shows us, the norm increasingly is to police and punish poor young men of color, not educate or empower them. And that norm makes it dangerous to be young, black and male in America.

There are three possible reactions to this reality.

African Americans can adjust to it, teaching their children how to survive against the odds. We can resent it, seething in suppressed fury until we can’t stand it anymore. Or we can resist, assert our rights to equal protection under the laws, and challenge

openly the new reality. We need a national investigation of the racial context that led to Trayvon Martin’s slaying. Congress must act. And it’s time to call on the United Nations Human Rights Commission for an in-depth investigation of whether the U.S. is upholding its obligations under international human rights laws and treaties.

Trayvon Martin’s death demands much more than a jury’s verdict on George Zimmerman. It calls for us to hear the evidence and render a verdict on the racial reality that never had its day in court at the trial.

Keep up with Rev. Jackson and the work of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition at www.rainbowpush.org.

STLto celebrate Mandela’s birthday

July 23 at Centennial Christian Church

American staff

St. Louis’celebration of Nelson Mandela’s 95th Birthday will be held 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 23 at Centennial Christian Church, located at 4950 Fountain Ave. directly across from the Dr. Martin Luther King statue on the western end of Fountain Park. The event is being hosted by St. Louis Free South Africa Activists, Interfaith Partnership, St. Louis Clergy Coalition, NAACPand government officials. The Embassy of the Republic of South Africa asked TransAfrica/Coalition of Black Trade Unionists to oversee the coordination of local activities celebrating Mandela in St. Louis, one of 13 cities in the United States chosen for events.

Organizers said this “fami-

ly-oriented event will include thought-provoking discussions and exciting educational and cultural presentations.” South African Consul General Vuyiswua Tulelo will participate in the celebration.

Consul General Tulelo expressed her thanks and gratitude to the St. Louis Free South Africa Movement Activists for their years of support and activism to free South Africa from the racist apartheid government and to free Nelson Mandela after 27 years of imprisonment. After his release from prison Mr. Mandela went on to become the first democratic elected President of South Africa and today is recognized as a universal hero around the world. For more information, contact Lew Moye at 314-4955635 or lewcbtu@aol.com.

Jesse Jackson

Pearlie Evans leads one of the demonstrations that convinced a Clayton company to cease selling apartheid South African Krugerrand gold coins on June 8, 1985.

Photo by Alice Windom

BUSINESS

Entrepreneur honored by microbusiness group

Rochelle Bea awarded $25K for her daycare center in Walnut Park

By Rebecca S.Rivas

For the St.Louis American

Justine Petersen client and St. Louis resident Rochelle Bea was looking for a way to expand her child-care center located in the Walnut Park neighborhood.

And she found it. Bea recently won the Entrepreneur–Momentum Business award and a $25,000 prize at the Association for Enterprise Opportunity’s annual microfinance conference at the Chase Plaza Hotel.

Rochelle Bea, owner of Beginning Futures LLC, captivated the audience with her story about serving families and children in her community.

Rochelle Bea, owner of Beginning Futures LLC, captivated the audience with her story about serving families and children in her community. Her unique childcare model focuses on incorporating families in the education process. Prior to starting her own business, she served as a social worker for the Missouri

Passion for Leadership giving

Steven and Arica Harris committed to United Way’s Charmaine Chapman Society

American staff

At first he saw it as an investment for his career. Now it’s a passion. It is United Way of Greater St. Louis, and it’s how Steven Harris, 35, describes his involvement with the organization when he became involved in the mid2000s.

“I saw United Way as a way to network in my profession,” he said. “After I was first involved and giving a little, I began to see how others were engaged. I wanted to be a part of the Charmaine Chapman Society and went straight to giving at the Leadership level.”

ALeadership giver to United Way of Greater St. Louis is anyone who annually gives $1,000 or more to United Way. Leadership giving stepped up Harris’networking.

See

Black

Department of Social Services’Child Abuse and Neglect Unit.

“I made decisions daily about other lives that did not sit well with me,” she said to the audience at the awards ceremony.

“I felt horrible about removing children from their homes and even more confused and torn when I left them there. I had aspirations to help others in a positive way. This is when I discovered my purpose was to build families versus dismantle them.”

When she entertained the possibilities of starting a business, she knew she wanted a

See BEA, B2

Part 3 of a 3-part series, ‘The SBAand us’

By Adolphus Pruitt For The St.Louis American

From 2002 to 2007, the number of black-owned businesses increased by 60.5 percent to 1.9 million, more than triple the national rate of 18.0 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Business Owners. Over the same period, receipts generated by black-owned businesses increased 55.1 percent to $137.5 billion. Black-owned businesses were one of the fastest growing segments of the U.S. economy, both in the number of businesses and total sales, during this time period. Of the 1.9 million blackowned businesses in 2007, 106,824 had paid employees, an increase of 13 percent from 2002. These businesses employed 921,032 people, an increase of 22.2 percent. Their payrolls totaled $23.9 billion, an increase of 36.3 percent. Receipts from black-owned employer

businesses totaled $98.9 billion in 2007, an increase of 50.2 percent from 2002. In 2007, 1.8 million black-owned businesses had no paid employees, an increase of 64.5 percent from 2002. These non-employer businesses’receipts totaled $38.6 billion, an increase of 69.0 percent. The number of black-owned businesses with receipts of $1 million or more increased by 35.4 percent to 14,507 between 2002 and 2007. The primary sources of capital to start or acquire a business for 57 percent of the 1.9 million black-owned businesses was personal savings or other personal assets; 11.8 percent of blackowned businesses utilized personal or business credit cards as a source for start-up capital. Agovernment-guaranteed business loan from a bank or financial institution was the least utilized source for black-owned businesses – roughly 0.6 percent of the 1.9 million

See PRUITT, B2

PEOPLEON THE MOVE

Desiree Coleman has joined Wells Fargo Advisors as the Civic Relationship Manager.She manages key partnerships with the civic institutions, non-profit organizations and businesses with which Wells Fargo Advisors collaborates and coordinates community involvement by its executives. Most recently she worked with major gifts and planned giving at United Way of Greater St. Louis.

Pam Weston was elected to Saint Louis Crisis Nursery’s Board of Directors after serving four years on its Young Professionals Board. She is a senior manager corporate giving programs at Express Scripts, where she guides philanthropic activities for corporate giving, employee giving campaigns, volunteerism and foundation giving. She was a St. Louis American Foundation 2013 Young Leader.

Ivan James III has joined the Central Methodist University Board of Trustees. He worked in management for Western Electric and AT&Tfor 29 years before taking early retirement to start St. Louis-area consulting and distributing businesses. Ivan James & Associates has been recognized by The St. Louis American and the Urban League as one of the top 20 minority businesses in the St. Louis area.

Ernest J. Gaines was awarded the 2012 National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama. His novels include The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman Catherine Carmier Of Love and Dust In My Father’s House, AGathering of Old Men and ALesson Before Dying for which he received the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1994.

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Eleven local companies pick Webster as HigherEd. Partner

Delmar Gardens Enterprises, Drury Hotels, Meramec Valley Bank, Mercy, MOHELA, St. Luke’s Hospital, HDA, Inc., Kwame Building Group, Novus International, Inc., Centene Corporation and SigmaAldrich have selected Webster University as their preferred higher education provider.

The agreements allow these companies to offer their employees a Webster Partner preferred tuition rate for targeted undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

“The Webster Partnership program creates a culture of learning in these organizations to support employee recruitment, retention and personal growth,” said Benjamin Akande, dean of Webster’s Walker School of Business and chief of Corporate Partnerships.

Harris-Stowe receives state Default Prevention Grant

The Harris-Stowe State University Office of Financial Assistance was awarded a $75,000 Default Prevention Grant by the Missouri Department of Higher Education (MDHE), thanks to the efforts of Heather Bostic, executive director of Title III and Sponsored Programs, and Shana Sharp, manager of Grants and Sponsored Programs.

“Funding through the MDHE grant program allows Harris-Stowe to dedicate additional resources to two critical areas, increasing our graduation rate and reducing our default rate,” said Bostic.

The MDHE established the Default Prevention Grant program in 2001. Since then, $8.1 million has been awarded to more than 50 postsecondary institutions in Missouri.

eFiling goes online at St. Louis Circuit Courthouse

As of July 8, attorneys with a case before the St. Louis Circuit Court must file most paperwork electronically. The Circuit Clerk’s Office will severely limit the types of documents that can be filed in-person at the courthouse. The eFiling requirement is for attorneys only. Citizens representing themselves in divorce, small claims and other proceedings will still need to file in-person at the courthouse.

To register for eFiling, attorneys must visit www.courts.mo.gov to create a username and password. More information on electronic filing can be found at www.stlcitycircuitcourt.com.

Desiree Coleman

Pam Weston

Ernest J. Gaines

Ivan James III

Pamela Flaherty,CEO and president of Citi Foundation;Rochelle Bea,owner of Beginning Futures LLC;and Connie Evans,CEO of Association for Enterprise Opportunity.

Adolphus Pruitt

Retiring soon? Don’t forget tax implications

By Jason Alderman

If your retirement is not far off, you’ve probably already started to estimate what your living expenses will be after the regular paychecks stop. Most would-be retirees remember to include routine expenses like housing (rent or mortgage), medical bills and prescriptions, insurance premiums, transportation – even food and entertainment.

But don’t forget to factor in taxes, which can have a substantial impact on your cost of living, depending on where you live and what your sources of retirement income will be. Here are a few tax-related issues to consider when budgeting for retirement: Social Security. Most people can begin collecting Social

Continued from B1

black-owned businesses.

“We conclude that firms in minority areas are actively applying for loans from financial institutions, ruling out the possibility that their low actual incidence of loans received is due to low application rates,” researchers Timothy Bates of Wayne State University and Alicia Robb of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation conclude.

“In 2009 and 2010, for example, 30.3 percent of the firms in minority areas needed credit but, fearing loan application rejection, did not apply, while the percentage of small firms located in other areas needing credit but discouraged from borrowing was 18.9 percent.”

When it comes to choosing a lender, location is crucial.

“Young small businesses prefer to establish banking relationships with financial

Security benefits as early as age 62, albeit at significantly reduced amounts than waiting until their full retirement age (65 for those born before 1938 and gradually increasing to 67 for those born in 1960 or later).

Although many states don’t tax Social Security benefits, the federal government does. Depending on your “combined income” (adjusted gross income plus nontaxable interest earned plus half of your Social Security benefits), you could end up owing federal income tax on a portion of your benefit. It’s complicated, but basically:

ï Single people whose combined income is less than $25,000 aren’t taxed on their Social Security benefit. For

institutions located nearby, which suggests, for minorityarea firms, that their bankers are often themselves located in or near minority neighborhoods,” Bates and Robb concluded.

“Minority neighborhoods are favored locations for financial institutions owned by minorities.”

Unfortunately, with the loss of Gateway Bank, St. Louis is contributing to the national trend of declining minorityowned banks, with only 28 black-owned banks and 33 Hispanic-owned banks currently operating, according to the FDIC.

“Nearly 48 percent of the minority-area firms are owned by minorities, while less than 14.5 percent of the firms located elsewhere are minorityowned,” write Bates and Robb.

“Although minorities own nearly half of the small businesses in minority neighborhoods, they account for only 34.5 percent of the loan applicants among the broader universe of firms reporting minor-

combined income between $25,000 and $34,000, up to 50 percent of your benefit may be taxed. Over $34,000, up to 85 percent may be taxable.

ï For married couples filing jointly: benefits aren’t taxable for combined income below $32,000; benefits for income between $32,000 and $44,000 are up to 50 percent taxable; over $44,000 – up to 85 percent taxable.

ï To learn more about taxation of Social Security benefits, read IRS Publication 915 at www.irs.gov.

Some people discover after beginning to collect a reduced Social Security benefit that they can’t make ends meet and must go back to work, which

ity-area locations. The minority-ownership and minoritycommunity-located traits are clearly highly correlated.”

With loan volume steadily increasing for the past six quarters, the U.S. Small Business Administration’s loan programs posted the second largest dollar volume ever in FY2012, supporting $30.25 billion in loans to small businesses. That amount was surpassed only by FY2011, which was heavily boosted by the loan incentives under the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010.

In contrast, SBA7a loan approvals for African Americans fell nationwide in 2009. The decline continued in 2011 (and again in 2012), generating a drop in the black-business relative share of SBA7a loan approvals nationwide from 8.9 percent in 2009 to 3.7 percent in 2011.

can backfire: If your annual wages exceed $15,120, you will lose $1 of Social Security benefits for every $2 you earn over that amount (investment income doesn’t count.)

Rest assured, however: These benefit reductions are not completely lost: Your Social Security benefit will be increased upon reaching full retirement age to account for benefits withheld due to earlier earnings.

IRAand 401(k) withdrawals. After age 59 ?, you can start withdrawing balances from your IRAwithout paying the 10 percent early withdrawal penalty – although exceptions are made in cases including disability, qualified firsttime homebuyer distributions and certain medical expenses. However, you will pay federal

(and state, if applicable) income tax on IRAwithdrawals – except for Roth IRAs held at least five years, whose contributions have already been taxed. With 401(k) plans, you can withdraw funds after age 55 without the 10 percent penalty if you are no longer employed by the company sponsoring the plan.

Other taxes. Some people move to another state after retirement thinking they’ll lower their tax burden. For example, seven states do not tax personal income; however, another two tax only dividend and interest income. And five states charge no sales tax. But because other taxes and costof-living expenses vary significantly by community, you should only consider such

moves after doing thorough research. The Retirement Living Information Center (www.retirementliving.com) features breakdowns of the various kinds of taxes seniors

Pruitt is president of the St. Louis city chapter of the NAACP. able foods by training community members across the nation to develop urban farms.

learning center that built positive family relationships and offered opportunities for parental involvement and male presence. She opened Beginning Futures in December 2008, and she now serves 113 children.

Bea plans to use the award money to expand the facility because the center is “busting out at the seams,” she said.

“We are just happy to be in business,” she said. “Every day is a party because you work with kids.”

For her and her team, the day starts at 6 a.m. with childcare before school. Most of these students leave by 8:30 a.m. Then the newborns to 5year-olds arrive, and the teachers start with a lesson.

At the center, they practice family-style dining. The children are entirely responsible for setting the tables. Children can remain at the center until 10 p.m. Hall could take a break, but she said she prefers to stay and visit with the parents.

“I like to see the parents out the door and make sure every-

one is satisfied,” she said. Bea said she learned quite a bit at the Association for Enterprise Opportunity’s microfinance conference, especially about how to network and get her name out there.

The association is a national membership organization that prides itself as “the voice of microbusiness development in the United States.”

From May 5 to 8, the conference hosted more than 400 microlending practitioners to discuss developing trends in the microfinance industry. A host committee led by Darlene Greene, comptroller of the City of St. Louis, planned and orchestrated the three-day event.

Justine Petersen, one of the nation’s largest small business microlenders, served as the local host for the conference.

An eclectic mix of 25 local small businesses showcased their products at the small business marketplace, including businesses from the International Institute.

Will Allen, author of The Good Food Revolution and founder and CEO of Growing Power, kicked off the conference by delivering a keynote address detailing his work promoting access to fresh, afford-

On the last day of the conference, AEO and Citi Foundation hosted the Citi Microenterprise Awards Ceremony to honor entrepreneurs and microlending agencies that are doing exemplary work in their communities. Daymond John, founder of FUBU and star of the hit show Shark Tank, spoke about his experiences as an entrepreneur starting his business in the basement of his mother’s house to now operating a clothing empire that has done $6 billion in product sales.

The audience also heard from minority-owned startups like Bea that are doing vital work in the St. Louis community and need support.

“Beginning Futures takes pride in investing in the greatest resource ever – not coal, natural gas, nor nuclear power, but people,” Bea said at the ceremony. “I am more confident now than ever about the community Beginning Futures calls home. Beginning Futures has become a cornerstone within the Walnut Park Community.”

Robert Boyle,CEO of Justine Petersen;Comptroller Darlene Greene;and Rochelle Bea,Owner of Beginning Futures LLC.

“How do I explain this to my young boys?”

– Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade, reacting to last weekend’s George Zimmerman verdict

Sports

NSIDE SPORTS

McCluer

B.J. Young has signed a contract with the Houston Rockets after a excellent showing at the National Basketball Associations Orlando Summer League.

After not being selected in the recent NBA Draft, young was picked up by the Rockets for its summer league season. Young played limited minutes early, but once he got extended playing time, he started to put in work. Young scored 20 points in the Rockets’85-77 to Oklahoma City in the championship game of the league. In the previous game, he had 15 points and four assists in the Rockets’victory over the Brooklyn Nets. The 6’3” Young signed a three-year contract with the firstyear guaranteed at the rookie minimum. Young played for the University of Arkansas for two seasons before entering the NBADraft.

Peach Jammin’

The St. Louis Eagles 17U basketball team enjoyed an excellent showing at the prestigious Nike Peach Jam in Augusta, GA. last weekend. The Eagles finished with a 3-2 record and ended in a three-way tie for first place with Team Penny (TN) and Team Final (PA). The Eagles did not advance to the Elite Eight due to a points tiebreaker.

Led by coach Rich Gray, the Eagles had a combined 14-9 record in the rugged Nike Elite Youth Basketball League and Peach Jam. That included a 5-3 record against the teams that advanced to the Elite Eight and a 3-1 record against the teams that were in the Final Four.

The team members are Larry Austin Jr. (Springfield Lanphier), Jordan Barnett (CBC), Justin Diecker (Freeburg), Andrew Fleming (Ensworth, TN), Marcus George (Hazelwood Central), Chaz Glotta (Fort Zumwalt North), Cornell Johnston (Ladue), Drew Moore (Duchesne), Ikenna Okwarabezi (St. Louis Christian), Ronnie Suggs (Washington), Robin Thompson (MICDS), Patrick Triplett (Bayless).

The Eagles 16U team competed in the Nike Sweet 16 in Augusta and finished with a 3-1 record, which tied for first in pool play with two other teams. Like the 17s, the 16s also missed going to the championship bracket due to the tiebreaker.

Chaminade standout Jayson Tatum put on a great passing display in Augusta in front top college coaches such as John Calipari (Kentucky), Bill Self (Kansas), Roy Williams (North Carolina) and dozens of others.

It was my first opportunity to go to the Peach Jam and it was amazing. If you want to see my complete updates on the Peach Jam, check out

In today’s strange, eclectic world of 24/7 social media, sports fans are offered instantaneous and unparalleled access to professional athletes.

No longer do you need a press pass or a cable TVsubscription to find out the latest from your favorite athlete. Aquick trip to Twitter or Instagram can fill you in on what LeBron James had for breakfast, what Carmelo Anthony thought of the BETAwards or what Tiger Woods thinks of his new kicks. As fans, we eat it up. It’s almost as if we’re friends with

With Ishmael H.Sistrunk

Ishmael

After Trayvon Martin’s killer walked free, Dwayne Wade wasted no time in showing his sadness and support by tweeting, “How do I explain this to my young boys????” I

B.J. Young signs with Rockets

the same sports legends we pay big money to see, spend long hours to watch or spend lifetimes trying to emulate. Yet in this new, hypersensitive society as soon as the conversation turns from material to meaningful, the athletic internet censors come rushing in in the name of public relations.

or your JULY18 – 24, 2013

where he led the Red Devils to the Missouri Class 5 state championship in 2009. Lee’s career record is 282-169, which also

the Arch

remain undefeated.

Chip Basketball Regional Tournament

on Saturday

By Earl Austin Jr. Of The St.Louis American

The Surge enter the tournament with a 7-0 record after their 86-53 victory over the Arch Angels last Saturday in the regular-season finale.

The Women’s Blue Chip Basketball League will hold its Midwest Regional Tournament on Saturday at the Jackie JoynerKersee Center in East St. Louis. In the first semifinal game, the St. Louis Surge (7-0) will take on the Missouri Arch Angels (0-8) at noon. It will be followed by the second semifinal between the host Illinois Shooting Stars (4-4) against the Kansas Nuggets (3-4) at 2:30 p.m.

The two winners will meet for the regional championship at 5:30 p.m. and a berth in the WBCBLNational Tournament, which will be held at the University of Missouri-St.

See SURGE, B5

Former

North basketball standout

Last year when LeBron James,Dwayne Wade and their Miami Heat teammates organized an unofficial team photo of the entire Heat squad in black hoodies with the hashtags #WeAreTrayvonMartin and #WeWantJustice.

Former McCluer North standout B.J.Young signed a contract with the Houston Rockets after an excellent showing in the NBA's Orlando Summer League.

H. Sistrunk

Earl Austin Jr.

Missouri Arch Angel’s Ashley Will (3) tries to drive past St.Louis Surge’s Bianca Beck (1) during Saturday’s game at the Mark Twain Center on the campus of the University of MissouriSt.Louis.The Surge defeated

Angels to

Photo by Wiley Price

CLAIB’S CALL

With Mike Claiborne

Drug test stops sprinterin his tracks

If there was ever a sport that does not need another positive test for banned substances by one of its high-profile athletes, it is track and field. Sadly enough, they got just that.

America’s premier sprinter Tyson Gay tested positive for doping recently. Gay has been clipped before and should know better than anyone else how stringent the drug testing procedures are. Instead he, like many athletes who get caught, wanted to lay blame on “someone he trusted.”

The Cardinals lead or are near the top in virtually every positive category, and it is truly a team effort. They have been very workmanlike from day one in spring training and as professional a team as I have ever been around. They police themselves with few closed-door clubhouse meetings.

Sorry, I am out of handkerchiefs to cry on here. Track and field has battled drug use since someone said, “On your mark, get set, go!” Just when you want to embrace the sport or its athletes, the “B” bottle urine sample comes back positive. When some of your best come up dirty, it makes you wonder about everyone else.

This for some is hard to fathom as track and field has THE toughest drug testing policy in the world. As an athlete, you have to be available to give a urine sample 24 hours a day. Your whereabouts have to be tracked as well, not to mention the other elements that are put in place to insure that no one is cheating. And then comes Tyson Gay who knows all of this. With the World Championships coming up, why do I think that Tyson Gay will not be the only wellknown track and field star who will have to sit this one out?

As for the roster and the trade deadline, the Cardinals may look for a veteran out of the bull pen and perhaps another starter, as some in the current crop will be challenged later in the summer because of age or inexperience. There is a lot of youth on this team. While some have had their baptism of fire, there is nothing like experience down the stretch.

It is said by some that the Cardinals have a wealth of talent in the minor leagues, but really they have a lot a good young pitchers. There may be two or three position players that could contribute to a limited extent.

Track and field has battled drug use since someone said, “On your mark, get set, go!”

So what about all that pitching? Not all of it will play in St. Louis, that is just a fact. If they are all that good, at some point the team would not be able to afford to pay them all at the same time. We are talking about helping this team now. You may have to give up something to get something here.

Just what does this team need? Pitching is always a need for virtually any team, but what about other positions? The shortstop position comes to mind.

Cardinals set for second half

Now that the All-Star game is behind us and the second portion of the MLB season is set to begin tomorrow for the Cardinals, one has to wonder what is next for the team that finished the first portion of the season with the best record in all of baseball, not to mention the best in the history of the team.

While Pete Kozma has struggled with the bat recently, his glove has been solid and he was one of the main reasons why this team found itself in post-season play last year. You need more from the position offensively, but who do you want that is really available and at what cost? Many of the good shortstops in the game are playing on contending teams, and the price might be too steep.

As for the bench, the Ty Wigginton experiment did not have favorable results, hence

his release. There is a real need for a professional bat coming off the bench in the late innings. That player may be easier to find later in the season. The other areas are solid. While there may be some subtle tweaking done to this team, a major deal may not be in the offing and that is fine with me. This team has what it takes to get there and then some. There is nothing wrong with a little luck sprinkled in as well. While teams will be hunting

the Cardinals, they appear to be ready for the challenge.

MLB and PED

The rumors continue to swirl about Major League Baseball suspending a few of its better known players for using Performance Enhancing Drugs. Word is that some of these players have lawyered up and have given very little to MLB investigators or are trying to cut a deal. Something

has to give here. As Bud Selig is in his final years as commissioner, it is my hope that he spares no mercy on these cheaters. They have skirted the issue long enough, as they have found technicalities and loopholes to avoid punishment. May the ax fall and fall hard.

Not another stadium issue

In case you have not heard, the Oakland Raiders want to build a new stadium and they claim they do not have the money to build it by them-

selves. OK, we have heard that before by every guy who wants a stadium. In this case the Raiders are proposing that they kick in $300 million, the NFL$200 million and the rest of the $300 million needed for the 50,000-seat stadium come from tax payers. At 50,000 seats, it would be smaller than some of the behemoth facilities that teams are now finding hard to fill. In this case, there would always be a premium for seats to the game. I think this deal may have a chance. Governor Nixon and Stan Kroenke may want to pay attention.

America’s premier sprinter Tyson Gay tested positive for doping recently.

Mike Claiborne

Blue Dolphin Classic champs

Congratulations to the W.I.T.T.S.Elite 14U boys on winning the championship at last weekend’s Blue Dolphin Basketball Club “Battle of Summer Champions Summer Classic”at Northwest High School.Front row,left to right: Zac Busch,Joshua Nunn,Ryan Lacefield, Jadis White.Back row,left to right:Dominic Proctor,Richard Henderson,B.J.Wilson, Spencer Taylor,head coach.W.I.T.T.S.stands for Whatever It Takes To Succeed.

CLUTCH

Continued from B3

island vacation, things that make us envy you. Yet when the conversation turns to Travyon Martin or social justice, walls go up, caution flags are waved, laptops are logged off.

I get it. Professional sports leagues are billion dollar businesses. Owners and attorneys want to protect their investments. Aquick glance at Paula Deen’s spectacular fall from grace is enough to let you know that dollars can evaporate in an instant in the face of ignorance. With that in mind, I can imagine sports executives going crazy as the George Zimmerman case came to a close. How would athletes

Continued from B3

includes six Metro Catholic Conference titles. At Chaminade, Lee coached McDonald’s All-American and current NBAplayers David Lee and Bradley Beal.

Lee replaces Dale Turner, who relocated to Texas after leading the Phoenix to a 22-7 record and a Class 4 district championship season.

Miller Career Academy is annually one of the top programs in the Public High League. The advanced to the Final Four of the Class 4 state tournament in 2008.

Camp Maclin

Former Kirkwood High football star Jeremy Maclin of the Philadelphia Eagles is having his football camp on Friday and Saturday at Kirkwood High. The camp is for youth boys between the ages of seven and 16. It will run from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. with lunch provided for the campers. There are still some spots available. For more information, you can call (856) 537-8771 or email

MaresManagementLLC@gmai l.com

Kim camp

Former University of Missouri basketball standout

Kim English will be hosting a camp at Parkway North High (12860 Fee Fee Road) on July 22-23. The camp is for boys and girls. Players going into grades 3-6 will have camp from 10 a.m. to noon on both days. Players going into grades 7-12 will go from 2-4 p.m. The cost of the camp is $80.

Current and former Mizzou players will also be working the camp with English, who played last season with the Detroit Pistons. For more information, contact David

react? How many advertisers would be offended or scared away by the big, black men screaming for justice and standing up for the lives of our youth?

Even some athletes warned their peers to stay away from commenting publicly on the case, thinking they were helping avoid media scandal or scrutiny.

I disagree with the handsoff approach. Athletes of color cannot afford to be silent in the face of social injustice. The cost is too great. It was a pleasant surprise last year when James, Dwayne Wade and their teammates organized an unofficial team photo of the entire Heat squad in black hoodies with the hashtags #WeAreTrayvonMartin and #WeWantJustice. The impact of the best basketball player in the world essentially

Devaney at (816) 786-2319 or via email at kimenglishcamps@gmail.com

Congrats,Eddie

In last week’s St. Louis American, we ran a feature story on Eddie Johnson, who became the first AfricanAmerican principal at Brentwood High School. I just wanted to pass along my congratulations to Eddie, who was a former basketball standout at Ladue High back in the day. He has worked his way up through the ranks and is truly deserving of his new position. Well done, Eddie.

8-3 in Cleveland

Congratulations go out to the group of area prep football players who represented the St. Louis Rams and STLquite well as the NFLHigh School Player Development 7-on-7 National Tournament in Cleveland. The St. Louis Rams’team finished with an 83 record and advanced to the

telling the black community “I’ve got your back” was nice to see. After Martin’s killer walked free, our community went through a collective shock. Wade wasted no time in showing his sadness and support by tweeting, “Wow!!! Stunned!!! Saddened as a father!!!” And: “How do I explain this to my young boys????”

Maurice Jones-Drew of the Jacksonville Jaguars tweeted, “I’ve tried to get my thoughts together about this Martin trial. I just don’t understand how u can kill a child and go home. Sad day.”

Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings added, “Keep the Faith! #God is in control, He’s the one and only Judge!” and “Doesn’t make sense to me!...”

The no-nonsense award goes to Kendrick Perkins of

championship game of the NFC before losing to the Detroit Lions’entry. There were 12 players on the team from 11 different high schools in the metro area.

Baseball tryouts

The St. Louis Sting baseball team will be holding tryouts in three sessions. The first session for 15/16U will be on Wednesday, July 24 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The 17/18 will be held from 1-4 p.m at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. On Wednesday, July 31, the 17-18 will be from 2-5 p.m. with the 15/16 will be from 5-8 p.m. at Maryville University. On Wednesday, August 4, the 15/16 will be from 9 a.m. to noon with the 17/18 from noon to 3 p.m. at Maryville University.

(You can also follow Earl Austin Jr. on twitter, @earlaustinjr or on his basketball website, www.earlaustinjr.com.)

the Oklahoma City Thunder, who simply stated, “America justice system is a joke.”

Despite the call from the social shushers, who want our athletes to just shut up and play ball and entertain us, plenty of athletes put their brand aspirations aside and spoke their minds regarding the Zimmerman case. Afew athletes went too far and promptly deleted their seething posts. Some didn’t go far enough, seemingly more concerned with telling people to relax and accept the jury’s decision instead of acknowledging the injustice, the heartbreak or the message this sends to the community on the

value of young, black lives ... or the lack thereof.

Continued from B3

Louis from August 2-4.

The Kansas Nuggets defeated the Surge for the regional championship last year at UMSL. Both teams advanced to the Nationals in Miami with the Surge finishing second and the Nuggets third. The Surge enter the tournament with a 7-0 record after their 86-53 victory over the Arch Angels last Saturday in the regular-season finale. The Shooting Stars and Nuggets met on the opening day of the season with the Shooting Stars taking an 80-73 victory.

St. Louis features a balanced scoring attack with four players averaging in double figures, led by Ali Schwagmeyer, Jaleesa Butler (Alton) Shanika Butler (Gateway Tech) and Jasmine Bailey (Normandy). The Shooting Stars are led by former Hazelwood East standout Channon Haywood, who averages more than 20 points a game. Admission for all three games is $7, but if you bring a school supply, the admission is only $5.

Still, a healthy number of athletes bucked the trend of political correctness and made a public stand, including Shaquille O’Neal, Stephen Curry, Warren Sapp, DeSean Jackson, Chris Paul, Jared Sullinger, Kenny Smith, Roddy White, Jamal Crawford, Lennox Lewis, Swin Cash and many more. Now it’s time for those same athletes, many from similar backgrounds and upbringings as Martin, to continue to show support for the communities from whence they came. Time to invest time, energy and money to reassert the value of our black youth to help do away with the negative images that undoubtedly prompted Zimmerman to take the life of an unarmed black child because he was threatened by his blackness. In America, we often worship our athletes for their superhuman running, jumping, hitting, punching, and tackling abilities, but often try to take away their greatest strength and influence – their voice. Kudos to those unafraid to speak. Praises to those committed to act. Follow Ishmael and In the Clutch on Twitter @IshmaelSistrunk and on Google+.

GIVING

Continued from B1

“I’ve gained so many great relationships and met mentors through the Charmaine Chapman Society,” he said.

“Being a part of United Way is being a part of something much greater than yourself.”

Harris received his degree in accounting from University of Missouri – St. Louis. He is currently a partner with RubinBrown LLP. Along with volunteering with United Way of Greater St. Louis, he also chairs RBC’s Young Professional Network, is on the accounting advisory board of University of Missouri – St. Louis and national director with the National Association of Black Accountants, Inc. (NABA).

When Arica Harris, also in her 30s, met Steven, he was already deeply involved with United Way’s African American Leadership/Charmaine Chapman Society.

“I lived in Detroit when I met Steven through our involvement with National Association of Black Accountants, Inc.,” she said.

“I was not a part of United Way in Michigan, but when I moved to St. Louis there was so much passion around the Society and United Way through Deloitte and with Steven.”

Arica knew the Society was a good fit for her.

“I knew I wanted to get involved,” she said. “When I did, the networking was great, and then I learned about all the agencies United Way helps the more involved I got.”

Arica Harris received her undergraduate degree in accounting information from Eastern Michigan University. She is currently AERS manager at Deloitte. Along with volunteering with United Way of Greater St. Louis, she is on the board of NABAand is a chair of the Accounting Career Awareness program.

United Way helps fund

Steven and Arica Harris at United Way’s African American Leadership/Charmaine Chapman Society thank-you event in December 2010.

“I’ve gained so many great relationships and met mentors through the Charmaine Chapman Society.”

– Steven Harris

Fathers’Support Center, Mathews-Dickey Boys & Girls Club, Lessie Bates Neighborhood Houses, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri, Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and dozens more agencies that primarily work with African Americans.

Currently Steven and Arica co-chair the accountants market for United Way’s African American Leadership Society (also known as Charmaine Chapman Society – named after United Way of Greater St. Louis’first African-American and first female president and CEO). As co-chairs, they help United Way with its fall fundraising campaign to raise funds from public accountants. “Being involved with and

giving to United Way is a winwin,” said Steven. “You’re investing in the community, in others’lives and yourself. You never know when you or someone in your family might need help.”

Steven’s fervor for the Charmaine Chapman Society and United Way is apparent. He is also grateful to those who had the foresight to start the group in 1994, particularly Donald M. Suggs, publisher and executive editor of The St. Louis American and founder of the Charmaine Chapman Society.

“We’re standing on the shoulders of those who built this solid foundation,” Steven said. “It’s important for us to keep it going.”

“It’s our responsibility to support and uplift others,” said Arica. “The only way to get better is to combine our resources. Are you in?”

For more information about this or the kickoff for United Way of Greater St. Louis’ African American/Charmaine Chapman Society on September 17, please contact Jeri Sinskey at 314-539-4125.

Financial Focus

By Veronica Coleman

Don’t get trampled by the ‘Herd’

Every year in early July, thousands of people “run with the bulls” in Pamplona, Spain. While the event is exciting, it is also hazardous, and many runners have gotten badly injured over the years. As an investor, you may find that running with the herd is dangerous to you, too – because if you’re constantly following what everyone else is doing, your own financial goals could end up getting “trampled.”

The urge to run with the herd, or follow the crowd, may have been hard-wired into our psyches, according to anthropologists. In prehistoric times, running with the pack may have helped people minimize danger or increase their chances for finding food. But today, there are far fewer rewards for following a herd mentality – especially in investing. For example, consider what happens when the financial markets go through a period of volatility. Virtually every time this happens, many investors flock to gold, apparently believing that the shiny yellow metal will always be valuable and that its price will never drop. Yet, the fact is that gold prices, like those of other financial assets, do fluctuate. Furthermore, certain types of gold-based investments can be quite risky in their own right. What other “follow the herd” movements should you avoid when you invest? For one thing, try to stay away from “feeding frenzies.” If you look back about

How to place a calendar listing

1.Email your listing to calendar@stlamerican.com OR

2.Visit the calendar section on stlamerican.com and place your listing

Calendar listings are free of charge, are edited for space and run on a space-available basis.

concerts

Sat., July 20 8 p.m. (7 p.m. doors), Café Soul Live II starring R&B Diva Keke Wyatt, also featuring Nikko Smith, Aloha Mi’sho, Ms. Kriss, Cherise Carroll, Wildmann, Mz. N.V., Rhoda G. Silky Sol and more. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar.

July 27, 8 p.m., All White

AffairConcert and Party starring Tank, Ginuwine and Tyrese, Chaifetz Arena. Tickets on sale Thursday, June 20 at 10 a.m. at TheChaifetzArena.com, the Chaifetz Arena box office and charge by phone at 314-5341111.

Aug. 3, 8 p.m., Nelly featuring Karmin, The Pageant. 6161 Delmar. For more information, visit www.thepageant.com

Oct. 8, Live Nation presents the “So You Want ATour?” tourstarring Drake with special guest Miguel. Tickets on sale Friday, June 28. For more information, visit www.livenation.com

local gigs

Sat., Aug. 10, 8 p.m. (7 p.m. doors) Le Syndicate presents InVigorate, an elegant soiree featuring a performance by KC “The 4th Son,” Mac’s Banquet Room, 315 Belle, Alton IL 62002. For Tickets Call: Corey at 618.381.2829; Erica at 314.669.1702; Miguel at 314.732.9955.

Saturdays, 3 p.m., The Kendrick Smith Quartet, Premier Lounge, 5969 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive. For more information, call (314)385-5281 or e-mail crusadersforjazz@hotmail.com

Sundays, 6:30 p.m. (6 p.m. doors) Jazz @ Eventide, featuring Black and White Trio Sip N Savor, 286 DeBaliviere, 1/2 block north of the Forest park Metro link. For information, call (314)361-2116.

special events

Thurs., July 18, 12 noon, Join the Universal African Peoples Organization, the Organization ForBlack Struggle, American Civil Liberties Union and other members of the Coalition Against Police Crimes and Repression will gather in memory of Trayvon Martin and in the shadow of Dred Scott, Old Court House, 11 N 4th, St. Louis, MO. Participants are asked to wear black.

July 19 – July 21, Classmates of the SumnerClass of 1988 are invited to join for “The Main Event” 25 year reunion celebration, July 19–21, 2013 in St. Louis, Missouri. For details/registration information please email sumnerclassof1988@sbcglobal.net.

Fri, July 19, 7 p.m., “ELEVATION” – RAW:St.Louis’ one-yearanniversary bash and artists showcase, 2720 Cherokee, 2720 Cherokee Street, St. Louis, MO 63118. For more information, visit www.RAWartists.org/stlouis/el evation

Sat., July 20, 1 p.m., The Grand Opening of Diversity Gallery’s New Location, BIG Sales, Giveaways, Entertainment and Fun, 1010 N. Sarah St., St. Louis, MO. 63113.

Sun., Jul. 21, 3rd Annual I’m

ASurvivorAll White Cancer Gala, The History Museum in Forest Park. For more information, visit www.survivorstl.com

Mon., July 22-July 27, The Robert L. Reed Tap Heritage Institute presents the 22nd Annual St. Louis Tap Festival featuring Karen Callaway Williams and many more, Sheraton Clayton Plaza Hotel. For more information, visit http://www.tapheritage.org/

CALENDAR

Sat., July 27, 8 p.m., The 13 Black Katz, Kappa Alpha Psi & Alpha Phi Alpha present “The Black White Explosion,” The Soul Experience Band Featuring Tiffany Elle and DJ MO, The Millennium Hotel, 200 South 4th, St. Louis MO 63102. Tickets can be purchased at Studio 6 Salon, 3318 N. US Hwy 67, St. Louis MO 63033. Call Mike at 314.732.9955 or Corey at 618.381.2829 for more information.

Fri., Aug 9 & Fri., Aug 23, 8pm. Meeting In The Ladies Room Presents...Candid Conversations. Open, honest and no holds barred dialogue amongst women pertaining to men and relationships. St. Louis Room inside the Blueberry Hill, 6504 Delmar Blvd, 63130. Only 13 seats per session and tickets will not be sold at the door. For $10 ticket purchase visit www.mitlr.net or (618) 670-9648.

Sat., Aug. 10 and Sun., Aug. 11, The Craig Shields Foundation presents Craig Blac’s 12th Annual

The Robert L. Reed Tap Heritage Institute presents the 22nd Annual St.Louis Tap Festival featuring Karen Callaway Williams and more. See SPECIAL EVENTS for details.

Clayton, MO. For more information, contact Diane Ludwig, at 573.642.464 or DBLudwig22@aol.com , for details.

Sat., Aug. 24 – Sun. Aug. 25, 10 a.m., Festival of Nations, Amultiethnic celebration featuring dance, music, food, cultural and educational exhibits, folk art demonstrations, and craft market. Presented by the International Institute and 125 community organizations, Tower Grove Park on the City’s South Side. The event will take place nearest S. Grand and Arsenal. A free shuttle service will be available throughout the Park.

Aug. 18 – Aug. 19, The Jack Buck Golf Classic, benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the exclusive Country Club of St. Albans. More information and tickets to both events are available online at http://gateway.cff.org/jackbuck or by calling the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at 314.733.1241.

Through Sept. 3, Missouri History Museum presents Gridiron Glory; The Best of the Pro Football of Fame Exhibit. The exhibit will also include spectacular footage from NFLFilms’unparalleled archives. 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112. For more information, call (314) 746-4599 or visit www.mohistory.org

literary

Community Cuts forKids

Saturday, August 10th at the Lessie Bates Family Development Center in East St Louis,Il from 10a-2p and Sunday August 11th at the O’Fallon Park Recreation Complex (YMCA) in St Louis from 2-6 p.m. For more information, visit www.thecraigshieldsfoundation.org

TLTProductionsalong with NCCD Corporation presents Youth Take the Stage, an after school arts program that focuses on artistic development at a young age. The Arts and Culture Initiative will provide both a creative and practical outlet for youth ages 6-17. Classes begin AUG 8- OCT8. Enroll Now!Under The Annointing Dance Studio, 7502 W. Florissant St. Louis, MO 63136. For more information, e-mail tltproductionsllc@gmail.com

Sat., Aug. 24, 10 a.m., The 26th Annual Equality Day Brunch, which celebrates the 93rd anniversary of women getting the vote, Crowne Plaza Hotel, 7750 Carondelet,

Playhouse, 5411 Virginia, Free all night. Hosted by Comedian Spinks. For more information, call (314)-440-9262.

theatre

Through July 20, 8 p.m. Union Avenue Opera Theater presents one of the world’s most beloved operas, “Madama Butterfly,” Puccini’s tragic tale of love and heartbreak returns to the Union Avenue Opera stage. Friday Night Lecture Series: July 12 & 19in the Fellowship Hall presented by Glen Bauer, Ph. D., Associate Chair, Department of Music at Webster University. Lectures are free and open to the public. Union Avenue Opera,722 Union Boulevard Saint Louis, MO 63108. For more information visit unionavenueopera.org.

Through July 30, The St. Louis Black Repertory Company presents The Wiz, The Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square, 63108. For more information, call (314) 534-3810 or visit www.metrotix.com

Thurs., Aug. 1, 7 p.m., Shirley Bradford Leflore reads and discusses herbook of poetry “Brassbones and Rainbows.” LeFlore, a founding member of the Black Artist Group, has been actively involved in the St. Louis performance art community over the past 5 decades, St. Louis Public Library - Schlafly Branch,225 N. Euclid Ave. St. Louis, MO 63108.

The New African Paradigm Study Group will meet every 3rd Sunday forbook study. Sabayet, 4000 Maffitt. They are starting a new book, “The first Americans Were Africans: Documented Evidence,” by David Imhotep, Ph.D.

comedy

Jul. 20, 7 p.m., Humor for Hire Presents the Clean Comedy Series: Family Funny hosted by DeAndre Whitener, Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 N. Grand, St. Louis, MO. For more information please email humorforhire@gmail.com or call 314.329.1503

Thursdays, 9 p.m., 2 Funny Thursday Comedy & Open Mic,P3 Platinum Plus

July 31 – Aug. 4, 2013 St. Louis Cabaret Festival in Grand Center. Headliners include the legendary Marilyn Maye, Broadway’s Jason Graae, the jazzy Billy Stritch, and Broadway composer John Bucchino. For more information, visit www.stlouiscabaretconference.com, www.thecabaretproject.org or call (314) 314-359-0786.

Sep. 19-Sep. 21, 8 p.m. Shakespeare in the Streets, Shopkeepers and artists are just a few of the Grove and Forest Park Southeast residents who will appear alongside professional actors in a play artfully adapted from William Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale, as part of the second annual, wildly popular event. Director Alec Wild, Playwright Nancy Bell and Production Designer Justin Barisonek have been meeting with residents and community leaders of the neighborhood for the past nine months with the goal of developing a piece of theater that draws upon the residents’hopes, dreams and aspirations for the neighborhood.

arts

July 24 – Sept. 30, The Griot Museum of Black History presents, Crowning Glory, This exhibitexplores four main themes with more than 50 hats and head-coverings and other artifacts from The Griot’s collections and private citizens. One case focuses on traditional African head cover-

ings, including ceremonial masks to traditional Zulu headwear worn by married women, called Isicholos.,Originally created for display at LambertSt. Louis International Airport, “Crowning Glory” opens to the public on July 24 and will be on display at The Griot through September 2013.The exhibit is curated by Lois D. Conley, Founding Executive Director and James A.Vincent, historian.The Griot Museum of Black History, 2505 St. Louis Ave., St. Louis, MO 63106. For more information, call (314) 241-7057 or visit http://www.thegriotmuseum. com

Aug. 2, 6 p.m., 10th Street Gallery, is hosting an artist Opening Exhibit Reception and Gallery Talk forPhoto Artist Marilyn Robinson Robinson’s art has been exhibited in several St. Louis Art Galleries. 10th Street Gallery, 419 N. 10th Street St. Louis, MO 63101.

The Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (CAM) and Gateway Foundation are pleased to announce a call to artists for the sixth edition of Great Rivers Biennial. Artists in all stages of career development are invited to submit work from any of the following categories: drawing, painting, photography, film and video,printmaking, sculpture, installation, mixed media, and multi-media. To be eligible for participation, artists must reside in the metro area for at least one year prior to the application deadline of August 26, 2013. For more information, visit camstl.org/grb

lectures

July 20 and 27, 9:30 a.m., Woman’s Place will offer a free, 3-session series for adult women who want to release their fears, boost their selfesteem, befriend themselves and expand their human potential. Group will meet for 3 Saturdays - July 13, 20 & 27, from 9:30 to 11:30 am. Preregistration is required. Space

is limited. Call by July 10. 314-645-4848. Visit our website at www.womansplacestl.org

Through Sat., July 20, 9 a.m., National Black State Troopers Coalition 28th Annual SummerTraining Conference & Membership Meeting. Join us for our Public Safety Event, Saturday, July 20, 2013, Location-TBA. Follow us on FaceBook @ National Black State Troopers Coalition. The Renaissance Hotel St. Louis Airport, 9801 Natural Bridge Road St. Louis, MO. For more information, email NBSTC.President@gmail.com

Fri., July 19, The Illinois Humanities Council (IHC) will be hosting a special Humanities Resource Day in Hartford, Illinois. Representatives of local Illinois museums, libraries, historical societies, and other non-profits are invited to attend this half-day workshop. Event is free, though registration is required. Registrations

can be made online by emailing to events@prairie.orgor at (312) 422-5580.

Sat., July 27, 10 a.m., Women of Evolution and Destiny Empowerment Conference, a gathering of women on an annual basis to receivethenecessarytools to overcome the mental stigma of abuse of all types., Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar Blvd St. Louis, MO 63132. For more information, visit www.lavitabell.com

July 25, 10:15 a.m., HarrisStowe State University College of Education will co-sponsorand host with Triumph Learning the Common Core Summer Institute. Registration is $149 and will begin at 8 a.m. For more information about the Common Core Summer Institute contact Diane Sanderson at (636) 578-1029 or via email at dsanderson@triumphlearning.com, or Maggie Moe at (314) 614-7308 or via email

speak to area chiropractors and our health coach. Refreshments will be provided. St. Louis Forest Park World’s Fair Pavilion lower field, St. Louis, MO 63110. For more information, visit facebook.com/pages/StLouisFitness-and-WellnessGroup/163145920516313

Sat, July 27th 11-3pm, Trinity Mt Carmel Church presents: Healthy Families 2013Health & Back To School Fair. This event will offer free cancer screenings for men & women, diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol, hearing, vision, dental and healthy eating and exercising tips. Free school supplies, haircuts & safety helmets will be given out to the children along with free food, entertainment and giveaways for all.Over 40 participating vendors on site:For more information: 314-837-7878

at mmoe@triumphlearning. com . For more information about Triumph Learning visit them at triumphlearning.com. Sat., Aug. 17, 9:30 a.m., Woman’s Place will offer a free workshop for all women entitled ANGER: THE FIRE WITHIN. This uplifting and empowering workshop addresses the heated energy of anger, exploring the potential to transform this ‘fire within’ into a source for creative solutions. Open to all women. Preregistration is required, space is limited. Call by August 14. 314-645-4848.

health

Sat., July 27 8 a.m., (7 a.m. registration) St. Louis Fitness and Wellness Group presents The Fill The Park Fitness Challenge 2, More heart pumping, nonstop movement and strength training by 3 stars in the St. Louis fitness arena. Talk to Dr. Judd Fuhr about health screenings, or

The 11th Annual March of Dimes Metro-East Bikers forBabies is July 27th! Start your engines at Ted’s Motorcycle World in Alton and end at Hawg Pitt BBQ Barn in Grafton! Registration starts at 9:00am, kick-stands up at Noon!Take a ride down the Great River Road and support stronger, healthier babies.To pre-register, donate or learn more, please visit: www.bikersforbabiesmetroeast.org

Fri. Aug 9, Sat. Aug 10, 7:30 p.m., The Bright Side of Life, annual student musical revue forJDRF, Pillsbury Chapel and Dale Williams Fine Arts Center, Missouri Baptist University, One College Park Drive, St. Louis, 63141. Features 39 students (third grade through high school) from 20 area schools who act, sing and dance; features songs from such classic Broadway musicals as Hairspray, King and I, Memphis, Little Shop of Horrors, Sound of Music and Children of Eden. For more information on this free event, visit www.archcitytheatertroupe.org.

Aug. 17, 9 a.m., The Just Lose It Weight Loss Challenge, A12-week weight loss challenge where participants take charge of their health and make those lifestyle changes. Featuring tips, classes, incentives, and weigh-ins each week to keep individuals accountable and motivated. Individuals must be registered and attend the kick off to be in the competition. The challenge is limited to the first 450 people, so make sure to call early. No walkins will be accepted. CH Atrium. Bring $10 for your registration fee in cash or a check made out to Christian Hospital. Call 314-747WELL(9355) or 1-877-747WELLto get registered for the kick off on Aug. 17. Oct. 11, 6:30 p.m., Sounds Of Unlimited Love Ministry PresentsFrom “Bach to Gospel” RECITALBENEFIT Fundraiser To Stop Diabetes, Emerson Performance Center, Harris-Stowe University.

July 21, 3 p.m. doors, Grammy Award WinningThe Jackson Southernaires - LIVE in Concert with St. Louis own HIGHLY FAVOR’D and other musical guests, Prince of Peace Church. For tickets or more information, call the church office at (314) 669-2419, Aug. 29 – Aug. 31, Group travel to TD Jake’s Megafest 2013 will be held in Dallas Texas.Depart Wednesday, Aug 27@ 10 pm from: Hanley Metro Link, breakfast stop 8-9am Arrive in Dallas around noon for hotel check in all prices are per person & include: round trip bus fare & Conference Shuttling, Hotel Acc. withhotel amenities (hotel offers free full hot breakfast daily) &Conference Registration. For more information, visit website to book www.qwiktripps.com

Back by popular demand:The St.Louis Black Repertory Company presents ‘The Wiz.’See THEATRE for more information.

By Melanie Adams

New exhibit comes to History Museum

The Missouri History Museum is welcoming a new exhibit on Saturday, August 10 entitled Slavery at Jefferson’s Monticello: Paradox of Liberty. It was developed by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello in partnership with the Smithsonian National Museum on African American History and is only traveling to St. Louis and the Atlanta History Center.

Based on my Thursday night Facebook feed I am the only person in the country that does not watch ABC’s Scandal. I adore Kerry Washington and I love a good politically thriller, but I couldn’t get past the Jefferson/Hemings affair that is central to the show’s storyline. After watching the first episode I knew the historical undertones would drive me crazy so I didn’t let myself get hooked.

Sally Hemings’children could just as easily have been his brother since the DNAresults just showed Jefferson DNA.

The beauty of the exhibit Slavery at Jefferson’s Monticello is that it takes the focus off the man and centers the story on the families that made Monticello a home for their own families as well as Jefferson’s family. While some families have recognizable names such as the Hemings, the exhibit explores the everyday lives of the Gillette, the Herns, the Fossett, the Granger, and the Hubbard families. Using artifacts found at Monticello, the stories of the families are pieced together to create a narrative of humanity and survival that history has allowed to remain untold until now.

‘Slavery at Jefferson’s Monticello’exhibit probes the ‘paradox’of the philosopher of liberty who owned slaves

All of this to say that the Missouri History Museum is welcoming a new exhibit on Saturday, August 10 entitled Slavery at Jefferson’s Monticello: Paradox of Liberty.

I feel like I am writing about Thomas Jefferson at least every other month. Maybe that is because the Museum is housed in a building that bears his name. Or maybe it is because as a museum we do a lot of exhibits on the founding fathers (Benjamin Franklin, George Washington). Or it could be that it is difficult to talk about issues of equality without talking about the author of the Declaration of Independence.

Whatever the reason, this column should not be about Thomas Jefferson, but the 600 men and women who were enslaved on his plantation home, Monticello.

If you really believed in liberty, how could you own another human being and, even worse yet, enslave your own children?

The common rhetoric around Thomas Jefferson and slavery is that he was a conflicted man. He believed in liberty for all but continued to own slaves. I realize his slave ownership was a reflection of his times, but if you really believed in liberty, how could you own another human being and, even worse yet, enslave your own children?

Even today the language around the Jefferson/Hemings relationship is ambiguous with some scholars stating that the father of

This engaging, educational and eye-opening exhibit was developed by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello in partnership with the Smithsonian National Museum on African American History. I remember reading about it years ago before it was even open to the public. Always interested in bringing groundbreaking exhibits to the St. Louis community, the Missouri History Museum reached out to the Smithsonian to get more information about the exhibit. We were informed the exhibit was not planned as a traveling exhibit. Thankfully, the plans were changed and the History Museum, along with the Atlanta History Center, became the only other two hosts of the exhibit during its run.

The development and opening of the new Smithsonian National Museum of African American History is important to people all over the country because it means that more exhibits on African American history will be created. There was never a lack of research on African American history, but an unwillingness to stray from the national narrative that maintained the status quo.

While doing some research I came across an African proverb that loosely translates to “Until the lion has a historian, the hunter will always be the hero.” With the creation of Slavery at Jefferson’s Monticello: Paradox of Liberty, I believe the lion’s historian has roared.

County Clerk resigns in disgrace

Former St. Clair County Clerk Bob Delaney drank on the job, bullied employees and groped his female office staff, according to an investigation conducted by Laura K. Beasley, the St. Clair County Equal Employment Opportunity Officer. The investigation – the result of a complaint by a former clerk employee, Laura Romero, who was fired by Delaney –ultimately led to his resignation after 34 years of public service.

The allegations are based upon 20 employee interviews. Four employees said that Delaney behaved inappropriately, seven women said that Delaney grabbed their buttocks and 13 women said that Delaney kissed them on the “face, cheek and lips.”

There were also allegations that Delaney taunted a hearingimpaired worker, routinely used racial slurs and even threatened to remove all “Mexicans” from the office.

As the result of these alleged acts of harassment, Delaney walked away from a

Listen Up

By James Ingram

$100,870 salary, saying, “I’m not going to put my wife and kids and employees through this. I am going out with my head held high.” That’s an obviously poor attempt to put a good face on

There were allegations that Delaney taunted a hearing-impaired worker, routinely used racial slurs and even threatened to remove all “Mexicans”from the office.

an ugly situation. Not to worry, though. The former clerk will be eligible to receive an annual pension of $80,000 per year when he turns 55 next May. That’s called a “golden parachute,” my friends.

The St. Clair County Board has acted swiftly by unanimously approving former Illinois state representative Tom Holbrook as the new county clerk, which smacks of

St. Clair County “poli-tricks” as usual in selecting such an obvious political replacement. Of course, Delaney is innocent until proven guilty. But it doesn’t help the appearance of innocence when he is so willing to just walk away from over three decades of public service without a fight. Nor does it help his credibility when no staff members are willing to come to his defense. If these allegations prove to be false and motivated by some political ploy, I hope that Delaney’s good name is restored with the same enthusiasm and vigor with which it was besmirched. And if his accusers are exposed as political opportunists, then their names and reputations should be dragged through the same mud in which Delaney now wallows. However, if Delaney did in fact run his office as if it were a plantation, with sexual harassment, racial discrimination and bullying of staff, then he deserves to be ousted –without the cushy $80,000-ayear parachute.

If you like my column, then you will love my radio show on WGNU-920am every Sunday from 4-5 pm. Please tune-in and call-in. I love to hear from my St. Louis American readers. Email: jtingram_1960@yahoo.com; Twitter@JamesTIngram.

James Ingram

~ CELEBRATIONS ~

#1 in NOLA

The St. Louis Crew from #1 Fan (Volunteer Service) Agency recently supported the 27th National Conference of the 100 Black Men of America held in New Orleans. Pictured from left to right, back row: Vernetta Jones, Pecola Henderson, Elizabeth Baker, Stephanie Rodriguez, Lorraine Hall, Alice Pollard, Cedric Cobb, Casandra Tappin, Arlene Martin, Urana Ballard and Angel Jones.. Front Row: Denise Hamilton, Constance Johnson, Sharah Penermon, Paula Kelly (CEO/#1Fan) Jasmun Moorehead and Monica Pollard.

Joyce Smith (43) — July 13

Chris Dorsey — July 15

Tonya Banks (42) — July 16

Beaumont Classes of 1965, 1966 and 1967 join us for dinner and dancing at the Embassy Suites Hotel (St. Louis Airport) on October 12, 2013 from 7:30pm to 12:30am. Hosted by Beaumont Class of 1966. For further information contact: Jacque’Hughes-Hayes 314-971-7012 orJosh Beeks 314-303-0791.

Craig Holloman — July 16

Hollis R. Whiting — July 18

Beaumont High School Class of 1973 is holding its 40th reunion on Aug. 16-17. Contact Randy Sanderson, at 314-393-8510, rsanderson1954@sbcglobal.netor Shelia Owens Pargo, 314-7240073, sheliap4@sbcglobal.net.

Cardinal RitterCollege Prep, c/o 1988, 25-year reunion, July 26-28. Please check the CRCP class of ‘88 web page for the details for the weekend. Contact: Nathaniel Thomas at nathanielthomasjr@gmail.com or 636-399-3053, Sean Camp at seancamp31@yahoo.com or 314-479-9370, Angela D. Williams at adw13414@yahoo.com or 314-374-6625.

Central High School All Class Reunion “Return to the

Still the best!

Best Dance & Talent Center recently celebrated “ARed Carpet Event: 26 Years of Dancing” at Ritenour High School. Pictured are Ma’lai Ellis and Asya Williams from the preschool ballet and tap combo.

Birthday

Prom”weekend August 9-11. For Tickets and Information contact Laura Joiner at 3237833 or Ada Livers at 2292961 or send e-mail to centralallclass2009@yahoo.com.

East St. Louis SeniorHigh Class of 1974:The Steering Committee is diligently planning our special 40-year reunion in June 2014.Contact dyj54@yahoo.com to be added to the class Facebook page to stay informed.For additional information, contact:314-4065354 or 618-580-2006.

Kinloch All Schools Picnic, Saturday August 17, 2013, Noon at Norman Myers Park, 8700 Midland Blvd. For more information, Please contact Lester Wilson at 863-2180, MC McKinnnies at 524-0126,

anniversary

The Little family would like to wish a Happy 21st Birthday to Cortez Little on July 18! He is a proud and dedicated young man living a Christian lifestyle and a member of Mt. Ivory Missionary Baptist Church. Happy Birthday Son! Love ya!

Reuben Melton at 239-5202, or Arlene (Owens) Davis at 792-0659.

Normandy SeniorHigh School Class of 1973 40-year Reunion Announcement Event is Planned for Saturday, August 3. For details send email to:normandyreunion73@yahoo.com or check the Normandy High School Alumni Website at www.normandyhighschoolalumni.net.

Riverview Gardens Senior High Class of 1993 20-year Reunion, Friday July 26-28. Please go to http://rghs93.classquest.com to register.

Soldan is having its 9th AllClass Alumni Picnic Saturday, August 10, 2013 at

Annie Jean & JasperClark celebrated 40 years of marriage on July 14, 2013. The Clarks are proud members of Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church. Mrs. Clark will also celebrate her birthday on July 25. To God be the glory!

Do you have a celebration you’re proud of? If so we would like to share your good news with our readers. Whether it’s a birth, graduation, wedding, engagement announcement, anniversary, retirement or birthday, send your photos and a brief announcement (50 words or less) to us and we may include it in our paper and website – AT NO COST – as space is available Photos will not be returned. Send your announcements to: kdaniel@stlamerican. com or mail to: St. Louis American Celebrations c/o Kate

Blanchette Park in St. Charles, MO, from 10 am- 6 pm. The price is $10 adults, $5 4yrs - 12yrs, free 3 and under. T-shirts with the graduation year on the sleeve are $13. This picnic is for all who attended Soldan High School. For more information call(314) 413-9088 or (314) 322-6406.

SumnerHigh School Class of 1968 is celebrating its 45th class reunion the weekend of July 26-28, 2013 at the Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel.To register or obtain additional information, please contact Herman Jonesat 314-435-3434, Ronald Buford 314-8374284 or Chrisena Bolden Brown 314-388-3324.

Reunion notices are free of charge and based on space availability. We prefer that notices be emailed to us! However, notices may also be sent by mail to:

Kate Daniel, 4242 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108. Deadline is 10 a.m. on Friday.

If you’d like your class to be featured in a reunion profile, email or mail photos to us. Our email address is: reunions@ stlamerican.com

Girl Scouts and STLCC host science camp

American staff

Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri partnered with St. Louis Community College for the seventh annual Science and Engineering Day Camp, which concluded Friday, June 28.

The camp was conducted at the Florissant Valley campus, where students in grades 6-8 are taking part in numerous hands-on activities designed to expose them to a variety of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.

More than 50 girls from the area, along with instructors and mentors from the college, explored activities in biology, physics, chemistry, computeraided design, computers, genetics, aerodynamics, sustainability, geometry, algebra, chromatography and environmental engineering.

In addition to hands-on activities, the camp included a field trip to St. Luke’s Hospital.

“It’s really great to see girls so interested in these topics. They really enjoy problem solving and the hands-on experience that our faculty volunteers provide,” said April Garrison, mathematics instructor at STLCC. “By hosting this event at the college, they get a sense of what it’s like to be a student here and they seem a lot more comfortable about the prospect of attending college in the future.”

The camp has been shown to fuel girls’interest in scientific and engineering pursuits through hands-on activities and interaction with professionals in these fields. The St. Louis area, mirroring the nation at large, lacks domesticallytrained science, engineering and technology workers.

Estimates show a need for approximately 1 million more STEM professionals than are projected to graduate over the next decade.

Women are particularly under-represented in this professional group. Through exposure to these topics and career paths, instructors hope to increase the number of girls who consider and complete these fields of study, adding to the number of trained professionals needed to improve eco-

nomic viability both regionally and nationally.

Fulbright changes open options

Changes to rules governing assignments of Fulbright scholarships have created more opportunities for faculty members and students.

Greater flexibility when it comes to the time required for individuals to study abroad, and an increase in the types of programs offered make the prestigious, coveted awards more accommodating for busy schedules.

The awards are sponsored by the United States Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. It provides a diverse

audience of professionals around the globe the chance to engage in travel abroad opportunities.

SIUE Director of International Programs Ron Schaefer, a Distinguished Research Professor of English and past Fulbright scholar, highly recommends that individuals apply for awards.

“Opportunities are available for college and university faculty and administrators, as well as for professionals, artists, journalists, scientists, lawyers, independent scholars and many others,” he said. “In order to meet the changing needs of academia and develop new options to better accommodate the interests and commitments of today’s scholars, the program has introduced several innovations.”

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers fellowships for U.S. graduating seniors, graduate students, and young professionals and artists to study abroad for one academic year. The program also includes the English Teaching Assistant component, which accepts applications from graduating seniors.

The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program sends American scholars, professionals and artists abroad to lecture and/or conduct research for up to a year.

The Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program brings foreign scholars, professionals and artists to lecture and/or conduct post-doctoral research for up to a year at U.S. colleges and universities.

Fulbright opportunities are

available in more than 150 countries. The 2014-2015 Academic Year Fulbright Scholar Program competition opened to applicants in February. The deadline for applications will be Aug. 1, 2013.

For other eligibility requirements and detailed award descriptions visit the Fulbright website at http://www.cies.org/us_scholars/us_awards/ or contact Fulbright at scholars@iie.org

Report:immigration creates jobs

Last week, the President’s National Economic Council, Domestic Policy Council, Office of Management and Budget, and the Council of Economic Advisers released a report, The Economic Benefits of Fixing Our Broken Immigration System, detailing the range of benefits to the U.S. economy that would be realized from passage of commonsense immigration reform, and the high costs of inaction. Specifically, the report finds that the Senate-passed bipartisan immigration reform bill: Strengthens the overall economy and grows U.S. GDP: Independent studies affirm that commonsense immigration reform will increase economic growth. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that enacting the Senate immigration reform bill will increase real GDPrelative to current law projections by 3.3 percent in 2023 and 5.4 per-

cent in 2033 – an increase of roughly $700 billion in 2023 and $1.4 trillion in 2033 in today’s dollars. Alarger labor force; higher productivity and investment; and stronger technology, tourism, hospitality, agriculture, and housing industries are just some of the key ways that immigration reform strengthens the U.S. economy. Fosters innovation and encourages more job creation and job growth in the U.S.: Evidence shows that immigrants are highly entrepreneurial. Immigration reform would streamline the process for highly-skilled and highly-educated workers to come to the U.S. and build businesses that create jobs for Americans. In addition, it encourages companies to locate, invest, and expand here in the U.S. Under the recently passed Senate legislation, entrepreneurial immigrants would be eligible for newly created temporary and permanent visas if they demonstrate that they have ideas that attract U.S. investment or revenue and establish businesses that create jobs. Increases the productivity of workers and adds new protections for American workers: According to CBO and other independent studies, immigration reform will ultimately increase overall U.S. productivity, resulting in higher GDP and higher wages. Part of this gain in productivity comes from immigrants’creating new inventions and companies, as well as from improvements in U.S. production processes. Bringing undocumented workers out of the shadows and into the legal economy also helps put a stop to practices that undercut wages and worsen working conditions for American workers. This bill also has provisions to protect U.S. workers and ensure that new worksite enforcement and border security measures deter future illegal immigration. Decreases budget deficits, balances out an aging population, and strengthens Social Security: The CBO found that the enacting Senate immigration reform bill will reduce the federal budget deficit by nearly $850 billion over the next 20 years. In addition, the independent Chief Actuary of the Social Security Administration (SSA) has found that immigration reform will improve the long-term financial standing of Social Security by adding younger workers to the U.S. workforce. The SSAActuary estimates that the Senate’s immigration reform bill will add nearly $300 billion to the Social Security Trust Fund over the next decade and would improve Social Security’s finances over the long run, extending Social Security solvency by two years. The report is available at http://content.govdelivery.com/ attachments/USEOPWHPO/2013/07/09/file_attachments/224143/REPORT.PDF.

More than 50 area Girl Scouts are attending the seventh annual Science and Engineering Day Camp which concludes Friday at St.Louis Community College’s Florissant Valley campus.

Photo by Rachel Gomez

Getting into The Goods. I wouldn’t have been right all week if I didn’t stop through Soho Friday night to serve up some birthday love to my girl Christina Bailey. And some of the who’s who of the STLsocial scene clearly felt the same way as I did. I ran into Staci Static, Mocha Latte, Mo Spoon, Topher, Tim Slater (and his lovely wife Tiffany), Tameka Tate and some other folks who will be mad because they weren’t listed to name a few. And Christina had me wishing that the ratchets hadn’t run the peplum style into the ground because her dress was giving me all types of tangerine glory! I didn’t stay for too long, but I had a cute little time.

Fly Girls in the building. In case you are wondering, J-Lo did not host a reunion with her “In Living Color” former twerk partners in St. Louis. I’m talking about the Vaporz special Fli Girls edition that had some of the baddest chicks in the game on deck tearing up the tables Saturday night at Lola. I had so much fun that I’m not holding their creative spelling against them. Those girls were giving life through the speakers – especially DJ Jewel and Agile One. By the time I made my way back to the car I had my cardio in for the week! I brought my reggae butterfly/slow wind combo out of retirement and had a secret twerk session by the restroom before it was all said and done – and didn’t care who saw. And I was not the only one who ignored their inhibitions and got low to the flo’(yes, I said flo’) because of the fire that was sparking a groove in front of the center stage side by side turntables. Jewel, girl, how did you keep your hair, makeup and freakum dress in tact like that as you were ripping those mixes? My Spanx would have been turned sideways!

Breezing by influentials. Island Breeze was clearly short for “this is a party for all of the people with paid vacations and salary/benefits packages to afford an Island Vacation,” because I saw power players from Edward Jones to the City of St. Louis. And I’m talking VPs and big wigs too! It was a really nice gathering of ___________ (insert new slang for “grown and sexy”) and I’m so glad I stopped through. Shout out to Triky and the Close To Famous crew –as well as David from The Rustic Goat for hosting – for a classy, mature event. The Island Breeze was indeed a good look.

Saved from the Soul food blues. Based on the faces of the B&D security staff I wasn’t the only one shocked at the way that y’all showed up and showed out (in a good way) in Chesterfield for the Kinfolk’s Soul Food Festival on Sunday. They say it was more than 3,500 people in the house –well, outdoors…it is an amphitheater – and it looked like it too. Things started off on the wrong foot for me when I stepped up in the place and didn’t see ANYof my favorite STLsoul food staples. I know they didn’t want to lose that after-church change by being shortchanged, but I came hungry and had to settle for something I can only describe as saltwater mac & cheese. Kut was tearing it up on the tables, so I thought I would instantly be in for a treat on the performance side. But then things went all bad quickly when the lil’ Urban Mystic took the stage. He reminds me of one of those gas station socialites. You know that man who doesn’t work there, but stands at the door every night and keeps the owner and patrons up on the latest parking lot gossip. Things went from bad to worse when Troop took the stage. After all of these years I finally see why Jon-Jon never got to lead a whole song. Tragic. And when Silk came to the stage Lil G was so busy hunching and humping that I didn’t want to be bothered with them AT ALL. But Peabo Bryson’s voice came through the speakers and changed my mind from the grand exit I was planning. I’m glad he did, because I would have missed the glorious Gladys Knight had I decided to punch. Let me just say that there is no excuse for you 27-year-olds to be looking all loose in the middle after the way Ms. Gladys came serving in the last year of her sixties! I know it’s hard for anyone who attended the show to believe, but next year the world’s favorite singing auntie will be 70. But she put all 69 years into those dangerous hip swivels on Sunday night – so much so, that she knocked her micro braided bun clean out of whack…and looked fantastic doing it! She was getting her foxtrot and kick-ball-change on all over that stage. And she sounded BETTER than she does on the radio! The only negative note I have about her whole show is that she could have left Bubba back at the house. What? You were thinking it! I loved the concept of the Soul Food festival…so much so that I hope Kinfolk’s brings it back to STLsometime soon (and bring some local grub spots with him next time).

Artie J’s LANights. Speaking of DJs, Artie J didn’t take a day off from the tables just because it was his birthday. As a matter of fact, he was spinning for his birthday celebration edition of LAnights Saturday night. I always forget that Artie J has a bigger Barbie style fan base than Nicki Minaj until I show up at one of his sets. And a brigade of blondes in body dresses were deep up in the Coliseum – even if they mostly stayed perched at the end of the bar that was closest to the door.

DJ Artie J was hard at work for his birthday tearing up the tables for a special LA Nights that Criag and Dano threw in his honor Saturday night @ The Coliseum

Comedian Will C celebrated the big 3-1 with his boys as The Vaporz represented for the Fli Girls Saturday night @ Lola

Chanel and Anne soaked in the rainbow and plenty of good music Sunday afternoon @ The Kinfolk’s Soul Food Festival @ The Chesterfield Amphitheater

Tisa and Jazmyne were among the cuties that came through to help DJ Artie J kick it for his birthday Saturday night @ The Coliseum

Markos and Jessica came to see what was up with The Goods Friday night @ Soho

Michael and The American’s own Pam Simmons with Niecy Davis Sunday @ The Kinfolk’s Soul Food Festival @ The Chesterfield Amphitheater

DJ Jo Prima was among the freshest in the building as she and Boone came out for The Vaporz presentation of Fli Girls Saturday night @ Lola

Shadzilla and The

Vincent Flewellen with national R&B recording artist Urban Mystic Sunday afternoon @ The Kinfolk’s Soul Food Festival @ The Chesterfield Amphitheater

Photos by Lawrence Bryant By Delores Shante

Photo by Maurice Meredith

Photo by Maurice Meredith

Photo by Maurice Meredith

Out of control gambling

By Denise Hooks Anderson,M.D. Medical Accuracy Editor

During my first visit to a casino, I was anticipating much excitement since my friends, family, and patients went often and seemed to have such a great time. But I must admit that I was not that impressed. I even stayed in one of Vegas’jewels, the Venetian, with it’s over the top architecture, shops, and other amenities. After only slightly enjoying the buffet, I could not figure out what all the hype was about.I did not understand blackjack, I could only pull down a lever so many times on the slot machines, and the cigarette smoke was unbearable! In addition, when my allotted $20 was gone, I was ready to go. For me, spending money had to provide something tangible like a handbag or piece of jewelry. However, that is not the case for the millions of Americans who suffer with a gambling addiction. Approximately six to nine million Americans have a gambling problem. Pathological gambling is basically an impulse driven desire to gamble regardless of the consequences and this desire is totally uncontrollable. It is also called compulsive gambling and addictive gambling.

For problem gamblers, the divorce rate is twice that of non-gamblers. The spouse usually finds out about the habit because either the house was foreclosed or the car was repossessed. Gambling problems usually begin in the teens for men and between 20-30 for women.

Compulsive gamblers are more likely to be men. In the US, male pathological gamblers on average accumulate about $55,000-90,000 of debt as compared to $15,000 in women.

Denise Hooks Anderson,M.D.

The same part of the brain involved in alcohol and drug addiction is the same area affected in pathological gambling. Gambling causes dopamine spikes in the brain which produces a euphoric feeling. With time, the ecstasy associated with gambling diminishes because of the tolerance effect. Essentially your brain starts to get used to your daily routine and riskier activities and wagers are needed to experience the previous level of excitement.

Pathological gambling can lead to other conditions such as depression, alcoholism, and financial problems. Not

much is known about what causes compulsive gambling. As mentioned earlier it affects men and women and involves various cultures and socioeconomic levels. Women are more likely to gamble to escape problems. You are more likely to have a gambling problem if your father or mother also had a problem. Medications such as those used to treat Parkinson’s can cause an increase in compulsive behavior in some people. People with certain personality traits like those who tend to work a lot or those who get bored very easily are at risk of having a gambling problem.

There are three main approaches to treating compulsive gambling: psychotherapy, medications such as antidepressants, and self-help groups like Gamblers Anonymous which is based on the 12-step Alcoholics Anonymous program. But the first step is getting the affected person to acknowledge that they have a problem. Unfortunately, for most of these people they have to hit rock bottom first.

Per the Psychological Association, certain symptoms help define pathologi-

cal gambling:

1. Borrowing money to help pay for losses

2. Lying about how much money was used to gamble and the time involved

3. Having unsuccessful attempts at quitting or cutting back on gambling

4. Gambling large amounts of money in order to feel the excitement

5. Engaging in crimes to get money for gambling

Therefore, if you or a loved one are experiencing any of those symptoms or have concerns about your gambling, seek help. You can seek help from a professional by calling the National Problem Gambling Helpline Network at 800-5224700. This confidential hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information or literature, visit www.ncpgambling.org

Yours in service, Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D. Assistant Professor SLUCare Family Medicine yourhealthmatters@stlamerican.com

YourHealth Matters

Abi-monthly special supplement of the St. Louis American July 18, 2013

YourHealth Matters provides up-to-date information, from an African-American perspective, about one of the most important subjects in evryone’s life – their personal health.

Donald M. Suggs, President and Publisher

Kevin Jones, Senior Vice President, COO

Dina M. Suggs, Senior Vice President

Chris King, Editorial Director

Denise Hooks Anderson, M.D., Medical Accuracy Editor

Sandra Jordan, Health Reporter

Debbie Chase, Director of Health Strategy & Outreach

Onye Ijei, Barb Sills, Pamela Simmons, Sales

Michael Terhaar, Art/Production Manager

Angelita Jackson, Cover Design

Wiley Price, Photojournalist

S

. LOUIS AMERICAN

Finding balance to your reality reduces stress, anxiety

By Sandra Jordan Of The St.Louis American

Most of us know of someone who seems highly unorganized; who is late to every occasion (with an excuse, of course) and appears unable to pull together their life, their thoughts or actions at home, work, school, marriage or in personal interactions with others. Anxiety could be an unrecognized underlying cause.

Jameca Falconer, a counseling psychologist at Logan College of Chiropractic University Programs said it is a matter of balance, managing time and prioritizing the issues in your life. She conducts psychotherapy for students, faculty and staff at Logan and previously worked in private practice.

“We usually sit down and work out a schedule or a plan; sometimes we do it graphically, sometimes we do it verbally, to figure out what things need to be there, what things do not need to be there,” Falconer said. “And we go through and take those things out, and get a visual, detailed vision of what that time should look like, as opposed to what it does look like.”

Anxiety comes from worrying about what may happen; life’s ambiguities cause stress about the “what ifs.” Anxiety can manifest as physical health issues.

When a hectic life becomes chaotic and so overwhelming that it interferes with a person’s daily functioning, a person needs help dealing with what is causing their anxiety.

“If it’s causing a disruption in your daily living, then it’s a problem that warrants help,” Falconer said. “It could be as simple as always getting to work late, always dropping their children off late; always picking up their children late –that’s a disruption.

“Or they are feeling stressed-out, teary, nervous… if they don’t sleep well, that’s a disruption.”

Generalized anxiety disorder is a common, but serious illness that may worsen over time. It responds to treatment with professional counseling, medication or both.

The National Institutes of Health reports generalized anxiety disorder, and the stress it produces can lead to extreme fear or phobias, panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorders and other physical manifestations. This is more than being anxious or nervous – that alertness that comes before taking an important exam, for example.

“If the core issue is anxiety… a lot of

what I see with patients is that the anxiety doesn’t come so much from the things they have in their life; it comes from the people that have created the stress in their life,” Falconer said. “Most

times, it’s as simple as eliminating people.”

Whatever or whoever is toxic does not deserve space in your life, she added. You have to admit it to yourself and

is a counseling psychologist at Logan College of Chiropractic University Programs and teaches at Webster University.

believe it.

According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, one in four adults, an

See ANXIETY, page 5

Jameca Falconer

Photo by Wiley Price

HEALTH BRIEFS

Depression risk influenced by quality of relationships

The mantra that quality is more important than quantity is true when considering how social relationships influence depression, according to a University of Michigan study.

After analyzing data from nearly 5,000 American adults, researchers found that the quality of a person’s relationships with a spouse, family and friends predicted the likelihood of major depression disorder in the future, regardless of how frequently their social interactions took place.

Individuals with strained and unsupportive spouses were significantly more likely to develop depression, whereas those without a spouse were at no increased risk. And those with the lowest quality relationships had more than double the risk of depression than those with the best relationships.

The study, which was published online recently in PLOS ONE, assessed the quality of social relationships on depression over a 10-year period.

Nearly 16 percent of Americans experience major depression disorder at some point

in their lives, and the condition can increase the risk for and worsen conditions like coronary artery disease, stroke and cancer.

“Our study shows that the quality of social relationships is a significant risk factor for major depression,” said psychiatrist Alan Teo, M.D., M.S., a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholar at U-M and the study’s lead author.

Certain positive and negative aspects of relationships also predicted depression, the researchers added. Social strain and a lack of support – especially in spousal relationships and to some extent with family members – were both risk factors for developing depression later.

“The magnitude of these results is similar to the well-established relationship between biological risk factors and cardiovascular disease,” Teo says. “What that means is that if we can teach people how to improve the quality of their relationships, we may be able to prevent or reduce the devastating effects of clinical depression.”

Sibling aggression linked to poormental health

Fights between siblings – from toy-snatching to clandestine whacks to being banished from the bedroom – are so common they’re often dismissed as simply part of growing up. Yet a new study from researchers at the University of New Hampshire finds that sibling aggression is associated with significantly worse mental health in children and adolescents. In some cases, effects of sibling aggression on mental health were the same as those of peer aggression.

“Even kids who reported just one instance had more mental health distress,” said Corinna Jenkins Tucker, associate professor of family studies at UNH and lead author of the research, published in the July issue of the journal Pediatrics. “Our study shows that sibling aggression is not benign for children and adolescents, regardless of how severe or frequent.”

Researchers analyzed data from the National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence, a national sample of 3,599 children, ages one month through 17.

The study looked at the effects of physical assault with and without a weapon or injury, property aggression like stealing something or breaking a siblings’things on purpose, and psychological aggression such as saying things that made a sibling feel bad, scared, or not wanted around.

The researchers found that of the 32 percent of children who reported experiencing one type of sibling victimization in the past year, mental health distress was greater for children ages 1 month to age 9 than for adolescents (age 10 – 17) who experienced mild sibling physical assault. Both children and adolescents were similarly affected by other psychological or property aggression from siblings.

The study, “Association of sibling aggression with child and adolescent mental health,” appears in the July 2013 issue of the journal Pediatrics

Hearing loss tied to more hospitalizations

Older adults with hearing loss are more likely to require hospitalization and suffer from periods of inactivity and depression, according to results of a new study from Johns Hopkins.

Its team analyzed health survey data from 1,140 men and women aged 70 and older with hearing loss found that those with hearing deficits were 32 percent more likely to have been admitted to a hospital than 529 older men and women with normal hearing. All study participants had volunteered to have their hearing tested over a four-year period, as part of a larger, ongoing study, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, or NHANES.

“Hearing loss may have a profoundly detrimental effect on older people’s physical and mental well-being, and even health care resources,” said Frank Lin, M.D., Ph.D., senior study investigator and Johns Hopkins otologist and epidemiologist. “Our results underscore why hearing loss should not be considered an inconsequential part of aging, but an important issue for public health.”

According to Lin, as many as 27 million Americans over age 50, including two-thirds of men and women aged 70 years and older, suffer from some form of hearing loss.

Among the study’s other key findings were that older adults with hearing loss were 36 percent more likely to have prolonged stretches of illness or injury (lasting more than 10 days), and 57 percent more likely to have deep episodes of stress, depression or bad mood (for more than 10 days). NHANES participants answered detailed questionnaires about their physical and mental wellbeing.

ANXIETY

Continued from A1

estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older – suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year.

And if it looks like your peers appear to be doing okay and internally, you feel you may they need some extra help pulling your life together, a person will need to move beyond a potential stigma associated with seeking behavioral health counsel, according to Falconer.

“I think there is a very big stigma attached to counseling and therapy within the African American community, and I think a lot of this has to do with the traditional values rooted in the black family that tell us that we do not go outside of the family to seek help,” Falconer said. “So that when you go outside the family to receive help, it’s looked down upon.”

Compounded by not being able to manage your own life, Falconer said, or appearing to be weak is something else that is not valued in the black community.

“When you put those things together, it does create a very big stigma and lots of people try to stay away from that,” she added.

Exacerbating the problem for some young men and women are the unflattering images and unrealistic expectations in society; exaggerated portrayals of African Americans that are far from ideal, that some people internalize as personal attainable goals.

Faking “it”

“Specifically for young black men, what I see a lot are issues… depression, anxiety and other types of mental illness or physical illnesses that are usually associated with … this kind of selfacceptance,” Falconer said. “Many times they use the clothes, the cars, the jewelry and the women; because what they really want is respect and attention.”

She added that within the black community that struggle and striving for respect and attention continues from adolescent and young adulthood into their 40s, even 50s, because they still haven’t figured “it” out yet.

“For black men, the ‘it’they need to figure out is ‘I am okay without all of these things. These things don’t make me better.’” Falconer said. “Any mature person would see that; an immature person, on the other hand, will be fooled into thinking you are what you are trying to portray.”

She said it becomes a cycle; using fake means to obtain what can be real and meaningful.

“I’m hurt, I’m injured; I don’t feel good about myself, so I have all these clothes and cars that make me on the outside look like I’m all these things and successful.” Falconer describes. “So then

Where to get help

ï Amanda L. Murphy Hopewell Center, 314-531-1770

ï Better Family Life Youth Family & Clinical Services, (314) 454-0622

ï Grace Hill Health Centers, 314-898-1700 (ask for a licensed clinical social worker)

ï Family Mental Health Collaborative, (314) 993-1000 (for St. Louis County residents)

ï Campus counseling centers

ï EAPspecialists are available at jobs through human resources

use inauthentic ways in an attempt to get something authentic,” Falconer said. “Everyone wants something real. ‘I want a real man,’‘I want to step up; I want him to step his game up.’Well, that’s not what you used to get him. You didn’t use real ways to get him.

For her male patients who complain their women don’t cook, clean or whatever, Falconer asks what attracted them in the first place.

“‘Because she was fine.’

‘Okay, then that is what you got her for. Is she still fine?’

‘Yes.’

‘Then she is doing what she is supposed to do. That was in the job description that she applied for; you hired her and she is doing her job. You didn’t hire somebody to cook and clean and to look cute. You hired someone to look cute; so that mean you chose wrong.’”

Falconer hears her share of the “I know buts.”

I attract these people who think these things are important and that means I am successful, but then, they are not either.

“So then the people who don’t feel good about themselves hook up with other people that don’t feel good about themselves and then they create families – broken families; and then we wonder why the children suffer.”

Mr.Anybody,meet The Fake Me

Falconer, who also teaches at Webster University, tells students it is hard being a woman in 2013 regardless of your race or age, because society says “you’re not right.”

“I think with the young black women, they see the reality TVshows, the magazines, the videos – all these things that tell them that they are not valuable unless they can use their sexuality or

unless they can show their sexuality,” Falconer said. “Then they get caught in this cycle that they feel they have to use their sexuality to get love or to get men.

It’s worse than always looking for Mr. Right.

Falconer said it’s Mr. Anybody.

“Mr. Anybody; it doesn’t even have to be Mr. Right. He can be Mr. 10 Percent Right,” Falconer explained. “And I have to try to trap, or catch or get this Mr. because this is going to be the answer to all my problems.”

This mindset puts some black women and men in the same tempestuous boat. Again, “Here is the fake me; but let’s keep it real.”

Ain’t nothing like the real thing

“I think we use all these artificial ways to get something that is real; we

“It’s hard for people to accept responsibility that they are in the situation that they are in because of them; it’s hard for everybody,” Falconer said.

To break the perpetual cycle or poor personal choices, Falconer said the first step for men and women is to get “unstuck.”

“Gain some awareness of what the problem is, and I think that is the tricky part for people because oftentimes they point the finger and say it’s somebody else’s problem,” Falconer said.

“Sometimes their friends and family can’t really help them identify the problem because they are just as stuck as they are.

“Sometimes just doing that first step requires you getting help from the outside.”

For more information, visit www.diverse-ventures.com or www.nimh.gov.

Jameca Falconer is a counseling psychologist at Logan College of Chiropractic University Programs and teaches at Webster University.

Recognizing the signs of problem drinking

From the Dallas Examiner

There has been increased attention in recent years to the problems associated with excesses in alcohol consumption. From college binge drinking to the often-tragic results of drunkdriving incidents, the media, courts and general public have begun to recognize the serious implications that drinking to excess can have.

But as important as these stories are, for most of us, the real issues are usually much more personal and closer to home. Statistics show that across the country, alcohol consumption has increased in recent years, yet most people have little understanding of the signs that point to a drinking problem, or they don’t know what to do when such signs appear.

Asimple and easy way to test yourself for a potential drinking problem is to answer a few questions. Ask yourself if you’ve ever felt annoyed about criticism of your drinking, or do you feel guilty about your drinking? Have you ever felt that you ought to cut down on your drinking? Do you find that you need an early morning drink to get going? Experts say answering “yes” to even two of these questions indicates a possible drinking problem.

Aprofessional counselor working with someone facing possible alcohol abuse problems would conduct a much deeper evaluation. He or she would look for drinking-related issues, such as the client being unable to remember a previous evening’s drinking, a history of alcohol-related violent arguments or physical fights, evidence of neglecting family life or work-related problems. When alcohol has led to losing a job, arrests for drunken driving or the loss of friends, help is clearly needed.

For anyone even suspecting that there is a drinking problem, professional help should be sought quickly. Alocal hospital or mental health center can provide a list of professional counselors who specialize in substance abuse issues. You can also find professional counselors listed in your local yellow pages or through the American Counseling Association website. Aprofessional counselor can provide both an in-depth evaluation of possible issues as well as assistance in combating the problem.

Taking that first step of admitting there might be a problem may be both difficult and painful, but it’s an important one. Only by beginning the process of seeking help can someone can avoid the very serious and often tragic consequences that come with excessive drinking.

The Counseling Corner is provided by the American Counseling Association. Send comments and questions to acacorner@counseling.org or visit http://www.counseling.org.

ROFILING PEOPLE IN HEALTH

CoKeisha Van Hook,RN,OCN

Position/Where:

Nurse Navigator/Clinician at Christian Hospital

CareerHighlights:

Worked within the BJC system for almost 13 years, as a PCA, clerical associate, team leader and nursing supervisor; the first nurse navigator at Christian that works with patients who have all different types of cancer

Awards:

High Performer Award - presently quarterly to staff members whom go beyond the call of duty

Education:

Currently enrolled at University of Phoenix, RN to BSN program

St Louis Community College at Forest Park, Associates degree in Nursing

Personal:

Married with an infant son Coordinates speakers for the monthly Beyond Breast Cancer Support group

St. LouisConnection:

I attended Gateway Institute of Technology in St Louis, MO

Journey to success:

My journey to success includes always having faith. One has to believe in herself in order to be successful. My overall goal as a nurse is to make a difference in someone’s life. As anurse navigator, I am instrumental in advocating for the patient by helping to break down barriers to care and ensuring that the patient receives the support and knowledge needed to navigate the health care system. Working with patients who have cancer can come with many challenges and frustrations. However, I am up to the challenge everyday.I often laugh with the patient, as well as cry with them. I am so blessed to be able to work with a patient from the beginning of their cancer diagnosis all the way out to survivorship. Everyone’s journey with cancer does not always have a happy ending. Nonetheless, I have been there, right by their side. I have seen the patient take their last breath and I have been there to comfort the family afterwards. No matter what the circumstances may be, I am there for my patients, always.

It is important to have support from people in my life personally and professionally. I owe a lot of my success to my family and my husband. They have always been by my side no matter what. Professionally, Christian has offered my many opportunities to advance my nursing career. Going further in my career, my goal is to become a nurse practitioner and continue to work with the patientthat hascancer. I will continue to be an advocate for the patient.

EALTHY Q&A

How people see with macular degeneration.

Vision problems can cause hallucinations

Source: Reprinted from the MayoClinic.com article, Second Opinion, www.HealthLetter.MayoClinic.com

Q.As my eyesight has gotten worse from maculardegeneration, I’ve started to see hallucinations of people. I know they’re not real, but I’m worried this may be the start of Alzheimer’s. Are there otherexplanations?

A. Although Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia can cause hallucinations, there are many other causes. These include Parkinson’s disease, sleep disturbances, alcohol abuse or withdrawal, migraines, seizures disorders, and psychiatric problems.

However, for older adults with vision loss, one fairly common cause of visual hallucinations is macular degeneration. This relationship has become known as the Charles Bonnet (bo-NAY) syndrome, named after the Swiss scientist who first described the condition.

It’s estimated that 11 to 15 percent of older adults with moderate to advanced vision loss – due to diseases such as macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic neuropathy or stroke – experience Charles Bonnet syndrome. But the true incidence is difficult to gauge because many people are reluctant to confide in their doctor due to fears of being diagnosed with dementia or psychiatric illness. Many people are afraid to tell friends or even close relatives because of concerns others might say they’re “crazy.”

Visual hallucinations from Charles Bonnet syndrome commonly involve vivid images of people animals or scenes. Less frequently, they involved simple lines, flashes or geometric shapes. These can last from less than a minute to being almost continuous, and may occur several times a day or as just a few isolated episodes. These hallucinations are almost always recognized as unreal, but may be so disturbing and frightening that they interfere with daily tasks. They’re thought to be caused by spontaneous firings of vision-related brain cells due to diminished stimulation from visual information.

If you have visual loss from macular degeneration, the macular degeneration can be presumed to be the cause and other tests aren’t necessary. Treatment of an eye disease – such as removing a cataract – may improve vision, possibly ending the hallucinations.

If not, reassurance that the disease doesn’t pose a threat to overall health is often sufficient to ease worries and manage the condition. Visual hallucinations sometimes go away over time, and they may be manageable with steps such as improving lighting, blinking the eyes and turning the head away. In addition, certain medications – such as those used to treat depression or other psychiatric problems – may be helpful in reducing visual hallucinations or the resulting emotional distress.

HEALTHY RECIPE

Southwest stuffed spaghetti squash

Serves 4

1 spaghetti squash, about 3 lb

2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 red onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, minced (leave seeds in for more heat)

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 Tbs. ground cumin

1 Tbs. Mexican oregano

1 Tbs. chili powder

1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 cup frozen corn, thawed freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup freshly torn cilantro, plus more for garnish

1 lime

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Preparation:

ï Preheat oven to 375.

ï Roast squash on a baking sheet for 50 minutes. Let cool another 30 minutes, then cut in half.

ï Spoon out the seeds, then using a fork, scrape up the flesh, making the “spaghetti.”

ï Heat oil in a medium skillet. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeno pepper and red bell pepper. Sauté 2 minutes.

ï Add cumin, Mexican oregano, chili powder and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté another minute.

ï Add the beans, corn and cilantro. Stir to combine. Squeeze in the lime juice and give one last stir.

ï Add in half the “spaghetti” to the bean mixture and stir to combine.

ï Switch oven to broil.

ï Stuff each squash half with the mixture and top with grated cheese.

ï Place under the broiler until the cheese melts and gets brown and bubbly.

ï Garnish with cilantro.

Nutritient Information (per serving)

Calories 400

Fat 16 g

Saturated fat 5.5 g

Cholesterol 18 mg

Carbohydrate 53 g

Fiber 6 g

Protein 17 g

Sodium 225 mg

Sat. July 20, 8:30 am-10 a.m. & 11 a.m. – 12:30 a.m., Comprehensive Stroke Screening ($20) & Lecture by SSM Neurosciences Institute, May Center, 12303 DePaul Drive, Bridgeton, Mo. 63044. By appointment for $20, screening includes blood pressure, carotid ultrasound (non-invasive test of blood flow in the neck arteries), cholesterol (fasting preferred), blood sugar (glucose), and consultation with nurse specialist. Appointments are required. Call 1-866-SSM-DOCS (1-866-7763627) or register at ssmhealth.com/neuro.

Wed. July 24, 12 Noon – 4 p.m., Free North County Whooping Cough Vaccination Clinic, John C. Murphy Health Center, 6121 N. Hanley Rd., Berkeley, Mo (63134). For more information, visit www.stlco.com/HealthandWellness/Pertu ssicClinics

Sat. July 27, 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. –CHIPS Health and Wellness Center 13th Annual PrayerBreakfast, Clyde C. MillerCareerAcademy, 1000 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis. For more information, call 314-652-9231, x. 20; email

CALENDAR

mroach@chipsstl.org or visit www.chipsstl.org

Sat. July 27, 9 a.m., 11th Annual Metro East Bikers forBabies benefitting the March of Dimes begins at Ted’s Motorcycle World, 4103 Humbert Rd., Alton, Ill. 62002 and ends at Hawg Pit BBQ Barn, 821 W. Main St. in Grafton, Ill., 62028. For more information, visit www.bikersforbabiesmetroeast.org

Mon. July 29, 12 Noon – 4 p.m., Free South County Whooping Cough Vaccination Clinic, South County Health Center, 4580 S. Lindbergh Blvd., Sunset Hills, Mo.. For more information, visit www.stlco.com/HealthandWellness/Pertu ssicClinics.

Sat. Aug. 3, Lupus WolfRide GranFondo 56- or112-Mile Bike Ride, Bolm-Schuhkraft Park, Columbia, Ill. For more information, call 1-8009LUPUS6 or visit www.wolfride.com.

Fri. Aug 9, Sat. Aug 10, 7:30 p.m., The Bright Side of Life, annual student musical revue forJDRF, Pillsbury Chapel and Dale Williams Fine Arts

Center, Missouri Baptist University, One College Park Drive, St. Louis, 63141. Features 39 student actors, singers and dancers from 20 area schools (grades 3 - high school); event features songs from such classic Broadway musicals. For more information on this free event, visit www.archcitytheatertroupe.org

Sun. Aug. 11, 7 a.m., 1st Annual Federico Gold Classic forthe National Children’s CancerSociety, Belk Park Golf Course in Wood River, Illinois. For more information, call 314446-5226, email fwalleck@theNCCS.org or register online at www.theNCCS.org/events.

Sat. Aug. 17, 9 a.m. – 11 a.m., Just Lose It Weight Loss Challenge, Christian Hospital. Mandatory kickoff attendance event begins 12-week challenge, with tips, classes, incentives and weekly weigh-ins to keep you accountable and motivated. Participants must be 18 or older; bring in $10 registration – cash/check payable to Christian Hospital. No walk-ins – must register by calling 314-747-WELL(9355) or 1-

877-747-WELL(9355).

Sundays, 10 a.m. – Alcoholics Anonymous Group 109 meets in the 11th floor conference room at Christian Hospital, 11133 Dunn Road at I270/Hwy. 367. This is an open meeting for alcoholics, drug addicts and their family and friends.

Mondays, 7 p.m. – “Tobacco Free for Life” support group – free weekly meetings at St. Peters Mo. City Hall. Supported by SSM Cancer Care; RSVP initial participation to 636-947-5304.

Tuesdays, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. – Alcohol and Drug Informational meeting, Christian Hospital, Professional Office Building 2, Suite 401.For information, call 314-839-3171.

Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. –STEPS Schizophrenia Support Group

This nationally recognized program provides education and support for those with schizophrenia. Group is facilitated by an experienced STEPS nurse. For more information, call 314-839-3171.

Behavioral

Christian Hospital offers free and confidential psychiatric and chemical dependency evaluations at the Christian Hospital Center for Mental Health. For more information, call 314-839-3171.

Christian Hospital Key Program offers support and education to patients with chronic mental illness to prevent increased severity of symptoms and to reduce the need for inpatient re-hospitalization. Call confidentially to 314-8393171 or 1-800-447-4301.

Crime Victim Advocacy Center provides no cost support for persons who have been affected by criminal acts. Emil peggy@supportvictims.org, visit or call the 24-hour hotline 314-OK-BE-MAD (652-3673) or visit www.supportvictims.org.

Bike helmet safety

The St. Louis County Health Department provides free bicycle helmets to St. Louis County residents between ages 1 and 17 by appointment only. Proof of residency is required. For the location nearest you, visit www.tinyurl.freebikehelmets.

HEALTH RESOURCES

Breast Cancer Gateway to Hope offers no-charge medical and reconstructive treatment for uninsured breast cancer patients in Missouri. Contact 314-569-1113.

Dental

Free Dental Hygiene Clinic - No charge dental exams, x-rays, cleanings and other dental services for children and adults provided by dental students at Missouri College. Patients needing more extensive dental work (fillings, crowns, etc.) will be referred to local dentists. For information, call 314-768-7899.

Diabetes

SSM St. Mary’s Health Center provides free, Diabetes Support Group sessions the second Tuesday of every month from 6 – 7 p.m. to address health management issues. It’s located at Meeting Room 1 on the second floor, 6420 Clayton Rd. in St. Louis. To register, call toll free 866-SSM-DOCS (866-7763627).

Health Partnerships

The CenterforCommunity Health and Partnerships: Building Bridges for Healthy Communities works to develop and support beneficial community-aca-

demic partnerships to address the health needs of the St. Louis. For more information, email publichealth@wustl.edu; phone 314-747-9212 or visit publichealth.wustl.edu.

Information

Missouri 2-1-1 offers referral and information on a wide range of social service and helpful resources. Call 2-1-1.

Medical

St. Louis ConnectCare offers walk-in services Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and most holidays. For more information, call 314-879-6300.

Salam Free Saturday Clinic, 10 a.m. –

2 p.m. at the Isom Community Center at Lane Tabernacle CME Church, 916 N. Newstead, St. Louis, Mo. for those who are uninsured. For more information, call 314-533-0534.

Nutrition

Food Outreach provides food, meals and nutritional education/ counseling to eligible persons living with HIV/AIDS or cancer in St. Louis. For more information, call 314-652-3663 or visit www.foodoutreach.org.

St. Louis Milk Depot - SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital is a breast milk depot. Milk Depot staff will store and ship your milk to IMMB. For more information, call (314) 242-5912.

Prostate Cancer

The CancerCenterof The Empowerment Network at 6000 W. Florissant in St. Louis provides information on prostate and other types of cancer, and services and support. For more information, call 314-385-0998.

Prescription Cost Help

St. Louis ConnectCare Retail

Pharmacy – offers a $4 generic prescription program. Hours are 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Mon. – Fri., no weekends or holidays. Located at 5535 Delmar Blvd. in St. Louis, Call 314-879-6208.

Schnucks Pharmacies – now offers certain prescription prenatal vitamins for free and offers no-cost generic prescription antibiotics at select locations.

Respiratory Health

Free lung function screening - Christian Hospital Breathing Center at Northwest HealthCare, 1225 Graham Rd. For more information, call 314-953-6040.

Hands-free talking, texting is not safe driving

Using hands-free devices to talk, text or send e-mail while driving is distracting and risky, contrary to what many people believe, according to a new University of Utah study recently released by the AAAFoundation for Traffic Safety.

“Our research shows that hands-free is not risk-free,” said University of Utah psychology Professor David Strayer, lead author of the study and a cognitive distraction expert. “These new, speechbased technologies in the car can overload the driver’s attention and impair their ability to drive safely.”

An unintended consequence of trying to make driving safer – by moving to speech-to-text, in-vehicle systems – may actually overload the driver and make them less safe, Strayer surmised.

“Just because you can update Facebook while driving doesn’t mean that it is safe to do so,” Strayer added. “Don’t assume that if your eyes are on the road and your hands are on the wheel that you are unimpaired. If you don’t pay attention then you are a potential hazard on the roadway.”

The research found that as mental workload and distractions increase, reaction time slows, brain function is compromised. Drivers miss visual cues, potentially resulting in drivers not seeing items right in front of them including stop signs and pedestrians.

This is the most comprehensive study of its kind to look at the mental distraction of drivers and arms AAAwith evidence to appeal to the public to not use these voice-to-text features while their vehicle is in motion.

With a predicted five-fold increase in infotainment systems in new vehicles by 2018, AAAis calling for action as result

of this landmark research.

“There is a looming public safety crisis ahead with the future proliferation of these in-vehicle technologies,” said AAA

President and CEO Robert L. Darbelnet.

“It’s time to consider limiting new and potentially dangerous mental distractions built into cars, particularly with the com-

mon public misperception that hands-free means risk-free.”

Read the full report NewsRoom.AAA.com.