July 27th, 2023 edition

LouiS AmericAn

Emmett Till, mother

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire

Recognizing the country’s painful racial history and honoring the legacy of Emmett Till, President Joe Biden signed a proclamation on Tuesday designating a national monument spanning two states to memorialize Emmett Till and his mother, Mamie TillBradley. Till, a 14-year-old Black teenager from Chicago, was tragically murdered in Money, Mississippi, on August 28, 1955, after being accused by a white woman of whistling at her.

See TILL, A7

The Rev. Wheeler Parker Jr., a cousin of Emmett Till and a Chicago pastor, listens as Vice President Kamala Harris shares the importance of preserving Black history before Biden signed a proclamation to establish the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument in Chicago and Mississippi.

‘We are one Black theatre’

Artistic excellence centerstage in STL at 37th Annual BTN conference

By Kenya Vaughn The St. Louis American

109 years young

Miss Jessie O’Bryant, a resident at Christian Extended Care & Rehabilitation Center in north county, enjoying her happy birthday wishes from family and friends at her 109th birthday celebration Sunday, July 23, 2023.

By Sylvester Brown Jr. St. Louis American

Bowman. “The decision to suspend trauma services to North St. Louis County is irresponsible and disheartening,” Bowman said in the statement. Because ambulances will no longer take those patients to DePaul, patients may have to endure additional minutes of trauma until taken to other

hospitals. Level II trauma centers are required to have immediate access to general surgeons. The decision, according to a statement from DePaul Hospital, was based on the small percentage of individuals who required trauma services in its emergency room.

The cultural excellence and sense of community that St. Louis hosted last weekend as part of the Black Theatre Network’s 37th Annual Conference had to be experienced to be fully understood.

“There are 50, 60, 70 theatres represented in this room, but we are one Black theatre,” Dr. Indira Etwaroo, inaugural director of the Apple’s Steve Jobs Theater at Apple and Executive Director emeritus of the Billie Holiday Theatre, told the audience for the BTN Festival’s opening keynote address Thursday afternoon.

“Think about the treasure and richness contained in a room like this, the genius contained in a room like this, and the great art that is about to come out of a room like this.”

More than two hundred people participated in the festival – which included a robust lineup of panel discussions, workshops, think tanks, podcasts, performances, lectures, artist talks and a culminating awards ceremony.

This year’s festival was a full cir-

See BTN, A6

‘We all just want to be treated equally.’

Paraquad, Alderman Aldridge, celebrate Americans with Disabilities Act

By Sylvester Brown Jr. St. Louis American

If you’re not disabled, you may have the luxury of going through life without thinking about the challenges of disabled people. You’re not forced to think about navigating transportation or physical facilities, finding affordable housing, a job or accessing adequate healthcare equipment or in-home assistance. You’re spared dealing with stereotypes prevalent in general society or popular media. Feelings of social isolation or exclusion, poverty, financial hardships, or thoughts of suicide are not things that occupy the minds of See PARAQUAD, A7

Dr. Indira Etwaroo

Photo by Mark Mahoney for the NNPA

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

John Bowman

St. Louis rapper Sexyy Red gets real cozy with Drake

Drake and St. Louis rapper Sexyy Red cozied up real nice during his Tuesday (July 18, 2023) leg of the “It’s All a Blur” tour.

Drake shared a photo of him and Sexyy backstage at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on his Instagram Story. In the photo, Drake wraps his arm around Sexyy and kisses her on the cheek. While Sexyy positioned her hand on the side of his head posing with her eyes closed and the duck lip face.

“Just met might be my rightful wife @sexyyred,” Drake captioned the photo.

Sexyy posted the same photo on

for viral hit song “Pound Town”. The remix “Pound Town 2” features Nicki Minaj.

Sexyy also recently was criticized for making an appearance at a St. Louis high school. Several people assumed she performed her sexually explicit hit “Pound Town” on the school’s campus. Sexyy assures she didn’t perform at all and only came to do charitable work for the school’s prom. “Y’all do know I went there to give the boys money for they haircuts and girls bundles for prom week cause I remember when I needed help with my prom stuff,” she tweeted.

Jay-Z makes history

Jay-Z made his tory last week by becoming the first Black male record ing artist of any genre to have 10 solo studio albums

album sales. RIAA added the album to its list of certifications. Jay’s The Black Album also reached quadruple platinum status bringing his total album sales in the U.S. to 33.5 million.

Jay is also the second Black person in history to have double-digit multi-platinum studio albums in his career. The first is Mariah Carey. Carey’s 11 solo studio albums have sold two million copies worldwide and she is the most commercially successful Black female singer of all-time. The next two Black women singers to follow behind Carey’s success are Beyoncé and Whitney Houston, with six and seven, respectively multi-platinum albums.

Tupac murder investigation busts open after Las Vegas PD search

We might be getting somewhere in finding out what happened to Tupac

searched in Henderson, Nev., approximately 15 miles from where the shooting happened. Police declined to provide more information about the ongoing investigation.

During the search, officers stepped out of their vehicles with guns drawn demanding the home owners evacuate the home with their hands above their head. No one was arrested in connection to the search.

Shakur was shot and killed on Sept. 7, 1996 after driving home from a boxing match at the MGM Grand. Prior to leaving the hotel, he fought Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, who had a previous altercation with a member of Shakur’s crew.

Shakur then left the hotel and sat on the passenger side of a black BMW driven by now-imprisoned Marion “Suge” Knight, the former CEO of Death Row Records.

At a stoplight, a white Cadillac pulled up to the side of the BMV and shot on the passenger side striking Shakur multiple times. He died six days later from his injuries.

Sexyy Red

How many more people, and specifically how many more children, must die?”

-Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner on relocation of residents living near contaminated Union Pacific railyard

Whiz kids

Harris-Stowe helps guide young entrepreneurs

By Ashley Winters

The St. Louis American

The third annual Young Biz Kid marketplace was held at Harris-Stowe State University on July 15 featuring art, accessories, and snacks from young entrepreneurs ranging in age from four to 21. Arriel Biggs, Young Biz Kid Day founder, said the program teaches youths how to start, own, and operate a business. Each year in participating cities, young entrepreneurs can set up their respective businesses at a location and show their wares.

ages kids and shows them they have support from their community. “Kid-preneuers” sharpen critical thinking skills, experience selling their product in a competitive environment, and assess their leadership skills.

n Young minds are innovative because they don’t have constraints, their imagination can take them to places that some adult minds can’t even fathom.

- Arriel Biggs, Young Biz Kid Day founder

Guests shopped for items including books, candles, jewelry, and food.

“We empower youth through entrepreneurship and financial literacy,” said Biggs. Biggs said the event encour-

“Teaching these skills at an early age allows young people to be more proactive about their future ahead,” said Biggs. Young Biz Kid partnered with the Minority Entrepreneurship Collaborative Center for Advancement (MECCA), a local initiative of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Harris-Stowe State University. It serves as a hub of campus and community entrepreneurial activities fostering the growth of emerging entrepreneurs and cultivating the next generation of entrepreneurs from minority and under-re-

sourced communities.

Young entrepreneurs learn at an early age how to budget, track revenue, and maintain an inventory.

Madison and Maryah Moore, the 11- and 12-year-old respective operators of Sister Sister Sweets were vendors at the event. They sold lip glosses, purses, and accessories.

“You can be successful with your sister, and you can accomplish more,” said Madison.

“Some adults don’t know that kids can accomplish way more than they expect us to,” said Maryah.

Madison said, “We have to prove them wrong.”

Cloe Bass, the 15-year-old owner of Cloe’s Cookies, sold out of her Strawberry Crumble, Chocolate Chip, and Pecan cookies.

“I really like having my own business, the work is not always easy, but I can figure it out. As I move forward with this it will all come together,” said Bass.

“Young minds are innovative because they don’t have constraints, their imagination can take them to places that some adult minds can’t even fathom,” said Biggs.

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

“It’s important for a young person to have their own business so they can make their own money” Young Biz Kid is a learning environment that allows youths and their business to expand at their own pace. Biggs said adults aren’t the gatekeepers of entrepreneurship, adding that listening and supporting young people “gives them the esteem they need to believe in themselves.”

Photo by Wiley Price I St. Louis American

Tiffany Nelson has a conversation with Maryah and Madison Moore owners of Sister Sister Sweets during the Young Biz Kid Day marketplace at Harris-Stowe State University Sat. July 15, 2023 in the Emerson Performance Center.

Editorial/Commentary

Stakes too high to ignore hard political reality

Black Americans need to recognize that we face a disturbing political reality. Despite his avalanche of seemingly intractable legal problems, Donald J. Trump remains the favorite to be the nominee of the Republican Party in the general presidential election in 2024. That would mean a rematch between President Biden and Trump.

The outcome of that election is likely to be determined by a few tens of thousands of votes. In the 2020 presidential election, the margin of victory for Joe Biden in Georgia and Arizona was less than 12,000 votes.

In stark terms, the winner of the presidential election next year will be sworn in in just 18 months. A second Trump administration will be better thought out and effective than his first – which saw a huge setback to our interests and concerns.

It is this alarming political reality that makes the self-absorbed, narcissistic third party candidacy of Cornel West troubling. Notwithstanding his right to run and the idealism he cited in his announcement (much of which we agree with), any measure of political acumen forces one to recall West’s ill-fated support of Ralph Nader’s spoiler campaign against then-vice-president Al Gore in his race against George W. Bush and the disastrous consequences of the outcome of that race for people all over this country, Iraq and around the globe as a result of Bush’s denial of climate change.

Expressing no regrets for his stance with Nader in 2000, West is about to do something like that again. There is much to admire in what West has advocated in the past. Although we should not forget some of his over-the-top ad hominem attacks on Barack Obama after he won the presidency in 2008

Of course West always cites his outspoken defense of poor and working class people as the motive for his actions. We don’t disagree with his avowed purpose for running as a champion for “truth and justice” as a presidential candidate “to reintroduce America to the best of itself

–fighting to end poverty, mass incarceration, ending wars and ecological collapse, guaranteeing housing, health care, education, and living wages for all.” Amen.

We don’t disagree, and respect him as a pioneering theorist, but we think he is making a poor political choice with his quixotic third party presidential campaign.

But that is not the issue here. Rather it is the damage his third party candidacy could do to Biden’s re-election and the future direction of the country if Trump or a MAGA facsimile prevails next year. The only possible impact of West’s vain selfish candidacy is to take some votes away from Biden that might allow Trump or some likeminded far-right wing Republican to return to the White House.

Whatever Biden’s shortcomings, the political system does not give us an opportunity to build a viable political and electoral coalition alternative. West and many other Black political figures seem to think that because they have every right to run, they should run campaigns that satisfy their personal aspirations and/ or needs at the expense of the greater good of their communities.

We need to learn from our history in this country about the strategic importance of a galvanized Black electorate to make realistic and smart decisions. In 1948 the FDR political, but reprehensible, Democratic Party coalition that included racist Southern Democrats was shattered after a civil rights initiative was included in the party’s platform. President Truman’s upset victory was only made possible by a surge of Black voters in swing states. This is an experience that has been repeated in several other closely decided presidential elections. This teaches us that we should not squander our votes on Black “vanity” candidates, no matter how sincere, who offer no path for advancing our interests and concerns. The stakes in next year’s election are too high to ignore hard political reality. Remember how we got a 6 to 3 hard-right majority on the U.S. Supreme Court. Elections do have consequences.

As I See It - A Forum for

Community Issues

A Democrat on the plight of Black Republicans

By Larry Smith

As I read about South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott’s nascent presidential run, I thought about the solitary place in which Black Republicans often find themselves. For a variety of reasons, Black Republicans exist on the outskirts of the political landscape.

An unidentified donor has purchased $40 million in ads for Senator Scott’s campaign, which is more than the currently committed ad buys for Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis combined. Still, history suggests that Scott has a substantial, if not insurmountable, hurdle to the Republican nomination. While Democrats can boast of just one African American who secured their party’s nomination, others have been serious contenders –with Rev. Jesse Jackson most prominent among them.

Black people who have attempted to ascend the Grand Old Party’s version of Mt. Everest have barely advanced beyond base camp. Alan Keyes and the late Herman Cain come immediately to mind. Keyes is especially interesting because he is the personification of social conservatism, yet barely made a ripple in his three presidential bids. It is silly to argue that nothing other than his race hindered him.

iation accelerated based on Roosevelts’ promises of racial equality. By the late 1960s, the transformation was complete. Is that change permanent? Time will tell.

Anyone who knows me well knows that I am not reflexively anti-Republican. However, I am reflexively anti-racism. While I don’t argue that the Republican Party is inherently racist, too many in that party are willing to countenance racial bigotry.

Republicans are sensitive to the perception that their party is racist, which is why candidates of color like Scott and his South Carolinian rival, former Governor Nimarata “Nikki” Haley, keep repeating that “America is not a racist country.”

Republicans (of whatever race) tend to do very poorly when polled among African Americans in large measure due to their refusal even to acknowledge that racism exists. On a related note, I will point out that our general lack of support for Black Republican candidates destroys the argument that we vote for people “just because they’re Black.”

Guest Columnist Larry Smith

Black Democrats, or even those who aren’t associated with a political party, tend to look askance at Black Republicans. Is this completely fair? No. Is it completely understandable? Yes. The primary reason is that we don’t see or hear Black Republicans speak up frequently or vociferously enough regarding racial injustice and disparities. It often feels as though they rewrite, or simply ignore, America’s racial record.

As hard as it might be to imagine, most Black folks identified as Republicans in the not-too-distant past. This is understandable given that the GOP began as a staunchly antislavery alternative to Democrats. Many whites wore the moniker “Radical Republican” as a badge of honor. That began to change with the election of Franklin Roosevelt. While the shift had already begun prior to his ascent, African Americans’ party affil-

Politically, it is crucial to understand that racism is not the sole issue about which Black folks care. Thus, Donald Trump did better among Black men in 2020 than he had done in 2016. This is in large measure due to his economic message and his incessant attacks on the far left, both of which resonate with a sizable percentage of Black men.

There has always been, and I suspect that there will always be, a thread of intra-racial strife among us given America’s particular racial dynamics. Black police officers are the best comparison. On the one hand, they’re often perceived as not “Black enough;” on the other, they’re often viewed as not “blue enough.” This places them in an incredibly awkward position, one which they must deftly manage.

Black Republicans should not be castigated for their political identification, but they should expect to be held accountable for what their political identity represents. The same is true for all people.

Larry Smith is a columnist for the Indianapolis Recorder

What is really happening?

By Mike Jones

What is really happening?

When guys of my generation get together the conversation often turns to this question: What happened to the Black community of our youth?

And by extension: What is happening to white people in America? Where and how did it go wrong?

A casual observer could conclude that the answer to each question is “a significant number, if not an outright majority, of white Americans.” A more nuanced observer might ask, “What’s wrong with most white Americans?

In 1920, W.E.B. DuBois wrote, “Darkwater: Voices from within the Veil.” In chapter two, “The Souls of White Folks,” he poses a question: “But what on earth is whiteness that one should so desire it?” DuBois discerns the answer: “Then always, somehow, someway, silently but clearly, I am given to understand that whiteness is the ownership of the earth forever and ever, Amen!” This question, and the answer, form the foundation of his musings on early 20th century America.

The answer leads him to ask this question: “Now what is the effect on a man or nation when it comes passionately to believe such an extraordinary dictum?”

I would suggest that 100 years later we have inverted this question. What is the effect when a man or nation can no longer sustain an illusion it passionately believes to be reality?

If Darwin’s Theory of Evolution has taught us anything, it’s that we, like all living creatures, are products of our environment. For most of human existence our day-to-day survival has not been guaranteed. This fact has dominated the reality of what it means to be human. People’s values and behavior are shaped by how secure they feel about their survival.

When we discuss insecurity, we usually speak in physical terms. Are we safe, will we starve? This is still the case for most people on the planet. But physical security is a given in the world’s economically advanced countries, particularly Western Europe. This is not true in the United States, and this separates this nation.

“Either the United States will destroy ignorance or ignorance will destroy the United States.”

in America today. Specifically, this is a loss of privilege that has been historically connected to identity.

America has not changed yet, but America is changing. What it meant to be white in America when DuBois wrote “Darkwater” is not what it means to be white in America today.

To understand the behavior of MAGA America you must process the seismic demographic and technological changes that have created today’s paradigm cultural changes. The America of 2023 is nothing like the America of 1960.

Insecurity is not just physical. It can also be emotional and psychological – an example is when your identity is threatened. Identity is a social construct, but it tells you who you are, and where you are in the world.

The loss of identity represents the same kind of existential threat as plague and war. What happens when any group of humans face an existential threat?

There is an innate, intuitive desire for predictability and stabilization which manifests itself in what has become known as the Authoritarian Reflex. When people perceive their survival is threatened, they culturally close ranks behind strong authoritarian leaders. They form a united front against a real or perceived outside threat. Sound familiar?

MAGA white America includes people who feel the most threatened by the challenge of what it means to be white

Before you say “1960 is ancient history, and has nothing to do with today,” someone born in 1960 isn’t old enough to collect Social Security in 2023. When you consider the cultural changes during those 60 years, the current behavior of MAGA America is perfectly rational. I didn’t say ethical or moral, I said rational. There’s a logic for it. In fact, I’d argue there is no irrational behavior, just behavior that’s caused by factors many people don’t know or understand.

The reality is that the 2024 presidential election is likely to be a contest between two old white men from an America that no longer exists. They will be fighting to define a future they’ll never see. This illustrates the dysfunction of the American political culture.

When the answer to the question of America’s future is either Joe Biden or Donald Trump, the Titanic has already hit the iceberg. But what about us? What happened to us?

To be continued…..

Columnist Mike Jones

-W.E.B. DuBois, Niagara Movement Speech, 1905.

ARCHS, which supports educational programs including Horizons in Kirkwood, Mo., is partnering with United 4 Children to create three regional education networks.

ARCHS,

United 4 Children support early educators

St. Louis American staff

Area Resources for Community and Human Services [ARCHS] is partnering with United 4 Children to support early educators working with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Office of Childhood awarded three grants valued at $4 million to ARCHS, who with United 4 Children, will create three new regional collaborative networks – Home-based Child Care, Infant Toddler Child Care, and Preschool Child Care.

The organizations will collaborate with early educators to achieve goals through coaching, training, and connections to resources during either a

three-month or six-month period.

“This is the largest investment ever by the state of Missouri for early childhood professional development in the St. Louis region. ARCHS and United 4 Children will collaborate to implement, manage, and enhance these innovative programs,” said ARCHS’ Chief Executive Officer Wendell E. Kimbrough.

ARCHS and United 4 Children provide leadership and business training that enhances the region’s early childcare workforce.

To learn more, visit stlarchs.org and united4children.org

Maite’s shoes a powerful symbol

“Dear Lawmaker,

My name is Ana Rodriguez. I lost my daughter, Maite Rodriguez on May 24, 2022 in a mass shooting at her school, Robb Elementary, in Uvalde, TX . . . It was the last week of school and she was excited about watching movies with her friends and attending the honor roll ceremony. Don’t imagine. Put yourself in my daughter’s shoes that day: Her name is called out to receive her honor roll certificate and she walks over, wearing her green converse with a heart on the right toe. She must feel so happy and proud of herself. After the ceremony, her class gets up and starts heading back to Room 112. I’m sure she and her friends are talking and showing each other their achievement certificates, not knowing the fear, pain and horror that awaits . . . All I have left of my daughter Maite are memories. Memories and the last pair of shoes I purchased for her, the ones she wore on that awful day—her green converse with a heart drawn on the right toe . . . ”

When 10-year-old Maite Rodriguez was murdered by an assault rifle in her fourthgrade classroom alongside two teachers and 18 classmates, her parents had to identify her body by those favorite sneakers.

Maite’s shoes became a symbol of the devastation of that day.

On July 18, supporters of the Uvalde families brought copies of this letter from Maite’s mother and lapel pins featuring Maite’s green sneakers to Washington, D.C. to distribute in the halls of Congress. At a moment when some Republican lawmakers have been proudly wearing AR-15 lapel pins to work, they hoped these pins could send a different message.

As the artist who created the pins said, “Maite’s shoes are a symbol of her beauty and strength, and a reminder that real people are dying every day from gun violence, including small, innocent children. Instead of celebrating AR-15s, let’s remember all that they have the power to destroy.”

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Co.) was filmed being handed this letter and pin and immediately throwing both into a trash can.

These are the forces our children are up against from some of the adults who should be entrusted to help protect them. But our children already know they deserve better.

Every year students in grades K-12 enrolled in Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools summer enrichment programs take part in a National Day of Social Action highlighting a critical issue affecting children’s lives.

This year, on July 19, thousands of scholars at CDF Freedom Schools sites across the country made signs and posters, attended marches and rallies, wrote letters, and met with elected officials to share their own direct and indirect experiences with gun violence, remind adults that #YouthArentBulletproof, and ask adults to protect children, not guns. As one child’s sign read: “Protect us not guns!!! Please.”

Gun violence is the leading cause of death for children in the United States, killing students like Maite in their classrooms and killing and injuring babies, preschoolers, children, and teenagers in their neighborhoods, at parks, playgrounds, and shopping malls, as they ride in their cars and play in their yards, and inside their own homes.

Thousands of other children and teenagers are affected because someone they love has been killed or injured by a gun. One young CDF Freedom Schools scholar, Andrew, read aloud this message to his city councilmembers: “I do not approve of gun violence because it puts a direct impact on kids and it makes them motherless and fatherless. It scares a lot of kids. It hurts to experience this type of violence. Please help us stop all this violence.”

Another scholar wrote, “I have a vision for a safe community. I care about gun violence because people’s lives shouldn’t be cut short because others made bad decisions.”

Even while some lawmakers are ignoring pleas to protect child victims of gun violence and treating them as trash, these children are standing up for their own lives and asking adults to stand with them.

The CDF Freedom Schools scholars were grateful for the lawmakers who met with them and encouraged them as they demanded change. Which side are you on?

Marian Wright Edelman is founder and president emerita of the Children›s Defense Fund

Photo courtesy of ARCHS Facebook

Marian Wright Edelman

cle moment for Keith Arthur Bolden. In 2001, Bolden and his future wife Tinashe drove to St. Louis from Chicago for their first professional job after graduate school – as interns with the St. Louis Black Repertory company. Twenty-two years later the stage, film, and television actor – and theater professor – was among the conference’s most esteemed attendees.

He was also this year’s recipient of the Winona Lee Fletcher Award for Outstanding Achievement and Excellence in Black Theatre.

In his acceptance remarks, Bolden praised Himes for giving him his first job as an actor – and gave a shout out to Hana Sharif, outgoing Artistic Director for the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, for taking a chance on casting him early in his career during her days as Associate Artistic Director at Hartford Stage.

“I’m sitting in this room and there are circles,” Bolden said. “I’m talking about intersections y’all.”

Honorees Ron Himes and Keith Arthur Bolden at the Black Theatre Network’s 37th Annual Conference Awards Bruncheon on Saturday, July 22 at the Hyatt at The Arch.

into embracing production via digital platforms as a response to the pandemic.

“A common question that is asked is, ‘When you put a camera on something, does it become film or does it remain theatre?’ said John Sloan III, Producing Director of Detroit’s Obsidian Theatre Festival. “I think that is a binary approach to the question and I don’t think the framing of that question meets the moment that we are in.”

Generational debates took place regarding how to be effective practitioners of theater in the 21st century with the constant state of distraction that comes with cell phones and social media.

“The digital space –especially by us – needs to be clearly and carefully orchestrated as far as what we are doing and why we are doing it,” acclaimed actor and comedian Phyllis Yvonne Stickney said in the workshop entitled “Content vs. Art” facilitated by producer, director and playwright Greg Williams, Jr.,

A suggested ban of cell phones in theaters was met with applause from some.

can’t tell people to turn off their cell phone when the only way for them to see the program is on their phone.”

A mindful observer ended the banter.

“I think it is important that we don’t shun a generation,” the self-described millennial responded. “We are not at war with technology. We need to figure out a compromise, rather than get amnesia about our values as a community. Let’s make sure we are not policing what a body or an audience should look like for us to be received – because in some ways, that is counterproductive to Afrofuturism.”

The lively conversation was one of many that took place over the course of the weekend that demonstrated the promising future of Black theater’s thought leaders as they proclaimed future prosperity for their field and expressed its transformative power.

“We are the treasure. This is our time,” Etwaroo said. “I believe that the Black theatre field is a radical revolution and a radical response to what is happening in the world.”

DePaul

Continued from A1

“Trauma care is a highly-specialized service — and medical best practice shows we must treat a minimum number of patients to maintain the level of experience, training and equipment a trauma program requires,” the SSM statement read.

Bowman is also alarmed because of the density of Medicaid recipients that reside in the county.

A portion of the 2023 BTN programming was held on the campus of Washington University, where The Black Rep was founded.

“As a student, when we started this thing, it was

Himes, also a revered guest and dutiful host that participated on several panels and a podcast, followed Bolden to the podium as a Lifetime Achievement Award recipient – an honor he shared with Beth Turner and Don Williams.

The organization released a statement Monday expressing its concerns.

“To date, St. Louis County houses one of the largest populations of underserved people receiving or enrolled in Missouri’s Medicaid program,” he said. “To dismiss the effect of scaled-back trauma services to those receiving state-funded services is detrimental to the lifeblood of North St. Louis County.”

Bowman added that transporting patients to

because a void persisted. Unfortunately, that void still persists,” Himes said as he accepted his award.

“Some time ago, I found myself in the wilderness wailing trying to figure it out. My life got better when I found the choir of you to join me wailing in

other hospitals may take “from 10 minutes to 30 minutes more” which could be fatal for some trauma patients.

Last week, Mark Flauter, chief medical officer for the Florissant Valley Fire Protection District, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that SSM Health’s decision will have devastating consequences.

“Up in North County, that is our closest facility to take significant, traumatic injuries. It leaves a significant hole in the North County area, for care of trauma patients.”

the wilderness.” True to the conference’s theme, “Afrofuturism: Envisioning Black Theatre” the intersection of technology was among the topics of conversation. Top of mind was the experience of being thrust

Bowman, who also serves as a director of the Northeast Ambulance and Emergency Fire District, agrees.

“I can speak to the volume of emergency calls in this area. We have one of the busiest districts in North County.”

Bowman stressed that when trauma patients are sent to Christian Hospital Northeast in St. Louis County, they are immediately referred to DePaul.

“We have more shootings, more stabbings and more car accidents in north county so I am very con-

“Okay, so you tell people not to use their phones, but if you buy tickets online, you need your phone to scan the barcode,” Williams said.

“Then you have those QR codes to download to see the playbill,” an attendee chimed in. “You

cerned about the impact of this decision.”

Bowman concedes that there is validity to the health agency’s argument.

“Doctors do have to perform a certain level of these cases. Experience creates levels where they are better at their work. But how are we going to make these adjustments when it comes to the travel and expenses of fire districts because they have to go longer distances to stabilize a person until they get them that far away,” he said.

Bowman said exploring all viable options to make sure North St. Louis County residents receive appropriate trauma care is imperative.

In 2022, Bowman said SSM Health committed to the “Building Strong Communities” initiative with community partners, like his organization and other stakeholders.

“It was designed so that the community can have a voice and input in some of these higher-level decisions. Don’t let us hear about this on the news like everybody else.”

“As a people, we have always been the moral compass of this American soil,” she added. “And if America stands a chance in hell to live the full creed of democracy, it will be Black people that lead us there – and I believe they will be the Black artists.”

Bowman said he’s asking that the healthcare agency live up to its commitment.

“We invite SSM Health to uphold its commitment to ‘expand access to affordable care, enhance social-based programs, provide communities with the tools needed to live a healthier life’ and uphold its promise to ‘focus a significant amount of its social work on the underserved,’” Bowman wrote in his press statement. His wish is that elected officials and other community leaders sit down with SSM Health representatives to seriously explore the challenges and any viable solutions.

“Let’s get together and brainstorm on what’s a viable choice other than just shutting it down because north of 270 this is the only trauma service we have and when you say ‘north county’ you know exactly what that means… it’s healthcare disparity.

“I’m hopeful we can come up with a solution… that’s our goal but make no mistake about it; this is a serious matter.”

Photo courtesy of Ron Himes

most able-bodied people.

Although 14th Ward Alderman Rasheen Aldridge, doesn’t consider his disability a necessary hindrance, he has empathy for those who have no choice but accept the designation and the challenges.

Aldridge was one of three elected individuals in Missouri living with disabilities who spoke at an event last week celebrating the 33rd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA was signed into law by President George W. Bush in 1999.

The July 21, 2023, celebration was hosted by Paraquad, one of the oldest and largest indepen-dent living centers in the country. The other guest speakers were state Rep. Bridget Walsh Moore (93rd district) and St. Louis County Councilwoman Kelli Dunaway.

“The ADA is more of a floor than a ceiling,” Paraquad’s press release read, adding: “There is much more to be done to truly reach a barrier-free society. That statement continued noting that the “lack of adequate access to affordable housing and transportation” are two of the biggest challenges the disabled community now faces.

Aldridge was born with a birth defect that resulted in his right leg growing significantly shorter in his mother’s womb than the left leg. Some infants born with such a condition must have one or both limbs amputated.

Aldridge was fitted with a prothesis and after at least 16 surgeries, he said he’s now able to get around independently. Therefore, he doesn’t consider himself handicapped or disabled.

It wasn’t always that way.

Aldridge has two brothers, on his mother’s side and nine siblings on his father’s side. Family members, he said, prepared him for the “real world.”

“That meant cracking jokes about me to prepare

Till

Continued from A1

His brutal killing became a catalyst for the Civil Rights movement when his mother, Mamie Till, chose to hold an open-casket funeral, and a photograph of her son’s disfigured body was published in Black media, bringing national attention to the horrors of racism and sparking outrage across the nation.

The Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ in Chicago, where Till’s

me for how cruel kids can be,” Aldridge recalled, adding that he did, however, go through bouts of depression.

“There were times when I questioned God, asking ‘Why did you make me like this?’”

As a kid, Aldridge said it was “particularly painful seeing himself walking in videos.

“I was disgusted realizing that that’s how other people saw me,” Aldridge reflected. “I wouldn’t say I was a depressed kid, but there were moments when I had depressed feelings and even suicidal thoughts over not wanting to be different.”

Aldridge said he’s not

funeral took place, Graball Landing in Mississippi, thought to be the site of his body’s discovery, and the Tallahatchie County Second District Courthouse, where an allwhite jury found the white men responsible for his murder not guilty, make up the 5.7 acres of the newly designated national monument.

During the ceremony, Biden acknowledged the significant role played by the Black Press in shedding light on Till’s tragic story and the broader struggle for civil rights.

n “The reality is that people with disabilities are our dads and moms, our aunts, uncles, sisters and brothers and we all just want to be treated equally.”

–Rasheen Aldridge,

14th

Ward Alderman

“super religious” but more spiritual. That disposition, he believes, helped him come to view his challenges more holistically.

“I’ve accepted it and I love it. It gives me something I can use to educate people or even sometimes crack jokes about; so, people know you don’t have to feel sorry for or treat people with disabilities

“The reason the world saw what Mrs. Till-Mobley saw was because of another hero in this story: the Black Press,” Biden remarked, receiving applause from the audience.

He emphasized the importance of shining a light of truth on the painful aspects of the nation’s past, acknowledging that darkness and denialism cannot erase history.

Vice President Kamala Harris echoed Biden’s sentiments and emphasized the critical role that the story of Till and the courage of Mamie Till

differently.”

According to Paraquad, more than 1 ½ million Medicaid recipients have lost their coverage nationally since the public health emergency ended. Missouri was one of only two states that expanded its program, Mo HealthNet, during the pandemic. The federal government barred states

played in fueling the civil rights movement.

“Our history as a nation is born of tragedy and triumph, of struggle and success. That is who we are,” Harris said.

“Today, there are those in our nation who would prefer to erase or even rewrite the ugly parts of our past; those who attempt to teach that enslaved people benefitted from slavery; those who

from kicking anyone out of the program during the coronavirus pandemic, but those provisions ended in the spring. A return to Missouri’s pre-pandemic Medicaid rules could mean hundreds of thousands might lose coverage.

Aldridge acknowledged the significance of ADA’s anniversary and the progress made in 33 years nationally and in Missouri. But, he adds, there’s still much work to be done.

“The ADA Act was a human rights thing to do. It provides protections and safety nets for disabled people, but we still live in a polarized world where there’s always a few people who want to treat you

insult us in an attempt to gaslight us, who try to divide our nation with unnecessary debates.

“Let us not be seduced into believing that somehow, we will be better if we forget. We will be better if we remember. We will be stronger if we remember.”

The ceremony took place on what would have been Emmett Till’s 82nd birthday, emphasizing the

differently or be prejudiced or not allow you into certain spaces. We treat disabled people like we treat our veterans; we have sympathy for them, but we don’t really provide for them.”

Aldridge encourages the “able-bodied” to think outside themselves.

“They say, ‘you’re only one paycheck from being homeless.’ Well, we’re all just one situation away from having a life-changing situation where we could be in that spot.

“The reality is that people with disabilities are our dads and moms, our aunts, uncles, sisters and brothers and we all just want to be treated equally.”

occasion’s significance.

“There’s really critical work ahead to continue the fight for racial justice and equality for all Americans,” Biden insisted.

“And my administration is committed to leading a path forward. And I know the members of Congress here are even more committed than that.”

Photo by Philip Deitch

From left, St. Louis County Councilwoman Kelli Dunaway, Paraquad President Aimee Wehmeier, St. Louis Alderman Rasheen Aldridge, and state Rep. Bridget Walsh Moore celebrated the 33rd anniversary of the American Disabilities Act.

By Barry Draper

Beyoncé

Clarence Thomas: Unfit to be a Supreme Court Justice

By Jamala Rogers

Former Congressman

William “Bill” Clay warned the nation about Clarence Thomas back in 2015. But we knew well before Clay’s book, “Clarence Thomas: A Knight in Tainted Armor” was published that this was no knight in shining armor for Black people.

When Justice Thurgood Marshall retired from the U.S. Supreme Court in 1991, then U.S. Sen. John Danforth from Missouri lobbied President Bush to nominate Thomas for the open seat. Justice-loving people in St. Louis, including The St. Louis

American, fought against the nomination. We were aware of the consequences that his confirmation would have on the nation. Courageous University of Oklahoma law professor Anita Hill exposed Thomas’ alleged sexual harassment, drawing the support of women’s groups. Many of us battled his confirmation but to no avail. The Senate approval vote was the thinnest margin in over 100 years. There was never an expectation that Clarence Thomas could fill the judicial shoes of Thurgood Marshall. There was some reasonable thinking that Thomas had the acumen to interpret the law based upon the Constitution while staying independent from special interests. He has been a large disap-

pointment.

It’s incomprehensible to learn that Thomas’ early politicization embraced his Blackness. He abandoned his pursuit to become a Catholic priest because he felt the church wasn’t doing enough to fight racism. As an undergraduate student at Holy Cross University, Thomas helped to establish a Black Student Union. He engaged in anti-war protests and sit-ins against racism. A Malcolm X poster hung in his dorm room. I don’t know what happened to Thomas after he graduated from Yale Law school in 1974. I do know that when he left Missouri, he morphed into a

self-loathing, misogynistic person, void of any sense of moral concern.

Columnist Jamala Rogers

Justice Thomas rarely asks questions from the bench during oral arguments. According to Clay’s book, Thomas was mute for an entire decade. Behind the scenes, Thomas was talking plenty to his sugar daddy, Harlan Crowe. For years, the billionaire has lavished the Thomas family with private jet flights, luxury vacations, and more. Crowe also paid for the college tuition of a relative raised by the Thomases.

Crowe’s investment guaranteed a friendly vote on the court when his cases made their way up

the chain. Thomas saw no need to disclose the gifts or recuse himself. This is corruption at the highest level of the judicial system. Congressman Bennie Thompson and other Black people have called the justice “Uncle Tom” for years. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison once referred to Thomas as the house negro character, Stephen, in the movie “Django Unchained.”

Thomas’ Supreme Court behavior is more harmful than his ethical behavior.

The name-calling may sully his reputation in the annals of Black History, but it hasn’t stopped in his rigid support for detrimental rulings.

There’s enough evidence to prove that Thomas is unfit to serve in his prestigious position. The

House of Representatives can impeach a Supreme Court justice with a simple majority. Right now, Republicans have a 6 to 3 edge on the court but who knows what could happen in 2024. We must move quickly to let our representatives know that Uncle Thomas should be targeted for impeachment. A clear message must be sent that judicial seats are not up for sale. The next battle should be to impose term limits on the U.S. Supreme Court. The country can’t endure a lifetime of judges like Clarence Thomas. A chorus to impeach Thomas has been growing louder since Clay’s book was published in 2015. It’s time to bring this tragedy to an end. This knight is a national nightmare.

Lincoln U. lands $2M Dept. of Agriculture grant

By Ariana Figueroa Missouri Independent

Lincoln University in Jefferson City will receive $2 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture as part of $33 million in funding to 19 Historically Black Colleges and Universities [HBCUs] designated as land-grant institutions to support research and education projects.

The funding through USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture will support 82 projects in sustainable farming practices such as reducing use of plastics, enhancing

nutritional value in vegetables and addressing shortages in sunflower seed oil.

“The work these universities will take on as a result of this funding have ripple effects far beyond the walls of their laboratories and classrooms,” Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small said in a statement.

.Torres Small said the investments will help “deliver real-life, applicable solutions to make our food system stronger, while at the same time inspiring a next generation of students and scientists who will help us meet tomorrow’s

agricultural challenges.”

1890 Land-Grant Institutions are a byproduct of a Civil War-era law that gave land to dozens of universities, including the HBCUs, but the land had been forcibly taken from Indigenous tribes. In total, nearly 11 million acres were taken from more than 250 tribes, according to a

project published in High Country News.

“USDA looks forward to the impact these visionary projects will have in improving the supply of affordable, safe, nutritious and accessible food and agricultural products, while fostering economic development and rural prosperity in America,”

NIFA Director Manjit K. Misra said in a statement. Many of the projects are geared toward sustainable practices in farming. U.S. agriculture contributes to about 11.2% of greenhouse gas emissions, and the Biden administration has focused on “climate smart” farming practices. For example, one project at North Carolina A&T State University was awarded about $250,000 to conduct farm trials of biodegradable mulches, which would be an alternative to plastic mulch.

Another land-grant university in Wilberforce,

Ohio, Central State University, was awarded about $500,000 to explore the use of a perennial flower — meaning it comes back year after year — as a way to improve honey production in order to enhance sustainability practices in agriculture.

And in Nashville, a project at Tennessee State University was awarded $100,000 to evaluate climate resiliency in legume species, which are crops such as snow peas, chickpeas and lentils, that are crucial to fixing nitrogen into the soil to improve soil health.

‘Taking Care of You’

Showering moms with love and learning

Healthcare workers were fired up during a recent community baby shower at the

Department Headquarters downtown. Resources and maternal education were on

moms and families.

By JoAnn Weaver

St. Louis American

Barnes Jewish Hospital recently hosted a community baby shower event at the St. Louis Fire Department Headquarters in its ongoing effort to educate families on the importance of proper prenatal and postpartum care.

St. Louis Children’s Hospital, BJC Women’s Center, Nurses for Newborns, and other health providers shared maternal services, information services, and childcare items. Mia Turner, community health worker at Nurses for Newborns, said. “We do a lot of teaching; our nurses do a lot of screenings, taking blood pressure, and make sure [moms] have a medical home.” Turner has been with the organization for 17 years. Once a client, she now does home visits where topics including nutrition and safe sleep are

n “We do a lot of teaching; our nurses do a lot of screenings, taking blood pressure, and make sure [moms] have a medical home.”

discussed.

I make sure they are connected to agency resources to have a medical home. I talk about safety, we talk about child abuse, neglect, and prevention,” she said.

Taylor Jarrett, a nurse at the BJC Women’s and Infants Center, said her personal goal for the event was connecting with as many expecting moms

for

and their families as possible.

“We just want everybody to know that this is going on, just because we have so many different booths that have so many resources and, BJC offers services everywhere in the community,” Jarrett said.

“It’s nice to bring everybody together, especially because we have so many vendors here that are here to give out education resources. I’m glad we’re all coming together.”

Mia Malcolm, manager for the Patient and Family Centered Care program at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, attended the event to educate families on this program that focuses on doing what’s right for kids and their families.

”We support families that are inside and outside of the hospital in different ways, mainly our program

Center of attention

Facing the Black suicide crisis

By Liz Courquet-Lesaulnier Word In Black

On July 18, my brother Chris would have turned 59. But for him, there’s no blowing out the candles on a birthday cake, hugging his children and grandchildren, or sharing a selfie on Instagram of him styling in his latest whip. He died by suicide in January 2006 at the age of 41. The starkness of that statement may shock some folks. But given that July is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month there’s no time like the present to step away from stigma and silence. Along with being an author and journalist, Moore was the co-founder of NAMI Urban LA, the Los Angeles chapter of NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. NAMI acknowledges that it’s uncomfortable and frightening to talk about mental health and suicide, but doing so enables people to get help and “avoid devastating consequences.”

According to NAMI, 21.4% of Black folks roughly 1 in 5 — experience mental illness annually. But only 39.4% of Black people who experience mental illness get treated for it. A lack of health insurance — and the unaffordability of out-of-pocket care — is certainly a part of this, as is a lack of culturally competent therapists or living in a healthcare desert. And, ahem, therapists are less likely to call back a person with a Black-sounding name than a white one.

There’s also the reality that, in a survey, NAMI California found that only 12.5% of Black folks said they’re comfortable talking to close friends, family, and community members about their or a loved one’s mental health. The pressure to keep quiet about mental health challenges is the result of stigma. Research shows that “63% of

STLCC breaks ground for Center for Nursing and Health Care

By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American

St. Louis Community College will soon confer its first bachelor’s degree, which will be another breath of fresh air for the expanding institution.

On July 19, 2023, STLCC celebrated groundbreaking of the Center for Nursing and Health Sciences at St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley, 3400 Pershall Road, in Ferguson. Classes and labs for an inaugural Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care will be centered in the facility, and will allow STLCC to expand its dental hygiene, nursing and, radiology technology programs.

Elizabeth Gassel Perkins, Ed.D., campus president and chief academic officer of STLCC-Florissant Valley, called the

See STLCC, A13

St. Louis Fire

hand

expecting

Photo by Jo Ann Weaver / St. Louis American

St. Louis Community College broke ground on July 19, 2023 on its Center for Nursing and Health Sciences on the Florissant Valley campus. From left are Michael Kennedy Sr., KAI Enterprises; Mike Rallo, Jr., PARIC Corporation; Nick Fiehler, Navigate Building Solutions; Julie Massey, STLCC; Dr. Elizabeth Perkins, STLCCFlorissant Valley president; Rodney Gee, Board of Trustees; Dr. Craig Larson, Board of Trustees chair; Dr. Jeff Pittman, STLCC chancellor; Dr. Nicole Robinson, Board of Trustees; Tina Garrison, Regional COO, SSM Health; and Rick Stevens, Christian Hospital president.

– Mia Turner, community health worker at Nurses for Newborns

Liz CourquetLesaulnier

Photo courtesy of STLCC

NNPA Newswire

‘Taking Care of You’

Black men face an increased risk of dying from melanoma

A study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD) found that Black men face a significantly higher risk of death from melanoma compared to other racial groups.

The findings, released this week, shed new light on the urgent need to address the racial disparities in melanoma outcomes.

The study analyzed a vast dataset of 205,125 male patients diagnosed

STLCC

Continued from A12

future facility “magnificent.”

“It will stretch approximately 100,000 square feet and is similar in design and scope to the health sciences facility at STLCCForest Park,” she said.

With an estimated cost of about $62 million, CNHS construction would not have been possible without the support of St. Louis area voters who approved STLCC improvements through passage of Proposition R in 2021.

“In May, we held the groundbreaking for

Moms

Continued from A12

family partners,” Malcolm said.

“We are all parents or guardians of kids who have been in the hospital before, so we just approach it from that way of, ‘I understand what you’re going through, let me give you some pro tips, or here’s some resources.’”

Malcolm also talked about how she connects families with resources inside the hospital and outside the hospital with their community program at Children’s Hospital.

“We are just here to support and show love to the mamas,” she said.

“I work a lot in our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), so sometimes I have to see the little babies when they come in or babies come in and they’re sick, so we do any-

Suicide

Continued from A12

Black people believe that a mental health condition is a sign of personal weakness,” according to NAMI California

In 2005, the year before my brother died, Bebe Moore Campbell called for “a national campaign to destigmatize mental illness, especially one targeted toward African Americans.” With that in mind, tiptoeing around our need for mental health care — and the need to address the high rates of suicide that are devastating the Black community — won’t help our loved ones get the care and support they need.

In April, a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for

with cutaneous invasive melanoma between 2004 and 2018, sourced from the National Cancer Database.

Researchers said they uncovered distressing statistics.

Among the various racial groups studied, Black men exhibited the lowest five-year survival rate at a mere 51.7%.

In contrast, white men showed the highest survival rate at 75.1%.

Although white men are more prone to developing melanoma, the study

Wildwood’s Center for Health Sciences and Technology, and following today’s groundbreaking, the College will move forward with four additional buildings and substantial renovations at our other campuses,” said Dr. Jeff L. Pittman STLCC chancellor.

“Together, these projects are part of STLCC Transformed, which is a nearly half-billion-dollar initiative that aims to modernize facilities and programming to meet the job training and retraining demands of Missouri.”

The four-story center, which is expected to be complete by the end of 2024, will be the tallest structure on campus. It

thing that we can to show the community that it’s not just within those four walls but that we’re here regardless.”

This program has been at Children’s Hospital since 1999, which makes it one of the oldest patient centered care programs in the nation. The program aims to build trust within the communities they serve and reduce healthcare disparities, according to their website.

“Wherever you need us, we’re going to show up,” she said.

“That is kind of why we wanted to come and I just love mamas, so we just came to support today; if they need us, we’re here, but we hope they never have to come see us because nobody wants a sick kiddo, but our program does what’s right for families while the doctors and clinicians do what’s right for the kids.”

Health Statistics revealed that between 2016 and 2020, Black folks had the highest rate of visits to an emergency room due to suicidal ideation meaning our loved ones had been thinking about, considering, or planning suicide.

CDC data also reveals that between 2018-2021, suicide rates jumped 36.6% for Black youth aged 10–24 years. For Black folks aged 25–44 years, there was a 22.9% increase.

Keep in mind these statistics aren’t just numbers. These are people. Heartbreakingly, there’s more.

A report released in February from The Trevor Project found that in 2022, 25% of Black transgender and nonbinary young people reported a suicide attempt in the past year.

In addition, in 2018,

emphasized that Black individuals face a 26% higher risk of death than their white counterparts.

According to the National Library of Medicine, cutaneous melanoma, the most aggressive and fatal form of skin cancer originating from pigment-producing cells, poses a grave threat to individuals across all races.

While gender and race influence survival rates among people diagnosed with cutaneous melanoma, the specific

will include a “simulation-based learning environment to ensure STLCC students hit the ground running as they enter the workforce,” according to STLCC. Its design will prioritize natural light, technology integration and flexibility.

The structure will create room to expand dental hygiene, medical assisting, nursing, paramedic technology, patient care technician, radiologic technology, and respiratory care programs. It will also house the campuses’ existing behavioral health support, deaf communications studies, and emergency medical technology programs.

“The programming

impact of race among men remained unclear until this study.

The researchers said they sought to fill the knowledge gap and shed light on race’s role in men’s melanoma outcomes.

Although the study did not pinpoint the exact factors contributing to the increased mortality risk for Black men with melanoma, it did reveal that they were less likely to have private insurance coverage.

Additionally, men were

that will be housed here will not only support the training of much-needed registered nurses and health science professionals, but it will also bring affordable, low-cost dental services to the north St. Louis County community as well as a new licensed practical nursing certificate program to open tentatively in 2025,” said Jordan Cooper, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, division dean of nursing.

“I’m looking forward to the return on investment the center represents to the College and community. It will afford our students a learning environment that accurately simulates today’s high-tech health care field.”

generally less inclined to seek medical care than women, potentially leading to delayed diagnoses and treatment.

Ashley Wysong, the chair of the Department of Dermatology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and a co-author of the study, emphasized that even after accounting for later stages of diagnosis, men still exhibited worse overall survival rates than women with melanoma.

Wysong said the finding suggests the

presence of unmeasured social, genetic, tumorspecific, and potentially biological factors, such as hormonal influences and variations in immune system responses to melanoma tumors. Additionally, the study highlighted the challenges individuals with darker skin tones face, as they often mistake melanoma for other skin conditions, leading to delays in seeking care and receiving definitive treatment.

• Estimated Cost: $61.97 million

• Anticipated Completion: End of 2024

• Size: 100,000 square feet

• Architect: KAI Enterprises

• Construction Manager: Navigate Building Solutions

Contractor: PARIC Corp.

Key Offerings

• Home to the College’s first bachelor’s degree, a Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care.

• Expanded capacity for STLCC’s dental hygiene, nursing and radiology technology programs.

• State-of-the-art equipment and simulator labs to prepare students for careers in emergency medical technology and paramedic technology.

• Behavioral health support and deaf communications studies programs to support the holistic aspects of health care and patients with additional needs.

• Dedicated areas for students to study and eat, including an outdoor plaza.

the most recent year of federal data, suicide was the fourth leading cause of death for Black men aged 44 and under. In 2020, it was the top cause of death for Black girls aged 12-14.

No demographic of Black folks goes unscathed.

What’s causing the uptick? My slightly sarcastic response? Because racism.

The NAMI California website explains that “being treated or perceived as ‘less than’ because of the color of your skin can be stressful and even traumatizing. Additionally, members of the Black community face structural challenges accessing the care and treatment they need.”

The National Institutes of Health says that “stressful life events (such as the loss of a

loved one, legal troubles, or financial difficulties) and interpersonal stressors (such as shame, harassment, bullying, discrimination, or relationship troubles) may contribute to suicide risk.”

I suppose being incarcerated qualifies as a “stressful life event” because being behind bars takes a significant mental health toll on folks who are or have been locked up. My brother had struggled with severe mental health issues and addiction since his teen years, which led as is the case for too many Black folks — to incarceration. Twenty-five years in and out of various prisons for petty crimes — crimes committed to get money for drugs.

A study led by University of Michigan researchers found that

“African-American men who have spent time behind bars show worse mental health conditions compared with men of the same race with no history of incarceration.”

The researchers found that “psychological costs of incarceration do not end when the individual is released.”

My brother was paroled from prison a few months before his death. Having to check the box on a job application saying he had a criminal record meant he could only get a job at a meat packing plant.

Holding on to a job in the Detroit area — a part of the nation that was feeling the economic downturn before the Great Recession hit the rest of us wasn’t easy for him. He got laid off from the meat packing plant, and after that, he got laid off from a poultry slaughtering plant.

He was let go right before Christmas 2005. Less than a month later, in January 2006, our family changed forever.

If you are having thoughts of suicide:

• Call 911.

• Call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for 24/7 free and confidential support.

• Text the Crisis Text Line, which provides free, 24/7, confidential support through text messages to people in crisis when they dial 741741. The surest way to combat this crisis is through open dialogue within the Black community. We can create an environment where it’s OK to seek help. As NAMI puts it, “Let’s break down stigma so no one struggles in silence.”

Liz CourquetLesaulnier is Word In Black managing director

Kids clothing and other needs were available to new and expectant moms during the Barnes Jewish Hospital Community Baby Shower at the St. Louis Fire Department Headquarters.

Center for Nursing and Health Sciences

Photo by Jo Ann Weaver / St. Louis American

What’s the buzz?

Hive Cafe in the business of food, collaboration

By Ashley Winters St. Louis American

Hive Cafe is bringing together the movers and shakers in the community over a healthy hearty breakfast.

The breakfast and brunch cafe at 235 S. Florissant Road in Ferguson is like a coworking space to have a meeting of the minds where folks from all backgrounds can collaborate on social work and more. Owner, Maurice King III said, “It does me no greater good than to see people with their laptops out working and enjoying the food I cook.”

He says the surrounding clergy community meets at his restaurant weekly, and city board members also gather at the cafe as well as neighboring corporations, Ameren and Boeing.

PeoPle on the Move

Dr. Wallace named principal at Sumner

Dr. Ronda Wallace has officially been named the next leader of Sumner High School. Dr. Wallace enters St. Louis Public Schools with 25 years of educational experience in all capacities. As the former principal of North Technical High School, Dr. Wallace prides herself on building and sustaining community and parental relationships. As she prepares for her new journey, Dr. Wallace will focus on creating individualized and intentional educational experiences for the students of Sumner High as she and her team prepares them for successful post-secondary opportunities.

Edward Bryant named vice chair of FOCUS board

n “It’s such a cool space to eat with family and friends or work,” said King

that is an option too. King says his customers mostly order salmon croquettes that are made from scratch—buttered rice and buttermilk biscuits. The real kicker is–Hive Cafe has a full bar. So if you’re someone who wants bourbon with your bacon, King says he got you and there is no judgment. “We have

All come together to eat, meet and work. The cafe serves comfort homestyle breakfast and brunch–salmon croquettes, chicken, and waffles, or if customers want something lighter the cafe offers smoothies, and cereal. For those who want to build their breakfast

something for everyone,” said the cafe owner. People on the go head straight for the smoothies, says King. They either order the mango or blueberry pomegranate smoothie. Some of his customers are first responders who need a quick pick-me-up, so the plant-based energy shot comes in handy for non-coffee drinkers.

The 2,600-square-foot space features an open floor plan, and the cafe has a ‘doors always open’ kind of vibe, mixed with modern industrial decor–black and gold throughout the restaurant, which King says is to honor his fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha. And art created by local artists hangs from the walls. Hive Cafe merchandise hangs behind the bar, and inspirational quotes are in every corner of the restaurant to help keep you motivated.

See HIVE, B2

Biden student loan action will aid Black borrowers

By Charlene Crowell

n The federal government estimates 18,800 Missourians should receive this loan cancellation — totaling $956.8 million in student-loan debt.

Owe 188% more than white students

2022 University of Missouri-St. Louis graduates could soon face repayment of student loans because of a recent Supreme Court decision. The Biden administration is still pursuing a route to cancel $39 billion in loan debt – which is especially good news for Black borrowers.

Edward Bryant, VP of public affairs and communications at Heartland Coca-Cola, has been named vice chair of the board for FOCUS St. Louis. At Heartland, Bryant provides leadership for all public affairs activities and initiatives, including government affairs for three states (Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois), as well as managing interactions with federal elected officials. In addition, he manages all of the organization’s internal and external communications, and philanthropic engagements. Prior to Heartland Coca-Cola, Bryant was vice president, stakeholder engagement at the United Way.

King named VP of HR at St. Louis Development

Kelly A. King has been selected as senior vice president of human resources for St. Louis Development Corporation. In this role, she serves as an advisor to the president and CEO on all personnel related operations, including recruiting, procuring a progressive and inclusive culture, and management of a team of six interdepartmental team members. King has over 10 years of progressive HR experience and has worked in both the private sector as well as community development financial institutions and received her BS in human resource management from Lindenwood University. King is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. DDO Chapter.

Hudson named president of MOCCFOA

Deletra Hudson was elected president of the Missouri City Clerks and Finance Officers Associations (MOCCFOA) for the Eastern Division. MOCCFOA represents over 1,100 members across the State of Missouri with the purpose to promote the general welfare of municipalities and to strive toward ever improving administrative techniques used in the operation of municipal governments. The Eastern Division is the largest division in the State of Missouri and represents over 135 municipalities.

these developments signal one of the

that Black student loan borrowers stand to become the initiative’s biggest beneficiaries. Recent data analyses underscore the extra student debt borne

Maurice King III, owner of Hive Cafe, at his Ferguson location Wednesday, July 18.

Dr. Ronda Wallace

Kelly A. King

Deletra

Deletra Hudson

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Photo courtesy of UM-St. Louis

Edward Bryant

Borrowers

Continued from B1

tiative:

• Black college graduates owe an average of $52,000 in student loan debt.

• Over half of these borrowers say their net worth is less than their student debt.

• Black student loan borrowers are the most likely to struggle financially to make a $250 monthly payment; and

• Four years after graduation, Black loan borrowers owe an average of 188% more on their debt than whites.

As of June 1, 2021, only 157 borrowers received forgiveness from the Education Department, despite the fact that thousands more were also eligible, according to the federal Government Accountability Office (GOA). This office also found that about half of the over $1 trillion in outstanding federal student Direct Loans are being paid by borrowers using IDR plans. Federal loan borrowers who have reached the equivalent of either 20 or 25 years of qualifying months will benefit. Additionally, loan payments made prior to a loan consolidation will also be counted toward forgiveness.

“My Administration has worked hard to secure the largest increases to Pell Grants in a decade, fixed broken loan programs such as Public Service Loan Forgiveness and created a new income-driven repayment plan that will

cut undergraduate loan payments in half and bring monthly payments to zero for low-income borrowers,” said President Joe Biden on announcing the action.

Borrowers receiving notifications in the coming days include those with Direct Loans or Federal Family Education Loans held by the Department (including Parent PLUS loans of either type) who have reached the necessary forgiveness threshold because of receiving credit toward IDR forgiveness for any of the following periods:

• Any month in which a borrower was in a repayment status, regardless of whether payments were partial or late, the type of loan, or the repayment plan.

• Any period in which a borrower spent 12 or more consecutive months in forbearance.

• Any month in forbearance for borrowers who spent 36 or more cumulative months in forbearance.

• Any month spent in deferment (except for in-school deferment) prior to 2013; and

• Any month spent in economic hardship or military deferments on or after January 1, 2013.

Discharges will begin 30 days after emails are sent. Then, borrowers will receive a second notice – from their loan servicer - after their debt is discharged. Those receiving forgiveness will have repayment on their loans paused until their discharge is processed, while those who opt out of the discharge will return to repayment once payments

resume. “We look forward to working with the Administration to develop additional programs and regulations that will make the repayment of federal student loan debt fairer and more affordable,” said Jaylon Herbin, director of federal campaigns at the Center for Responsible Lending.

“Hard-working Americans pay for a broken student loan system that was supposed to be designed for them. Instead, banking and education industry lobbyists turned it into a cash cow for themselves, skyrocketing tuition costs and telling low-and-middle income families not to worry, ‘the debt will pay for itself.’ More than two decades later, these borrowers were still paying their loans.”

Tom Shapiro, a Brandeis University professor and author of several reports examining the nation’s nagging racial wealth gap, offered in earlier research a succinct summary of Black America’s financial disparities.

“As somebody who has looked at racial wealth inequality for a long time, I didn’t have to think long and hard about why that would be the case,” Shapiro says. “African American and Latinx student borrowers finish higher education at a lower rate and come out with higher debt. So, they pay more for college and get less out of it.”

Charlene Crowell is a senior fellow with the Center for Responsible Lending, works to ensure a fair, inclusive financial marketplace

Hive

Continued from B1

“My team is waiting to greet people at 7:00 in the morning. We bring the energy,” said King.

“My cafe is an intimate space, however, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, more people are working remotely. Work-life looks different. More and more people are working from their local cafe,” said the cafe owner.

King describes his cafe as a place to come to create purposeful work in the community. He just doesn’t watch his customers do it; he gets involved as well. Hive Cafe has

made donations to the Boys To Mentorship program. His restaurant offers free printing and wifi–the cafe also has a vending machine that has packets of pens and pencils, phone chargers, notepads, and earbuds.

“It’s such a cool space to eat with family and friends or work,” said King.

“I love the customer interaction and meeting new people.”

King says, “Growing up his childhood home was the hub for the family to come over and hang out.”

Hive Cafe hosts weekly meetings with the Ferguson police, called ‘Coffee with the Chief’.

Community members gather with the chief of police and discuss how to make Ferguson better. Everything from building up the relationship between law enforcement and the community to repairing the infrastructure. King is currently working on adding a conference room to his restaurant, private workstations, and P.O. Boxes to his restaurant which all will be available for customers through a membership fee. Hive Cafe is open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Sunday.

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

Hive Cafe serves comfort homestyle breakfast and brunch–salmon croquettes, chicken, and waffles, or if customers want something lighter the cafe offers smoothies, and cereal.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

n “Like I tell everyone, a computer can’t measure what’s in someone’s heart.”

– New Baseball Hall of Fame member Fred

McGriff

InSIdE SportS

By Earl Austin Jr.

A true vision

Basketball guru Griffin is on a hardcourt mission

Nathaniel Griffin is among the most well-respected people in the St. Louis basketball community for many years.

A head coach at various levels of competition throughout his career, crafted successful programs at Wellston, Normandy, and North Tech high schools. He continues to coach in competitive men’s leagues around the city.

He and Brandon Rigmaiden, another outstanding basketball genius, are doing an excellent job of running the TruVision basketball program, which fields youth and adult grassroots teams. When he is not coaching basketball, Griffin has another responsibility - he is the mayor of the City of Wellston. In all my years of knowing him through basketball, I don’t think I’ve ever called him Nate. It’s always “Hello, Mayor.”

In the past year, Griffin introduced a new basketball endeavor to the St. Louis area. He is the co-owner of a new semi-pro franchise, named appropriately, the St. Louis Griffins. It was a nice touch to name the team after Griffin, which reminds me of the late Paul Brown, founder and first head coach of the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League.

The team just completed its inaugural season in The Basketball League. Griffin is also the head

coach with Rigmaiden right at his side. “We have a lot of great players right here in St. Louis that may not get a chance to play professionally if they don’t make it in the NBA or overseas,” Griffin said. “The TBL has given St. Louis players an opportunity to get paid playing professional basketball right here in town.”

The league was established in 2018 with eight

teams and has grown into a 49-team league with representatives throughout the nation. The teams compete in the East, Central, Midwest and West Divisions.

It did not take long for the Griffins to make their mark in the TBL. In their first season, the Griffins finished with a 16-8 regular season, won the Midwest Conference championship and Eastern Regional title.

They lost a competitive TBL Championship best of three series to the Potawatomi Fire, which is one of the league’s most established franchises.

It was quite a debut season for the Griffins, who featured several players who were former prep standouts from the St. Louis area. They traveled all over the country and represented the St. Louis area very well by playing winning basketball. But,

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

Hey world, Sophia Smith introduced herself in grand style last Friday in her debut for the U.S. Women’s National Team in its opening game of the World Cup in Australia.

Smith scored a pair of first-half goals and assisted on a third to lead the American team to a 3-0 victory over Vietnam. She became the youngest USWNT player to score multiple goals in her World Cup debut, and instantly became the favorite to win Women’s World Cup MVP honors.

“I think it’s a good place to start,” Smith said following the game.

“It was good to just get a World Cup game under my belt, kind of see how it felt, know what to expect. It honestly just makes me more excited for the next game.”

While the U.S. dominated Vietnam, Smith was not completely satisfied with the shutout victory.

“We could have scored several more goals. Myself included,” she said. A native of Fort

if you know Griffin, you should not be surprised with the initial success of his team. Whenever he gets involved with anything on the basketball side, it’s going to be a well-run and well-organized outfit.

“It was gratifying to get all the way to the championship round in our first year,” Griffin said. “We were playing well established teams with players from all over

Sophia Smith shows out in amazing World Cup debut

Collins, Colorado, Smith was one of few players of color in both basketball and soccer. Her father, Kenny Smith, played two seasons for the University of Wyoming. An older sister, Savannah, played basketball at the University of Northern Colorado When 14-yearold Sophia informed her father that she was dropping basketball to concentrate on soccer, his reply according to USA TODAY was “Man, Soph, you could really be something in basketball.”

Her response to her well-meaning dad was “I’m going to be special in soccer.”

Her family got on board with Sophia’s soccer dream, driving at least four hours each day round trip so she could practice with a high-level club team.

She played two seasons at Stanford and helped the Cardinal win the 2019 NCAA title. She left school early to enter the National Women’s Soccer League draft and was the No. 1 pick of the Portland Timbers.

She won a championship and MVP award with the Timbers, and she won’t turn 23 until August 10.

Smith’s family was in the stadium, and she was named the VISA Player of the Match for her dominant performance in the victory over Vietnam. Her

father presented her with the trophy after the game.

“I’m a winner,” Smith said in an interview before the World Cup. “I have to win. It makes me sick to lose anything. Card game, anything. When it comes to soccer, I just find a way.”

If Smith keeps finding

her way, the USWNT is on the path to an unprecedented third consecutive World Cup title.

The Reid Roundup

I stand for the national anthem, but I do not sing, nor do I put my hand over my heart. That isn’t controversial unless you’re a member of the United States Women’s National team playing in the World Cup…This year’s USWNT is the most diverse in history. The 23-player roster includes a record seven Black women and two Mexican Americans.

“When I look around and see all the women of color on the team, it’s a beautiful thing,” said 31-year-old Black team member Crystal Dunn Fred McGriff and former St. Louis Cardinal Scott Rolen were inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame last Sunday. McGriff deserved recognition years ago. He is recognized as one of the most accomplished players of the steroid era who never used the stuff… The Arena Football

the country. But all of our players were from St. Louis. And to see a team of St. Louis players compete at a national level was special to see.”

The Griffins played their home games at Jennings High School, and they created quite an atmosphere for the fans. In addition to some great basketball, there was entertainment and a raucous fan base that provides a great home-court advantage.

On the court, the Griffins were an offensive machine that averaged well over 100 points a game. Many players shared the offensive load with the leader being former Madison Prep standout Martavian Payne, who averaged 20 points a game. The 6’3” Payne has been a scoring machine at every level he’s competed at throughout his career. He was selected to the TBL All-Star Team for his efforts.

Corey Boyd, a 6’8” forward, who was a former standout at Miller Career Academy, averaged 15 points and a team-high 10 rebounds a game. Former McCluer North High and University of Arkansas standout B.J. Young averaged 14 points a game.

Other standout players for the Griffins include former Alton High standout Marcus Latham, who averaged 14.5 points a game. Tavares Sledge averaged 13 points and six rebounds a game while Timmy Goodwin averaged 12 points a game. Guard Nisean Rigmaiden led the team in assists while guards Ranell Crossland and Miles Nettles were solid all-around players.

League, where Hall of Famer Kurt Warner once played, is coming back in 2024 and St. Louis will be home to one of its 16 franchises.

The team’s ownership group, nickname, colors, and uniforms have yet to be released…The NBA Board of Governors has reportedly approved the sale of the Charlotte Bobcats. Michael Jordan was the league’s lone Black majority owner. He will remain a minority owner. Charlotte went 423-600 under Jordan, the 26th-best record over that span, and never won a playoff series…LeBron James, Serena Williams, and Tua Tagavailoa attended the Inter Miami home debut of Lionel Messi last Friday. Messi rewarded the wild crowd when he scored on a free kick from about 25 yards in the 94th minute, giving Inter Miami a 2-1 win over Mexican club Cruz Azul in a Leagues Cup match…St. Louis CITY hosted Inter Miami on July 15, so we missed Messi madness because he was not on the roster yet…

Earl Austin Jr.

Alvin A. Reid

United States’ Sophia Smith, right, celebrates with United States’ Crystal Dunn after scoring her second goal during the Women’s World Cup Group E soccer match between the United States and Vietnam at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, July 22, 2023.

Photo courtesy of Griffins Facebook

St. Louis Griffins coach Nathaniel Griffin discusses strategy with his team during a recent practice.

Photo courtesy of the AP

Alpha Kappa Alpha opens members-only credit union

Alpha Kappa Alpha, which was founded more than 115 years ago and now boasts 355,000 members worldwide, began planning to establish the credit union a few years ago as part of its ongoing efforts to promote economic and financial stability for women of color.

“Everyone doesn’t understand the impact we make financially, so you have to start doing things so folks know we know how to control our money,” Danette Anthony Reed, International President and CEO of AKA Sorority, told ABC7

During its first year of operation, the credit union will offer primary savings accounts, loans, and other banking services

to the members of the sorority and their immediate families, as well as the employees of the credit union and the organization. In addition, every member will become an owner of the credit union, ensuring that they have a stake in its success.

The credit union, which is called FMO, is chartered, regulated, and insured by the National Credit Union Administration, providing a secure and reliable financial institution for its members. Moreover, the opening of the new credit union of the AKA sorority highlights their commitment to empowering women of color and promoting financial freedom within their community.

union. This new digital

States, being

Rev. Dr. Thompson becomes first woman to lead United Church of Christ

In a historic vote, Rev. Dr Karen Georgia Thompson, a Black woman born in Jamaica, was elected as general minister and president by the United Church of Christ’s 34th General Synod.

Thompson is the third woman nominated for the post, after the Revs. Yvonne Delk (in 1989) and Barbara Brown Zikmund (in 1999), but the first to be elected. Thompson is the third person of African descent

to serve as leader of the denomination. “Today, United Church of Christ, we created a first together,” she said after the vote. “It won’t be the last first.” Her election took place at the United Church of Christ’s 34th General Synod in Indianapolis (USA). She will start her new role on 1 August.

Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson

Thompson has been serving as associate general minister for Wider Church Ministries and co-executive for Global Ministries since 2019. She has served in the national setting of the United Church of Christ (UCC) since 2009, previously as minister for racial

justice and minister for ecumenical and interfaith relations.

Thompson holds a doctorate in ministry, with a dissertation in religious multiplicity among African Caribbean people, from Seattle University; a master of divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary; and a master of public administration degree from North Carolina Central University.

BJC promotes Angela Martin Davis to president of two of its units

Angela Martin Davis has been named president of BJC Home Care and BJC Behavioral Health. She previously served as vice president of BJC Behavioral Health, which she led since 2021. She joined BJC in 2018 as executive director of BJC Home Care. BJC Home Care serves

Angela Martin Davis

patients in more

25 counties in Missouri and Illinois, and offers a variety of caregivers, including: physical and occupational therapists and assistants, speech therapists, registered nurses, dietitians, and more.

Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt to headline 2023 Legends Breakfast

Third annual Legends fundraiser kicks off 2023 tournament events for the Ascension Charity Classic

The Ascension Charity Classic presented by Emerson announced that Pro Football Hall of Fame member Isaac Bruce and former All-Pro St. Louis Rams wide receiver Torry Holt will headline the tournament’s third annual Legends Breakfast at Norwood Hills Country Club on Tuesday, August 8, 2023. This unique and inspiring event brings together sports legends to benefit

the tournament’s primary charities, including Marygrove, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis, and Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Isaac and Torry as

this year’s featured legends,” said Nick Ragone, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing & Communications Officer for Ascension. “They are both committed to giving back and making a

real difference for their communities and youth in need which perfectly aligns with our tournament goals.” Tickets for the Legends Breakfast can be purchased by emailing

tickets@ascensioncharityclassic.com or by calling the tournament office at 314.938.2828. Breakfast attendance will be limited to the purchase of tables of 10.

Alpha Kappa Alpha, the oldest Greek-letter organization established by African American college-educated women, has opened its first-ever members-only credit

banking financial institution is the first of its kind in the United

Black-owned, women-led, and sorority-based.

SLDC IS EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

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

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

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

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

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

GATEWAY ARCH PARK FOUNDATION IS HIRING:

The Gateway Arch Park Foundation is seeking to fill the following open, full-time positions in Development and Operations. Assistant Director, Communications and Marketing & Operations Manager View full job descriptions and application process at www.archpark.org/ foundation/careers

MEDICAL COST MANAGER

This is a Mid-Level, Full-Time Professional Position reporting to Managing Director of Medical Management unit. Responsible for assisting Claims Department personnel with medical bill-related issues. Assignments are complex requiring the exercise of strong knowledge, discretion, use of sound judgment, and initiative. To apply, please visit: PART

TIME

Bible Way Baptist Church, would like to hire a part time Christian musician to play the keyboard. The hours will be Sunday mornings and Thursday evenings. If interested please contact (217)-502-2205 or (314)-496-9616

PROJECT OFFICER

Project Officer – St. Louis, MO. Must have experience with construction mgmt., incl., preparing contract documents, bid submittals, RFIs, MSAs and change orders. Review of land surveys, architectural & eng. drawings, utility & access easements. Support zoning efforts, master plans, project scope, vendor mgmt., pre-construction reviews, supervising construction, and infrastructure development. Req: Bachelor’s (or foreign equiv) in Architecture, Construction Mgmt, Mechanical Eng., or closely rltd deg., plus 2 years of experience. Must be proficient in AutoCAD, Timberline (Sage 100 & 300), Bluebeam, Primavera P6, Revit (BIM), MS Office Suite, Navisworks and Adobe Photoshop. **Submit resume via email to Telecom Technology Services, Inc., Attn: HR-Project Officer, tiffanyz@amdocs.com

LEGAL COUNSEL (CLERK’S OFFICE –21ST CIRCUIT)

The St. Louis County Circuit Clerk’s Office (21st Circuit) is seeking a professional individual to provide legal research, analysis, technical support, representation in hearings, and interpretation of law to Judges, Commissioners, Circuit Clerks, or other administrators, in one of the largest judicial circuits within the Missouri State Court System. Work involves the performance of a variety of legal services and technical research duties in facilitating the smooth operation of a large circuit court or division thereof. Work includes preparation of memoranda or orders for Judges or Commissioners concerning cases before them or review of court procedures, rules, or statutes for a Circuit Clerk or other administrator. Work is performed under the general supervision of a Judge, Commissioner, Circuit Clerk or administrator and is reviewed through conferences and written reports. Note: All selected individuals will be required to submit to a background check. To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume, Attention: Human Resources (Legal Counsel), Circuit Court of St. Louis County, 105 S. Central Avenue, Clayton, MO 63105 or apply online at: https://mocareers.mo.gov/hiretrue/mo/osca/index.html. EOE. Please contact the Human Resources Department at 314-615-4471 (voice) or RelayMO 711 or 800-735-2966 if you need any accommodations in the application process, or if you would like this posting in an alternative format

LEGAL TECHNICAL OPERATIONS ANALYST

Responsible for the implementation, development and ongoing support of technical operations for the Legal Department. This will include working, in support of the attorneys in the Legal Department, on timely releases and enhancements relative to matter management, contract lifecycle management, vendor risk management and legal billing tools. Also responsible for supporting Legal Department data needs across all functions of the Department.

To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational.com/careers-page/

ASSISTANT BRANCH MANAGER - PRAIRIE COMMONS BRANCH

915 Utz Ln, Hazelwood, MO 63042

The Prairie Commons Branch is seeking a full-time Assistant Branch Manager to assist the Branch Manager with the operation and maintenance of the branch and assumes the responsibilities of the Branch Manager in their absence in order to provide quality Library service to all Library customers.

The mission of the St. Louis County Library is to provide the resources and services to enrich individual minds, enhance lives and expand perspectives. SLCL is an award winning library system with branches throughout St. Louis County. We have transformed into a meaningful community resource with updated facilities and an array of programs and partnerships that serve over 860,000 patrons.

Salary: $65,597.00

Hours: Monday - Friday, two evenings per week

One Saturday and some Sundays may be required

Essential Responsibilities:

Schedules staff and monitors attendance to ensure adequate staffing.

• Assists with overseeing branch operations, building, and grounds maintenance so the branch is clean, safe, and attractive.

• Supervises and participates in public service activities including circulation and reference services to meet the needs of customers.

Participates in program planning and implementation to meet the needs of existing customers and to attract new customers.

Participates in hiring, training, evaluating, and disciplining staff to ensure the Library staff is capable of giving the highest quality service.

• Assists in the development and maintenance of the branch collection to ensure the branch meets the needs of the community it serves.

Job Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree in Library Science Ability to supervise, train, and motivate staff

• Must possess a commitment to a high level of public service to Library customers

• Must possess good judgment, analytical, and problem solving skills Must possess excellent communication and organization skills

• Ability to work effectively with other Library managers in a professional manner

Benefits:

Paid Vacation and Sick Leave, Paid Holidays

• Paid Parental Leave Domestic Violence Leave Policy Employee Assistance Program

• Medical, Dental, Vision Library-Funded Pension Plan

• Life Insurance

• Deferred Compensation (457 Plan) Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

• Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) Tuition Reimbursement

Physical and Mental Requirements:

• Ability to operate a motor vehicle Ability to stand up to 8 hours per shift Ability to lift a minimum of 25 lbs.

• Ability to concentrate on multiple tasks simultaneously in busy atmosphere with continual interruptions

• Ability to think creatively to solve problems and improve service

• Ability to deal sensitively and tactfully with customers and staff Ability to operate various types of Library equipment

• Ability to use electronic hardware and software Ability to push a full cart of books or other Library materials

• Ability to bend to very low shelves or reach to very high shelves when retrieving Library materials Ability to use a pc, word processing, and e-mail

St. LouiS american Bids & Public Notices St. LouiS american

LETTING NO. 8761

AOC/EOC PHASE II –PACKAGE II

AT ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Electronic bids submitted through the Bid Express Online Portal will be received by the Board of Public Service until 1:45 PM, CT, on AUGUST 22, 2023, then publicly opened and read. Proposals must be submitted electronically using “Bid Express Online Portal” at https://www.bidexpress.com/ businesses/20618/home

Plans, Specifications, and the Agreement may be examined and downloaded online through Bid Express.

A mandatory pre-bid conference for all contractors bidding on this project will be held August 1, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. The pre-bid conference will be held in Ozark Conference Room, 4TH Floor of the Airport Office Building, 11495 Navaid Rd., Bridgeton, MO 63044.

Bidders shall comply with all applicable City, State and Federal laws (including MBE/WBE policies).

All bidders must regard Federal Executive Order 11246, “Notice of Requirement for Affirmative Action to Ensure Equal Employment Opportunity”, the “Equal Opportunity Clause” and the “Standard Federal Equal Employment Specifications” set forth within and referenced at www.stl-bps.org (Announcements).

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING

A public virtual meeting for the Olive Boulevard Resurfacing project, St. Louis County Project No. AR-1822, Federal Project No. STP-5526(651) will be held online on Thursday, August 10, 2023, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. The goal of this meeting is to inform the public and local stakeholders of St. Louis County’s plans for the proposed modifications to Olive Boulevard. A road diet with bike lanes is proposed, along with improvements to the intersection at Kingsland Avenue.

The online virtual meeting link can be found on the St. Louis County Web Site (www.stlouiscountymo.gov).

SEALED BIDS

Bids for HVAC System Upgrade at Transition Center of Kansas City, Project No. C1904-01, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, July 27, 2023, via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District Requests for Quotes, Bids and Proposals are posted online for public download. Please navigate to www.msdprojectclear.org > Doing Business With Us > View Bid Opportunities

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

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Alberici Constructors, Kwame Building Group and the Saint Louis Zoo seek bids from qualified firms to submit proposals for a project at the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park. The project consists of furnishing and installing one pre-engineered metal building, being built for a giraffe barn. To request bid documents, please send an E-mail to stlzoobids@alberici.com

PARKING

ACCESS AND

REVENUE CONTROL

SYSTEM (PARCS) AND VARIABLE MESSAGE SIGN (VMS) SYSTEM RFP 2023

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Paved Trail Repair, Weston Bend State Park, Weston, MO, Project No. X2117-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 8/22/23. Bidders must be registered to bid. This is an equal opportunity bidding event and MBE/WBE firms are encouraged to respond. Federal funds are being used in the project, and all relevant federal, state and local requirements apply. Project information available at: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

SEALED BIDS

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Replace Sewer Lines and Infrastructure, Ozark Correctional Center, Project No. C1907-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 8/24/23. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

SEALED BIDS

INVITATION TO BID:

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Sealed bids for the Hanley Road (A) Resurfacing project, St. Louis County Project No. AR-1716, Federal Project No. STP-5047(617) 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 16, 2023.

Plans and specifications will be available on July 17, 2023 from the St. Louis County Web Site (www.stlouiscountymo.gov) or by contacting Cross Rhodes Print & Technologies, 2731 South Jefferson Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63118 (314) 678-0087. DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES ST. LOUIS, COUNTY

Project information available at: oa.mo.gov/ facilities CITY OF ST. LOUIS ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Solicitation For Bids (SFB)

Service: Electrical Systems Services

Pre-Bid Meeting Date: July 21, 2023, 11:00 AM (via Zoom)

Question Due Date: July 25, 2023

Bid Due Date: August 10, 2023, 2:00pm

M/WBE Goals & Incentives:

MBE goals: 21% - African American 2% - Hispanic American .50% - Asian American .50% - Native American

WBE goal: 11%.

A five percent (5%) Bid discount shall be applied to construction, goods, and other services prime contracts on contracts $300,000 or less to prime African American, Hispanic American, Asian American, Native American and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Bidders.

Point of Contact: Delia Cummings – dfcummings@flystl.com

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

Robert Salarano Airport Properties Division Manager

The Saint Louis Zoo seeks bids from qualified firms to submit proposals for Parking Access and Revenue Control System (PARCs) and Variable Message Sign (VMS) System RFP 2023. Bid documents are available as of 7/26/23 on the Saint Louis Zoo website: stlzoo.org/vendor.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The St. Louis Economic Development Partnership requests proposals from qualified and experienced firms to perform a feasibility study to assess and evaluate the current space needs within the West County Business Incubator, located at 743 Spirit 40 Park Drive, Chesterfield, Missouri 63005, with the goal of ensuring optimal service. A copy of the complete RFP is available at https://stlpartnership.com/rfp-rfq/. To be considered, proposals must be received no later than 3PM CST on August 11, 2023.

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Sealed bids for the Buckley Road Bridges No. 528 & 528-P project, St. Louis County Project No. CR-1772 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 July 26, 2023 Plans and specifications will be available on June 26, 2023 from the St. Louis County Web Site (www. stlouiscountymo.gov) or by contacting Cross Rhodes Print & Technologies, 2731 South Jefferson Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63118 (314) 678-0087.

DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES ST. LOUIS, COUNTY

Bids for Replace Boilers and Controls at Farmington Correctional Center, Project No. C2006-01, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, August 29, 2023 via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. Project information available at: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

Bids for Upgrade Cave Electric, Onondaga Cave State Park, Project No. X2212-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 8/22/23 For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

MOBILITY EQUIPMENT RFP 2023

The Saint Louis Zoo seeks bids from qualified firms to submit proposals for Mobility Equipment RFP 2023. Bid documents are available as of 7/26/23 on the Saint Louis Zoo website: stlzoo.org/vendor

E.M. Harris Construction Company (EMH) seeks subcontractor bids for Marquette Homes Parts 1, 2, and 3 located at various locations in South St. Louis. Scope of work involves renovation of four 2-story apartment buildings, new construction of five twostory apartment buildings, and renovation of one 3-story apartment building, including, but not limited to, selective demolition, site work, new concrete, masonry restoration, carpentry, roofing, siding, windows, MEPS, drywall, painting, flooring, specialties, and appliances. Subcontractors may bid on all or part(s) of the project. Minority and Women Business Enterprises and Section 3 Businesses are strongly encouraged to bid. All workers must be OSHA 10 certified. EMH is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Project plans and specifications are available for viewing online through an invitation to bid. All bids due to EMH office by 5 pm, Friday, August 18, 2023. Project contact: Phil Krull pkrull@emharris.com or fax 314-436–6691.

INVITATION TO BID

McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. requests bids from qualified contractors for the following project:

Phelps Health EMS/Flight Crew Base

Phelps Health is building a new facility for ambulance and helicopter crews and adding a secondary helicopter pad to the northeast side of the campus. It will be a 17,500 sf, 2-story emergency medical services building and helipad, with capabilities to house 8 ambulance bays, as well as conference/training space.

BID DATE: August 10, 2023 by 2:00 PM CST

Bid Documents will be available by 7/28/23

All contractors interested in this project must contact Brian Nisbet via email at: bnisbet@mccarthy.com

McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. 12851 Manchester Road | St. Louis, MO 63131

www.stlamerican.com

PUBLIC NOTICE VIRTUAL PUBLIC HEARING ST. LOUIS HOUSING AUTHORITY ADMISSIONS AND CONTINUED OCCUPANCY POLICY TENANT-FURNISHED UTILITY ALLOWANCE SCHEDULE WWW.SLHA.ORG

The St. Louis Housing Authority (SLHA) is proposing to revise its Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP) specifically, the Tenant-Furnished Utility Allowance Schedule to include a mixed-income development, Preservation Square. Significant changes to the ACOP require that changes be made available for public review and comment to comply with Federal Regulations.

The public is invited to provide comments on the proposed Revision to the ACOP. The St. Louis Housing Authority is providing a 45-day comment period beginning July 24, 2023, and ending with the Public Hearing on September 6, 2023. The Utility Allowance Schedule will be available for review at the SLHA’s website, https://www.slha.org/document-center/. Written comments will be accepted until September 6, 2023. Contact Paul Werner, Acting Director of Operations, Public Housing at pwerner@slha.org or by telephone at (314) 286-4267 or TDD (314) 286-4223 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday to obtain additional information regarding this Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy - Utility Allowance Schedule.

SLHA will hold a Virtual Public Hearing on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. to accept comments on its ACOP – Tenant-Furnished Utility Allowance Schedule. Instructions to join the virtual public hearing are posted on the website. Comments and suggestions received will become part of the public record. Additionally, written comments may be submitted regarding the ACOP. All written comments must be received by September 6, 2023. Please address comments to Paul Werner at pwerner@slha. org.

The St. Louis Housing Authority

Guarantee Electric is seeking T&M quotes from St. Louis Lambert International Airport certified MBE Electrical Contractors. Manpower will be required to assist with electrical and system repairs at Lambert. The ability to work with a collective bargaining unit is also required. Proposals must be received no later than 5:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 09, 2023. Contact: Guarantee Electrical at 314-280-4402.

PUBLIC NOTICE

The City of St. Louis Department of Public Safety will hold a public hearing regarding the 2023 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant application on:

MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2023 AT 10:00 A.M. IN ROOM 401, CITY HALL

The purpose of the Justice Assistance Grant is to assist the city in reducing crime and improving public safety through proven prevention efforts.

Copies of the application are available for viewing at the address above.

BIDS REQUESTED

NEW CONSTRUCTION

Section 3 / MBE /WBE

Encouraged

40 Units Multi Family –CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO

For Bid Information: 636931-4244 or nleoni@sbcglobal.net or zventura@vendev.cc Double Diamond Construction 1000 A Truman Blvd. Crystal City, MO 63019

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

PARIC Corporation is seeking proposals for the following project: CRUNDEN-MARTIN EAST & WEST, 700 SOUTH 2ND STREET

PARIC Corporation is soliciting bids for the CRUNDEN-MARTIN EAST & WEST located in St Louis, MO. The project consists of the historic renovation of a 510,000 SF, 6-story multi-structure building and a 43,000 SF, 6-story building with a skywalk connecting the two buildings. Located on the 700th Block of South 2nd Street in St. Louis, MO, the project site is approximately 3 acres. The use of the buildings is composed of commercial spaces and light-industrial spaces. Demolition/remediation work and sitework will start late September/October of 2023. Access to documents is available from our Smartbid link, invitations to bid will be sent out on 11/3/22. If you do not receive a bid invitation please send your company information to tlalexaner@paric.com

Bids are being requested for the following:

• WP 21.00 FIRE PROTECTION W/ DESIGN-BUILD SERVICES

• WP 22.00 PLUMBING W/ DESIGN-BUILD

SERVICES

• WP 23.00 HVAC W/ DESIGN-BUILD

SERVICES

• WP 26.00 ELECTRICAL W/ DESIGN-BUILD

SERVICES

• WP 31.00 EARTHWORK

The last day for questions is 7/18/23. A PREBID meeting will be held on 7/13/23 at 9:00am at the project site on 700th Block of 2nd Street.

BIDS WILL BE DUE ON AUGUST 2nd, 2023 @ 2:00pm

Send all questions to Terry Turnbeaugh tlturnbeaugh@paric.com

Goals for Construction Business Enterprise

• 21% African American

Goals for Workforce (field) participation • 25% Minority • 7% Women • 20% Apprentice

• 23% City of St Louis Resident

All bids should be delivered to PARIC via e-mail (bids@paric.com) or fax (636-561-9501). PARIC CORPORATION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

ITB #: 57823207 INVITATION TO BID

Harris-Stowe State University (HSSU) is requesting bids for the construction services required for the Modified Bituminous Membrane Roofing for the Emerson Performance Center. Bids must be emailed no later than 2:00 pm on Wednesday August 9, 2023, to Corey Freeman at freemanc@hssu.edu

Responses to the ITB will be opened and read at a virtual bid opening on Wednesday August 9, 2023, at 2:30 pm. The link to the virtual bid opening will be sent at the time of bid submission.

A pre-bid conference and walk-through will be held on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, at 2:00 pm. Please meet at the south parking lot to the Emerson Performance Center St. Louis, MO 63103.

A copy of the Invitation to Bid and Bidding Documents can be obtained by contacting Corey Freeman at email address: freemanc@hssu.edu, faxing: (314) 340-3322 or calling (314)-340-3325.

Should you need any further assistance, please email Ryan Wilson with NAVIGATE Building Solutions at ryan@navigatebuildingsolutions.com

The University reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and to waive all informalities in proposals.

To Advertise your Job Opportunity in the newspaper ad online please email Angelita Houston at ahouston@ stlamerican.com

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Replace Sewer Screening System at Chillicothe Correctional Center, Project No. C2223-02, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, July 27, 2023 via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. Project information available at: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

CITY OF ST. LOUIS - COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION (CDA)

2024 CDBG FUNDING PRIORITIES

The Community Development Administration (CDA) will conduct an in-person/virtual public hearing at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, July 21, 2023 to solicit public comments and answer questions pertaining to 2024 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) priorities/ activities.

Public Comment Period/Written Comments

The public comment period will begin on July 21, 2023. The views of citizens, public agencies, and other interested parties are strongly encouraged. Written comments or suggestions should be addressed to Community Development Administration, 1520 Market Street, Suite 2000, St. Louis, MO 63102 or via email at CDA@stlouis-mo.gov Written comments will be accepted until August 5, 2023, at 5:00 p.m.

Documents

Available for Review

2024 CDBG funding cycle documents are available for review as of June 30, 2023, at CDA, located at 1520 Market Street Suite 2000. Copies of documents may be downloaded at: www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/ departments/community-development/cdbg/2024cdbg-funding-cycle-non-housing-production.cfm

Meeting Information

The public is invited to attend the meeting in person or virtually.

1:00 p.m. on Friday, July 21, 2023 at 1520 Market Street, SLDC Boardroom, St. Louis, MO 63103 In-person and Zoom information will be available at: www.stlouis-mo.gov/events/eventdetails.cfm?Event_ ID=36523

An East St. Louis jewel

Mary Crogier helps bedazzle Black Hollywood

By Danielle Brown St. Louis American

Some creatives say they were aware of their respective talent during their childhood years. Others say they were adults before they realized they had an artistic gift.

Mary Crogier, designer, and owner of Vauje, says she didn’t learn of her eye for jewelry making until she was well into her 20s.

She had never crafted any type of artwork and didn’t come from an artistic family. There were no business owners or entrepreneurs in her family, a majority of whom didn’t attend college.

“I started creating jewelry because of photography,” she said. “2008 was when I first started creating. I had no idea I had this gift,” Crogier said. Her love of “retro looks” led her to jewelry design. She wore retro clothing and made jewelry complimenting her attire. People asked how they could purchase her jewelry, and after first declining opportunities to oblige them, she reconsidered.

She was a part-time photographer who would soon be laid off from her full-time position as a dispatcher with Metro.

“I didn’t really think that [jewelry making] was going to take off, but it did,” she said.

“I decided to leave photography alone and I went into jewelry especially after I got laid off at my job. I went full time in 2009, and my jewelry has evolved over the years.”

Crogier’s early works were simple and understated. The pieces consisted of a charm with a photo pendant. She made thin metal bracelet chains with five charms on them.

“It was very simple,” she said.

“I built my skills up over the years. It was basically plastic beads on a string. That was my beginning. I often look at those pieces and I almost cry because I’m like ‘wow I can’t believe where I started and where I am today.”’

As Crogier’s career progressed her craftsmanship evolved. In search of more sales, she took time off from retail and focused on making larger pieces for

magazines and other publications - items seen on modeling runways and displayed by celebrities.

“I started getting traction and more interest in what I was doing,” she said.

“Consumers kind of caught on. I had to go back and start retailing and try to work out things with stylists and photographers.”

She works with brass, sometimes using sandpaper, a buffer, and polisher depending on the metal piece.

“It’s very time consuming, it can take

days,” she said. Crogier’s designs include crowns, head pieces, body pieces, clothing, jewelry, art, bags, and digital art.

Art of homeownership

Artist home ownership program seeks applicants

By Danielle Brown St. Louis American

St. Louis Art Place Initiative (API), a non-profit organization which helps low-to-moderate income local artists build health and equity through home ownership, is accepting applications through August 18 for its next round of affordable housing in the Gravois Park neighborhood.

Artists across all mediums are encouraged to apply, and the application isn’t judged on artistic merit. This includes performing artists, tattoo artists, visual artists, and more.

Applicants must demonstrate “an artistic practice,” according to the organization.

“We knew from the beginning that we did not want to judge or score people on this application based on artistic merit,” said Kaveh Razani, API co-director.

“Instead, we wanted to gauge the degree to which an artist practices their art. There’s a requirement for an artist to earn money from their art. We ask artists

to show us work samples or a portfolio [demonstrating] they can’t live without art being a part of your life.”

The application is scored in three

Jamie Foxx says

‘I went to hell and back’

Jamie Foxx posted an Instagram video on Friday July 22, 2023, sharing information on his recovery from a mysterious health emergency.

Instagram video addresses health scare

By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis

American

Jamie Foxx used an Instagram post on July 22, 2023, to set the record straight about his mysterious illness and recovery – sort of.

Foxx did not disclose what health ailment he says almost took his life earlier this year and shared that he remains on the road to recovery.

“I know a lot of people were waiting or wanting to hear updates but to be honest with you, I just didn’t want you to see me like that, man,” a noticeable thinner Foxx said during the video.

See Jewel, D4

St. Louis Art Place Initiative (API), a non-profit organization building wealth and equity for low-to-moderate income local artists through home ownership is accepting applications now until August 18 for its next round of affordable housing in the Gravois Park neighborhood.

“I want you to see me laughing, having a good time, partying, cracking a joke, doing a movie, television show. I didn’t want you to see me with tubes running out of me and trying to figure out if I was gonna make it through.”

Foxx’s daughter, Corinne Foxx, issued a statement on Instagram on April 12 said the Academy Award winning actor was recovering after a “medical complication” the day prior.

n “I didn’t want you to see me with tubes running out of me and trying to figure out if I was gonna make it through.”

- Jaime Foxx

“Luckily, due to quick action and great care, he is already on his way to recovery. We know how beloved he is and appreciate your prayers,” the statement read. “The family asks for privacy during this time.”

Foxx was set to film an upcoming movie “Back In Action” with Cameron Diaz, when he was hospitalized. Production for the movie was shut down.

In May, Corinne Foxx posted on Instagram “My dad has been out of the hospital for weeks, recuperating. In fact, he was playing pickleball yesterday! Thanks for everyone’s prayers and support.”

Foxx said in his video that Corinne and his sister should be credited with saving his life.

“To them, to God, to a lot of great medical people, I’m able to leave you this video,” he said.

categories: artistic practice, housing insecurity, and neighborhood connection. Preference is awarded to people with ties to Gravois Park who have experienced

A turning point in Crogier’s career came when a Los Angeles retailer asked if she could carry her pieces in her showroom. Some of the pieces were there for about six months before an actor wearing one of her pieces appeared See API, D4

“I cannot tell you how great it feels to have your family kick in in such a way, and y’all know they kept it airtight; they didn’t let nothing out, they protected me, and that’s what I hope

Photos courtesy of Mary Crogier

Above: Angela Bassett holding Mary Crogier’s (Left) crown at Essence’s Women in Hollywood luncheon photo booth. Crogier, an East St. Louis native, is the owner of Vauje.

Photo submitted by API

Annual Leadership Awards Luncheon

Congratulations to the 2023 Leadership team and honorees

Since 2012, the Royal Vagabonds Foundation, Inc. and the Royal Vagabonds, Inc. host the Annual Leadership Awards Luncheon to recognize and honor individuals, businesses and organizations that are leading the way in taking the non-profit, public and private sectors to greater heights as well as helping to advance a diverse and inclusive St. Louis Region.

The Leadership Medallion is bestowed on Honorees as a symbol of their vision, commitment and outstanding leadership. Recently held, the theme of the 2023 Leadership Awards Luncheon was “A Tribute to Extraordinary and Pioneering St. Louis Women.”

Proceeds from the event provide college scholarships for graduating high school seniors.

A kingdom family affair

By Kenya Vaughn St. Louis American

When 14th Ward Alderman Rasheen Aldridge made his way through the doors of The Kingdom Church-STL, he approached Cathy “Mama Cat” Daniels and the church’s pastor Bishop Derrick Robinson. His entrance moved Daniels to song.

“It’s a family affair,” she sang as they embraced. The Sly and the Family Stone funk classic details the complexity of blood ties. But Daniels used the song’s chorus as a reference to the bond that the three of them – and many others – formed on the streets of Ferguson. Nearly a decade has come and gone since then, but their work has continued beyond the frontlines of protest – from politics to the pulpit.

And as Robinson cut the ribbon on The Kingdom Church-STL’s newest sanctuary on Monday, it was a family affair indeed as they celebrated Robinson’s latest chapter as a change agent. “My son got ordained here last night,” Daniels said. “I was like, ‘look at God working it out.’ Last year, my son was in the streets. Yesterday, he became minister DeAndre Smith. My baby came full circle. And to see him in that collar…” Daniels had no words as she relished her son’s transformation

through faith. She just waved her hands and gave praise. “God is working in this building, do you hear me,” Daniels said. “A lot of people know Bishop from the protests, but they need to come in here to see how serious he is about spreading God’s grace.”

The sanctuary is the second home for The Kingdom ChurchSTL, which is the headquarters for the Kingdom Destiny Fellowship International denomination. They moved up the street from Riverview and West Florissant to right across from Ronald L. Jones Funeral Chapels. It is Robinson’s desire for his church to be a hub for restoration and renewal. They settled into their new location in January and have been working since then to prepare and position themselves to be a resource for the surrounding area.

“This is a very urban community – a community that I feel has been forsaken and forgotten about. I felt like that about [parts of] Ferguson,” Robinson said. “My first focus is the community – and for the community to feel like they have a partner in the church. One of my goals is to get the people who feel like they are rejected, forgotten, lost, and giving them a place to call home.”

Representatives from the office of Mayor Tishaura Jones and U.S. Rep. Cori Bush offered words of encouragement during

Monday’s ceremony. Also, among the dignitaries to speak were 11th Ward Alderwoman Laura Keys and Aldridge, who reminded the crowd that he and Robinson were partners in change.

“We’ve been doing it for a while – Ferguson and so many other protests – it’s great to know that his doors are finally open here,” Aldridge said. “He has always had a heart for the people and put himself out there for them.”

Robinson says that the blueprint for his type of movement work is in the foundation of his faith.

“We serve a radical Jesus,” Robinson said. “He would get in and really do footwork in the community. That’s my plan. To get among the people and to smell like sheep – just like the good shepherd – to get in the community and get dirty and make a difference.”

They ended the program with a call and response chant often heard as Robinson, Aldridge, Daniels, Bush, and others gathered in protest. “Show me what a family looks like,” Robinson said. “This is what a family looks like,” the audience said, without the need to be given a cue.

•

•

•

•

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The simple chant is in sync with Robinson and The Kingdom Church – STL’s intention as well as his approach for community engagement.

“I want all who interact with us to experience love – real, genuine love – and to feel the connection between us,” Robinson said. “I want them to feel a sense of family when they experience Kingdom Church – STL.”

The Kingdom Church – STL is located at 4112 W. Florissant Ave. St. Louis, MO 63115. For more information, visit https:// www.facebook.com/tkcstl

Photo by Kenya Vaughn / St. Louis American

Bishop Derrick Robinson (center) was joined by dignitaries and church leaders on Monday, July 17 during the ribbon cutting ceremony for The Kingdom Church – STL, which is located at 4112 W. Florissant.

housing insecurity. The five highest scores will enter a lottery of finalists, and a single awardee will be chosen in this round. In future rounds, API says it will have one application and each house will be completed the subsequent year. The selected artists will be required to put $1,000 down with API subsidizing the remaining down payment. The estimated monthly mortgage is $750 (depending on interest rates) plus insurance. API’s creation of a mortgage loan fund will provide an interest rate between 2.5%3.5%.

Taxes will be abated for each property for 10 years

at 95%. A homebuyer can expect to pay around $100 for the first 10 years.

The home is a two-story brick rehab with two bedrooms, 1 ½ bathrooms, and a waterproofed unfinished basement.

Awardees collaborate with Habitat for Humanity St. Louis in navigating a mortgage pre-screening and full application processes to secure a mortgage. API was founded in 2019 in partnership with Incarnate Word Foundation, Kranzberg Arts Foundation, and the Regional Arts Commission. API has completed construction of two of 18 total planned houses with five more in progress.

In addition to the homes, API is also developing community assets including a public greenway, community arts gallery, an

artist residency, community gardens and pocket parks. Dutchtown South Development Corporation, neighbors, and stakeholders provide financial resources. Community Land Trust (CLT) that will oversee the resale of the homes ensuring the commitment to serve low-to-moderate income artists it upheld in perpetuity.

“We felt that our first two homes were our proof of concept. Building on that success, we have incredible momentum and are excited to ramp up our pace and continue to share what community-led artsbased community development can look like,” said Razani.

For more information and to apply, visit https:// www.stlartplace.org/application/.

in a magazine.

Crogier began managing her own PR and would send celebrity stylists to the L.A. showroom to buy pieces for their clients.

Rick Ross wore two of her crowns during a birthday celebration, and Taraji P. Henson wore jewels from Crogier’s collection while on “Empire.”

Actor and rapper Yazz

The Greatest wore a crown during an “Empire” performance, and Black Girls Rock featured Crogier’s pieces in a commercial campaign.

Several stars modeled Crogier crowns in a photo booth during Essence’s Women of Hollywood luncheon, including Janelle Monae, Angela Bassett, Chloe x Halle, and more.

Ariana Grande wore a Crogier crown in promotional images for her album’s track listing and wore a choker on her website for merchandise promotion. The crown was later auctioned and Crogier was interviewed by trade publications including Billboard and Yahoo Celebrity

“I picked my own vision and my own creativity,” she said.

“Sometimes when I would hit dilemmas in my creative process God would tell me what to do. I have to give him credit

because he is the one that gifted me. He’s my business partner.”

Crogier’s pieces are available at Liberated Roots on Jefferson Avenue, Edgy Chic Boutique in Florissant, and Binford Girls Boutique in St. Clair Square Mall. They will soon be available at a fourth storefront in West County Mall. She added that she is venturing into anime creations and will have a booth at Missouri Con, an anime convention, where she will launch a line of art, keychains, buttons, pins, stickers, and statio-

labeled “BETMGM,” an online sports betting company that Foxx endorses on television commercials.

that everyone could have in moments like these.”

Several media outlets have reported that Foxx had been in Chicago where he had undergone medical treatment at a facility that specializes in rehabilitation care for patients with physical impairments, brain, or spine injuries.

Earlier on Friday before the video hit Instagram, Foxx had posted a photo of himself on top of a gold Formula 1 racing car

“Thankful for my @ betmgm family and a great few nights in Vegas. We got BIG things coming soon,” Foxx wrote in the caption.

The inaugural Las Vegas Gran Prix F1 race is scheduled for the evening of Sunday, Nov. 18.

Foxx also addressed the online social media idiocy that included him being blind or that he died and was replaced by a clone created with Artificial Intelligence.

“As you can see, the eyes are working, the

nery items. Missouri Con is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, at the Holiday Inn Downtown.

Check out her Roblox store here: https:// www.roblox.com/ games/12506328235/Vauje-Homestore.

Check out her Roblox clothing group here: https://www.roblox.com/ groups/15580126/Vauje#!/ about. Visit and shop on Crogier’s website for more information: https://www. vaujejewelry.com/.

eyes are working just fine. I’m not paralyzed, but I went to hell and back, and my road to recovery had some potholes as well. But I’m coming back and I’m able to work,” he said. Foxx ended the video with an emotional plea for understanding.

“I love everybody, and I love all of the love that I got. If you see me out from now on and every once in a while, I just burst into tears. It’s just because it’s been tough, man. I was sick, man. But now I got my legs under me, so you’re gonna see me out.”

Photos courtesy of Mary Crogier Ariana Grande wearing one of Mary Crogier’s crown from her Vauje collection in promotion of her “Dangerous Woman” album track list.