July 18th, 2024 edition

St. LouiS AmericAn

By Alvin A. Reid

St. Louis American

Exciting Expo

While summer is still in full swing, the 2024-25 school year is nearing, meaning it’s time for the region’s biggest back-to-school event.

The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis (ULSTL) and Saint Louis Public Schools (SLPS) present the Urban Expo Back to School & Community Empowerment Festival from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday July 20 at America’s Center downtown.

n Attendees will receive free school supplies, including book bags and shoes.

“The Urban Expo in partnership with the St. Louis Public Schools is a family fun celebration for the community,” said Michael P. McMillan, Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis president and CEO.

It’s an opportunity for everyone to tap into essential resources, enjoy great entertainment, and come together. Everyone is invited to join us.”

Attendees will receive free school supplies, including book bags and shoes. SLPS officials will be on hand to help with transportation, school enrollment, and any other questions you may have.

The festival will also include a community fair with

Spiderman spun a web of fun last year for kids attending the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis (ULSTL) and Saint Louis Public Schools Urban Expo Back to School & Community Empowerment Festival. The 2024 festival is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, July 20 at America’s Center downtown.

Meet me at The Nick

By Ashley Winters

The St. Louis American

The Nicholas J. Booker Basketball Courts are named after Nick Booker, a St. Louis youth who loved basketball and worked as a teenager in Forest Park for the St. Louis Parks Division. He died tragically from an asthma attack while playing pickup basketball during his first year of college. A partnership between the St. Louis City Department of Parks, Recreation, and Forestry and the private nonprofit conservancy Forest Park Forever and funding including a lead gift from the Eric P. and Evelyn E. Newman Foundation and other supporters helped bring basketball to Forest Park. This is the first time in the park’s history to have a basketball court.

n “Being an organ donor and having the basketball court in his honor, he is continuing to help others.”

– Tanya Booker

Saturday, July 13, the dedication of the courts, had a

Eliminating neighborhood ‘environmental nuisances’

day of games, food, and music. Over 100 friends and family of Nick Booker came to honor and celebrate his memory and love for Forest Park and basketball. Basketball teams from across the region signed up for specific games and contests.

A proclamation from the Mayor of St. Louis City, Tishaura Jones proclaimed July 13, 2024, as Forest Park Nicholas J. Booker Basketball Day – cheers from family and friends filled the hot summer day air.

“This is such a tremendous honor for our family to have something that is so needed and inclusive that is in his honor,” said Booker’s dad Britt Booker. Britt describes his son as someone who loves to bring everyone together, even those he doesn’t know.

‘Morning Edition’ will air live Aug. 6

By Fontella Bradford St. Louis Public Radio

Aug. 9 will mark 10 years since Michael Brown Jr. was fatally shot by a Ferguson police officer. The killing, which became known as the Ferguson Uprising,” sparked unrest, activism and demands for reform both locally and nationally.

Michel Martin

NPR Morning Edition host Michel Martin will return to Ferguson on August 7, 2024 to lead a conversation with panelists and community members “where we hope to look back and forward; to talk about what happened and why, and what has — and hasn’t — changed in the last 10 years,” according to Martin.

“#Ferguson and Beyond: A Community Conversation 10 Years Later” will be hosted by St. Louis Public Radio in collaboration with NPR to offer the public an opportunity for reflection and thoughtful discussion.

This conversation comes nine years after a four-hour long discussion with Martin, STLPR, and more than 200

address Black mortality rate

By Jennifer Porter Gore Word In Black

Addressing an issue important to Black women, Vice President Kamala Harris rolled out a new set of national health and safety standards for hospitals that she says can help protect new mothers and stem the maternal mortality crisis.

Speaking at the national convention of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc — a sorority in which she is a member — Harris said the new standards establish clear and proper procedures for hospitals and clinics that deliver newborn babies. It also requires those facilities to stock enough specific medical supplies for any type of emergencies that a birthing mother might face.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

The new Nicholas J. Booker Basketball Courts opened in Forest Park Saturday morning July 13, 2024 to a full house of basketball enthusiasts. Booker, who worked for the city Parks and Recreation Department, was a star student and athlete at John Burroughs School and loved Forest Park, passed away following an asthma attack while playing a pick-up basketball game during his freshman year at Fordham University.

Photo courtesy of Urban League

Showering Baby Haynes with love

Nelly (Cornell Haynes) and Ashanti celebrated a baby shower last weekend with family and friends, who enjoyed a loving festive atmosphere.

In attendance at the shower at Oheka Castle in Huntington, New York, were Instagram users MEFeater @mesan_alaijah, a cousin of Ashanti’s, BET Entertainment reports.

Clips were also shared by @selenevoider, which showed guests arriving “adorned with posters from Ashanti’s recent maternity shoot.”

“Baby Haynes.”

Notoriously timid Sexyy Red opens up about shyness to Andre 3000

Sexyy Red finally opened up on her shyness when speaking on LeBron James’ program “The Shop” with Andre 3000 on July 11.

“Ashanti joyfully joined her loved ones to the tune of Nelly’s hit single “Ride Wit Me,” welcoming Baby Haynes with the caption, ‘Everybody welcome Baby Haynes’” according to BET.

Another video shared Ashanti slicing a jungle-themed, three-tier cake labeled

The regrettable St. Louis native said she isn’t immune from stage fright before hitting the stage or meeting other celebrities of her caliber.

“I [get] nervous meeting people because I’m a shy person, and I [didn’t] know [what] he was going to be like,” Sexyy Red said about her performance with country singer Zach Bryan. “I

don’t [care] what people think about me. It was just something different, so I’m like, ‘Why [does] he wanna bring me out?’ We’re two totally different people. I be getting nervous. Before shows, just period. If I gotta meet people, I [get] shy.”

André 3000 offered some tips to the introverted Sexyy Red. “Nerves just let you know ‘I’m alive.’ So, I treat it like that. It’s just letting your body [get prepared] for ‘We’re about to go into something,”

St. Louisan Metro Boomin possibly caught in an affair

Social media is circulating images of St. Louisan star Metro Boomin’ doing as the French

do with another anonymous woman on July 7. An alleged friend of the mystery woman also shared footage of them in a nightclub and put a name to the face. The woman’s name is Shomari Amere. She is an entrepreneur and owner of Fondon Med Spa and Ombré Brows. Despite the intimacy displayed, the two’s Instagrams have not yet found each other Shomari and Metro. In other words, they do not follow each other on Instagram.

Not long after Boomin’ was shown in a video, he carried his confirmed girlfriend, Chelsea Cotton, on his back and giggled over the same weekend. The pair have been together allegedly since 2011.

Boomin’ recently addressed Drake’s accusations of Cotton having an affair. “The drum thing was laughable, so I let it slide, but what we not gon do is spread lies and have my loved ones involved,” Boomin said on X. “Nobody ever hit my girl n***a. We grew up together [crying face emojis].”

Urban League opens its Entrepreneurship and Women’s Business Center

“A catalyst” for business growth

By Alvin A. Reid St. louis American

The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis celebrated the opening of its Entrepreneurship and Women’s Business Center on Monday July 15, 2024, in a historic building constructed in 1920.

The history of the Women’s Business Center dates to 1999 – and Maureen E. Brinkley, SBA regional director, has been involved since its first day.

She was instrumental in founding the Grace Hill Women’s Business Center as an economic development initiative of the Grace Hill Settlement House. In 2020, the Urban League and Grace Hill merged, integrating the Women’s Business Center into its community wide service.

“We have served more than 1,000 women,” Brinkley said during the grand opening.

“This building sets us apart as a catalyst to create a safe space for women as they cultivate their journey to be successful entrepreneurs.”

The Women’s Business Center’s mission works to empower women entrepreneurs through advocacy, outreach, education, and support. It provides comprehensive training and counseling, which are offered in multiple languages. At its forefront is helping socially and economically disadvantaged women start

and grow businesses.

The center is located at 4401 Natural Bridge in the former Commerce Bank Building, which was donated to the Urban League by Commerce Bank in 2022.

“We are in the heart of north St. Louis. Here, will take people’s dreams and make them realities,” said Machael P. McMillan, Urban League president and CEO.

“This center will help people take business out of their homes [and] hire more people. Small business is the backbone of the St. Louis region, and this is especially true in Black and brown communities.”

Newly refurbished in part through a Commerce Bank

“Get in the Game”

Eliminating Disparities Can Mean Precision Medicine Treatments for All

By Siteman Cancer Center

Here’s a staggering fact: African Americans have the highest overall risk of developing cancer compared to other racial or ethnic groups, yet they represent just a tiny fraction of participants in clinical trials evaluating the latest advancements in cancer treatments.

Many exciting discoveries occur because patients are willing to participate in clinical trials, where the safety and efficacy of new therapies are strictly evaluated. With the exciting promise of precision medicine, where the goal is a more customized approach to each cancer patient, participation in clinical trials by representative samples of all ethnic and racial groups is more important than ever.

“Overall, African Americans have higher incidence and mortality rates for many cancers,” said Washington University radiation oncologist Lannis Hall, MD, MPH, who treats patients at Siteman Cancer Center, which is based at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. “As we advance precision medicine and individualize treatments, which are often based on an individual’s specific cancer footprint, we need to ensure that treatment guidelines and recommendations benefit everyone.”

A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association published in 2021 found that in clinical trials specifically focused on the latest precision cancer treatments for breast, lung, prostate and colorectal cancers, only about 10% of study participants were African American.

“Clinical trials are critical in every phase of cancer, from screening and diagnosis to treatment,” Hall said. “Clinical trials determine when a person should be screened for cancer and how often, as well as the safety and effectiveness of most every treatment offered. We must ensure that our guidelines and recommendations are effective for all.”

To do that, there is a concerted effort to eliminate disparities in treatment outcomes by increasing diversity in clinical trials. Researchers already know that socioeconomic factors such as transportation to and from a clinical trial site and access to doctors are significant barriers to broadening diversity. Generational mistrust of the health-care system also is to blame.

“We can’t sweep past abuses in the name of research under the rug,” Hall said. “The Tuskegee syphilis experiment, in which African Americans were not given treatment so that disease progression could be simply observed for more than 40 years, is still cited by many as a reason to distrust the health-care system. However, many protections are now in place for participants. We are simply doing ourselves a great disservice if we don’t advocate for more minority participa-

grant, the building donation is part of the continuing relationship between the bank and the Urban League, according to John Kemper, Commerce Bancshares president and CEO.

“This was our home; all told we have served this community for more than 50 years,” said Kemper, noting that a new Commerce Bank location is located across Natural Bridge.

“This building will help more people own their own small businesses. What gets lost in the conversation is the importance of small businesses, especially in neighborhoods like this.”

Kemper called the Urban Lague “a cornerstone in the community,” adding the Business Center “will be an anchor in this

The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis Entrepreneurship and Women’s Business Center celebrated its grand opening on Monday July 15, 2024.

From left are Aleta Grimes Mitchell, Entrepreneurship Center director; John Kemper, Commerce Bancshares president and CEO; Jared Boyd, Mayor’s Office chief of staff; state Sen. Karla May; Michael P. McMillan, Urban League president and CEO; Maureen Brinkley, SBA regional director; Alderwoman Laura Keys; and Tyler Joy, Women’s Business Center director

community for years to come.

Aleta Grimes Mitchell, Center for Entrepreneurship director, recalled the words of Marc Morial, National Urban League president, when he spoke during the building donation announcement in 2022.

“He said Black entrepreneurs ‘have been locked out and shut out.’ There is a gap. We must close that gap,” she said.

“We are ready to rock and roll.”

Jared Boyd, Mayor Tishaura Jones chief of staff, said “there is no better way to help people succeed than to create their own business.’

“This is a physical manifestation where they can make their dreams come true.”

Lannis Hall, MD, a Washington University radiation oncologist at Siteman, meets with one of her patients, Charles Anglin, PhD, at Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital.

tion in clinical trials.”

Hall says the way to combat hesitation in clinical trial participation is to note the checks and balances governing all clinical trials today. They include:

• Informed Consent. Every potential participant in a clinical must receive information about the drug or device being tested, as well as the opportunity to ask questions and take time to consider enrolling. He or she will receive a description of all procedures in the clinical trial and learn about potential benefits, risks or side effects, how the trial will work and how long they will be part of a study.

Institutional Review Board. Every clinical trial must be approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB), which ensures that appropriate steps are taken to protect the rights and welfare of patients enrolled in clinical trials. IRBs include not only health-care professionals but also community representatives.

• Voluntary Participation. The decision to be part of a study is completely voluntary. A patient can decline to participate or withdraw at any time.

Charles Anglin, PhD, is a strong advocate for participating in clinical trials to advance medical treatments for all. Anglin, a retired biochemist and former research scientist at biopharmaceutical company Pfizer, has spent a lifetime collecting and analyzing data and studying the effectiveness of multiple drugs, many of which found their way into the prescription drug realm for the treatment of arthritis, high blood pressure or other conditions.

“I have seen the benefit of drug development and clinical trials, and now I’m helping to advance medicine in a more personal way,” he said.

Anglin is participating in a phase 2 clinical drug study at Siteman Cancer Center. Results of the study could advance the standard of care for the treatment of moderately aggressive prostate cancer.

“It’s a chance for me to participate in a study that compares the current treatments available with a potentially better treatment,” he said. “It’s also a chance for me to make a difference not only for prostate cancer treatments in general but for African Americans as well.”

African American men have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer than other racial or ethnic groups. While 1 in 8 American men overall will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime, the statistic rises to 1 in 6 for African American men. The American Cancer Society also notes that

State Sen. Karla May said she envisions the center being “a huge incubator.”

“An incubator where we create millionaires and billionaires to invest in this community.”

Alderwoman Laura Keys said the Urban League Center is part of a “collective effort” to help many parts of the city return to vibrancy.

“We must all do our part. It’s a beautiful city. We just need to polish her up.”

The location is the 13th National Urban League Entrepreneurship Center.

McMillan explained that most participants utilizing the Urban League center are African American female entrepreneurs “whose businesses are at an early stage of development.”

“The Urban League Entrepreneurship Center and Women’s Business Center will be pivotal in promoting wealth building and income generation.”

McMillan noted that he would like to see minority owned small businesses continue to growand need larger spaces to serve customers and clients.

“And then move to the Urban League Plaza,” said McMillan said with smile.

The Plaza is located at Aubert Avenue and Page Boulevard, within the Urban League headquarters footprint on N. Kingshighway.

The Urban League is planning to expand and update the Plaza through a $750,000 federal grant secured by Congresswoman Cori Bush.

McMillan said the Plaza could add 12 tenants following renovation, is now underway. It could also be a future home to a fitness center and community gymnasium.

Black men also are diagnosed at younger ages and are more likely to die from prostate cancer than white men. Why? Researchers are trying to find the root cause, but it’s likely a combination of socioeconomic factors and genetic makeup. Treating cancer, then, goes beyond the type of cancer and its location and severity. Gender, age and race can alter a person’s response to a specific treatment. In the case of race, a lack of participation by African Americans in clinical trials can mean that the latest screening guidelines and treatment options may not be as effective as initially determined.

Cancer Screening Guidelines Are Different

An example can be seen in the screening guideline for prostate cancer, which is recommended for the general population beginning at age 55 when someone doesn’t have a family history of the disease. But with Black men more likely to develop prostate cancer at younger ages, studies have found that the screening recommendation for Black men should be at least a decade earlier, between ages 40-45, with annual screenings continuing until age 70.

Anglin’s cancer was caught during an annual screening. He had a simple prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test annually for years. “It was always low, around a 3.4 or so,” he says. “But late last year, the PSA test came back at 14, and it shocked me because I had no other symptoms.”

During a follow-up visit one month later, a urologist found that Anglin’s PSA level had continued to rise rapidly. He was soon diagnosed with a moderately aggressive form of prostate cancer.

A New Treatment Option

At the time of Anglin’s diagnosis, a new drug, darolutamide (Nubeqa®) was moving through clinical trials. In 2022, studies found that men with hormone-sensitive prostate cancer that had spread to other parts of the body had lower mortality rates when radiation therapy was paired with darolutamide and two other drugs that blocked the production of male sex hormones that fueled the cancer.

Phase 2 clinical trials now are underway. This time, studies are focused on whether the drug combination is effective in treating moderately aggressive prostate cancer that has not spread outside of the prostate gland. Anglin enrolled in the study to see if the newest drug therapies could help him and others.

“I can participate in the trial mainly from my home,” he said. “I take four pills a day, two in the morning and two at night, for 28 days, and then I come into the hospital for blood work. I then get another round of medication and repeat the cycle. I started last year in May and ended in October. So now, they are checking to see how well the drugs did against my cancer.”

Hall said clinical trials offer access to some of the best, most-effective treatments. That’s why she recommends that patients seek treatment at health-care institutions that offer numerous clinical trials.

“They compare the latest advancements with standardof-care treatment options to see if we can keep improving outcomes,” she said. “It’s like making sure we vote in elections. We need to participate in the process and advocate for ourselves. Don’t sit on the sidelines. Especially as medicine moves toward these precise, customized cellular and immunotherapy treatment options, we need to make sure we are a part of advancing medicine for all.”

For information about clinical trials at Siteman Cancer Center, visit siteman.wustl.edu.

Photo by Alvin A. Reid / St. Louis American

Guest Editorial

Of course, Trump picked J.D. Vance

By Keith Boykin

Whoot, there it is. Convicted criminal Donald Trump has picked Ohio Senator J.D. Vance to be his running mate.

After all that talk about former prosecutor, senator, and current Vice President Kamala Harris being a “DEI hire,” 78-year-old Trump picked a 39-yearold opportunistic, freshman senator with only one year of experience to be his running mate.

And after all the clowning and capitulation by Tim Scott, Byron Donalds, Vivek Ramaswamy, Marco Rubio, and Nikki Haley, Trump skipped over all of them and picked yet another white man.

Did you really think he was going to pick a Black guy? Or an Indian. Or a woman?

Donald Trump? The man who spent five and a half years lying about the first Black president’s birth certificate? The guy who was the first president since Richard Nixon to appoint no Black judges to the federal courts of appeals? The guy who tried to throw out millions of Black votes in Atlanta, Detroit, Philadelphia, and Milwaukee after he lost the 2020 election? The guy who targeted Black election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss?

Scott got engaged and sang a different tune. “I just love you,” he told the twice-impeached former president.

And let’s not forget why Trump had to pick a new running mate in the first place — because he tried to kill the last one. After inciting a deadly insurrection on January 6, 2021, when Trump learned that his supporters planned to “hang Mike Pence,” Trump said that Pence probably deserved it.

Assassination attempt or not, Donald Trump remains a threat to democracy. He is the same lying, racist, demagogue he was all along. And no matter how many $400 gold sneakers or $60 Bibles he tries to sell, Black people still aren’t buying it.

Don’t be fooled by the handpicked rappers and staged appearances of Black people at this week’s Republican Convention. It’s not just Trump “The Apprentice” celebrity we would be electing.

Guest Columnist Keith Boykin

As Denzel Washington said in the film “Malcolm X,” “You’ve been had. You’ve been took. You’ve been hoodwinked. Bamboozled.”

They all knew he was a racist. And they all fell in line with it.

Vance called Trump “America’s Hitler” and a “cynical a–hole,” and said that any American would have to be an “idiot” to vote for him. But now that Vance has hypocritically blamed the assassination attempt on Biden, he’s Trump’s running mate.

Scott said that Trump’s moral authority was “compromised” after he announced there were “very fine people on both sides” of the racist Charlottesville march in 2017. But with the prospect of a new job dangling in front of him, this year

Electing Trump would embolden white supremacists, white nationalists, and Nazi sympathizers. It would usher in an army of right-wing judges, White House staff members, and other political appointees hellbent on dismantling 50 years of reproductive rights law, 70 years of civil rights law, and 100 years of the federal administrative state so they can implement the radical agenda of Project 2025.

A white male Republican trying to shoot another white male Republican doesn’t make Donald Trump any less dangerous as a political figure in America. He has yet to take responsibility for the violent and toxic rhetoric he contributed to make America as divided as it is today.

And now that he has picked his running mate, I’m more determined than ever to stop him — at the ballot box.

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

On Further Reflection

The next generation

By Mike Jones

To the younger generation of Black political and civic leaders, I fear you’re unprepared for this dangerous moment. If you fail to understand what it means to be Black in America today, it isn’t your fault. You don’t know because we didn’t teach you. However, you are here, and what we do about this moment is now your responsibility.

There are questions throughout Black America today. What’s happened to us?

Why can’t we get it together? What’s happened to our young people?

There is an answer. Over 100 years ago, James Weldon Johnson knew we could find ourselves in this ditch. He not only explains how we got here but also tells us how to get out.

“Lest our feet stray from the path Our God where we met Thee. Lest our heart drunk with the wine of the world we forget Thee.” Or as Sista Audra Lorde reminded us, “the master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house.”

What we have forgotten is, “Keep us forever in the path, we pray.”

We abandon our ancestors at our peril, but for them there is no us. As I’ve come to embrace my own elder status, I have an ever-increasing reverence for the wisdom of the ancestors. I’m in awe of how powerful and prescient their insight is; they provide the answer before you know the question.

change a word.

Harriet Tubman said, “I freed a thousand slaves. I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves.”

Then there’s WEB DuBois. As America entered the 20th century he reflected upon our duality in the American system and defines “the problem of the 20th century is the problem of the color line.”

Nothing has changed. He mused about the nature of our humanity in the Souls of Black Folks and provides a radical critique of white supremacy in the seminal essay “The Souls of White Folks.”

He then sets the post-Civil War record straight in Black Reconstruction

An African proverb says, “The young can walk faster, but the elders know the road.”

Every year around the 4th of July

I’ll read Frederick Douglass’ scathing speech, “What to the Slave is the 4th of July.” I believe it’s our Declaration of Independence. He rejects America’s political hypocrisy and faux religious piety. He refuses to be humiliated by pretending we’re included in what he considers the farce that’s the Independence Day Celebration.

For me it’s the greatest example of speaking truth to power in American history. Douglass offered this speech in 1852. He could give it in 2024 and not

Project 2025 is the new Southern Manifesto

By Marc Morial

“Project 25 is a radical, extreme, pro-authoritarianism plan pushed by conservatives who are desperate to take our country backwards. It is a movement led by far-right extremists that attacks our nation’s founding principles, such as our system of checks and balances, freedom of speech and of the press, and separation of church and state. These are the very principles that keep our country strong and make America the best nation on earth.” — U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu

Eliminating safe, legal abortion and effective contraception. Obliterating of the very mention of sexual orientation and gender identity, diversity, equity, and inclusion, reproductive health, and reproductive rights from every federal rule, regulation, contract, grant, or piece of legislation. Replacing skilled civil servants with extremist partisan hacks.

This is Project 2025, the new Southern Manifesto. It is almost certain to be America’s future if Donald Trump is elected to another term.

Drafted in response to the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Brown v. Board of Education and signed by 19 senators and 82 representatives from the South, the Southern Manifesto — officially titled “Declaration of Constitutional Principles” — was a vow to uphold racial segregation and white supremacy.

• Dismantling the foundations of immigration policy, tearing families apart, turning away desperate refugees, and stripping away protections for Dreamers.

• Undermining climate change mitigation, environmental justice, and the transition to clean energy

• Eliminating racial justice initiatives and preserving advantages for white Americans, even perverting the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division to “investigate and prosecute all state and local governments, institutions of higher education, corporations, and any other private employers” with diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.

• Gutting public education, wiping out Head Start and other support for low-income students, and withdrawing federal oversight of public schools.

• Slashing health care insurance, putting 18 million Americans at risk of losing coverage entirely, killing the drug price provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act and Affordable Care Act’s protections for pre-existing conditions.

Project 2025 goes even further. It seeks to re-implement a rigid social hierarchy that oppresses not only people of color, but also women, non-Christians, the LGBTQ+ community, working families, and immigrants.

Key to this dystopian agenda is purging the government of nonpartisan civil servants who are loyal to the Constitution and replacing them with extremist partisan hacks loyal only to Trump.

A list of nonpartisan government officials who might stand in the way of Trump’s agenda already is being compiled by a dark-money “slime machine,” The Associated Press recently revealed.

With the entire federal government under his direct control, Trump would be free to act on his vow to turn the Department of Justice into an instrument of retribution against his political adversaries.

The radical, repressive, and regressive regime previewed in Project 2025 includes:

• Shutting down access to safe abortions, contraception, and other reproductive health care, putting women’s lives at risk.

• Deleting “sexual orientation and gender identity” from all federal rules, reinstating a transgender military ban, and limiting LGBTQ+ workplace discrimination protections.

If Trump manages to seize a second term, there won’t be anyone left in the federal government to stop him from undermining future elections.

The echoes of the Southern Manifesto in Project 2025 should come as no surprise, given the racist history of the Heritage Foundation, which spearheaded its production. The organization is rooted in the mid-1970s movement to protect racially segregated schools, waging it’s first public battle against multicultural textbooks — “n—-r books,” as some opponents called them.

The original Southern Manifesto took aim at “outside meddlers” who sought racial justice. The new Southern Manifesto takes aim at “woke culture warriors.” We stand guilty as charged and gladly assume the mantle of “warriors” in the battle for equity, inclusion, and democracy.

Marc Morial is president/CEO of the National Urban League.

“The people must know before they can act, and there is no educator to compare with the press,” said the Queen Mother of the Black Press Ida B. Wells. The public murder and mutilation of Black men, women and children had reached epidemic proportions by the 1930s. Starting in the 1890s, Wells’ constant theme was to expose lynching as an integral part of the system of racial oppression. Its motives were usually economic or political, but very often it was just for sport. There was no Black leader in her time more passionate, courageous or impactful.

There is no ancestor more memorialized and more misrepresented than Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Every year in January we stop to pay homage to the improvised ending of a speech because white America likes that ending.

We don’t acknowledge that the purpose of the speech was to demand payment of a pass due promissory note for justice. The most important thing he had to say to us or America in 1963 was written in the Letter from a Birmingham Jail.

The definitive statement on the immorality of American foreign policy is part of his 1967 speech at Riverside Church in New York. The United States of today is the product of 250 years of history. These ancestors and many, many more are the repository of our collective experience in America. This recorded collective wisdom is your legacy.

Columnist Mike Jones

Columnist Marc Morial

Science Center creating STEM opportunities for youth

St. Louis American

Education and experience in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) sets the foundation for the 21st century workforce, and the Saint Louis Science Center’s Curiosity Fund is a driving force to inspire curiosity and engagement in STEM for the St. Louis region.

Charitable gifts to the Curiosity Fund support the Science Center and its programs that help it achieve its mission “to inspire everyone to be curious and engaged in science.”

Through a generous dollar-for-dollar matching challenge launched by the Crawford Taylor Foundation, donations to the Curiosity Fund made by September 2, 2024, will have double the impact.

“The Science Center is fortunate to have the longtime support of the Crawford

Taylor Foundation, which believes in the transformative impact that STEM education can have on communities,” said Science Center President and CEO Todd Bastean.

“This generous match couples with individual and corporate philanthropic contributions to help make STEM inclusive and accessible for all.”

The Science Center’s Youth Exploring Science (YES) Program is one of the educational programs powered by the Curiosity Fund. Since its introduction more than 25 years ago, the YES Program has introduced teens to opportunities in STEMbased fields and helped develop them into role models for future generations.

Since the YES Program’s beginning in Fall 1998, graduates have gone on to play leading roles as scientists, engineers, medical providers, entrepreneurs, researchers, teachers and more.

Bridging schools and communities

By Heather L. Savage

In our pursuit of educational equity, it is important to recognize that the success of African American students hinges not only on what happens inside the classroom but also on how schools engage with families and community organizations.

Too often, schools operate in isolation, missing out on the resources and support that local groups and parents can offer. It’s time for a change, where schools no longer see themselves as islands but as integral parts of a broader community network.

The disparity in disciplinary actions in schools, where African American students often face harsher penalties than their white counterparts, has consistently been an issue that needs to be rectified.

These practices not only perpetuate a cycle of mistrust and alienation but also rob these students of the supportive, nurturing environment they need to thrive. Schools must adopt more restorative approaches to discipline that affirm students’ dignity rather than diminish it.

Additionally, the role of parental involvement cannot be overstressed. Currently, there is a significant disconnect between schools and the home environments of many students. Parents are often seen as absent from their children’s education, not because they lack interest, but because schools have not made the effort to engage them effectively. Attendance at parent-teacher conferences is dwindling, not out of disinterest but often due to the lack of flexible scheduling or the absence of a welcoming atmosphere at these meetings.

Community programs are stepping up to bridge these gaps. These organizations often operate at the grassroots level, directly addressing the needs of the community and providing tailored support that schools on their own may not be equipped to offer. They provide not just academic support but also mentorship, life skills and mental health support, and serve as a link between the student’s school life and home environment.

For schools to truly serve the best interests of all students, they must actively seek partnerships with these community organizations. By doing so, they can create a holistic support system that extends beyond the traditional boundaries of education. Schools need to open their doors and policies to allow for a more integrated, collaborative approach to student welfare, one that values the insights and contributions of all stakeholders in the community.

It is time for educational institutions to embrace a model of cooperation and partnership. We need schools to be more than just places of learning; they should also be community centers that reflect and serve the needs of their diverse populations. This change will not only improve the educational outcomes for African American and other students of color but will also foster an environment where every student, regardless of background, is allowed to succeed. As we look to the future, let’s envision schools that are deeply connected with their communities, where the line between school and community is blurred, and both work in tandem to uplift every student.

We must hold both schools and parents accountable, encouraging a community-wide commitment to the education and well-being of our youth. This is not just a complaint or a dream but a necessity for a just and equitable society.

Heather L. Savage is a doctoral student of social work at the University of Louisville, and CEO of Savvy Consulting Services.

A teen Community Science mentor in the St. Louis Science Center YES program helps introduce kids to the world of STEM. The Science Center’s Youth Exploring Science (YES) Program is one of the educational programs powered by the Curiosity Fund.

Courtesy photo

Heather L. Savage

He said Forest Park is centrally located and having the basketball courts there will bring more people together – coming from south St. Louis, north, and the west end communities in the city.

“We are grateful for all who have helped make this happen,” Britt said.

The young basketball player was an organ donor, “He has helped so many people,” his mother Tanya Booker said. She mentioned that his organs have helped save over 100 lives. “Being an organ donor and having the basketball court in his honor, he is continuing to help others.”

As a teenager, young Booker had an enthusiastic appreciation for Forest Park, during the summer he worked for the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Forestry.

“It’s so special to name the courts in his honor,” said Lesley Hoffarth, president and executive director of the nonprofit conservancy Forest Park Forever. She said the organization is excited to see what the basketball courts can do for Forest Park and the St. Louis community.

“Since Tuesday at the ribbon cutting and now we’ve seen lots of people out here on the court,” she added. Basketball equipment is available and free, visitors can check out a basketball free of

Expo

Continued from A1

over 350 partners from nonprofit and civic orga-

The dedication of the Nicholas J. Booker Basketball Courts in Forest Park was held on Saturday July 13, 2024, with a variety of activities that included free throw contests, 3-on-3 games, youth games, wheelchair-adaptive basketball and more. Visitors enjoyed food, icy treats, music, lawn games — and basketball.

charge. The organization in partnership with Vector Communications conducted community surveys at different rec centers with young people getting their input on what they would like at the basketball court.“Listening to the people who are going to

nizations. Information and services on housing, employment, public safety, and education, as well as health screenings, utility assistance, and financial literacy workshops.

be using it, it just makes sense,” she said.

Booker’s grandfather Andy Newman, a trustee of the Eric P. and Evelyn E. Newman Foundation, said he is proud to be a part of the positive change at Forest Park. He believes adding the basketball

Information about school transportation will also be available during the festival.

In response to bus driver shortages, which led to late buses and interrupted

court is a part of righting a wrong that is decades old.

His grandmother Peggy Newman said, “Even though he is no longer here with us, his spirit of bringing everyone together will continue after we’re gone.”

Tamara Sheffield,

service, SLPS is hiring 19 vendors to assist with student transportation. The fleet will include yellow buses, ride-share vehicles, passenger vans, and shuttles.

Under the plan, some high school students who need transportation, estimated to be around 1,000 kids, will receive bus passes and take public transportation through Metro Transit to get to class. All high schools will now start at 7:15 a.m., which is 50 minutes earlier for the four high schools.

Also on Saturday, the Young Biz Kid Day marketplace will take place at the festival. The event provides a platform for young entrepreneurs, aged 4-21, to display their businesses and gain valuable experience in entrepreneurship.

Senior Vice President of Finances and Administration Services for Forest Park Forever, appreciates the St. Louis community for supporting the basketball courts. She said partnering with the city taught her team to think about amenities that will help them identify with and see themselves in the park. “Basketball is exactly that,” Sheffield said. Ashley Winters is a Report for America reporter for the St. Louis American.

Up to 50 young entrepreneurs will be participating as vendors, including Parker Hudson of Magical Bath and Mikey Wren of Mikey’s Munchies Vending.

Attendees can shop for art, accessories, snacks, and more, all while supporting these talented “kid-preneurs.”

Founded by Arriel Biggs, Young Biz Kid Day is an experiential program that teaches youth how to start, own and operate their very own business.

Each year, in participating cities, youth can experience entrepreneurship by setting up their business during their city’s community-wide Young Biz Kid Day.

Gospel superstar Le’Andria Johnson will perform at 2 pm and Hip-

Hop legends, the Sugar Hill Gang will be performing at 4 p.m.

The Urban Expo’s Housing division will play the Financial Family Feud game, where participants can compete by answering financial literacy and money management questions for a chance to win prizes and gift cards. Additionally, three-time world champion Devon Alexander’s event, “The Rumble,” will be held in conjunction with the St. Louis Boxing Tournament Championships, displaying top amateur fighters from St. Louis.

Festival highlights include:

Book Bags & School Supplies

Family Resources

Games & Rides

Gifts & Prizes

Free Food

Health Screenings

Senior Services

Haircuts

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

by Jason

Martin

Continued from A1

people at Wellspring Church in Ferguson.

“I was honored to have taken part in the community’s conversations 10 years ago and I often think about the people I met and what they had to say to me and to each other,” Martin said.

“I know those conversations have never stopped, so I was equally honored to have been invited to come back to help keep the

Harris

Continued from A1

At the same time, hospitals must have clear procedures for transferring maternity patients to other facilities if the facility can’t give patients needed care. Hospital staff also must be trained annually on evidence-based maternal health practices.

These measures are part of the administration’s “Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis,” which Harris announced in 2022.

“[W]e have addressed the long-standing crisis of maternal mortality–something as you know I’ve been working on since I was in the Senate,” Harris said.

“Why? Because women in America die at a higher rate in connection with childbirth than women in any other wealthy nation in

conversations going.”

STLPR Interim News

Director Brian Heffernan called the community discussions that Martin led “a breakthrough for many in the St. Louis region who sought to make sense of deep community pain, turmoil, and misunderstanding.”

“This event is part of St. Louis Public Radio’s ongoing commitment to fostering meaningful discussions that get to the heart of our region’s core challenges and solutions,” he said.

“Michel is uniquely qualified to moderate this

Vice President Kamala Harris told her sisters in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. that the White House is taking steps to address the Black maternal health crisis and protect women’s’ reproductive freedom.

the world.” Harris also mentioned reproductive rights and recent abortion bans

conversation 10 years later, and I’m thrilled to have her back.”

“#Ferguson and Beyond: A Community Conversation 10 Years Later” will be held at Greater St. Mark Family Church, 9950 Glen Owen Dr, St. Louis, 63136 on Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024.

Doors will open to the public at 6:30 p.m. and the discussion begins at 7 p.m. Admission is free; no registration required.

Highlights of “#Ferguson and Beyond” will air on St. Louis on the Air at noon and 7 p.m. Friday, August

passed in states like Texas.”

“In the South, where a majority of Black women call home, every state except for Virginia has a ban, many with no exception even for rape or incest,” Harris said. “One does not have to abandon their faith to agree, the government should not be telling her what to do with her body.”

Among other measures, the blueprint also extends postpartum Medicaid coverage from 2 to 12 months and encourages states to cover doula services. The administration approved postpartum extensions in 46 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Data shows that, while more women die giving birth in the U.S. than in any other wealthy nation, Black women are almost three times more likely to die than white women. Some of

9 on 90.7 KWMU.

In recognition of the 10-year anniversary of events in Ferguson, portions of the discussion will also be made available to NPR member stations across the country to broadcast.

Martin will also broadcast Morning Edition live from St. Louis on Tuesday, August 6, prior to the upcoming community event. NPR’s morning drivetime news magazine Morning Edition ranks #1 among national news/talk-radio programs and is carried by 843 public radio stations

the reasons cited for such high maternal mortality among Black women include lack of health care coverage, insufficient postpartum care, and racial discrimination.

nationwide.

Forward Through Ferguson discussion in Kirkwood

The Kirkwood Human Rights Commission is sponsoring a panel discussion on the impact of the “Forward through Ferguson” report with panelists providing insight as to why its recommendations have or have not been adopted.

The event is at 7 p.m. Wednesday Sept 18, 2024, at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center. The panel will

Roughly 40% of Black, Hispanic, and multiracial mothers reported being discriminated against when receiving maternity care and 45% of all mothers said they were

include former Ferguson Commission members Rasheen Aldridge, Kevin Ahlbrand, Daniel Isom and Commission Co-Chair Rich McClure.

Gov. Jay Nixon’s appointed the Commission with a mission to conduct “a thorough, wide ranging and unflinching study of the social and economic conditions that impede progress, equality and safety in the St. Louis region.”

The event will be moderated by Alvin A. Reid of the St. Louis American.

reluctant to ask questions or discuss concerns with their healthcare provider, according to an April 2023 report from the Centers for Disease Control.

Michel Martin sits with panelists at a two-hour discussion about the course of change in the St. Louis region in 2015, seven months after Michael Brown’s death. This was the second Ferguson and Beyond forum that Martin moderated, both at Wellspring Church in Ferguson.

Photo

Rosenbaum

Photo courtesy of Alpha Kappa Alpha

‘Taking

Care of You’

Affinia Healthcare to hold Back-to-School events in August

St. Louis American

To help families prepare for the start of school, Affinia Healthcare is hosting three back-to-school events for families, adding the health center’s new Ferguson location to this year’s activities.

This year’s free Back to School Bash events will be held:

Saturday, August 3, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Affinia Healthcare, 3930 S. Broadway, St. Louis Saturday, August 17, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Affinia Healthcare, 4414 N. Florissant, St. Louis

Saturday, August 31, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Affinia Healthcare, 3396 Pershall Road, Ferguson

“Affinia Healthcare is proud to

be a part of the community and offer these vital services for families and youth,” said Dr. Kendra Holmes, Affinia Healthcare President & CEO.

“Good health is critical to doing well in school and we want to make sure that our community has the health and wellness resources necessary to show up on the first day ready to learn and succeed.”

The back-to-school events will feature free school supplies, health screenings, school physicals and immunizations, Medicaid application assistance, and community resources. Families must schedule appointments for the immunizations, physicals, and other vaccines. To schedule an appointment or additional information please call

Thinking ahead

Alzheimer’s Association, Alphas partner to strengthen

By JoAnn Weaver St. Louis American

Alzheimer’s disease cases are predicted to reach 14 million by 2060, with minority populations mostly being affected, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Research showed cases among African Americans will increase four times over today’s estimates. Research also showed health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes may account for these differences, as they are more common in the Hispanic and African American populations.

Lower levels of education, higher rates of poverty, and greater exposure to adversity and discrimination may also increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, according to the CDC. The Alzheimer’s Association

community care

(314) 814-8700.

Survey deadline extended

Affinia Healthcare is accepting the community’s input for the current Community Health Needs Assessment cycle through August 2, 2024.

The assessment includes feedback from the health center’s staff, patients, and community partners. The link to the brief assessment is posted on the Affinia Healthcare social media feeds and website.

There are Spanish and English versions and there will also be print versions in other languages available at the S. Broadway and Lemp Avenue

See AFFINIA, A9

Black mental health ‘by the numbers’

By ReShonda Tate

Mental health is a critical aspect of overall well-being, yet it often goes unaddressed within the Black community. Understanding the unique mental health challenges faced by Black women, Black men, and Black youth is essential for fostering a supportive environment that promotes mental wellness.

Black women Black women frequently encounter the “superwoman schema,” a societal expectation to remain resilient and strong despite significant stressors. This pressure can lead to severe mental health issues.

By the numbers

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Black women are more likely to experience depression than their white counterparts but are less likely to seek treatment.

n Addressing mental health in Black women is crucial to combating chronic stress, depression, and anxiety.

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) reports that only 7.6% of Black women with mental health conditions receive adequate care, compared to 20.6% of white women. Why it matters: Addressing mental health in Black women is crucial to combating chronic stress, depression, and anxiety. Self-care, seeking therapy, and dismantling the Superwoman stereotype can lead to improved mental health outcomes.

n “We are excited for the opportunity to partner with the Alzheimer’s Association to promote brain health as well as to offer education and awareness about those suffering from this disease.”

– Willis L. Lonzer, III, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. general president

announced a two-year partnership with Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. to support individuals and families affected by Alzheimer’s disease in early June.

See ALZHEIMER’S, A9

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. General President Willis L. Lonzer, III and Yarissa Reyes, director of diversity, equity and inclusion engagement at the Alzheimer’s Association, discussed the respective organizations’ partnership to educate minority families about Alzheimer’s during the Alpha Phi Alpha national convention in 2023.

Melanie Vaughn, WIC certifier (seated), assists a family during the 2023 Affinia Healthcare Back-toSchool Bash at the 4414 N. Florissant Avenue location. There will be back-to-school events at this location, the South Broadway, and Ferguson locations.

Photo courtesy of Affinia

Photo courtesy of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, Inc.

ReShonda Tate

Black people develop unique mental maneuvers to deal with racism

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire

Black people in the United States often develop distinctive coping skills by adulthood to handle the chronic stress of racism, according to a new survey by Duke University researchers.

The study, as reported by Duke Today, suggests that these coping mechanisms are not typically found in their white counterparts, highlighting the unique resilience cultivated through lived experiences of racial discrimination.

It identifies that social support and religion are among the most common coping strategies employed by Black Americans. Social networks and religious com-

Alzheimer’s

Continued from A8

“We are excited for the opportunity to partner with the Alzheimer’s Association to promote brain health as well as to offer education and awareness about those suffering from this disease,” said Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. General President Willis L. Lonzer, III, Ph.D. Alpha Phi Alpha, with its rich history of service and leadership in the African American community, has long recognized and fought for the importance of nurturing partnerships that create meaningful opportunities for community engagement.

“This partnership not only aligns with our overall mission, but specifically our Brother’s Keeper Fraternity-Wide Program, which aims to advocate and improve the quality of life for

munities offer emotional support and a sense of belonging, which buffer against the negative psychological impacts of racism.

Additional strategies include avoidance, substance use, positive reframing, and activism. Some respondents reported using avoidance techniques, such as disengaging from stressors or using substances like alcohol and tobacco, for temporary relief.

Cognitive strategies like positive reframing—focusing on positive aspects in difficult situations—and working harder to overcome obstacles help maintain a sense of control and purpose. According to the study, activism and affirming one’s identity through

our senior Brothers, their spouses, and widows as well as other vulnerable community members,” Willis said.

Under the partnership, the fraternity will connect local chapters of each organization for education, engagement and volunteer opportunities. The fraternity will also share the latest Alzheimer’s and dementia research and data and its impact on our communities.

“The Alzheimer’s Association is proud to partner with Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. to address health disparities and health inequities, particularly as it relates to Alzheimer’s and other dementia,” said Dr. Carl V. Hill, chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer, Alzheimer’s Association.

“Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity has been a trusted, valuable supporter of our mission for several years. This new partnership will enable us to reach even more Black and

positive self-statements were also significant strategies. “By educating others and advocating for

social change, individuals reclaim a sense of agency and counteract feelings of helplessness,” the

African American families with disease information and our care and support resources to help families affected by Alzheimer’s and all other dementia.”

Yarissa Reyes, director of diversity, equity and inclusion engagement at Alzheimer’s Association, talked about how the idea with this partnership is to take information that’s at the national leadership level and bring it down to the local communities.

“It’s super important to reach the Black and Brown communities because they’re more likely to develop the disease and less likely to have

the resources and support that they need,” she said.

“With that being said, my role is to go out and meet people where they are and bring the resources to them.”

Unforgettable is a stage play created by award-winning playwright Garrett Davis that tells the story of a family dealing with changes in the matriarch of the family.

According to Reyes, the Alzheimer’s Association was able to leverage their partnership with the fraternity to bring more information about the disease to the community with an event surrounding this

Black adults can develop distinctive coping skills to assist in mentally dealing with racism. Women are more likely to engage in activism and use social support. Black men often employ passive strategies like ignoring racism, according to Duke University researchers.

researchers wrote.

The study also reveals gender differences in coping strategies. Black

play.

“At the showing of Unforgettable, a play that talks a little bit about the stigma around the disease, we held an event the night before the play, and it was just a fun event to get the community together,” Reyes said.

“A lot of the information that comes out [is] very heavy science and Alzheimer’s is a very complex disease, so through the partnership, we’re able to do things like this, like really get into the community.”

Reyes talked about how “being able to use the arts” and partnering with an organization such as the fraternity can bring awareness and information to the community in a way that’s easy to understand.

“When they leave, they leave with more information, local contacts, resources and support, so the fraternity giving us this opportunity to reach their members like this opens the door

women are more likely to engage in activism and use social support, whereas Black men often employ passive strategies like ignoring racism. They determined that physical activities are more effective for men, reflecting social and cultural influences on coping behaviors. The findings have crucial implications for mental health practices, researchers assert. Mental health professionals are encouraged to recognize and validate these coping strategies, tailoring their support to enhance their effectiveness. “By fostering open discussions about these mechanisms, professionals can help Black individuals navigate racial stress more effectively,” the researchers determined.

for people who may not otherwise reach out for support,” Reyes said. At the national level, the Alzheimer’s Association has additional partnerships with Divine Nine fraternities and sororities including Omega Psi Phi, Zeta Phi Beta and Sigma Gamma Rho.

“We need to bring the resources to the communities that may not otherwise know where to start, so I think, in particular, working with the Divine Nine and other like-minded civic organizations, including partnerships with the Links Incorporated, 100 Black Men, National Association of Hispanic Nurses, Hispanic Council on Aging and more. We have these partnerships with strategic groups that can open doors in communities that we may not otherwise be able to reach about the impact of Alzheimer’s in the Black community in particular,” she said.

locations.

“We exist to serve our community, and we rely on their feedback to ensure the care we provide is relevant, convenient and addressing the needs of Affinia Continued from A8 the communities we are so proud to serve,” said Holmes.

Tate

Continued from A8

Black men

Black men face significant stigma regarding mental health, often exacerbated by cultural norms that equate masculinity with stoicism and emotional suppression. This stigma contributes to lower rates of mental health treatment and higher rates of untreated mental health conditions.

By the numbers

The American Psychological Association (APA) highlights that Black men are less likely than any other group to seek mental health treatment. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

“Our last assessment showed us we needed to pay closer attention to the health issues facing men, as well as the health needs of members of the LGBTQIA+ and our immigrant communities. We have since added initiatives and launched more programs and services to better address their concerns.”

(SAMHSA) found that in 2022, only 26.4% of Black men with mental health issues received treatment, compared to 45.4% of white men.

Why it matters: Focusing on mental health for Black men involves creating safe spaces for expressing vulnerability and promoting therapy as a tool for strength, not weakness. Addressing these issues can reduce rates of untreated mental illnesses and improve overall quality of life.

Black youth

Black youth face unique challenges, including higher exposure to community violence, systemic racism, and socio-economic disparities. These factors can lead to significant mental health issues if not addressed early.

Examples include the monthly Black men’s mental health sessions, an expanded partnership with The Empowerment Network to encourage prostate screenings, and the recently launched

By the numbers

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that Black youth are more likely to attempt suicide than their white peers.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), nearly 50% of Black teenagers with mental health conditions do not receive treatment. Why it matters: Early intervention is key to mitigating long-term mental health issues in Black youth. Schools, community programs, and families must prioritize mental health education and resources to support young people. Creating environments where Black youth can openly discuss their mental health can foster resilience and healthy coping mechanisms.

Black men’s health awareness campaign, ‘My Brother, You Good?’

Affinia Healthcare has also expanded its HIV awareness initiatives promoting PrEP preventive care and inclusive care for LGBTQIA+ community members.

The community health needs assessment will be

Staggering statistics

Systematic barriers significantly impact mental health in the Black community. Despite making up approximately 12% of the U.S. population, Black people are disproportionately represented in highrisk groups. For instance, they constitute roughly 40% of the homeless population, 50% of the prison population, and 45% of children in the foster care system. Exposure to violence, incarceration, and involvement in the foster care system increases the likelihood of developing mental health issues.

“Historical, economic, social, and political factors have systemically exposed the Black community to conditions detrimental to psychological and physical health,” said Houston therapist Nettie Jones.

“This has been a persistent issue for genera-

open from July 8-19. Affinia Healthcare is also planning to hold focus group meetings to gather additional feedback.

The links to the survey are: • English version: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ S2YHLZD • Spanish version: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8BWKRTN For more information, please contact the Affinia Healthcare Communications department, sswilliams@ affiniahealthcare.org.

tions. Historical traumas from enslavement, oppression, colonialism, racism, and segregation continue to disadvantage the Black community. Emerging research suggests that trauma can cause profound biological changes, which may be genetically encoded and passed down through generations, indicating that intergenerational trauma contributes to ongoing mental health challenges.”

Stopping the stigma

Despite recent progress, significant stigma remains associated with mental health concerns in the Black community. There is often a reluctance to acknowledge psychological difficulties, with many preferring coping strategies such as religious practices, pastoral guidance, and prayer. Destigmatizing mental health involves

helping people understand that mental health is as crucial as physical health. Negative stereotypes and attitudes of rejection contribute to the belief that mental health issues are personal weaknesses. This lack of information leads to confusion about when to seek help and where to find it. Improving cultural awareness and responsiveness within the mental health workforce is crucial. Research has shown that a lack of cultural responsiveness, cultural mistrust, and potential negative views from therapists can hinder the provision of mental health services to the Black community. However, increased awareness and funding for culturally responsive mental health treatment are promising developments.

RaShonda Tate is a health reporter for the Houston Defender Network

Photo courtesy of Word In Black

Advocates for avenues

Neighborhood Advocacy eliminates ‘environmental nuisances’

By Ashley Winters St. Louis American

During the 17 years she’s lived in the West End, Tonnie Smith has witnessed her fair share of bad and downright dangerous effects of disinvestment in her community. However, she’s also seen how the Neighborhood Advocacy program has turned things around in recent years by decreasing the vacant buildings in neighborhoods north of Delmar and the southeast communities in the city.

The Neighborhood Advocacy program serves 16 neighborhoods in St. Louis, helping residents and community-based organizations prevent and reduce vacancy and property abandonment. Smith says the program has

n “St.

– Peter Hoffman

encouraged residents to get involved in their community and to gather and discuss grievances and solutions.

Most active in Hyde Park, Dutchtown, and the West End communities, the program aids with environmental nuisances in these neighborhoods where industrial plants are located. These sites can cause health problems for nearby residents.

The advocacy data shows almost

6 percent of the City’s housing stock – 7,663 buildings and over 12,000 lots – are vacant. About 75 percent of the vacancies are in the region’s poorest neighborhoods. In 2018 Legal Services of Eastern Missouri launched Neighborhood Advocacy to help reverse decades of disinvestment and create neighborhoods that are safe, vibrant, and have economic opportunity.

“Many of the property owners of the vacant buildings either don’t live in the neighborhood or never lived here before,” Smith said. “So it’s not affecting them.”

The West End resident feels scared when her neighborhood is riddled with vacant buildings frequently used for dealing and using drugs, sexual assaults and

Drone Academy takes flight at Howard U

Goal is to promote diversity in STEM

By Eden Harris

The Washington Informer

In a world where diversity efforts are being rolled back, Amazon launched its Drone Academy last week at Howard University to promote diversity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Oluwafemi “Femi” Oladosu, a doctoral student at Howard University with more than 10 years of engineering experience, said he enjoys knowing he can be a part of the solution in getting more Black representation in STEM fields.

“I know that if I’m there, then we can get more people in, and with more people coming in, then we can, hopefully, be able to support each other and just pull each other through,” he told The Washington Informer.

Oladosu explained how the robotics program helps students understand how a drone is pieced together before it is operational.

“Sometimes, you see a drone, and it’s fully completed, and it’s

the

Gray named a regional Teacher of the Year

Lieutenant Colonel Darrell Gray, an Army JROTC instructor at McCluer High School, was recently named a Missouri Regional Teacher of the Year. He is one of 10 educators in the St. Louis area to receive this honor and is now a finalist for the Missouri Teacher of the Year Award. Gray, a resolute educator and retired military veteran began his teaching career after a 24-year military career. For the past decade, he has dedicated himself to teaching the Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (Army JROTC) at McCluer.

Firefighter Capt. Lloyd Nelson retires

Firefighter Captain Lloyd

is retiring after 35 years of service to the St. Louis Fire Department and ensuring the safety of passengers and staff throughout the city and St. Louis Lambert International Airport. He began his career as a private with the St. Louis Fire Department in 1989, and was promoted in 2010, to captain at the airport. His tenure was marked by exemplary leadership in many situations. Colleagues and airport officials praised his ability to remain composed and guide his team during emergencies, making him a respected figure in the airport community. Lloyd Nelson

Singleton-Clark is Teacher of the Year

Latricia Singleton-Clark, family and consumer science teacher at Hazelwood East High School, will enter her 11th year at the school as the 2023-2024 Hazelwood School District Teacher of the Year.

“I wanted to be an educator. I had teachers who shaped my future, and I wanted to impact my students like my teachers impacted me,” says Singleton-Clark. Hazelwood School District

Superintendent Dr. Nettie CollinsHart said, “We are fortunate to have Ms. Singleton-Clark. Her ability to connect and inspire students is something all educators should strive to do.”

Clayco welcomes Lennel Hunter as its VDC (Virtual Design and Construction) director. He brings nearly 20 years of experience to Clayco and will ensure consistent BIM (Building Information Modeling) coordination practices across all projects. Hunter will lead a team of VDC engineers and managers and is accountable for establishing team consensus and upholding departmental BIM processes.

Darrell Gray

Nelson

said.

According to research from Columbia University on implicit bias in STEM, minorities feel unwelcomed and exit the field at disproportionate rates. Harry Keeling, an associate professor of the Department of Electrical

Westend resident Tonnie Smith with Neighborhood Advocacy managing attorney Peter Hoffman in their Old North St. Louis neighborhood offices Monday, July 8, 2024.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

See ADVOCACY, B2

Photo by Eden Harris / The Washington Informer

Daniels, a 17-year-old high schooler at Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr., at Amazon Drone Academy at Howard University.

Latricia SingletonClark

Clayco names Lennel Hunter as VDC director

Lennel Hunter

Advocacy

Continued from B1

other criminal activity.

Peter Hoffman of Legal Services of Eastern Missouri and managing attorney for Neighborhood Advocacy said St.Louis City has the third highest vacancy rate in the country. In the last six years, the program has moved 300 vacant properties, which adds up to about $6 million of unsubsidized investment, Hoffman said. The advocacy group helps underserved areas with community development and neighborhood revitalization. These advocates partner with neighborhoods like Smith’s to take legal action in getting title clearance on vacant properties.

Missouri laws allow neighborhoods to take legal action to help create a pipeline to get the abandoned properties back to good use. Hoffman says the most common issues

Drone

Continued from B1 Engineering and Computer Science at Howard University, said one of his many goals as a practitioner is to work with students “to address their imposter syndrome of them feeling that they’re not qualified due to personal struggles.”

“They’re working with people that they can identify with [such as] people of color,” Keeling said of the students.

Keeling said that as a student growing up in Southeast D.C., access to educational opportunities was not always easy.

“When I was at

Beginning in 2018, the Hyde Park Neighborhood adopted a model block approach to several vacant nuisance properties adjoining its business district. The Legal Services of Eastern Missouri Neighborhood Advocacy program includes this effort in its five-year study released in 2022. Neighborhood Advocacy works to eliminate abandoned and nuisance properties in city neighborhoods.

with the vacant properties are out-of-state owners, property owned by an LLC, liens on the property, and a deceased owner.

Neighborhood Advocacy partners with the community members to help guide the program’s strategy on setting

Georgetown [University], some Jesuit priest took me under his wings, and he convinced me that I was capable and qualified and that is what I’m trying to do for these young people,” Keeling explained.

According to 17-yearold Igbekeleoluwaladun Daniels, a high schooler at Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School in Princes George’s County, Maryland, who is also dually enrolled at Prince George’s Community College, this opportunity will set him up for his future.

“I believe that it would look good on my resume, and I’m really interested in creating algorithms and software for drones

priorities for residents.

Pro bono cases have helped scale the cost for those seeking legal action. Partnerships with bigger law firms have helped expand the initiative, Hoffman said. Attorneys participate in neighborhood clean-ups and then

to help them detect things like hostility and work with companies like Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin or Boeing,” he said.

Skylar Spratt, a 16-yearold high school student from Kenwood Academy in Chicago, traveled to Washington to attend the week-long Drone Academy meant for D.C.-area students.

Keeling said the teen’s ambition to travel across the country without funding for housing and travel inspired him to let her into the course despite the program already being at capacity.

Spratt’s ambition comes from her dad, who she said advocated for her participation in a tech program in the past.

find themselves even more interested in taking on some of the cases.

The St. Louis Vacancy Collaborative, a non-profit, holds forums and provides data to help locate vacant properties.

Smith told the St. Louis American some of the

“I originally participated in this program called Tech Girls when I was 6 years old, which I wasn’t supposed to do because it was for girls [ages] 9 and up, but my dad really pushed the people in charge of the program, ‘I want my daughter to be a part of this,’” she explained.

Amanda Rodrigues Smith, the senior manager of University, Outreach and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiatives at Amazon, Fulfillment, Technologies and Robotics, said Howard University is a strategic partner for the program.

“[Howard is] closest to the solution and the outreach and they’re a more sustainable partner

owners have no idea their property is a nuisance, and are unaware of the shady activities taking place. In one instance the neighborhood association connected a non-active property owner with Hoffman.

Shortly thereafter, the owner decided it was best

to high schools in the region to be able to foster an open door for students to be able to learn within their communities,” Rodrigues Smith told The Informer.

After Howard, Amazon’s next stop is Hampton University, another HBCU where they will continue the Drone Academy work from July 8-12. According to Rodrigues Smith, Amazon also plans to create a degree program at Hampton.

Other than resources and touring, Rodrigues Smith also explained how Amazon contributes to helping the program thrive.

“Amazon then has an opportunity to bring the

to sell his building to a new owner who came in and renovated the property. “It’s an asset to the neighborhood,” said Smith.

Funding from St. Louis City, the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, and the St. Louis Development Corporation SLDC has helped the program move forward in decreasing the number of vacant buildings.

“The City has supported the idea of neighborhoods getting legal action,” said Hoffman.

According to Hoffman, once the legal barriers on the vacant properties are removed people will buy them and renovate them.

“Once the redevelopment starts to happen the value goes up,” he said.

“It has a synergistic effect when we can get these properties back to productive use.”

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

power of our innovation team, including our employees, who have been in the shoes of students, at all of these levels to come in as mentors,” she added.

Kevin Smith, a STEM program manager with Mass Robotics, partnered with Amazon to bring a “dynamic experience” to the university, calling it a “one-of-a-kind” opportunity to help diversify the STEM field. “It’s a life-changing experience for me. It’s allowing me to see students grow from a high school standpoint and collegiate students grow, but also industry professionals because we’re all learning from each other in this experience,” he said.

Photo courtesy of Neighborhood Advocacy

n “Food should be joyful.”

– Steph Curry, on he and wife Ayesha’s partnership with Michele Obama’s PLEZi Nutrition

InSIdE SportS

By Earl Austin Jr.

Everything came up Roses for STL hoop teams

When the middle of July rolls around, that means that I get to make my annual road trip down to Louisville to spend time with family members in Kentucky while also watching high-level girls’ basketball.

As long as I can cover basketball, the Run 4 Roses Classic in Louisville will always be a permanent part of my summer itinerary.

The Run 4 Roses is the biggest grassroots girls basketball in the country and there is no close contender.

The event, which is still held at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center, fields more than 1,000 teams and it is played on 85 courts in the convention center. It has gotten so big that they also host games and several other locations around the city.

The Run 4 Roses has an amazing carnival-like atmosphere, which is ironic because you can walk right across the parking lot of the Fairgrounds and enter a large amusement park. Well, I’m a little too old to ride roller coasters and Ferris wheels, but what never gets old is being able to watch the best and brightest young girls’ basketball players in the country gather in the same facility to showcase their incredible talent.

There are tremendous players on hand from all age groups, ranging from seventh grade all the way up to rising high school seniors. And those fans

of college basketball also get a chance to get an up close and personal interaction with their favorite collegiate coach. Virtually every program in the country is present in Louisville, which includes all the big-name celebrity coaches that you see on television from Dawn Staley at South Carolina, Kim Mulkey at LSU and Geno Auriemma at UConn.

One of the main reasons I attend is because there are more than 60 teams from the state of Missouri in the event, which includes many from the St. Louis area. Most

of the St. Louis kids play for Napheesa Collier Elite, Bradley Beal Elite and Missouri Phenom, which are all highly respected programs on the regional and national level. Teams from the St. Louis are always good to bring home a few championship trophies from Louisville. That was the case with the Napheesa Collier Elite 17U team, coached by Webster University head coach Jordan Olufson. Phee Elite won a championship in the Gold Division of the 2025 Aqua Bracket against a talented Della Lamb team

from Kansas City. Phee Elite’s team is led by the dynamic duo of Navaeh Caffey and Peyton Hill of Incarnate Word Academy. They also have other excellent players from St. Louis including Kennedy Horton of Pattonville, Jairus Powers of Alton, Brooke Boyce and Aijah Jones of Cardinal Ritter and Ava McCulla of Parkway South.

The Lady Brad Beal Elite team also provided me with one of my biggest thrills of the weekend when they came back to defeat FDC Reign (GA) in

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

an overtime thriller. Rising senior guard Hannah Fenton of Pattonville put on an offensive show in the second half to bring Lady BBE back from a second-half deficit.

The rally was complete when Tayla Robinson of Columbia Battle banked in a 30-footer at the buzzer to force overtime, which touched off a wild celebration from the St. Louis contingent in attendance.

As great as the Run 4 Roses is every year, it was even better this year with the presence of the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) as part of

LeBron James leads list of highest-paid Black athletes

Forbes has released its 50 Richest Athletes in the World list, based on income over the past year. More than half of its members, 28 in all, are Black. Making the list for the first time is native St. Louisan Jayson Tatum. The Boston Celtics forward who captured his first NBA title in June, made a reported $45.9 million.

The total is a combination of compensation from his contract and off-court earnings, which include endorsements. Tatum’s breakdown is $32.9 million compared to $13 million. When Tatum’s contract extension kicks in after the 2024-25 NBA season, he will rapidly move up the list.

tract - $48.2 million compared to $80 million.

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers is the first Black representative at No. 4 with $128.2 million. He makes a sizeable amount more off-court revenue than from his con-

Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks is just behind James at No. 5 with a total of $111 million. $46 million comes from basketball compared to $65 million in offcourt revenue. Soccer star Kyliam Mbappe ranks sixth at $110 million ($90M$20M), followed by Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors at No. 7 with $102 million ($52M - $50M.) The first NFL player, Black or white, on the list is Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who rounds out the Top 10. Jackson makes a reported $100.5 million with $98.5 million coming from his contract and just $2 million from other sources. Mull that over. NBA star Kevin Durant is No. 12 at $93.3 million ($47.8M - $45.5M), and ever-popular KC Chiefs

QB Patrick Mahomes is 5th at $84.4M ($59.4M$25M.) Who said boxing is dead? Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, in the No. 16 slot, reaped $83 million with $75 million coming in the ring. We drop to No. 21 to find F1 race driver Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton earned $69 million, mostly on the F1 circuit, winning $57 million. He makes $12 million off the raceway. While his golf game has gone to heck, Tiger Woods is still making

Native St. Louisan Jayson Tatum made Forbes’ list of 50 Richest Athletes in the World based on income over the past year.

big-time money shots. Woods earned $67.2 million which garnered him No. 23 on the Forbes list. He made a whopping $55 million away from the golf course and just $12.2 million in competition. You can read the complete list in a story by Noah A. McGee of The Root athletes at https:// www.theroot.com.

The Reid Roundup Hunter Greene was added to the National League All-Star Game ros-

ter last weekend, bringing the grand total of Black players on the respective rosters to four. Greene, 24, has an outstanding 3.34 ERA across 104.1 innings and his 126 strikeouts are tied for ninth in the NL…Of the four Black All-Stars, Mookie Betts of the L.A. Dodgers will not participate in the game as his broken hand continues mending… Team USA beat Australia 98-92 on Monday in a pre-Olympics exhibition game in Abu Dhabi. Anthony Davis was by far the team’s best player, recording 17 points and 14 rebounds in 18 minutes…Nico Ali Walsh, the late Muhammad Ali’s grandson, turned down a huge offer to fight Youtuber /wannabe boxer Jake Paul. He also ripped Mike Tyson for taking the bout, saying “I’m fighting for my bloodline and he’s fighting for headlines.”…Willie Harvey, the former St. Louis Battlehawks linebacker signed by the

the event. The EYBL is the best grassroots league in the country, and it was a terrific opportunity to see future college stars and WNBA players in the building.

The main attraction of the weekend was Aaliyah Chavez, an ultra-talented 5’11” guard from Lubbock, TX. who is rated as the No. 1 player in the country. Every game she played attracted the biggest crowds of the weekend. Fans walled the court whenever she and her Cy Fair Elite team played.

On Saturday night, Chavez’ Cy Fair team matched up with the Missouri Phenom EYBL team in a game that was nationally televised on ESPNU. The Phenom team has several players from the state, with its coach being Travis Wallace, who is also the head boys’ coach at MICDS.

The game more than exceeded the hype as the Phenom pulled out a 72-67 win in an overtime thriller. Chavez put on a show for the national television audience as she scored a game-high 36 points. The Phenom was led by its dynamic inside duo of Jaliyah Davis and Jayda Porter (Columbia Rock Bridge), who is the younger sister of Denver Nuggets star Michael Porter, Jr.

Once again, it was another enjoyable trip to the Bluegrass state to watch great basketball. As always, I would recommend it to anyone who likes good girls’ hoops. If you are a fan and have a few bucks to spend, it is worth your time.

Dallas Cowboys, is destined to make the team, according to several Dallas beat writers…A Black coach, Stanley Redwine, will lead Team USA’s men’s track and field team for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Redwine has been coaching at Kansas since 2000 and is a veteran of international track competitions, including the Olympics…Bubba Wallace is ranked 15th in overall NASCAR points with five races left before the playoffs. He will probably need a win to qualify. He was fined $50,000 for slamming his car against Alex Bowman’s on the cool down lap of the Chiago event on July 7. Admittedly frustrated, Wallace said the fine is the best thing that could have happened to him…Wallace still receives copious boos from NASCAR crowds, including in St. Louis, for his role in forwarding diversity in that racing world and lobbying against Confederate flag displays at race venues…

Earl Austin Jr.

Alvin A. Reid

Head coach John Albert of Lady Brad Beal Elite gives instructions during a time-out during a game at last weekend’s Run 4 Roses Classic in Louisville, Kentucky.

Photo by Earl Austin Jr. / St. Louis American

Courtesy photo

City Academy receives Bayer grant for STEAM education

City Academy has received a $40,000 grant from Bayer Fund, a philanthropic arm of Bayer in the U.S., to provide students with opportunities to understand how classroom learning will translate into real world situations and opportunities to explore careers in STEAM fields.

“At City Academy, we emphasize the tangible knowledge and intangible skills gained by STEAM education,” said Jarrett Young, City Academy head of school.

“Our program promotes STEAM as an engaging and sustainable future career path, and a number of City Academy graduates have gone on to pursue STEAM fields. Many of these alumni cite their City Academy STEAM experience as inspiration for future career paths, and this grant from Bayer Fund will help bring these dreams to life.”

Young said the partners “have a mutual goal to see the communities we serve flourish.”

The grant will support STEAM learning and the curriculum is built on experiential learning that helps students connect classroom learning with its real-world application.

City Academy scholars utilize learned STEAM principles such as problem solving, critical thinking, and hypothesis formation in their other subjects. Bayer Fund has supported City Academy since the founding of its STEAM program in 2008.

The Bayer Fund has provided City Academy with a $40,000 enhance students’ opportunities to explore careers in STEAM fields, and help them connect classroom learning with realworld application.

KAI opens new Atlanta office in historic Black neighborhood

St. Louis-based KAI has opened its new office located just east of Downtown Atlanta near the historic birthplace of Martin Luther King, Jr. in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood.

“KAI’s new office located adjacent to the Atlanta Beltline, one of the largest, most wide-ranging urban redevelopment programs in the U.S. with its parks, trails, and affordable housing, represents more than just a change of address; it is a bold step towards a future filled with innovation, growth and community engagement,” said KAI CEO Michael B. Kennedy. “KAI’s focus in Atlanta will be

providing quality, technically complex MEP engineering services directly to clients and industry partners.”

KAI, a minority owned firm, delivers services in MEPFP

engineering, construction management, architecture and interior design, and general contracting.

“Our new Atlanta office marks a momentous milestone for KAI,” said Kennedy. “By positioning ourselves in the heart of Atlanta, we are better equipped to accommodate our growth and continue delivering on our promise of excellence, especially as we take on increasingly significant projects such as our ongoing work at the Hartsfield–Jackson Airport, Atlanta Housing Authority, and the Atlanta Fulton County Tom Lowe Water Treatment Plant.

“This new location not only reflects our dedication to our clients but also underscores our investment in the vibrant Atlanta community and reinforces our longterm commitment to the region.”

Courtesy photo

Michael B. Kennedy

Living It

A star for a star

Jenifer Lewis enshrined on the St. Louis Walk of Fame

By Kenya Vaughn The St. Louis American

With a vintage recording of “Meet Me in St. Louis” blaring from the speakers and the July sun beaming directly on Delmar, both sides of the street were packed with observers eager to share in a special moment. Emmy-Award nominated actress, singer and bestselling author Jenifer Lewis was the woman of the hour. The Kinloch native was being honored with a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame.

Emerging from the lobby of the Moonrise Hotel, Lewis appeared visibly overwhelmed as she made her way across the street – where her name is permanently etched among the St. Louis stars that line the Delmar Loop.

Her signature ruby red lips were open wide with the kind of smile that only pure joy can elicit. Her arms and hands were open wide as if she was giving every one of her fans, supporters, family and friends

an imaginary group hug.

“I am just blown away,” Lewis said during her remarks. “Everyone is asking me which one means the most – this one today or the Hollywood walk of fame. One made me. And the other one is telling me I made it. It is equal.”

Delmar Loop developer and St. Louis Walk of Fame founder Joe Edwards used

St. Louis Walk of Fame inductee Jenifer Lewis thanking an appreciative crowd during her induction Sat. July 13, 2024 in the Delmar Loop.

Left: Blueberry Hill founder Joe Edwards with St. Louis Walk of Fame inductee Jenifer Lewis and St. Louis County Councilwoman Shalonda Webb

“With all due respect to the women I’ve dated... it’s all love, but this is a really healthy and beautiful relationship.”

- Common on his relationship with Jennifer Hudson

and Dream’

Women’s basketball coloring book inspired by today’s WNBA

By Sylvester Brown Jr. St. Louis American

Malena Amusa is getting her “flowers” for the creation of “Dribble and Dream,” a women’s basketball-inspired coloring book created to empower young girls with literacy skills, exercises, creativity, and self-confidence.

The recognition is deserved but her road to this moment is but a pitstop along a unique career complete with chapters as a journalist, renowned African dancer and even a performer with one of the world’s most prominent African circuses.

She’s pleased with the reception of the coloring book she created in large part for her daughters, Mazi and Imah (ages six and two). But her real joy, she said, is knowing beyond a doubt that she had the “audacity to honor” who she was born to be.

the title of a poem written by a fellow beloved Black woman honoree (Maya Angelou) to introduce Lewis Saturday morning.

“A phenomenal woman, who has excelled in multiple fields of entertain-

See Star, C3

Lyric’s musical journey

13-year-old St. Louisan packs her bags — and bass — to study at Juilliard

By Roshae Hemmings St. Louis Public Radio

When Lyric Green learned that her friend and school orchestra’s only bassist was moving away, the reality that the orchestra would be missing its heartbeat didn’t sit right with the then 12-year-old.

“I didn’t want us to just have that empty spot on stage because usually bases help the orchestra keep in time. They are the base of the orchestra,” Green said. “I was like, ‘Oh, my God, we›re gonna fall apart. Someone needs to do something.’ It was just a random decision; I didn’t even think about it. I was like, ‘I’m gonna learn how to play bass.’ Green, who will be a freshman at Parkway Central in the fall, first picked up a string instrument – the violin – when she was in the second grade. Her transition to the bass came with a learning curve.

“One thing about switching from violin to bass is that you have to use more weight in your right hand to press down on a string [compared to] violin,” Green said. “My teacher was like, ‘You can’t just scrape across the string. You really have to press down and pull.’ That took time. I’m still trying to learn how to do that. I’ve gotten better.”

Despite the initial hang ups, Green

excelled at the bass quickly. So much so that she was accepted into the Sphinx Performance Academy at the Juilliard School in New York – a little over a year since she started playing the instrument.

Sphinx Performance Academy is a two-week, full-scholarship summer intensive program for string musicians 11-17

Lyric Green, who will be a freshman at Parkway Central this fall, was accepted into the Sphinx Performance Academy at the Juilliard School in New York. The summer intensive program for string musicians 11-17 years old focuses on cultural diversity.

Amusa is the youngest child of Wale A. Amusa, a former staffer in the administration of Freeman Bosley, Jr., St. Louis’ first Black mayor.

Malena Amusa, 40, said most of her African influence didn’t come from her father, a Nigerian native, but from her mother, a former nurse with Homer G. Phillips Hospital.

“My dad was preoccupied with democratic reformism,” Amusa recalled.

n “I decided we were going to launch our love for basketball into a platform for our own self-confidence. We’re going to use it to lift each other and ourselves up.”

- Malena Amusa

“He instilled leadership in me while my mom introduced me to Afrocentric culture through African dance class. So, mostly, I learned about Africa through African Americans.” Amusa, the youngest of five children, attended Metro high school. She described herself as a “studious kid” who was the “senior debater” of the school’s debate team. She viewed journalism as a way to express her opinionated view and “change the world.”

But in high school Amusa was introduced to local “master teachers,” such as DeBorah Ahmed, Moustapha Bangoura, Sandella Malloy and Diadie Bathily who she credits with helping her explore and define her artistry and “fiery Nigerian roots.”

After graduating from Metro, Amusa went to Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. where she pursued her bachelor’s degree in journalism then she went on to New York’s Columbia University for her master’s.

years old. The program, which started July 7, focuses on cultural diversity by addressing lack of resources and opportunities for Black and Latino communities. The academy’s mission was a major rea-

Amusa completed journalism internships with the Afro-American newspaper in Washington D.C., the Baltimore Sun, the Boston Globe and South Africa’s Mail & Guardian newspaper. Not only did she attend dance classes and perform in all the cities where she interned, Amusa found time to tour the world with Cirque Zuma Zuma, the world’s largest African circus. Through dance and cultural activities she performed in 45 U.S. states, on 3 continents, and for hundreds

Dribble,

Photos by Wiley Price/ St. Louis American

Photo by Sophie Proe/ St. Louis Public Radio

Courtesy Photo

SHOWS

The Color Purple

7/19/2024 - Sold out

7/20/2024 1:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.

7/21/2024 1:00 p.m. COCA

524 Trinity Ave St. Louis, MO

7/21/2024

STL Sites & Sounds

D’Aydrian Harding: The Stay Sober Summer Tour

7/22/2024 8:00 p.m.

American YouTuber, comedian, musician and vlogger. The Pageant 6161 Delmar Blvd

Montana of 300 “Goated Up Tour” 7/24/2024 7:30 p.m. Pop’s Concert Venue 300 Monsanto Ave Sauget, IL $30.00 - $59.50 NIGHTLIFE

Broadway Rave

7/19/2024 8:30 p.m.

Delmar Hall

6133 Delmar Blvd

St. Louis, MO $15.00

Gimme Gimme Disco 7/20/2024 8:30 p.m. Delmar Hall 6133 Delmar Blvd St. Louis, MO $15.00

D’Aydrian Harding: The Stay Sober Summer Tour

7/22/2024 8:00 p.m. The Pageant 6161 Delmar Blvd St. Louis, MO $45.00

FAIRS, FESTIVALS

Tower Grove Farmers’ Market 7/20/2024 8:00 a.m. Tower Grove Park

4257 Northeast Drive St. Louis, MO

Red Lantern Festival 7/20/2024 4:00 p.m.11:00 p.m.

Part carnival, part bazaar, part party! The Red Lantern Festival is back on Saturday. This vibrant cultural festival offers attendees the chance to come together and build relationships through food, drinks, art and fun!

Euclid Avenue from West Pine to Laclede. St. Louis, MO Free

Food Truck Night

7/23/24 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Howdershell Park

6800 Howdershell Road Hazelwood, MO

ART ACTIVITIES, EXHIBITS AND MUSEUMS

A Walk Through History Tour 7/19/2024 10:00 a.m.

Tower Grove Park 4257 Northeast Drive St. Louis, MO

Bird Nerds Birding Club 7/19/2024 4:00 p.m. Tower Grove Park 4257 Northeast Drive St. Louis, MO

You and Me Under the Canopy: Tales and Tails 7/25/2024 10:30 a.m.

Tower Grove Park

4257 Northeast Drive St. Louis, MO

COMMUNITY

Generate Health 25 & BOLD Community Celebration Birthday Party

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Generate Health STL. We are celebrating this milestone by hosting a community-centered event. This fun, family-centered, community birthday party, with DJ Sweet Tea, and games is free for the community.

All the proceeds from the 25 & Bold Community Celebration Birthday Party will go towards supporting Black maternal health initiatives in St. Louis, contribute to unrestricted funding reserves, advocacy efforts, and the event.

7/20/2024 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Deaconess Center for Child Wellbeing 1000 N. Vandeventer Ave. St. Louis, MO

You and Me Under the Canopy: Tales and Tails 7/25/2024 10:30 a.m. Tower Grove Park 4257 Northeast Drive St. Louis, MO

1st Annual Health Fair

7/27/24 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Health & Dental Screening Mental & Behavioral Health Information Men’s & Woman’s Health Services/Information Community, Child & Home Sarely Live music with special guests Lakes “The Voice” & The Wave Missionary Baptist Church 3913 Delmar Blvd. St. Louis, MO

COCA Alumni from past summer musicals will join current students in a production of The Color Purple, directed by Duan Foster, Friday, July 19 to Sunday, July 21 (Friday’s show is sold out).

Continued from C1

ment,” Edwards said.

“Recognized for her comedic charisma and rich portrayal of matriarchal figures, she is known as ‘The Mother of Black Hollywood.’” Lewis recalled the defining moments of her childhood that ultimately led her to Hollywood, where she received a star two years ago on Jackie Washington Day – from her fictional Lifetime Network cult-classic “Jackie’s Back.” Because Jackie Washington Day fell on a Monday this year, her St. Louis Walk of Fame Ceremony took place on July 13.

“I sang my first solo at First Baptist Church [of Kinloch] when I was five years old,” Lewis said. “And from the reaction of the congregation – they were screaming and crying and carrying on and saying, ‘sing Jenny. Sing Jenny.’ I stood there and said, ‘this is the life.’ And I never looked back.”

She pointed out the moment that compelled her to always give back. Lewis was watching a tiny black and white television. During the commercial break, a public service announcement came on requesting help for starving children in Africa.

“I said to myself, if I can be famous, I can be rich. If I can be rich, I will feed those kids,” Lewis said. “I want you to know, I fed a lot of kids. I am so grateful for that.”

There was an overflow of gratitude for those who poured into her life. She

named every one of her siblings – and several teachers –thanking them for believing in her to the point where she felt success was her only option.

She gave the crowd an assignment in her speech.

“I don’t want you to leave here talking about me and how fabulous I am,” Lewis said. “I want you to leave here talking about how fabulous you are. I want you to do the work. If you were to write a song about yourself, what would be the first lyrics?”

According to Lewis, finding one’s passion is the most essential ingredient for success.

“How do you find your passion? Find what makes you happy,” Lewis said. “Singing and dancing and acting a damn fool made me happy. So that’s what I did.”

Gratitude after the fall

She sang, danced and acted her way to a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Four months after receiving her Hollywood star, she was in the ICU of a Kenyan hospital after falling 10 feet from a balcony while on a safari in Tanzania.

Lewis didn’t tell her siblings – or hardly anyone else – about the fall until she was in recovery.

“I didn’t want y’all to know I had fallen until I could tell you how I got up,” Lewis said. “The working title of my third book is ‘Get Up…Get the [expletive] up. When I was being airlifted out, I couldn’t hear the helicopter propeller. But what I could hear was my soul

screaming, ‘Jenny, whatever this is, you can come back. If you are breathing, little girl, you can come back.’”

And did she ever. It took a year of physical therapy, but Lewis was able to repeat the same kick that she delivered when she received her Hollywood star.

The crowd exploded with applause.

“I knew if I could get my kick back, I would be alright,” Lewis said.

In the middle of her remarks, Lewis provided her own PSA about the upcoming election.

“You don’t get to say he’s too old. So what,” Lewis said. “You are voting for democracy – do you hear what I am telling you – about freedom? There will be no more freedom. They will tear up the Constitution and he [Trump] will be king of the world. Don’t get it twisted. Get your [expletive] out and vote.”

Lewis dove back into her personal history of growing up in Kinloch. She spoke of her star on the Kinloch Walk of Fame, which is near the Catholic school where she would participate in talent shows as Gladys Knight and her cousins as her pips.

Lewis discussed being warned by her mother to never go to Ferguson alone when she was a little girl due to the racial tension.

But Ferguson had ]a movie theater and Kinloch did not. She’d sneak there anyway, purchase a bag of popcorn for 25 cents, sit in the balcony and imagine herself on the big screen.

“And now here I am, 68 movies later, 600 episodic television shows

and four Broadway shows later,” Lewis said. “Don’t let nothing stop you. Find your passion. Don’t think you are going to get somewhere and be happy. You’ve got to get happy on your way to happiness. I am happy to be home. And I can’t tell y’all how grateful I am.”

The gratitude went both ways.

“She may be the mother of Black Hollywood,” District 4 St. Louis County Councilwoman Shalonda Webb said as she presented Lewis with a proclamation. “But you will always be the daughter of St. Louis County – and Kinloch, Missouri.”

Photo by Wiley Price I St. Louis American

Actress Jenifer Lewis enjoying her moment before being inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame in the Delmar Loop Sat. July 13, 2024. Photo by Wiley Price I St. Louis American

Religion

Churches face challenge of keeping youths engaged

‘It’s all about relationships’

By Dorothy Boulware Word in Black

Every church faces the challenge of keeping young people engaged and attracting new ones to ensure growth and vitality.

In today’s world, maintaining and rejuvenating relationships with young people as they grow up and form their own values is crucial. It’s easier when they grow up in the faith, but it becomes challenging to keep them engaged as they mature.

Summertime offers churches opportunities to capture their attention with activities like summer camps, beach trips, mission trips, and even STEM and academic classes. But what happens when these special events end, and regular routines resume? How can churches keep the fire burning?

“It’s all about relationships and letting the young folks know you’re sincere about your care for them because they can tell if you’re not real,” says Rev. Dante Kwiyisi Miles, senior pastor at Koinonia Baptist Church in Baltimore.

“Our problem is we’re trying to minister in 2024 with methods that worked in 2004 and 1984, and it’s a very different time,” Miles says.

“People have shorter attention spans. They didn’t mind two to three-hour services then, but not now. Parents and children have so many other things, so many other obligations.”

Miles says you must offer services that hold churchgoers’ attention and demonstrate a commitment to attract young

people. The church, a mid-size congregation in the city’s northern sector, has long tapped city and state resources — such as midnight basketball — to successfully engage the young people in their community. They’ve also run their own programs, such as an after-school program, Project Safe Haven — and a daycare for years. The church doesn’t just

expect its young people to patronize its events and services.

“When our young people have a sports game or performance at

school, I try my best to be present to support them,” he says.

“It’s as important to be present for them as it is for them to be present with us. And he should know since he’s been a youth minister in his church almost since he was a young person himself.

Koinonia was founded in 1992 by Miles’ father, the late Bishop Douglas I. Miles. The progressive, politically active

congregation is a founding member of Baltimoreans United In Leadership Development (BUILD), a local chapter of Industrial Areas Foundation, the nation’s largest and longest-standing network of local faith and community-based organizations.

He says the church might not attract new members, but its real goal is to make disciples, and there’s a need to reacquaint the children with the church’s teachings.

One way to achieve that is the total involvement of young people in the worship service on second Sundays.

“They play instruments and participate during every aspect of the service,” he says.

During summer camp, one of the church members takes the children on tour and shows them the sections of the church and the objects used during worship. Every teachable moment counts. Miles also started inviting children from the community in for prayer every few months.

“The church was filled, and some of my ministry compadres did the same at their churches at the same time,” he says.

Miles’ goal is to return the church to the place of respect and reverence it was when he was one of the children.

“I learned so much at church, basic things I needed for life, like how to tie a tie, how to dress correctly. I want the same for them.”

His biggest problem is parents who aren’t church members but whose children are now part of the youth ministry.

“It’s our challenge to figure out how to minister to them and have them act responsibly in bringing and picking up their young people as expected,” he says.

Photo courtesy of Koinonia Baptist Church

Rev. Dante Dante Kwiyisi Miles, senior pastor at Koinonia Baptist Church in Baltimore, says many churches are “trying to minister in 2024 with methods that worked in 2004 and 1984, and it’s a very different time.”

SLDC IS EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

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

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

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

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

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

SOLICITING BIDS

Great Rivers Greenway is soliciting sealed bids for demolition of improvements at two separate locations. Go to www.greatriversgreenway.org/ jobs-bids and submit by August 02, 2024.

DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR

Great Rivers Greenway is hiring a Development Coordinator. Go to www. greatriversgreenway. org/jobs-bids/ and apply.

EMPLOYMENT

CONNECTION

NOT-FOR-PROFIT

AGENCY OPEN POSITIONS

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

JR82275 Medical Assistant II - FPP Ambulatory Cancer Building

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

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

JR82848 Facilities Maintenance Technician III - OFMD (Evergreen)

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

JR82871 Field Education/Practicum Coordinator - Brown School

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

JR81562 Facilities Technician III (Controls Technician) - OFMD

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

VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION COUNSELORS

The state of Missouri is accepting applications for a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor and a Deaf/ Hard of Hearing Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor in the St. Louis area. Application deadline is July 29, 2024. Starting salary is $51,624. View job descriptions and application instructions at: mocareers.mo.gov and use keyword “Counselor”.

DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT

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

The Missouri Historical Society is actively hiring for the following positions:

Please visit www.mohistory.org under the “Current Openings” at the bottom of the home page for position details and to apply.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer Services Provided On A Non-Discriminatory Basis

FOOD OUTREACH, INC. NUTRITION SERVICES MANAGER – FULL TIME

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

Essential Functions:

• Oversee operations of the Nutrition Center and Warehouse.

• Manages inventory, ordering and warehouse functions.

• Maintains adequate supplies of groceries and food products.

• Works closely with vendors for competitive pricing.

• Coordinates stocking of grocery shelves and freezers/ coolers.

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

• Performs data entry of inventory.

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

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

• Analyzes food cost comparisons.

• Analyzes Nutrition Center and Warehouse maintenance costs.

Position Qualifications:

• Experience in nonprofit, volunteer-supported community organizations.

• Experience in managing staff, volunteers, and vendors.

• Must have inventory management experience.

• Knowledge of computer networking and hardware.

• Familiarity with Access software a plus.

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

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

Send resume to: joel@foodoutreach.org

This position may be financed in part through an allocation of Community Development Block Grant funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the City of St. Louis’ Community Development Administration. Food Outreach is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

St. LouiS american Bids & Public

NOTICE OF APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM OPEN ENROLLMENT

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

- Dependable

- Someone that enjoys hands-on work

- Someone that works well in a team environment

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

- Someone that wants to help build their community

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

To apply you must be 18 years or older, attend a scheduled orientation, and submit an application including the following documents in person: Valid Driver’s License High School Diploma or Transcripts or a GED Certificate DD214 – Veteran Documentation (if applicable)

Please visit www.abcksmo.org for more information and to complete an interest form in your trade of choice. Staff will contact you to schedule a time for you to attend an orientation. All minorities, including women, are encouraged to apply. The recruitment, selection, employment and training of apprentices during their apprenticeship shall be without discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, creed, disability or sexual orientation. All contractor members are Equal Opportunity Employers.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS IL GREAT STREETS

East-West Gateway is seeking submittals from consultants to develop a detailed plan for the Lincoln Trail / Highway 50 corridor in Fairview Heights, IL. Submittals are due no later than 1:00 p.m. on August 12, 2024. Submittal details and specifications can be obtained at www.ewgateway.org

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Install Pedestrian Bridge At Pleasant Hill Over Union Pacific Railroad, Project No. X2311-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, September 10, 2024. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http:// oa.mo.gov/ facilities

PUBLIC NOTICE

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

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

SOLICITING BIDS

Great Rivers Greenway is soliciting electronic bids for Meramec & Wester Greenways: 1101 Hamilton Ave Demolition & Site Cleanup. Go to www. greatriversgreenway. org/jobs-bids/ and apply.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FY 2025 OLDER ADULT PROGRAMS

Aging Ahead invites proposals for the purchase of tablets with a monthly data subscription and WiFi capabilities for use by older adults within the counties of St. Louis, St. Charles, Jefferson, and Franklin.

Awards to be made are governed by Titles III of OAA regulations and specifications of U.S. Dept. of HHS, MO Div. of Senior and Disability Services and Aging Ahead. Agency reserves the right to award multiple contracts within each program.

The total cost for IIIB program mentioned above is $292,500 & for IIIC programs mentioned above is $292,500. 100% ($585,000) of IIIB & IIIC is funded through Contract # ERS10521008 from MO Dept. of Health & Senior Services and U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services, Administration on Community Living.

Initial contract period is October 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025. Contracts may be extended for two additional fiscal years. Specifications and proposal packets may be obtained from Aging Ahead’s website at https://www.agingahead.org/who-weare/financials/ at noon on July 1, 2024. A public hearing is scheduled for July 12, 2024 at 10:00am via Zoom. Agency reserves right to accept or reject any or all proposals. Closing date for receipt of electronic proposals is August 2, 2024 at 4:00pm.

NCRDA requests proposals from qualified consultants to serve as a Small Business Navigator. This person will be responsible for working with a diverse group of small businesses to increase sustainability and growth, developing an inclusive system of support in coordination with local governments, and grant reporting and writing. A copy of the complete RFP is available at: https://northstlouiscounty. com/job/small-businessnavigator-request-forproposal/ The proposal deadline is 5 PM CST on July 31, 2024.

SEALED BIDS

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

SEALED BIDS

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

PINE LAWN CITY SEEKS BIDS FOR ASPHALT SPEED HUMPS

Sealed bids needed from licensed, bonded, insured Contractors to Install Speed Humps in Pine Lawn. Request Board’s list of streets for install and job specifications at dsamuels@pinelawn.org Bid opening is 5:00 pm Monday July 29, 2024 at Pine Lawn City Hall-6250 Steve Marre Ave., Pine Lawn, Mo. 63121.

Sealed bids for the Chesterfield Parkway West (South) Resurfacing project, St. Louis County Project No. AR-1768, Federal Project No. STP5410(632), will be received electronically thru the County’s Vendor Self Service portal at https:// stlouiscountymovendors. munisselfservice.com/ Vendors/default.aspx, until 2:00 PM on August 14, 2024. Plans and specifications will be available on July 15, 2024 from the St. Louis County Web Site (www. stlouiscountymo.gov) or by contacting Cross Rhodes Print & Technologies, 2731 South Jefferson Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63118 (314) 678-0087. ACTING DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE

PUBLIC NOTICE

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

> Doing Business With Us

> View Bid Opportunities

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

The Saint Louis Zoo seeks bids from qualified firms to submit proposals. Bid documents are available as of 7/17/24 on the Saint Louis Zoo website: stlzoo.org/vendor

SECONDARY FOOD & BEVERAGE SUPPLIER VENDOR

2024

The Saint Louis Zoo seeks bids from qualified firms to submit proposals. Bid documents are available as of 7/17/24 on the Saint Louis Zoo website: stlzoo.org/vendor

NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AND OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS

Date of Publication: Thursday, July 18, 2024

City of St. Louis

Community Development Administration (CDA) 1520 Market Street St. Louis, Missouri 63103 (314) 657-3700/ (314) 589-6000 (TDD)

This notice shall satisfy two separate but related procedural requirements for activities to be undertaken by the City of St. Louis (“The City.”)

REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF FUNDS

On or about August 5, 2024, the City will submit a request to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the release of the City’s Federal HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) funds under Title II of the Cranston – Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act of 1990, as amended, to undertake the following project:

Project Title: Northside Heights

Purpose: Rehabilitation of fourteen (14) three (3) story apartment buildings. Two (2) of the rehabilitation buildings will be mixed use with commercial space. When completed, this development will contain a total of sixty-five (65) one (1), two (2), and three (3) bedroom residential units for families.

Location: 5500-5510, 5512, 5516, 5520, 5524, 5540, 5550, 5556 Natural Bridge Avenue, 63120 5515 Hebert Street, 63120 5515 Palm Street, 63120 1809-11 Annie Malone Drive, 63113 4040-44 St. Louis Avenue, 63107 4127-29 Maffitt Avenue, 63113 4257 Kennerly Avenue, 63113

Estimated Cost: Total development cost of this project is approximately $15,463,274 with an estimated $250,000 of funding coming from the City’s Federal HOME Program Funds, Grant # M-18-MC-29-0500.

FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT

The City has determined that the project will have no significant impact on the human environment. Certain conditions will apply to the project. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required. Additional project information is contained in the Environmental Review Record (ERR) on file at the City CDA, at the above address, where it is available for review and may be examined or copied weekdays, 8 A.M. to 4 P.M.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to Trey McCarter, Community Development Planner III at the address listed above. All comments received by August 4, 2024, will be considered by the City prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. Comments should specify which Notice they are addressing.

RELEASE OF FUNDS

The City certifies to HUD that Nahuel Fefer, in his official capacity as Executive Director of CDA, consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. HUD’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the City to use the above-referenced HUD program funds.

OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS

HUD will accept objections to its release of funds and the City’s certification for a period of fifteen days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the City; (b) the City has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec.58.76) and shall be addressed to the HUD St. Louis Field Office, CPDRROFSTL@hud.gov. Potential objectors should contact HUD to verify the actual last day of the objection period.

Nahuel Fefer, Certifying Officer

St. LouiS american Bids & Public Notices St.

REQUEST FOR BIDS

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

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

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

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

CANDIDACY FILING FOR 2024

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

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

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

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

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

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

How to Submit Your Proposal: • Follow the RFP requirements.

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

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

ADVERTISEMENT/NOTICE

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

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

Contractors and sub-contractors may obtain RFP documents and information about pre-bid events on or after July 3rd, 2024, by emailing Kyle Pryor, kpryor@mccowngordon.com

Missouri University of Science & Technology reserves the right to reject any and all RFP responses, and to waive all informalities in the RFP responses. McCownGordon Construction and Missouri University of Science & Technology are Equal Opportunity Employers.

Scan for Nomination Form

Malena Amusa, creator of a coloring book that celebrates women’s basketball, recently joined her daughters Imah, 2, and Mazi, 5, in demonstrating their artistic skills on a basketball court in Chouteau Park in the Forest Park neighborhood.

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of thousands of people.

Although Amusa said she “planned to live in New York forever,” her mother’s cancer diagnosis and a fractured personal relationship eventually convinced her to come home in 2016 where she engaged in the recuperation process both for her mother and herself.

In St. Louis, Amusa continued journalism as a freelancer. But seeking more money, she entered the world of corporate communications, while simultaneously starting her own dance company, “Add Life! World.”

After meeting and marrying in 2017, Amusa found that-as she started a family-her professional interests leaned more in the direction of education. She published her first book “Colors of Africa,” designed, she said, “to teach children how to identify, read and say colors based on all the colors one can find in African culture.”

Adding more, Amusa said, “They can find how the Nile (River) has a blue reflection or how gold comes from the Ashanti Empire. It gives them knowledge and history with an (Afrocentric) skill set.”

She later founded her own educational resource company, Jaifunde, and published “Fro, 2, 3, 4!”, a math activity book for ages 3 and up, inspired, she said, by the “geometric formations of black hair.”

Amusa said she wanted African American children to know that math was not only in their heads but on their heads. Math, she insists, is in the radius of a fade or in the context of a parabular (a U-shaped curve that appears often in mathematics). The Gateway Arch is an example of parabular math, Amusa says…a formula a child with cornrows on his/ her head can use to comprehend math.

Amusa, who found success in the educational book realm, said she never dreamed of doing a basket-

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son why Green wanted to apply.

“The orchestras I’ve been in, there weren’t a lot of Black kids or Latino kids,” Green said. “I’m like, ‘There’s not a lot of me around here.’ And then with Sphinx I was like, ‘I have to get in this because I want to experience what [more diversity is] like.’” The application process was rigorous. Green submitted three video auditions (one three-octave

ball-related book. That was before the breakout careers of basketball players Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark.

“When Angel won the LSU championship (in 2023), I had never seen anything like that,” Amusa recalled. “It blew my mind how much swag she brought to the court.”

Her admiration of Reese led to an addiction to women’s college basketball, “which spiraled me into watching the WNBA,” Amusa said. “And then the whole rivalry between Reese and Caitlin (Clark) …”

She said her daughters started noticing how their mom was consumed with hours and hours of basketball and wondered, ‘what’s going on?’

“Then they began watching the games with me and asking questions like ‘what does a point range mean?’…they made it into an educational experience,” Amusa said.

The real “spark” that led to producing the coloring book, Amusa admitted, was the WNBA game in May where Reese was choke-slammed to the floor by Connecticut Sun’s player Alyssa Thomas during the 86-82 win over Reese’s team, the Chicago Sky.

“Everyone was going to run away with their own narratives.They’re going to call these players ‘brutes,’ or ‘angry Black women’ and all these derogatory things.

“For my girls, I wanted to define that moment for us,” Amusa continued.

“So, I decided we were going to launch our love for basketball into a platform for our own self-confidence. We’re going to use it to lift each other and ourselves up.”

Her daughter’s response to the coloring book further emboldened Amusa.

“I’ve created books like a Black farmer math book where kids can count seeds and crop lines and my girls were like, ‘OK, (we’re) over it,’” Amusa laughed.

“But when I gave them Dribble Dream...they’ve asked for it every night… they’re just so engrossed in it.”

Amusa said Mazi and Imah are especially attracted to the “design chal-

scale and two contrasting pieces), a written essay and a personal statement video. Green and her teacher started preparing in October 2023 and she submitted her application in February 2024. When she finally heard back from Sphinx, her acceptance came as a surprise.

“My teacher, he was like, ‘You’re gonna get in,’” Green said. “He’s right all of the time, so I was like, ‘Well, if he said that, then maybe it is really true,’ but I still had some self-doubt.”

From her unplanned shift from violin to bass, to spending part of her

lenge” pages in the book where kids can design their own championship jerseys, shoes, and trophies.

“When you ask kids to not just color within the lines but when you ask them to impose their own design vision, it opens a different register in their brains, to imagine a world that reflects what they love.”

Explaining further, Amusa said: “There are coloring pages, vocabulary pages, a writing prompt where they write their dreams and the design challenges. It’s taking the learning from reception to creativity and design to independence.

Updates are planned for the coloring book. Amusa wants to add Incarnate Word High School graduate Napheesa Collier, a WNBA star with the Minnesota Lynx.

“It’s so important for girls to know her (Collier) story,” Amusa beamed. “She’s been selected for the all-star Olympic basketball team. She’s like the Lisa Leslie (former Los Angeles Sparks player) of Missouri… she represents us.”

In response to friends who called Amusa to say, ‘wait a minute, I have boys…’ she plans to do a Dribble & Dream book for boys as well.

When asked if she’s happy with her life now, Amusa’s answer was a nuanced reflection of her gifts, life experiences and self-discovery.

“I’m happy, but not because I have ease, comfort, wealth or even freedom all the time. God gave me incredible vision, dreams, color-coded ideas and the confidence to make those dreams come true.

I can’t be anything but a creative, African-dancing, storytelling, educating, inspiring, caring mom.

“The fact that I had the audacity to honor who I am and create a lane for myself…well, that brings me joy.”

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

To purchase, download or print “Dribble and Dream” go to Jaifunde. com

summer in a new city learning from world-class musicians and playing with talented peers, “expect the unexpected” is a phrase that defines the last year of Green’s early music career.

“I wasn’t expecting so much to happen from just switching one instrument,” Green said. “It’s so crazy to me thinking [about] the timeline and how short of time that this has all happened.”

Published with permission from https:// www.stlpr.org/ as part of a content sharing partnership with St. Louis Public Radio.

Photo by Wiley Price I St. Louis American