June 11th, 2020 Edition

St. LouiS AmericAn

“Being

‘Overwhelming support’

Floyd protests reach two weeks

Florissant detective assaults man with

‘They are prosecuting this entire movement’

Feds claim Mike Avery has no ties to STL, yet arrested him at home

By Rebecca Rivas Of The St.

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going out to look for your child,” Baker said of Avery. “What are you going to do when he’s gone?” Baker was among community members and leaders who spoke out against Avery’s recent arrest for allegedly inciting a riot at a press conference on Monday, June 5. Avery is a Ferguson activist who participated in recent demonstrations in both St. Louis and Minneapolis to protest the police killing of George Floyd. On Sunday, May 31, FBI agents arrested Avery at his home in front of his 3-year-old daughter, parents and

By Rebecca Rivas

Of The St. Louis American

With record numbers of people out of work in St. Louis due to the pandemic – the St. Louis

reports April 2020 unemploy-

By Chris King

Local artist Marty K. Casey spoke out against police brutality at a demonstration in front of St. Louis City Hall on Sunday, June 7.

A young protestor followed the lead of Bishop Derrick Robinson and rested on the

Michael Avery

By Ashley Jones and Kenya Vaughn

The St. Louis American

Photo by Wiley Price

Starsky WIlson

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

Bonnie Pointer passes at 69

Bonnie Pointer, a founding member of The Pointer Sisters, has died. She was 69. A cause of death is yet to be released.

“It is with great sadness that I have to announce to the fans of the Pointer Sisters that my sister Bonnie died this morning,” Anita Pointer said on behalf of the family. “Our family is devastated. On behalf of my siblings and I and the entire Pointer family, we ask for your prayers at this time.”

and music producer Stevie J shocked their fans after running off to Las Vegas to elope. TMZ reported last weekend that Evans was allegedly arrested for attacking Stevie J.

“Law enforcement sources tell TMZ that Faith was arrested earlier this week at around 1 a.m. after cops got called to their L.A.-area home,” the celebrity news and gossip site reported. “We’re told Faith and Stevie got into a heated argument, and at some point, it turned violent. Our sources say when cops showed up, they noticed visible marks and scratches on Stevie’s face, they arrested and booked Faith for felony domestic violence. It’s unclear what triggered the argument. Faith bonded out later that day.”

Bonnie, born Patricia Pointer, was one of the founding members of the group. She left the group in the 1970s to go solo.

“Bonnie was my best friend and we talked every day,” Anita Pointer also said in the statement. “We never had a fight in our life. I already miss her, and I will see her again one day.”

The family’s youngest sister, June Pointer died in 2006.

Faith Evans reportedly arrested for attacking Stevie J

Cause of death released for ‘Twilight’ co-star and girlfriend

Last month “Twilight” fans were stunned after actor Gregory Boyce was found dead, along with his girlfriend, inside their Las Vegas condo. Last week the cause of death was revealed.

of “Twilight,” which also starred Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson.

Terry Crews dragged for his views on ‘black supremacy’

Last week, actor Terry Crews vowed to be a better ally for social justice in the face of growing Black Lives Matter protests spreading across the nation.

and who is not.”

He received a second round of roasting for standing by his original tweet.

He followed up with his views that “black supremacy” is a threat to the BLM

According to the Clark County Coroner Gregory Boyce and Natalie Adepoju died of a drug overdose after ingesting cocaine and fentanyl. Boyce was 30 and Adepoju 27.

Boyce was best known for his role as Tyler Crowley the 2008 big-screen adaptation

I’ve been self-quarantined is

He implied on Twitter that white voices were needed in the protests to prevent the movement from skewing too far in favor of African Americans.

“Defeating white supremacy without white people creates black supremacy. Crews tweeted. “Equality is the truth. We are all in this together.”

After his controversial tweet, Crews was slammed on social media.

He proceeded to double down.

“Any black person who calls me a coon or Uncle Tom for promoting equality is a black supremacist, because they have determined who is black

NOW HIRING TEAMMATES

Gabrielle Union files a discrimination suit against NBC

Last week NBC announced the conclusion of their investigation into former “America’s Got Talent” host Gabrielle Union’s claims of racial discrimination or sexism and said they found no instances.

This week Union filed a lawsuit against NBC, “America’s Got Talent” and its producers for discrimination, retaliation, hostile work environment, unequal pay and emotional distress.

In the suit, Union reportedly claims she was subjected to racist jokes, racist performances, sexual orientation discrimination, and excessive focus on female judges’ appearances, including race-related comments.

NBC has denied the claims and insists Union was not fired, but admits her contract was not renewed. Union is seeking unspecified damages.

Sources: Instagram.com, Twitter.com, TMZ.com, Variety.com

Two years ago, R&B singer Faith Evans

His death was confirmed on the musician’s

Terry Crews

How do you handle Black Death?

By Dr. Starsky D. Wilson

For The St. Louis American

Yesterday, I yelled at my sons. I am no saint. It was not the first time. But it was different. This was not simply a “you can make better grades than this” or “why can’t you keep your room clean?” moment. I went off. They were being boys. Playing their Nintendo Switch games. Because my wife and I have restricted their access, they were excited about the 90 minutes we gave them to connect with one another and their friends through the game in competition. In the midst of the battle, their four-year-old sister had needs of her own that she called on them to meet. She had no idea that she was encroaching upon sacred, limited game time. So, one of them raised his voice at her … and Daddy ain’t having that. After a brief paternal intervention, all was well. But just a few minutes later, tension crept up within the game environment that caused one of my sons to come into the room with me frustrated at his other two brothers and wrestling with how to hold in his emotions. At this point, all things had to cease. I took all the games and shut down the makeshift arcade at the dining room table.

I gave them a lecture and a tongue-lashing longer than normal for this type of juvenile infraction. I talked to them about the need to care for one another’s emotions, to tend to one another as siblings, and to (using the church language) “bear one another’s burdens.” Truth be told, under other circumstances this incident did not require a lecture. They are good boys (not perfect, but good boys) who already knew and daily exercised everything I was expressing in that moment. They did not need to be yelled at. What was really happening was my own stuff was bub-

bling over from what I had just experienced as the tipping point of my capacity to manage the death, destruction, and danger that surrounded them and me. My deep frustration and anxiety about how to keep my three brilliant, beautiful and bold black boys safe from harm came out from deep within me and poured out on them. They didn’t know that while they were playing their games in the dining room, I was watching a live feed on cable news in the living room. They did not know that I had just processed the leader of the free world and the commanderin-chief of the largest, strongest, most dangerous armed services unit on the face of the globe and in history, turn tax-payer-funded weaponry on the people gathered in front of the People’s House. They had no idea that these citizens were targeted for exercising the freedom of speech and civic engagement that I was raising them to exemplify.

My sons had not heard the speech from the Rose Garden in which an American president elected by a minority of the American population lied about the law and his capacity to direct military troops into the cities of the United States where primarily black people live. And they surely did not understand that seeing him stand in front of God’s church holding up the holy book to which we attempt to circumscribe our family life reminded me that all sustainable forms of oppression in history have theological legitimization and use religious symbolism. My sons did not need to be yelled at. They did not know all that was going on inside of me. But they bore the brunt of my full expression of pain, anguish, and frustration. Frankly, all of these feelings were rooted in my sense of vulnerability and impotence to guard those I love most from the fully marshalled and targeted power of white

their respects. But, how could they anyway?

How do you handle … process … make sense of Black Death?

In Mother Hill’s eulogy, I reflected on the last time I spoke with her, May 4. They had just placed her into hospice, and she was experiencing respiratory failure. She should not have been on the phone, but she had a few things to tell me. And, you always listened if she had something to say. So, she spoke, pushing out the words over short, shallow breaths. In the pulpit it reminded me of a dark-skinned, Palestinian Jew who died experiencing respiratory failure by way of asphyxiation in a public execution by the state.

Earlier yesterday afternoon, when I heard the autopsy report for George Floyd from Minneapolis, I was reminded once again. Death by asphyxiation at the hands of a representative of the state. Black Death.

has infected American history for more than 400 years. This health crisis of anti-Black racism is deeply, structurally embedded in all aspects of American life and is enforced by the criminal legal system and its police.

supremacy and the militarism of the state.

All my pain from not being able to protect those I love was poured out on those closest to me, whom I loved most. Yesterday was not my best day as a father. Yesterday was also not just about yesterday. My words yesterday were about the pain of processing Black Death from Memorial Day when Officer Derek Chauvin choked the life out of George Floyd … and we watched. The heightened audible tone yesterday was about visualizing young Ahmaud Arbery jogging through the neighborhood (the same way I do with my oldest son) being cut off and killed by a former police officer, teaching his son that black life is worthless. My intensity yesterday was about imagining my daughter stand-

ing, like Breonna Taylor, in the hallway of her own home being cut down by the bullets of a blundering police force who should have never been there, looking for someone they already had in custody. And, to be honest, I am absolutely sure that my emotions had still not come down from May 21. On that day, I stood in the pulpit of First Baptist Church of Elmwood Park six feet from Pastor Brian Jackson, the mayor of Beverly Hills, Missouri to eulogize his aunt, Mother Viola Hill. At the age of 91 years, this elder of Saint John’s Church (The Beloved Community) where I pastored for 10 years succumbed to COVID-19, which she contracted in a local nursing home. Not more than 10 members of her inner circle of family and friends could pay

In the mid-1300s, a pandemic swept across the globe killing up to 200 million people. In a May 6 appearance on MSNBC, Anand Giridharadas, the author of Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World, compared COVID19 to the earlier wave of grief and loss with a rhetorical connection to America’s original sin. He said, “This is a crisis that in many communities is literally a ‘Black plague,’ that is killing African Americans disproportionately in part because people are not listened to in the healthcare system, in part because of lack of access.”

The novel coronavirus has comparatively only reached 6.2 million documented cases and 372,752 global deaths. But, in the last two weeks, it has spiraled into a massive, fatal public collision with what the Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago calls “COVID1619,” the viral agent of racism and white supremacy which

Add to any of this the sense of nihilism, vulnerability and impotence which I experienced bouts of yesterday, and Black Death can lead to depression, more death and destruction. You could end up yelling at the kids you love for things they don’t understand. You could end up harming yourself. You could take your sense of pain and weakness out on other people’s property under the veil of public protest … or worse. I am sure that how I handle Black Death is not appropriate by anyone’s book. At least no one with credentials. Frankly, I’m not sure exactly what one could do to be credentialed in processing the Black Death within one’s own soul and spirit. So, I come to the community as I came to my sons. Confessing my shortcomings and asking for grace. Inasmuch as I must confess and ask for grace, I am called to extend grace to all Black people who are wrestling with the reality of black suffering and death. I must extend grace to people without my privilege, my stability, my language and my access to be heard who process Black Death in ways for which later they themselves may later confess, apologize and ask forgiveness. I commit to love them in their pain and folly as much as I love my boys.

Dr. Starsky D. Wilson is president and CEO of Deaconess Foundation and board chair for the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy. He formerly co-chaired the Ferguson Commission. Follow him at @ revdrstarsky and @deaconessfound.

If I could do one thing, I’d have a daycare closer to work.

If you could do one thing for your community, what would it be? More daycare centers? More funding for Head Start? Completing the 2020 Census is a safe and easy way to inform how billions of dollars in funding flow into your community for hundreds of services. Respond online, by phone, or by mail.

Complete the census at:

Photo by Wiley Price

Dr. Starsky D. Wilson led a prayer during a St. Louis Metropolitan Clergy Coalition press conference at the Deaconess Center for Child Well-Being on April 28.

Editorial /CommEntary

Democrats should defend ‘Defund the Police’

The Black Lives Matter movement suddenly and amazingly has taken the lead in American public consciousness and the global perception of the United States. Masses of Americans of every description are in the streets day after day following young black leaders and chanting down the police. While some police take the symbolic knee, at least simulating support for the movement, others respond with the inhumane brutality that got us here and drive even more support for this black-led movement. Those of us who have been with the movement from the beginning want desperately to see the reinvigorated movement continue to grow in this critical election year and drive a new wave of supporters – and a new generation of first-time voters – to vote for change. Most critical for the well-being and very survival of African Americans (not to mention American democracy) is the need to defeat Donald J. Trump in the presidential election on November 3. Less critical but of vast and undeniable value would be to replace incumbent Missouri Gov. Mike Parson with Nicole Galloway. If black lives matter to you, then the outcome of these elections must matter to you, and you must be dearly and deathly concerned about the most effective strategy for winning these elections.

The Black Lives Matter movement is feeling its amazingly renewed power, and rightly so. It is feeling like it is changing the world, and rightly so. It is feeling its enemy – racist, brutal policing as the epitome of the devaluation of black life – weakened, and rightly so. It is natural, when you have weakened your enemy, to keep advancing on them and wearing them down. We are seeing this happen, and understandably so. One expression is the emergence of a rallying cry that cuts through the clutter of police reform proposals and simplifies a visionary commitment: “Defund the Police.”

Debate about the term produces a range of potential definitions – from literally depriving the police of funding and abolishing the system to setting new, proactive funding priorities for public safety. Most proponents argue that “Defund the Police” means to reduce the police force and its huge share of public budgets and reinvest that public money in health and human-service

programs. The argument is that if you reduce funding for the police and increase funding for social programs, we will reduce poverty, deal more effectively with chronic issues like mental illness and drug addiction, and reduce the need for the police.

The Movement for Black Lives has been committed to abolition of America’s oppressive, extractive system of policing for years. Campaigns across the country to close jails, including St. Louis’ Medium Security Institution (known as the Workhouse), have been expressions of this commitment and efforts to bring awareness to the value of investing in people, while divesting from policing.

We agree with the movement’s call to reduce funding for the police and increase funding for social programs. We believe it is arguable that a majority of voters in the U.S. and even Missouri would agree with this policy position. Many of those not entirely sold on this policy position, we believe, would not find it a deal-breaker when looking for an alternative to the disastrous presidency of Trump and the weak leadership of Parson. Democrats who shy away from this position in their reflexive habit of pandering to the center-right risk alienating literally the largest movement for social change in the world. Like any catchphrase or motto, the cutting rhetoric of “Defund the Police” does not thoroughly summarize this nuanced, compassionate, reasonable policy position. It unfortunately invokes the kind of fear-mongering that has succeeded in many elections at the

expense of Democrats. Trump and Republicans in Missouri see this opportunity and are on the attack. The Missouri Republican Party is calling for every Democrat on the 2020 ballot to state their position on whether or not to “defund the police.”

What is wrong with that?

The Black Lives Matter movement’s success in pursuing its commitment to saving black lives and empowering black communities has exposed the limited political talent of the Democrats, who should be the operatives who embrace the opportunity to turn this lifesaving vision into communityempowering public policy. Thus far, however, every Democrat’s answer has been beginning with “I don’t think we should ‘defund the police.”

That conflict leaves institutions and individuals committed to building political power for black people – not to mention salvaging what is left of American democracy – with two options. They can tell a strengthening, black-led, grassroots movement with a wide and diverse popular appeal to take a softer reform position beneficial for weaker political candidates. Or they can push Democratic politicians and candidates to show some nerve, engage with a base constituency that is changing the world, and work on their communications skills.

Let us state our position very clearly as an example to Nicole Galloway, Joe Biden and any Democrat asking for a black person’s vote in 2020: Defund the police!

Valuing black lives is the only way to break this cycle

By Tishaura O. Jones

For The St. Louis American

First, I’d like to offer my prayers to those who were injured on Monday, June 1, especially the retired officer who was killed and the officers who were shot. My heart also goes out to the small businesses that were damaged while trying to re-open after stay-at-home orders were lifted.

Second, thank you to my friends locally and around the country who have called to ask how I am doing. Primarily, I am tired and frustrated. This feels like an all too familiar cycle. This same story has been in the news over and over again. Whether it’s the riots that followed the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the late 1960s. Or the local protests that followed the murder of Mike Brown or the acquittal of Jason Stockley. It all feels the same: peaceful protests during the day, property destruction and violence after the sun sets. All followed by reflections, meetings, town halls, promises to do better and, unfortunately, amnesia.

The only way we can truly break this cycle is by valuing black lives, like the life of my 12-year-old son, Aden, whose movement is even more restricted than when the mandatory shelter-in-place order was in effect. While expressing his frustration to me, he said, “First, I couldn’t leave the house because of coronavirus, now I can’t leave because of the police.” As his mother and as a politician, I have to ask: do we want to live in a society that allows police officers to kill people in broad daylight like George Floyd? Or at night during a no-knock warrant like Breonna Taylor? Do we continue to tolerate massive health, economic, and education disparities? Do predominately black communities not deserve investment because a few protestors engaged in violence and destroyed property? Are we ok with any of this?

Oppression never takes a day off

By Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay For The St. Louis American

One of the great privileges of being your congressman is the occasion I have to meet and talk with young people. Often, they come to my office in groups or I travel to various campuses and classrooms to hear their views, understand the issues of importance to them, and/or to debate with them about my political positions and beliefs.

Pre-pandemic, I had the wonderful opportunity to have one such meeting. These young students were seeking some clarity and understanding as to how a political nation moves from the dignity and hope of the Obama presidency to the erratic, divisive era of Trump.

One student suggested that black people didn’t vote and just took for granted that things were going to be okay. Another student suggested that black folks didn’t go out to vote because they were just tired. I listened and heard the sentiment.

But I said to them and will say again to our black community today: we can’t afford to be tired because racism, oppression, and inequity never take a day off. And as these last three years have taught us, everything will not just be okay. We have lost so much and continue to have much to lose.

I know it is disheartening when we again fight the same battles our mothers and fathers fought. It hurts like hell when just as we begin to heal from the death of Michael Brown, we witness the tragic murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. As a citizen of these United States, it angers me, but as a black man with a black son and a black daughter, it rocks me to my core. It can be daunting to see us once again fighting for voting rights. Surely that battle was fought and won a generation ago. But those who seek to oppress us are actively using this pandemic to disenfranchise us and lessen our voices. By any means necessary they seek to increase their power by making voting not easier, but harder. That viewpoint is the exact opposite of the democratic republic that we have evolved to be. We can’t sleep, Black America. Not this time. If it were solely within my power, I would certainly eradicate all the ills in our city, county, state and nation. I fight in Washington, D.C. like a warrior in the ring for legislation

Letters to the editor

Rich thief, poor thief

As my wife and I watch the 24/7 coverage of the legal righteous protests and illegal rioting and looting in cities, we are ashamed of the people smashing windows and stealing items from businesses. We are also ashamed of the large corporations that looted $500 billion of our stimulus tax dollars without having to break any windows and carry a heavy wide-screen TV 12 blocks past cops, through a crowd back to their apartment. Both groups who steal are wrong. If you have not checked your checking account lately, you may not remember that it takes one thousand million to become a billion dollars. That is a long way from the $1,200 you finally got as your stimulus check. We all can stop being Trump’s piggy bank if we vote him and his fellow GOP parasites out November 3. Enough is enough, but use a non-violent way. Do not riot, shoot or loot, but sue the criminals, embrace education, run for office, become legislators, map out your future, register and VOTE.

St. Louis, like every urban city in America is in pain. The stain of racism in this country is as American as apple pie. After every incident that reminds us that racism is still alive and well, we had opportunities to transform that pain into action through equitable policies – or let racism continue to fester like a virus that holds not only our city, but this entire country back. We don’t need another meeting or report. Forward through Ferguson gives us the prescription; we just need to take it to a pharmacy, fill it, and take the bitter pill to cure the disease.

I said it before, and I’ll keep saying this until I no longer have breath in my body. The ultimate measure of how this community, and now this country, deals with the protests will not be how quickly we get back to business, but whether we implement policy changes addressing injustice, racism and inequality. We can no longer prioritize short-term order over long-term justice.

Tishaura O. Jones is treasurer for the City of St. Louis.

James J. Hankins Wilmington, North Carolina

Outsmarting Putin

The public execution of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers ripped away America’s veneer of equality and justice for all. In cities throughout America, citizens are peacefully protesting these injustices, while others are setting America ablaze with incendiaries and hate.

Vladimir Putin surely is jubilant! Although a pariah in world affairs and in control of an inferior military, he has managed to bring America to its knees. Via Facebook and other social media platforms, Putin’s military weaponized disinformation, fueled distrust of government, stoked the fires of social, economic and racial injustice, while rallying to action American citizens and police officers willing to put their hate and prejudices on public display.

The macabre death of George Floyd was a trigger

to better our lives through the federal channels as you have elected me to do. But I also conduct investigations, review documents, hold hearings, draft legislation, direct funding and build alliances. Often, and sometimes most importantly, along with my colleagues I prevent terrible laws from being enacted. Because I know we are entitled to jobs, justice and wealth. We built this country and made it great. But we must continue the fight. We can’t afford to be tired. We and our children will pay a heavy price for four more years of the current administration. We can’t grow weary. We are a resilient people. We must rise up again with that same vitality that put a black man in the White House.

Let us be an example to those young people and show them that we will not roll over and give up. And we certainly cannot assume that all will be well and not show up. I am voting, and I refuse to disappoint those students. I’m going to continue the fight for justice, healthcare, economic equality, education and a clean climate. Don’t be weary. Join me. I’m ready to continue the fight. You and this community are worth every battle and every scar.

U.S. Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay (D-St. Louis) represents Missouri’s 1st Congressional District.

All letters are edited for length and style.

event for the protests that followed. The election of Donald J. Trump as president of the United States was also a trigger event. The two are connected. Trump’s unabashed racism, his disdain for law and the legal processes and programs of government have been aided and abetted by Republican congressmen. This traitorous cabal has given a green light to the MAGA faithful to stir Trump’s cauldron of hate.

The burning, looting and other violence accompanying the Floyd protests showcase Putin’s game plan to trash America. Patriotic Americans won’t follow those bent of violence and destruction; they will collectively strive to defeat all Republican politicians, then work to bring true equality and justice to all Americans.

Michael K. Broughton Green Park

Violence is not the answer

Faith teaches us that it is impossible to heal what is

ignored. Missouri has witnessed powerful examples of healing through countless acts of unity, with citizens and law enforcement standing in solidarity, wanting change. But we have also observed instances of inexcusable violence and property destruction that inhibit healing and discount the collective call for justice. These appalling acts included the shooting of four officers, and the death of 77-year-old David Dorn, a retired police captain of Moline Acres. My prayers are with the Dorn family and the community of Moline Acres as they mourn the loss of a public servant and attempt to comprehend this senseless act.

Let me be clear – if we are serious about furthering solutions to resolve generations of injustice, violence is not the answer. Our children deserve to live in a Missouri that is fair and accountable to all of its citizens, and we must work together on clear policy solutions to make this a reality.

State Auditor Nicole Galloway Jefferson City

As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues

As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues

Guest Columnist Wm. Lacy Clay

Guest Columnist Tishaura O. Jones

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

Protest at Florissant Police Department on June 7

By Jamala Rogers

For The St. Louis American

When you sit in a place that sustained the longest organized protest in modern history, people think you know something. Or at least have some lessons to share about how to deal with spontaneous uprisings.

The questions, coming in from organizers in Minneapolis, Atlanta, Oakland, and other cities about what we learned from the Ferguson Uprising, are urgent and relevant.

Questions like how to encourage young people to engage in non-violent protests and still protect them. Like how to think about strategic objectives when emotions are running so high. Like how to deal with the distraction of looters and others who have different agendas.

One of the ugly realities of the mass protests over the last 15-20 years is the infiltration of white extremists who are embedding themselves in our movement for racial and economic justice. They are boldly promoting their plans over social media. Their presence and destructive actions have become more aggressive and more visible in recent years, especially in the aftermath of the public lynching of an unarmed, shackled black man by white cops in Minneapolis.

The infiltration of white supremacists into police departments, military and elected office is not new. The FBI has been tracking the situation for years as has groups such as the Southern Poverty Law Center.

We also heard it from insiders. Scott Shepherd, once a Grand Dragon in the Ku Klux Klan, is now an anti-racist activist. There’s Christian Picciolini, a reformed neo-Nazi now working to de-radicalize white supremacist extremists.

Shades of whiteness and the movement for black lives

Picciolini once told the media, “A lot of these old skinheads and [Ku Klux] Klansmen have gone into the mainstream.” Yeah, we know. Now these cast of characters are targeting legitimate protests for their twisted, racist motives. They have stolen from black culture, using words like “boogaloo” as the code for civil war. The ultimate goal is to start a race war where all people of color (and Jews) would be decimated.

Ethnic cleansing would give way to a pure white race. Observers have noted parallel recruitment of white supremacists to the police and armed forces and from police and military into white extremist groups. It is a fluid transition that is well-documented. One example is the two Florida

n We are seeing these white extremists being directly confronted by justice-seeking protesters of all hues.

law enforcers who were exposed as Klansmen. Deputy Chief David Borst resigned, and Officer George Hunnewell was fired. They are not exceptions to the rule. What is not as well documented in the planned coordination between these white extremist “protestors” and

A large, diverse crowd gathered at St. Louis City Hall on June 1 to protest police brutality against African Americans and to call for greater police accountability.

white police. What we have seen over the years is black, brown, Asian businesses being torched or vandalized by these provocateurs with little to no intervention by police. You did not see such allowance last weekend when protesters converged on The Plaza, Kansas City’s exclusive shopping district. Or armed, white militia taking over the Michigan State House, and know that if those were young, black men armed with

automatic rifles, the outcome would be quite deadly. We are seeing these white extremists being directly confronted by justice-seeking protesters of all hues. This could really escalate if we do not publicly expose their agenda and they are told in no uncertain terms, “You are not welcome!” No justice, no peace. It’s not just a chant. It is an ultimatum.

Photo by Wiley Price

cruiser then jumping out of his vehicle to further assault the victim.

The largest protest in the region was organized on Sunday, June 7 in downtown St. Louis. This young adult led march by a group of Black Lives Matter activists saw the crowd stretch almost as long as the march route. The 93-degree heat was utterly unforgiving as thousands of people of every description marched from St. Louis City Hall to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Headquarters about a mile away.

There were medical stations throughout the march with cases of water, and protest medics assisted demonstrators on more than one occasion over the nine-block march. In the wake of the arrest of Ferguson activist Michael Avery – charged with inciting a riot for a few Facebook posts – organizers were particularly careful about withholding their names even while loudly leading actions.

As the young organizers welcomed the crowd, they were visibly overwhelmed by the scale of it all.

“We are overjoyed, not only with the amount of you that have come out and decided to be a part of the Black Lives Matter movement today, but with the overwhelming support we have received from all of you,” one organizer said.

An Indian woman in the group of organizers expressed the importance of true allyship to the diverse crowd.

“As a non-black person it is my duty and the duty of all non-black persons to step up for the black community and help amplify their voices,” the woman said. “Thank you for

Avery

Continued from A1

showing up and standing in solidarity. Being here means a lot for the Black Lives Matter movement, no matter what race you are.”

Transforming this moment into a sustained movement against white supremacy and police violence was a theme sounded at this and other rallies.

“We are here to exercise our right to peacefully assemble, but another way to make our presence known is through voting,” a young black woman said over the megaphone.

“Voting is extremely essential, and the lack of black vote continues to cripple our community. Use your vote to represent our community in your local elections.”

They collectively shared a list of demands.

other family members. The charges against him are based on the federal government’s interpretation of Avery’s Facebook posts, according to the criminal complaint. Avery is being detained without bail in Crawford County. Avery often leads the missing-person search teams, making sure vacant buildings are

“We demand reparations for the black community for past harms due to systematic racism and the wealth that has been extracted from our community,” one woman said, “We want equity within various political and economic systems that consistently deny us an equal livelihood.”

They passed the megaphone back and forth between organizers.

“We demand the defunding and demilitarization of the police,” another woman said. “Those funds should be reallocated towards the advancement of black communities.”

The crowd screamed with approval – “Defund the Police” has emerged as a keynote of the movement.

“We demand that black people be tried in court by juries of

secure before they enter them, Baker said.

“We have three or four open cases this week, and we can’t even go out right now because he’s the one that teaches us how to clear the houses,” Baker said. “So, right now, we’re lost.

members from their respective communities instead of allwhite juries,” another woman said.

They demanded community control of law enforcement to hire and fire officers, determine disciplinary actions, control budgets and policy, and issue subpoenas.

“We want the abolishment and reconstruction of the police system from the bottom up,” another woman said. “Systemic racism and the ability to elude the law is embedded in our current policing system. We want a new policing system that is focused on each community’s needs and that they serve and protect all citizens equally and with compassion.”

As they prepared to march, a demonstrator spoke about their rights as citizens when engag-

He is the lead of our foot soldiers. We need him here so he can bring these babies home.”

During Avery’s detention hearing on June 3, a representative of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of Missouri told U.S. Magistrate

Bria Lawrence, the sister of Terry Tillman, led protesters to declare “I am Terry Tillman” during a demonstration along Delmar Boulevard on Saturday, June 6. Tilllman was killed by a Richmond Heights police officer on August 31.

ing with law enforcement.

“You have the right to record them,” a man who identified himself as Luke told the crowd. “Be sure to get their badge and patrol car number.”

Just before they started making their way to police headquarters, an organizer asked the crowd to self-police and identify any agitators who might be there to hijack the moment and tarnish the movement’s narrative of non-violence.

“If you see something, say something. Don’t condone any violence,” an organizer said.

“We are one family – regardless of your race, gender, socioeconomic status or sexual orientation. Everybody is out here fighting the same fight and demanding the same justice. This is what unity looks like. This is what democracy looks

Patricia Cohen that Avery “had no community ties of any kind to St. Louis.” The representative alleged that Avery doesn’t live in St. Louis, and he “traveled from out of state for the sole purpose” of inciting riots. Avery is allegedly a danger to the community, poses a risk of flight because of his interstate travel and needs to remain in jail.

Judge Cohen said she will assess both sides and make a decision by June 12 about whether or not Avery should remain detained.

Marlene Suarez, Avery’s attorney, said she is fighting hard against the federal government’s claim that he’s a danger to the community.

“This young man is nothing but an asset to this community,” Suarez said. “He is no danger to anybody — maybe he’s a danger to the status quo.”

According to the criminal complaint, Avery attended and livestreamed protests in Minneapolis and allegedly gave directions to “St. Louis activists” on how to loot businesses. In some posts, Avery called for a “red alert” or “red action” in St. Louis.

“The FBI assesses level RED ACTION to be associated with a high level of violence,” according to the complaint.

like.”

A few speakers whose names are well-known addressed the crowd at City Hall, which seemed to grow by the minute. Among them were Cori Bush, Zaki Baruti and LGBTQIA+ activist and drag queen Maxi Glamour.

“This is us demanding our freedom,” Bush said. “We are no longer asking.”

Along the march, they paused to “take over” intersections – which allowed for the masses of people moving at various paces to catch up with the vanguard. As they marched, they chanted.

“What’s her name?” one group of the protestors would shout. “Breonna Taylor!” the female demonstrators would shout back.

“What’s his name?” another group would shout. “George Floyd!” the male demonstrators would respond. They held their signs high for as long as they could. Then they held them by their sides.

“I will never understand, but I stand,” said the sign of a white woman. “Racism is more harmful to our children than COVID-19,” a sign held by a white man near her said. Some used their protective masks to make a statement. Several were illustrated with raised black fists and others had “Black Lives Matter” written across them.

“This is amazing to me –that white people can hold up Malcolm X signs,” Hot 104.1 FM personality Jess Live said as she marched. “I cried when I pulled up.” It was nearly 4 p.m. when they finally hopped the concrete barricades and convened in front of police headquarters, where they took a knee in silent memory of George Floyd.

Bush told The American that she would read that to mean: be ready to go.

“During Ferguson, you didn’t have to look for the protest, you just showed up,” said Bush, who is also a nurse. “Since then, we’ve started to plan the protests. To me, that means we can’t take two weeks to plan an action.”

“Red action” is not a code word for violence, Bush said, and his other posts were also misinterpreted.

“Mike Avery has never been a violent person,” Bush said.

“He’s a peacekeeper.” An online petition circulating to “#FreeMikeAvery” has almost 2,500 signatures. Alderwoman Megan Ellyia Green (D-Ward 15) and three pastors also spoke in support of Avery, talking about how he has mentored and employed youth through his construction and lawn service business. One of the young men that Avery has mentored is Jerome Baker’s son.

n “This young man is nothing but an asset to this community. He is no danger to anybody — maybe he’s a danger to the status quo.”

– Marlene Suarez, Avery’s attorney

Suarez, along with several prominent activists, said these are not “code words” for violence and the federal government has “completely mischaracterized” his Facebook posts. There is no evidence that Avery committed any crime, Suarez said, and he was just reporting on what he saw in Minneapolis, not instructing.

“They are trampling on his First Amendment, constitutional rights,” Suarez said. “This case is much bigger than Mike Avery, but unfortunately he’s the one who is suffering for it. By prosecuting him, they are prosecuting this entire movement here in St. Louis.” Upon leaving Minneapolis on May 30, Avery wrote on Facebook, “Anybody in STL interested in being a part of a level RED ACTION AND CAN BE AVAILABLE

SATURDAY NIGHT PLEASE INBOX ME BEFORE I LEAVE MN.” Ferguson frontliner Cori

Janet Avery, Michael’s mother, said he breaks even with his business because he’s constantly hiring the youth he mentors and paying them well. Michael currently lives with his parents. When the FBI came to arrest him, the family was outside washing their cars, she said. He was arrested in front of his 3-year-old daughter.

“I don’t think nobody seeing the video understands the dramatic incident of this because there was a line of cars coming down the street and they had 30 FBI agents,” she said. The fact that the FBI knew where to find Michael shows that the federal government knows he lives in St. Louis, Suarez said, despite telling the federal judge otherwise.

Frank Avery, Michael’s father, said the U.S. Attorney’s representative told a federal judge “a whole bunch of lies” to make sure he stayed in jail. His family hasn’t spoken with Michael in three days, he said, and they don’t understand why he can’t get a bond. “Four police officers can murder a man in broad daylight, for everyone to see on video,” Frank Avery said, “and within 24 hours, they turn themselves in and they get a bond.”

Photo by Wiley Price

Florissant

Continued from A1

Timothy Fagan said the officer was a 31-year-old detective who had been on the force for nine years. Cop Blaster was the first to identify him as Detective Joshua Smith.

“That’s a vacation,” Bishop Derrick Robinson said of the paid suspension. Robinson and the group Respect Us began organizing daily protests at the Florissant Police Department.

“We will be out here every day until that officer is fired and arrested,” Robinson said.

The FBI confirmed to The St. Louis American that it is investigating the assault, as is the St. Louis County Police Department’s Bureau of Crimes

Deaconess

Continued from A1 of six black-led organizations that we have identified as critical to our just recovery from COVID-19,” Starsky said.

“And we will be investing in those organizations for the next two years to assure that they are well-positioned to weather the economic storm that COVID-19 has created so that they can be active partners in framing a just recovery.”

The six organizations are: Action St. Louis, Dutchtown South Community Corporation, Forward Through Ferguson, Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing Opportunity Council (EHOC), the Organization For Black Struggle, and United Congregations of Metro East.

The foundation will award $350,000 in grants to these groups over two years, as well as provide professional development and peer coaching for all the executive directors and key staff.

The initiative comes on the heels of the foundation’s announcement in April to award $2.2 million in grants to more than 50 black-led organizations working in COVID19 relief and recovery in the St. Louis region. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation contributed $1 million to this effort.

Just months before the pandemic hit the region, the Deaconess Foundation was one of the primary funders in successfully wiping out $12.9 million in medical debt of families living at or below the poverty line through the RIP Medical Debt program.

Honoring this incredible work, the Deaconess

Against Persons. St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell told The American that he recommended both investigations to Fagen. Bell also assigned St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney Tim Lomar as a special prosecutor on the case due to a conflict of interest. “A close relative of a staffer in our office was at the scene of the incident,” Bell said. That was Timothy Swope, a Florissant police officer and the son of Tim Swope, Bell’s director of operations.

“What I saw was shocking and disturbing, but that’s all I know,” Lomar told reporters on Monday, June 8. “There’s a lot more to it that we need to know before we get to the bottom of it and know what the truth is. What I’ve seen so far doesn’t

Foundation will receive the 2020 Health Advocacy Organization of the Year Award, as part of the 20th Annual Salute to Excellence in Health Care Awards virtual event on Thursday, July 9.

“Deaconess Foundation envisions a community that values the health and well-being of all children and gives priority attention to the most vulnerable,” according to the foundation’s website. “This community only thrives if the allocation of power and distribution of resources, benefits, opportunities and burdens are not predictable by, nor predicated on race.”

The foundation’s roots go back to 1889, when the Evangelical Deaconess Society of St. Louis was established, and the first Deaconess Sisters consecrated. In the following decades, the sisters established a hospital and a nursing school. However, in 1997 the Deaconess Incarnate Word Health system was sold, and in 1998 Deaconess began grantmaking with a focus on St. Louis children in poverty.

In St. Louis city, black children are four times as likely as white children to live in households with income below the poverty level, 44% compared to 11.8%, according to the city’s Equity Indicators

“Kids don’t grow up in programs,” Wilson said. “They don’t grow up in schools. They grow up in families, and so we have to impact the things that are impacting families.”

The foundation recognizes that healthcare costs pose a “remarkable drag” for any family, but especially those living in poverty.

“Medical bills are the leading cause of bankruptcy in the country,” Wilson said. “So, when we talk about making

look good.” He also said there is a second Ring video from across the street that investigators will observe.

“If any of us had committed the same action as what the police committed, we would be in jail now,” Rev. Darryl Gray, an organizer in the Expect Us coalition, said at a press conference on Monday.

Minister Carole Jackson, a retired University City police commander, said a paid suspension was unacceptable based on the evidence in the video.

“You did a crime, and now you’re going to get paid to sit at home,” Jackson said on Monday. “I am sick of my profession that I laid my life down for 38-plus years being hijacked by racism and all the mess that’s going on.”

sure that those families have economic mobility, have access to comprehensive healthcare, we come to this intersection that millions of Americans find themselves at — which is medical debt that leads them to debt collectors.”

Rev. Traci Blackmon, senior pastor at Christ the King United Church of Christ and UCC associate general minister of Justice and Local Church Ministries, came to the foundation with the idea of partic-

The night before, on Sunday, Missouri National Guard soldiers were posted at the Florissant Police Department during a protest. Three police officers also faced the protestors with M16 rifles. Protestors voiced their anger, directing their messages at the soldiers. Some put their goggles on as police clenched their pepper spray. A group of officers positioned behind the soldiers loaded a tear gas canister, though they did not fire it.

Two police officers engaged in conversations with protest leaders who were present during the Ferguson unrest. In a moment of solidarity, one officer admitted frustration with the vehicular assault.

“I understand,” the officer said as he talked with the veteran protestor. “We have people

ipating in RIP Medical Debt, and the foundation jumped on board. Donors from UCC came up with over $60,000, and the Deaconess Foundation donated $40,000. With that $100,000 donation, they purchased $12.9 million in medical debt of families living at or below the poverty line through the RIP Medical Debt program.

In February, 11,108 St. Louis city and county families in 78 local ZIP codes received envelopes informing them of

back here who are just as upset as you are.”

Two other officers, including Swope, are being investigated for the incident. Clergy said any cops at the scene who did not stop the assault should also be charged. Clergy and white allies have been attending Florissant protests, standing in between the other protestors and the police. On Monday night, protestors marched to the home of Florissant Mayor Tim Lowery. Lowery was the chief of police in Florissant before being elected mayor last year. Protestors lined up on the edge of the property occupying the public street in front of nine police officers lining the house. Robinson addressed the

their medical debt cancelation.

While this is a one-time help for families, the foundation understands that it does not get at the heart of the problem, Wilson said.

“We wouldn’t have to do this had we expanded Medicaid,” Wilson said.

The foundation partnered with several advocacy organizations to gather signatures for a petition to expand Medicaid in Missouri, which will be on the August 4 ballot.

Florissant mayor by talking to the Ring camera, which is the same kind of camera used to expose Joshua Smith. “We know you’re watching,” Robinson said. “We will continue to show up in your city every day.” Apparently, the message was heard. On Wednesday, June 10, Fagen announced that Smith had been fired. Until Smith is arrested, if Robinson is true to his word, Florissant can still expect Respect Us. To remain anonymous or potentially receive a reward for evidence regarding this assault, contact CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371TIPS (8477). Ashley Jones, Rebecca Rivas, Kenya Vaughn, Sandra Jordan and Carrie Zhang contributed to this report.

“All but 13 states have expanded Medicaid,” he said. “This is crippling people in our community. We need to expand Medicaid. Charity is not going to resolve it.”

The 20th Annual Salute to Excellence in Health Care Awards will be celebrated online as a free virtual event on Thursday, July 9. For additional details on how to participate, please visit www. stlamerican.com.

On June 6, the Urban League hosted its 10th weekly Food, Toiletries & PPE Distribution at East St. Louis High School. At the event, over 3,000 families received more than $150,000 in donations of food, toiletries, light bulbs, and personal protective equipment. Special thanks to Panera Bread for its partnership with the Urban League by donating lunches to 250 volunteers and staff at the distribution. For more information about the Urban League, please contact (314) 615-3668 or ulstl.com.

County Prosecutor’s conviction integrity unit springs wrongly convicted man from prison

St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell’s new Conviction and Incident Review Unit has sprung its first wrongly convicted person from prison.

In 1996, a St. Louis County jury found that Lawrence Callanan shot John Schuh to death in Spanish Lake. The St. Louis County Circuit Court sentenced Callanan to life without the possibility of probation or parole for murder and 30 years for armed criminal action.

Now 24 years later on May 29, the Missouri Supreme Court issued an order overturning Callanan’s conviction. The order relies on a report prepared by a special master appointed by the court, which details serious misconduct committed by a former prosecutor in this office.

“The report found that the prosecutor did things that no prosecutor should do: he encouraged a witness to withhold the truth, he failed to alert defense counsel to exculpatory evidence, and he allowed or encouraged a witness to testify falsely,” Bell said in a press release.

There was only one witness. Before trial, the eyewitness confessed to the prosecutor in the case that she may have, in fact, seen a second car fleeing the scene. The prosecutor told her not to “volunteer” this information unless “specifically asked to do so.”

“Without her coached testimony, there would have been no case against Mr. Callanan,” said Cheryl Pilate and Lindsay Runnels, counsel for Callanan. “We are grateful that the Missouri Supreme Court recognized the violations of Mr. Callanan’s constitutional rights, leading to his release from prison after nearly 25 years.” Bell’s new Conviction and Incident Review Unit — which he established last year to review allegations of wrongful convictions — recommended to Bell that no further charges be pursued against Callanan. Bell has accepted that recommendation. On Tuesday, June 2, he filed an order informing the

court that he would not refile charges against Callanan.

Despite this first win, the case does little to clarify the role and authority of Bell’s Conviction and Incident Review Unit. In fact, it shows exactly what the problem is: the county prosecutor currently has no authority in righting past wrongful convictions prosecuted by his office. As part of Callanan’s case, Bell sent a letter to the high court, supporting his release.

“The court interpreted it as an amicus brief,” said Dana Mulhauser, chief of the Conviction and Incident Review Unit. “But that’s what the problem is. ‘Amicus’ means friend of the court. We are not a friend of the court in this situation. We have an integral role to play. The idea we are treated in the same way the retired Candlemakers of America are treated when they intervene in a case, it’s not right.”

Mulhauser, a former federal civil-rights prosecutor, leads the unit and operates fully independently, answering only to Bell. In February, the unit began accepting applications from individuals convicted in St. Louis County who claim they are innocent or that their convictions resulted from deliberate misconduct by law enforcement. The application is available on Bell’s website at tinyurl.com/convictionintegrity.

Eric Schmitt debated before the Missouri Supreme Court on April 14.

The question revolves around the case of Lamar Johnson. Gardner believes that Johnson is innocent of a 1994 murder for which the office convicted him, and she has asked for a new trial. Schmitt has argued all the way to the Missouri Supreme Court that Gardner does not have the authority to bring new evidence before a court in an old conviction.

“All we are asking for is a court to hear this evidence,” said attorney Daniel Scott Harawa, a professor at Washington University School of Law, arguing on behalf of the circuit attorney on April 14.

So far, they received about 100 inquiries and 50 completed applications. But the future of those cases is unclear.

Lamar Johnson in limbo

Do elected prosecutors in Missouri have the power to investigate wrongful convictions and ask for a new trial when they feel a person is innocent?

That is the question that attorneys for St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner and Missouri Attorney General

The Supreme Court’s pending decision has the ability to render powerless the newly established Conviction Integrity Units in Gardner’s and Bell’s offices – or to affirm them.

“All we’re saying is we want to be able to get in front of the trial court for a hearing,” Mulhauser said.

Even in the states that already have a mechanism for elected prosecutors to bring forth wrongful conviction cases, they only recommend about 20 cases out of thousands

of petitions, she said.

“This is not a willy nilly undoing of the criminal justice system,” Mulhauser said. “This is fixing very specific and very egregious wrongs. It shouldn’t take the Supreme Court hiring a special master for each and every one of these cases to make that happen.”

Aside from wrongful convictions, the unit also independently investigates and prosecutes allegations of excessive force and other wrongdoing by law enforcement. It has exclusive prosecutorial authority over all police shootings and other allegations of police misconduct in the county.

Regarding the Callanan case, Bell said, “We feel for the family of Johnny Schuh, who have had to live without him for a quarter-century. A justice system that works outside the

bounds of the law does not benefit victims.”

For more information about St. Louis County’s Conviction and Incident Review Unit and to apply to have a case or incident reviewed, visit https://tinyurl.com/convictionintegrity.

County Council commits to address COVID-19 disparities

On Tuesday, June 2, the St. Louis County Council passed a resolution committing its efforts to address the disproportionate impact COVID-19 has had on the African-American community in St. Louis County. The resolution, brought forward by Councilmembers

Rochelle Walton Gray, Rita Days, Kelly Dunaway, Lisa Clancy, and Ernie Trakas, passed unanimously.

The resolution cites data that demonstrates St. Louis area ZIP codes with a predominantly African-American population experience a combined rate of COVID-19 cases of 400 per 1,000 residents, compared to 127 coronavirus cases per 1,000 residents in ZIP codes with fewer black residents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports stark differences in hospitalizations and fatality rates within AfricanAmerican communities across the country, indicating a need for research into causes for the disparity. This data correlates with more than 100 studies that link minority communities with inadequate healthcare outcomes.

The County Council’s resolution asserts that St. Louis County Government “must employ short-term and long-term strategies, focused on equity rather than merely equality, to address the disparity in the communities most impacted.”

Those strategies include widespread testing; medical treatment, including treatment of comorbid conditions and preventative healthcare; support for people who must quarantine and isolate themselves, including mental health resources; investment of economic recovery resources, including access to jobs, rental and utility assistance, and childcare; advocacy on the local, state, and federal levels for evidence-based policies and legislation that improve health in communities of color; efforts to solidify alliances and partnerships with other organizations that are confronting racial disparities; recognition that racial disparities often affect the delivery of human and social services, economic development, public safety, and public health; and promotion of policies that prioritize the health of all people, especially people of color, by mitigating exposure to adverse childhood experiences.

Photo by Wiley Price

St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell

“TakingCareofYou”

During the period of stay-at-home orders, many health care providers shifted to telemedicine practices. However, services such as vaccinations and immunizations require face-to-face interactions.

COVID-19 and past vaccination victories

Pandemic precautions compel new strategies for vaccinating children

By William F. Tate IV and Kally Xu

medical science to come to the rescue. Over the course of history, biomedical scientists have developed vaccines to reduce the spread of numerous diseases associated with viruses and bacteria. Today, starting at an early age, young children receive vaccinations to address acellular pertussis (whooping cough), chickenpox, diphtheria, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, influenza, measles, mumps, and rubella. These vaccinations staggered across the first two years of life protect

children from infection and the broader society from outbreaks.

With the pandemic tracking across the United States and states seeking to protect its residents from the effects of COVID-19, what effect have safety measures had on childhood vaccinations?

After the United States declared a national emergency on March 13 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, federal and state jurisdictions implemented social-distancing strategies and quarantine policies to alleviate it. In a recent report, the Centers

for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) evaluated the impact of the pandemic on child vaccination coverage using data from the Michigan Care Improvement Registry. More specifically, the evaluation examined children at milestone ages of 1, 3, 5, 7, 16, 19, and 24 months. The report compared non-influenza vaccine rates for children less than 18 years old and children less than 24 months old during the period of January 2020 to April 2020 to the same time period and months in 2016 to 2019.

The CDC study demonstrated that vaccination coverage rates decreased in the state of

See COVID-19, A11

Still working on the vaccination and antidote to racism

By Angela Claybon

For The St. Louis American

I am overwhelmed with emotion as I watch the consequences of racism unravel on our streets and across the country. Police brutality and the senseless deaths of George Floyd, our own Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and many others are disgusting and appalling. Racism is a public health crisis crippling our society. In 1967, my father was taken from my family at the hands of police brutality. Unfortunately, many families in the black community have similar experiences and stories. The protests are the result of frustration and anger and should act as a wake-up call to America that systemic racism is not working It’s time to change racist practices, policies and more importantly behaviors

n In 1967, my father was taken from my family at the hands of police brutality. Unfortunately, many families in the black community have similar experiences and stories.

Actor George Clooney said it best in an editorial for the HuffPost: “racism is our pandemic and in 400 years we’ve yet to find a vaccine.” Shame on us. As CEO of CareSTL Health and a lifelong resident of North St. Louis, I will continue to fight racial and health inequity along with our Board of Directors, leadership team and staff. We did so when our communities were overlooked for COVID-19 testing. I am finalizing plans to build new, state-of-the-art health centers. CareSTL Health will push forward in our work to rebuild North St. Louis. We will develop affordable housing and senior living in the neighborhoods we serve. In doing so, we will strengthen the economic base and create employment opportunities for residents

Street medics teach basics of treating protest injuries

Dr. LJ Punch: ‘My advice is: try. We’ll figure it out at the hospital’

By Ashley Jones and Carrie Zhang

For The St. Louis American

St. Louis Street Medics held a medic training event to educate activists on how to treat the most common injuries that are occurring at street protests on Thursday, June 4 at Tower Grove Park’s Stupp Center.

With the growing number of protests after the police killing of George Floyd and other senseless killings of African Americans, St. Louis Street Medics realized there was an increasing need for medics, especially in Ferguson where protestors are being tear gassed.

Attendees sat in a circle around the speakers. All were wearing protective masks and were spaced out as much as they could as public health precautions because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizers said medics also should always wear gloves to keep their patient safe,

n For overheated protestors suffering from heat exhaustion, she said, medics should pour water on their chest and find shade for them.

especially with the pandemic.

A medical advisor later in the presentation said that protestors should wear goggles and earplugs and to avoid contact lenses.

“The one rule of being a street medic is: don’t become a patient,” Talia from St. Louis Street Medics said. “Stay hydrated.”

See INJURIES, A11

For The St. Louis American

Angela Claybon

William F. Tate IV

Kally Xu

St. Louis Street Medics held a medic training event to educate activists on how to treat the most common injuries that are occurring at street protests on Thursday, June 4 at Tower Grove Park’s Stupp Center.

Photo by Wiley Price

“TakingCareofYou”

Black physicians call for reforms after police killing of George Floyd

By Chris King Of The St. Louis American

The National Medical Association expressed condolences to the family and friends of George Floyd, and the largest and oldest national organization representing African-American physicians and their patients in the United States is calling for reforms to police practices in the interest of public health.

“The killing of George Floyd is another reminder of the lingering effects of institutional racism in many communities throughout these United States,” the association stated. “The conduct of these police officers is reprehensible and requires a full criminal and administrative investigation.”

In addition to an investiga-

Injuries

Continued from A10

For overheated protestors suffering from heat exhaustion, she said, medics should pour water on their chest and find shade for them.

Speakers then covered security. Protestors should not call the cops whatsoever, they said. Street medics should make themselves known to their patient. Introduce themselves as a street medic and ask for their consent to treat the patient. They said street medics do not have to give their real names.

tion into the police responsible for Floyd’s death even as Floyd clearly told them he was dying, the association called for a number of policy reforms.

The NMA called for “the immediate discontinuation of police practices that include life-threatening maneuvers like the ‘choke hold’ and the practice of placing weight or force, by any means, on a restrained person’s neck, which is particularly vulnerable to injury that can easily result in death.”

In addition to Floyd, who endured the fatal force of a kneeling cop on his neck, the NMA referenced Freddie Gray, who died after being transported by Baltimore police while handcuffed but not belted in.

“Any occurrence of these unauthorized and potentially life-threatening practices

n “The one rule of being a street medic is: don’t become a patient.”

–Talia from St. Louis Street Medics

They also advised protestors to wear layers of clothes for physical protection from possible assault by police or collateral damage if the protest turns rough. They also suggested protestors wear pants and long sleeves made from natural fibers as opposed to materials made from polyester.

Legal protection is another concern. They advised protestors to carry a Sharpie to write down legal numbers. The jail support number is (314) 3120836.

COVID-19

Continued from A10

Michigan within the milestone age groups of 1, 3, 5, 7, 16, 19, and 24 months with the lone exception of birth-dose hepatitis B, which is often given to children when they are born in hospitals.

For 5-month-old children, up-to-date status for recommended vaccines in May 2020 was 49.7 percent, while from 2016 to 2019, the rate ranged from 66.6 percent to 67.9 percent. For 16-month-olds, vaccination coverage for measles declined from 76.1 percent in May 2019 to 70.9 percent in May 2020. Non-influenza vaccine coverage rates decreased

Racism

Continued from A10 in those communities. The current racial unrest and COVID-19 pandemic should be a signal to the white community that this is not a black or brown problem. It is a people issue infecting us all. We must come together to dismantle

As

being used by law enforcement should result in immediate dismissal and formal investigation of the officer/officers involved” the NMA demanded.

The police officers responsible for Floyd’s death were fired and now have all been charged with crimes.

The NMA called for the “immediate development of a federal office responsible for the review of all fatal police excessive-use-of-force cases occurring in local jurisdictions.” Many officers responsible for civilian deaths are put on desk duty, and many fired officers easily find work in other police departments. The state authorities that review such matters, like the POST Commission in Missouri, tend to be feckless.

The NMA demanded that

St. Louis Street Medics then explained how to flush out a patient’s eyes. Water is the best solution to use on someone’s eyes. Squirt bottles are optimal. Medics said not to use liquid antacid and water together because antacid leaves a white residue on clothing. Cops can then easily identify who was at the protest. Police have a pattern of harassing protestors and retaliating for being protested, they said. Medics then demonstrated a scenario. A patient was seated on the ground and was instructed to keep their eyes open as much as they could. Wearing gloves, medics must push hard with their palms and try to open their patient’s eyes up while they flush out their eyes with water. When washing out someone’s eyes with water, go from the nose out, not sideways or the irritant can get in the other eye.

Speakers then addressed how to carry a patient if they need to be moved. Medics must place their arms around and then underneath the patient’s armpits. They must grab their patient’s wrists and then cross their arms tightly while someone else grabs the patient’s

by 21.5 percent for those 18 years and younger, while for children 24 months and younger, coverage has decreased by 15.5 percent from January 2020 to April 2020 alone. Furthermore, children of the milestone age groups enrolled in Medicaid have less vaccination coverage than those not enrolled. For example, for children at 7 months, 34.6 percent of those enrolled in Medicaid were covered, in contrast to 55 percent of those not enrolled.

This study of Michigan informs our local region as we consider the impact of COVID19 on non-pandemic-related health services. During the period of stay-at-home orders, many health care providers shifted to telemedicine practices. However, services such as vaccinations and immuni-

racist policies and inequities to improve the health and economic opportunities for the black community. The trajectory must be reversed for healthy outcomes to exist.

All of us at CareSTL Health will do our part to improve the racial and health inequities confronting our communities. Angela Claybon is CEO of CareSTL Health.

police officers be “required to voluntarily report any witnessed unauthorized or excessive use of police force by a fellow officer, with an omission of reporting such instances “considered an act of complicity.”

Though police complain about the “snitch” culture on the streets that keeps many people from testifying about crimes they witnessed, police themselves are notoriously reluctant to testify against other officers.

The NMA called for uniform reporting of all deaths by law enforcement utilizing the U.S. Standard Death Certificate.

The association also called for a national policy mandating implicit bias and anti-racism training for all law enforcement

agencies. Though the NMA addressed its concerns nationally, police policy is decided locally within minimal state standards. The Obama administration formed a task force on police reform that published a report in May 2015 that largely has been ignored by police departments.

President Trump has personally encouraged police officers to inflict pain on suspects while placing them under arrest or transporting them, among other incitements to police violence issues by the president.

While speaking to police and crime victims on Long Island in July 2017, Trump said, “When you see these thugs being thrown into the back of a paddy wagon, you just see ’em thrown in, rough.

I said, ‘Please don’t be too

first by two medics.

Medics then covered how to treat burn victims. Protestors must wear leather or work gloves, not medical gloves, when picking up tear gas canisters. Medical gloves are made from nitrile and can melt on skin. For burn victims, the most important action is stopping the burning process by dumping water on the burn. The water doesn’t have to be sterile. The goal is to bring the temperature down as fast as possible. Once the burning process has stopped, the patient needs to be transported to a hospital, preferably a burn center that specializes in more severe burns.

Speakers noted that if a patient is burned and traumatically injured, especially with penetrated injuries, the trauma comes first.

“Someone could bleed out a lot faster than they could succumb to infections from burns,” said one of the medics.

nice.’ Like when you guys put somebody in the car and you’re protecting the head. You know? The way you put the hand over [the head], like ‘Don’t hit their head’ and they’ve just killed somebody, ‘Don’t hit their head.’ I said, ‘You can take the hand away,’ OK?”

The NMA has long asserted police excessive use of force as a public health issue and has published both a position statement on police excess use of force and a position paper on urban violence in minority communities.

NMA statement on police excess use of force: https:// tinyurl.com/NMA-police. The Obama’s administration’s report on police reforms: https://tinyurl.com/Obamapolice.

is also imperative that medics write on the tourniquet the time the tourniquet was placed on the patient (another use of the Sharpie). Medics should immediately take the patient to a trauma center.

Medics then followed with another demonstration. There needs to be a lot of pressure when applying a tourniquet. The tourniquet should feel tight. If the bleeding continues, do not take it off. Cover it up instead. Speakers also covered the 4 Ts: tight, turn, tuck and time. Make it tight and pull all the slack out. With a rod, turn it until the bleeding stops. Tuck the rod to secure it. Finally, write the time you put on the tourniquet onto the tourniquet. When handling internal bleeding, medics should try to cover the wound as much as possible so no air goes in or out of the body.

legs. If a medic tries to carry a person any differently, they could drop the patient and possibly aggravate any injuries.

zations require face-to-face interactions. Therefore, access strategies to make this process as safe as possible warrant consideration.

The CDC calls for immunization services to include dedicated clinics, rooms or buildings for sick patients, and distinct access strategies for those seeking immunization and other nonCOVID-19 related health care services.

In addition, the CDC recommends reducing the number of patients in facilities; shutting down waiting rooms and registration areas; allowing patients to check in by phone; and securing vaccinations in automobiles in on-site parking lots.

If a patient is too heavy to be carried in this way, a sheet can be placed under them. The patient can then be carried feet-

Other recommendations include using patients’ electronic health records to inform family outreach; to identify children missing recommended vaccinations; and to communicate infection control measures employed to keep children and families safe and informed. As these practices roll out over the days and months ahead, it is important that families secure vaccinations. Our fight to limit the spread of one virus should not ignite an outbreak of another disease.

The Michigan study suggests observed declines in vaccine coverage might place youth and communities at

For trauma patients, medics should wear their gloves. First and foremost, stop the bleeding. Tourniquets can be used except on the torso and should be placed two inches above the wound. Medics should also identify if there is an exit wound. If there isn’t, medics need to be careful when moving the patient. It

higher risk of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles. Herd immunity requires vaccine coverage of 90%-95%. Without herd immunity, measles outbreaks represent a real possibility. Imagine battling vaccine-preventable diseases, while fighting to contain the impact of COVID-19 on communities and health services.

Locally, we need to remember the vaccination victories afforded children. And together we must work to regain any lost progress related to young persons’ vaccinations. We must fight on two fronts.

William F. Tate IV is the dean and vice provost for graduate education; Edward Mallinckrodt Distinguished Professor in Arts & Sciences; and faculty scholar, Institute for Public Health, Washington

Dr. LJ Punch, a trauma surgeon for BJC HealthCare and community advocate, then brought out 200 trauma first aid kits. Each contained a water-resistant flashlight, a tourniquet in a plastic wind-able bag, a pack with gloves and disinfectant wipes, two kinds of gauzes, trauma shears, and a Sharpie.

“My advice is: try,” Punch said. “We’ll figure it out at the hospital.”

University in St. Louis. On July 1, he will begin his tenure at the University of South Carolina as USC Educational Foundation Distinguished Professor in the Departments of Sociology and Family & Preventive Medicine. In addition, he will serve as the executive vice president for academic affairs and provost. Find him on Twitter @ WFTate4.

Kally Xu is a John B. Ervin Scholar and Gephardt Institute Civic Scholar at Washington University in St. Louis, where she is a candidate in the 3-2 Masters of Public Health in the George Warren Brown School of Social Work and the A.B. program in International and Area Studies and Asian American Studies.

Any City of St. Louis resident can now get a free COVID-19 test

Any resident of the City of St. Louis may now get a free test for COVID-19. Up until now due to limited supplies, COVID-19 testing in the city has been restricted to those persons showing symptoms. Through a partnership with the St. Louis Regional Health Commission, free tests are available at the following fed-

n Our fight to limit the spread of one virus should not ignite an outbreak of another disease. your back,” said Dr. Fredrick Echols, acting director of health for the City of St. Louis. “Now that our testing capacity has increased to include testing of people without symptoms, we’ll have the opportunity to get a much better understanding on how widespread the disease is in the community.”

erally qualified health centers: Affinia Health Care: 1717 Biddle St.; 8960 Jennings Station Rd.; 4414 North Florissant Ave.; 3930 S. Broadway (call 314-833-2777) Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Center: 11642 W. Florissant Ave. (call 314-627-5405) CareSTL Health: 2425

N.Whittier St.; 5471 Dr. Martin Luther King Dr.; 5541 Riverview Blvd. (call 314-6782460) Family Care Health Centers: 401 Holly Hills Ave. (call 314-678-2460). “Only being able to test symptomatic individuals has been similar to being in a fight with one hand tied behind

Photo by Ashley Jones

Dr. LJ Punch, a trauma surgeon for BJC HealthCare, gave away 200 trauma first aid kits when St. Louis Street Medics held a medic training event to educate activists on how to treat the most common injuries that are occurring at street protests on June 4 at Tower Grove Park.

Raising funds for small black businesses

Ferguson was vandalized during protests on May 30.

Cathy’s Kitchen was initial inspiration for Kristian Blackmon’s GoFundMe

By Carrie Zhang For The St. Louis American

On May 30, Cathy’s Kitchen located at 250 S. Florissant in Ferguson was vandalized during protests. Several community members reached out to Kristian Blackmon, a local activist, asking if there was a funding effort in place for Cathy’s Kitchen. Blackmon did not see any so she started a GoFundMe effort for small, local black-owned businesses impacted by social unrest or the pandemic. Blackmon is also working with Rika Tyler, another local activist, on this effort.

Originally, Blackmon was planning to raise $10,000, with half of the funds going towards Cathy’s Kitchen. Blackmon put up the GoFundMe appeal on Sunday morning. By Tuesday night, the funds had surpassed $10,000. “I was super humbled, grateful, and thankful that folks just showed up in that way,” said Blackmon.

n “We don’t know how long social unrest and the pandemic will go on for. It’s really important that the community is able to show up and support each other.”

Kristian Blackmon

–

She decided to raise the goal to $20,000, and if that goal is reached Blackmon will continue to raise money, and $5,000 will still be sent to Cathy’s Kitchen. Blackmon encourages local, black-owned businesses to reach out to her and her team so they can support them. It is a case-

by-case process.

“These relief funds need to stay in place,” said Blackmon. “With the pandemic, a lot of small businesses, particularly black-owned businesses, didn’t get a lot of relief from the government.”

While the number of minority-owned businesses nationwide sits at approximately $11.1 million, these businesses still struggle to receive business loans, as opposed to their white counterparts. The most common reason why minority-owned businesses struggle is lower net worth. This is a particularly prevalent issues for Latinos and African Americans.

“Black entrepreneurs use substantially less startup capital than white entrepreneurs — the average level of startup capital among black entrepreneurs is $35,205 compared with $106,720 for white entrepreneurs,” according to “Black and White: Access to Capital among Minority-Owned Startups,” a 2016 report by Robert Fairlie from

See FUNDS, B2

New funding portal for minority business owners

St. Louis connection helps forge partnership to access Paycheck Protection Program funds

HarrisStowe is committed to helping find solutions

By Corey S. Bradford

The recent tragic deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor speak to the institutional racism that plagues our community, state and nation. As president of the only historically black university in St. Louis, I feel it critical to address these unspeakable tragedies, systemic discrimination and unjust racial disparities that continue to plague our country.

HBCUs have a strong history of serving as incubators of civil rights activity, civil discourse and community engagement. Activist forums and civic engagement have always been a part of our cultural fabric. Harris-Stowe State University is committed to supporting the growing need for advocacy, mobilizing generations to be at the center of the fight for equality and justice. This work is as relevant today as it was many years ago.

As a part of our commitment to finding solutions to address these issues, Harris-Stowe State University will commit itself to serve as an intellectual think tank to critically analyze these pertinent issues and create workable solutions that can positively affect our communities.

The great resiliency of African Americans and the evolving nature of America’s culture gives me hope that we will one day eradicate the hatefulness of racism. Without question, the Civil Rights Movement had a major impact on our society, yet more work must be done. Today, we the people have become complacent in our desire for a more perfect union for all its people. We need real reforms; institutional racism is systemic. We must legislate to fix the inequalities in education, health care, housing, employ-

See HARRIS-STOWE, B2

Negative rating on debt

By Chris King Of

David Steward

received PPP funding. So, Trimble started making calls.

“One of the first calls was to Dave Steward, chairman and founder of World Wide Technology, one of the largest African-American-owned businesses in America and the largest NMSDC-certified member,” Trimble said.

“Dave then connected our organization to Midwest BankCentre’s chairman.” Midwest BankCentre Chairman and CEO Orvin

T.

T. Kimbrough worked with Trimble to forge a partnership between the bank and the council’s Business Consortium Fund. “This collaboration is even more important given the current eco-

nomic challenges impacting small businesses and, to a greater degree, minority-owned businesses,” Kimbrough said. Midwest BankCentre is the St. Louis region’s second-largest locally owned bank with assets exceeding $2 billion. Kimbrough is the only black chairman or CEO of a local bank. World Wide Technology, which Steward founded, had been the first NMSDC-certified firm to receive funding from its Business Consortium Fund and the first to repay the loan. G. Winston Smith, president and COO of the Business Consortium Fund, said they are now open for business for owners of minority business enterprises (MBEs)

strong budgetary flexibility, and very strong liquidity. However, S&P revised its outlook from stable to negative on the city’s GO and appropriation debt—consis-

See CITY, B2

Cathy’s Kitchen in

Sr.

For The St. Louis American

Corey S. Bradford Sr.

Photo by Andrea Henderson / St. Louis Public Radio

Orvin

Kimbrough

Mound City Bar encourages strategic civil rights struggle

Statement on the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery

By Shira Truitt

For The St. Louis American

Mound City Bar Association issues its strongest condemnation regarding the senseless, unprovoked killing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and all others that have not gained

Portal

Continued from B1

seeking PPP funds.

“Our staff is trained and ready to work with MBEs on their specific needs when it comes to accessing this critical funding,” Smith said.

“We have created an efficient application process, and we are eager to work with Midwest BankCentre to break down barriers and facilitate MBE access to the PPP

national attention. Our hearts and prayers are with these families, and all families, who are impacted by violence and crime. These actions embolden racists and stoke fears that have a painful and sustained impact on African-American communities nation-wide.

funds.”

According to Trimble, the Small Business Association has confirmed that there is more than $90 billion remaining in available PPP funding.

Minority business owners wishing to pursue PPP funding through the partnership between Midwest BankCentre and the Business Consortium Fund should visit www.bcfcapital.com/ppp-disclosure. For more information on NMSDC, visit www. NMSDC.org.

As participants in both the legal system and the AfricanAmerican community, we refuse to accept the devaluation of African-American lives and demand justice and protection—as equals—under the law.

Shira Truitt

Mound City Bar Association is committed to

Harris-Syowe

Continued from B1

ment, policing, and the criminal justice system.

Now is the time for our national leaders to hold themselves accountable and enact laws that will finally end the devaluing and marginalizing of black men and women in America. We are all equal and should be treated fairly with the same compassion. We can only move forward as a country when we value everyone. For the sake of humanity, racism

Funds

Continued from B1

the University of California, Santa Cruz, Alicia Robb from the Kauffman Foundation and the University of California,

Lincoln

Lincoln University will offer in-person classes for the Fall 2020 semester. Classes are scheduled to begin Monday, August 24. The campus residence halls will also be open in the upcoming semester. New Student Orientation will con-

real and tangible work in our communities as well as within the legal system to address systemic and structural inequalities that impact African Americans. We encourage our community to join us by serving on juries, coming forward as

n Harris-Stowe State University is committed to supporting the growing need for advocacy.

must end.

As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.”

Harris-Stowe is committed to fostering a community that is willing to drive positive change and change the status quo. In

Berkeley, and David T. Robinson from Fuqua School of Business, Duke University and the National Bureau of Economic Research. With the pandemic still present and the rise in social unrest, it is more important now than ever to support these

n We encourage our community to serve on juries, come forward as witnesses, vote, hold leaders accountable, and engaged in civil rights strategies aimed at advancing this goal.

witnesses, voting, learning about and participating in civic matters, holding leaders accountable, and engaging in civil rights strategies aimed at

the meantime, please know that our campus resources are available should you need help in processing these recent events.

Corey S. Bradford Sr. is president of Harris-Stowe State University.

City

Continued from B1 tent with the agency’s actions for other government sector issuers—reflecting the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

local black owned businesses, Blackmon said. She also stressed that the funds raised will be going to businesses that give back to their community.

“Support black people,” Blackmon said. “Support the black community. Support black owned businesses. We

advancing this goal. Shira Truitt is president of the Mound City Bar Association.

“Over the past several years, the City of St. Louis has realized a sustained, positive fiscal trajectory by managing expenses, developing diverse revenue streams, and building up its reserve funds,” Comptroller Darlene Green said in a statement.

“Working together, we can continue to meet our financial obligations and provide essential city services. Even as the nation faces an uncertain economic outlook due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the City of St. Louis is positioned to weather the financial challenges that lie ahead.”

don’t know how long social unrest and the pandemic will go on for. It’s really important that the community is able to show up and support each other.”

To view the GoFundMe, visit https://tinyurl.com/FundBlack-Business.

U. offering in-person classes, opening dorms for Fall semester wide,” President Jerald Jones Woolfolk said in a statement. Details on safety measures for classroom, residential, dining and other shared spaces will be released in the coming weeks.

tinue virtually throughout the summer.

The university transitioned to remote learning on March 23 due to the global COVID19 pandemic. Commencement exercises for the Spring 2020 graduates was postponed to

August 1, and Summer 2020 coursework is also being offered remotely.

“We have had great conversations with the Cole County Health Department and we continue to monitor the data both locally, state and nation-

Sports

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

KSDK’s Hicks, Kaepernick suddenly find themselves on the same team

A year ago, KSDK sports reporter Ahmad Hicks was part of the St. Louis Blues historic run to the Stanley Cup. He also was there as the St. Louis Cardinals cobbled together a gutty season that took them to the National League Championship Series.

A week ago, Hicks dared challenge the Blues and Cardinals for the joint statement on racism and equality that said nothing, in his opinion. He has risked his young, flourishing career in St. Louis. He doesn’t care. He should be applauded.

“The Blues whiffed on a slap shot. The Cardinals swung and missed on a hanging curveball,” Hicks wrote in a commentary on the KSDK website.

“Our city stands divided. Our country is on fire. George Floyd, a black man, died at the hands of the police. His death has sparked outrage and disappointment across every state.

“The St. Louis Blues and St. Louis Cardinals stand united in support of racial equality for all and with those who march peacefully to highlight and protest racism, bigotry and violence. There is no place for intolerance in our society. We also stand with those who work every day to better society and with those who honorably wear the uniform as they protect and serve all of us. We will continue to work together as One Nation and ask that all our supporters join us in rebuilding our efforts to give back and support the community we love.”

Hicks wrote, correctly, that the tag-team effort falls way short of other organizations’ respective statements.

“Most MLB and NHL organizations stepped up to the plate and addressed the matter directly. Instead, in my opinion, the Blues missed an empty netter, and the Cardinals struck out looking,” Hicks wrote.

“I know this is a very sensitive topic, and I’m normally reluctant to be this open on this matter. But normally teams and players stay silent as well because let’s be real, it’s too controversial. But what’s happening right now in America feels different. Players and organizations are using their platforms to speak up. This is something as an adult, I have never seen before.”

The key sentences in his article come next. They are questions that all professional sports franchise owners and players must ask themselves.

“We all know that racism and injustice is wrong, right? So what is the problem denouncing it? Or calling it out? Losing a supporter or fan who isn’t ready to face the reality of our times shouldn’t be a concern. Listening to those hurting or being willing to change the way you think is okay,” Hicks wrote. Here is the joint statement that Hicks has properly called out as weak.

“They didn’t address the actual problem! They failed to mention RACISM and police brutality against people of color shouldn’t be accepted or tolerated. The statement didn’t include George Floyd or black lives. They failed to use their platform which, if we do the math -- reaches nearly 3.5 million people on social media.”

There was swift negative reaction to his article. I doubt Hicks is in St. Louis a year from now. My guess is that he’ll find a better job in a larger metropolitan area. KSDK will make no effort to retain him.

Hicks’ entire commentary is here: https://bit.ly/3hlFEOK. It is well worth the read.

Dexter deals tough hand St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Dexter Fowler is no stranger to controversy and frequent written abuse online from many Cardinals fans.

It’s his contract, his statistics, they say. It’s obvious skin

color plays a role too.

This didn’t stop him from posting a wonderful commentary on Instagram that has inspired another rush of intolerance from many of its readers.

“Here’s the thing. I know it’s hard to fully grasp why black people are outraged,” wrote Fowler.

“It’s hard to grasp unless you’ve seen people hold their purses tighter when you walk by, when you have people refer to you as ‘not black’ when you’re not ‘ghetto.’ When your parents have to give you a talk when you’re just a kid.

‘You can’t act like your white friends. You’ll get killed. They won’t.’

“This is a generational discussion EVERY black family has.

It terrifies you as a kid, and as an adult.”

“You don’t understand why we know, those officers didn’t flinch at murdering that man, because he is black,” Fowler continued.

“The race card. We hold it. You tell us ‘it’s not about race,’’ if we ever hold you to it. You don’t want us to have even that 1 bone chilling ‘privilege’’ of defense. You don’t want us to hold any privilege.

“We don’t hold the privilege of being a criminal, making a mistake, or simply taking a jog, the same as a white man, and being treated the same.

“He couldn’t breathe. He was murdered. They were gently fired from their jobs. This isn’t right. This can’t go on. (if

you assume ‘you’ is you, and you’re upset about the generalization...... just think about that for a second).”

Certainly, this more than just “upset” a few people. I’m sure many so-called Cardinals fans are seething.

But they also have to now be angry at pitcher Adam Wainwright.

“(P)owerful words here had a big affect me and my family. Here’s something my fellow white people need to know. I reached out to tell him that I was sure he didn’t need my affirmation but just wanted him to know he was awesome and making a difference,” Wainwright wrote on Twitter in response to Fowler’s comment.

It runs in the family – part II

By Earl Austin Jr.

Of the St. Louis American

During my 35 years of covering high school sports in the St. Louis metro area, I have had the honor of watching many great young athletes perform.. When you have been around as long as I have, it’s natural that you start to see some of the children of those athletes come on to the scene. With that in mind, I have compiled a list of top athletes along with their children who I have covered over the course of my career. This is part II of the list, part I ran two weeks ago.

Lavar Miller and Miesha

Billups-Lavar Miller, Jr.

– Lavar Miller was a standout track and field athlete at Berkeley where he was one of the top combination jumpers in the history of the St. Louis area. He was a collegiate standout at NCAA powerhouse Arkansas. Miesha Billups was a standout basketball and track athlete at Gateway Tech and Cahokia. She scored 50 points in a game during her senior

year at Cahokia. She was also a state championship sprinter at Gateway Tech. Their son, Lavar Miller Jr., started his basketball career at Pattonville before moving to Florida and enjoying a stellar career at Western High School. Lavar Miller Jr. just committed to Central State University in Ohio last week.

Dwayne Polk-Dwayne Polk: Dwayne Polk was an excellent point guard at Soldan High. He was one of the first athletes that I covered during my first year of covering sports during the 1986-87 season. His son, Dwayne Polk, was a standout basketball player at Vashon High who went on to play at Saint Louis University. Dwayne II has a daughter, Destiny Polk, who just completed her freshman year at Lafayette. When I go see Destiny play basketball next season, she will become the first third generation athlete that I will get to cover in my career.

James and Tianna WilliamsJamerson and Jaden

Williams: Tianna Williams (nee’ Swinney) was a threetime state champion in the 400meter dash at Sumner High School. James Williams was also a standout member of the Bulldogs’ track team and a state champion in the 4x400-meter relay.

Older son Jameson Williams was a twosport star at Cardinal Ritter in football and track and field. The five-star athlete is now a freshman football player at The Ohio State University. Jaden Williams was a state-champion in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles at Cardinal Ritter.

Rico Sylvester-Enrico

College.

Earl Austin Jr.

Sylvester: Rico Sylvester was a standout basketball player at East St. Louis Lincoln. He was the starting point guard for the Tigers’ Class AA state championship game and historic threepeat in 1989. His son, Enrico Sylveste, was a standout guard at Belleville East. He was an All-Conference player in 2017 who went to play at Columbia

Kelly Thames-Kellen Thames: Kelly Thames was a tremendous high school basketball player at Jennings High from 1990 to 1993. He went on to enjoy a stellar collegiate career at the University of Missouri. He is now the head basketball coach at Pattonville High. His top player happens to be his son Kellen Thames, who just completed his sophomore year. Kellen Thames averaged 18 points a game and is one of the top young players in the St. Louis area.

Eric Liddell-EJ Liddell: Eric Liddell was a standout football player at East St. Louis who went on to play at Illinois State. He was one of the first athletes that I wrote a feature story on back in the late 1980s. His son, EJ Liddell, was a basketball star at Belleville West who had one of the best careers in the history of the metro east. He led the Maroons to back-

to-back IHSA Class 4A state championships in 2018 and 2019. He is now playing at The Ohio State University.

Nick Kern-Nick Kern: The elder Nick Kern was a basketball standout at Vashon from 1999-2002. He was a smooth 6’8” forward who could score from anywhere on the court. He helped lead the Wolverines to three state championships. The second Nick Kern is currently a standout member for the Wolverines and a key member of a state championship team in 2019 and a Final Four team in 2020. Like his father, Nick II is a smooth operator on the offensive end.

Gerald Fulton-Gerald, Jaylen, Symiah and Jordan Fulton: The elder Gerald Fulton was a football standout at Riverview Gardens in the late 1980s. He had 23 interceptions in his high school career. Young Gerald Fulton was a two-sport standout at Hazelwood East in football and basketball. He was also an excellent player at the collegiate level. Jaylen Fulton

“So, here’s my message to my white brothers and sisters out there... please reach out to your friends who have a different skin color than you. Encourage them. Tell them you love them. Tell them they’re awesome. It’s important. Our voices and actions matter to help us recover.”

Whether St. Louis ever recovers - or even triesremains to be seen.

Goodell can’t say Kaepernick

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell could bring himself to apologize in a shot video, on behalf of the league, to black players for not truly listening to their concerns about police brutality, racism and inequality in America.

“We, the National Football League, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest. We, the National Football League, believe Black Lives Matter. I personally protest with you and want to be a part of the much needed change in this country. Without black players there would be no National Football League,” Goodell said in a segment of his statement.

The obvious name that is missing here, and throughout the statement, is Colin Kaepernick.

He was among the first players to knee during the national anthem. He wasn’t the first black athlete to protest in some fashion while the song played. Some NFL players are still taking this action. The NFL blackballed Kaepernick because of his peaceful and legal protest. Yet, Goodell couldn’t find a way to work his name into the statement.

Goodell is obviously sincere in his apology. I’m sure his words were vetted by every owner in the NFL before he released it publicly. My guess is that his only marching order was to not mention Kaepernick’s name. It was an order he dutifully fulfilled.

was an excellent basketball player at Hazelwood East and St. Louis Christian in 2011. Symaih Fulton was a top girls hurdler in track and field during her career at Hazelwood Central. Jordan Fulton is currently a two-sport standout at Trinity Catholic in football and basketball.

Ronnie Wingo-Ronnie, Raymond and Ryan Wingo: Ron Wingo was an outstanding football player at Sumner High back in the late 80s and early 90s. He went on to play at Michigan State and Louisville. His oldest son Ronnie Wingo was a standout football and track athlete at SLUH. He played collegiately at Arkansas. He also spent time in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons and Buffalo Bills. Raymond Wingo was also a standout football player at SLUH. He went on to play at the University of Missouri from 2015-17. The youngest son is incoming freshman Ryan Wingo, who will also be at SLUH. He is already attracting recruiting interest from major colleges for football.

Alvin A. Reid

Colin Kaepernick

Veto of SB600 would show commitment to fairness in criminal justice

By State Reps. Steven Roberts and Crystal Quade

For The St. Louis American

Dear Governor Parson,

The continuing protests across the nation sparked by the May 25 murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer mark at least the third time since 2014 that Missourians have taken to the streets to demand an end to the unjustified killings of African Americans by law enforcement and police brutality in general. In every round of protest, Missourians have only asked that the theory of American criminal justice – one set of laws that applies equally and fairly to all regardless of race or status – becomes actual practice and that law enforcement officers be held accountable for their crimes and abuses, just like everyone else.

Your two immediate predecessors as Missouri governor failed to take the lead in advocating for systemic changes following protests over police brutality that occurred during their terms. We strongly urge you not to repeat their mistakes. As a former sheriff, we believe you are uniquely positioned to advocate for long-overdue reforms that are essential to rebuilding a trust and confidence in law enforcement that many Missourians no longer have.

The list of proposals for restoring police accountability is long, and dozens of those ideas have been filed as bills by several of our legislative colleagues in recent years. Although we encourage you to consider any and all of them, there is a particular issue we

want to focus on today. One way to produce better outcomes in interactions between law enforcement and citizens is to train officers to make different decisions. To that end, we request you work with the Missouri Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission to overhaul training requirements to deemphasize the use of force, including prohibiting the use of chokeholds and other dangerous techniques known to kill even when done correctly. Training changes also must address eliminating racial profiling in police stops and other steps to ensure police conduct their duties free of bias.

According to the POST Commission’s website, there currently are three vacancies on the 11-member panel, with another four members serving on longexpired terms, including one that ended nearly 10 years ago. A commission this important to public safety in Missouri cannot be allowed to operate on autopilot. Therefore, we request you immediately make the necessary appointments to ensure the POST Commission is at full strength and consists of members of diverse backgrounds who are committed to a new

era of reform and accountability.

If you choose not to make police reform a priority of your administration, when the inevitable next round of protests erupt over another questionable killing of an African American at the hands of police, you will share some culpability with your predecessors for failing to take action when you had the opportunity and authority to do so. However, right now you can distinguish yourself where they failed and cement a lasting legacy as the governor who helped make “justice for all” a reality in Missouri and not just a hollow slogan.

Although reforming the criminal justice system will take years, there is one action you can and should take right now to keep the situation from getting worse, and that is to veto Senate Substitute for Senate Bill 600, legislation that seeks to take a significant step backward from the important sentencing reforms Missouri has adopted in recent years. SB 600 is precisely the wrong bill at precisely the wrong time and signing it into law would send precisely the wrong message to the thousands of Missourians marching for reform throughout our state. However, a veto would demonstrate your commitment to a fair criminal justice system that demands just punishment for crimes but doesn’t impose harsh vengeance merely for the sake of being vengeful.

State Rep. Steven Roberts (D-St. Louis) is Missouri Legislative Black Caucus chairman. State Rep. Crystal Quade (D-Springfield) is House minority leader.

SUMMER ... HOW IT SHOULD BE!

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Action is needed at all levels to effect change

By Frances Levine For The St. Louis American

St. Louis knows what it means to be divided. St. Louis also knows how to come together to find the light that still shines in the darkness of division.

As the country reels from the killing of George Floyd and the pain that killing unleashed, many people have made comparisons to Ferguson. But we know that our own divisions did not begin with Ferguson. Slavery, segregation, housing discrimination, workplace and educational inequity, and racial tensions that erupted into violence are all stitched into the fabric of St. Louis history. But activism has not always been synonymous with violence. Action is needed at all levels of civic and public life to effect change in law and policy.

St. Louis knows what it means to be divided, but St. Louis also knows what it means to be inspired to work for change. In every moment of division and despair, there are people who refuse to be defeated, people who continue to fight for equality, people who strive to bind us together in peace. Those are the people I look to in difficult times.

I am inspired by the resiliency of Lucy Ann Delaney, who spent her childhood enslaved and who used the courts to sue for her freedom—but who also had to endure 17 months in a cold, dark St. Louis jail cell before being set free.

I am inspired by the determination of the women like Pearl Maddox and others who led sit-ins at downtown St. Louis

lunch counters—some of the earliest lunch counter sit-ins in the country—in the 1940s.

I am inspired by the expertise and tireless advocacy of Frankie Freeman, who fought for fair housing and who became the first woman on the United States Commission on Civil Rights.

I am inspired by the persistence of Percy Green and Billie Teneau, the constancy of Jamala Rogers, and the memory of James Buford and Norman Seay, who have been involved in almost every major civil rights battle in St. Louis’ modern-day history. We are currently living through a dark period in our history. It can feel overwhelming and dispiriting. But I refuse

to allow my spirit to be shaken. I am reminded that Lucy Ann Delaney’s memoir was titled From the Darkness Cometh the Light I see the light in the many effective activists of St. Louis’ history. I see the light in those of you who look for inspiration from the past and who seek out signs of hope in the present. And I see the light in a future for this community and this country that is more equitable, just, and peaceful. We at the Missouri Historical Society recommit ourselves to working with you toward those goals. Frances Levine is president and CEO of the Missouri Historical Society.

Missouri Historical Society Collections

Mural by Robert A. Ketchens and William Burton, 2016

Guest Columnist Steven Roberts

Guest Columnist Crystal Quade

Mill Creek matters

Author Vivian Gibson gives heartfelt ode to extinct black St. Louis community

By Kenya Vaughn Of the St. Louis American

In the late 1950s, a beloved black community was met with bulldozers. Thousands of homes in the region of the city stretching from downtown to midtown were turned to dust and the physical dwellings of Mill Creek Valley were reduced to a memory. But through first time author Vivian Gibson, the memories and endearment for the neighborhood and the generations with a shared history of the community that lived there are shared with crisp detail. Her debut book “Last Children of Mill Creek,” was released in April is a both a memoir and heartfelt tribute to the neighborhood that his been forgotten by so many.

See Book, C2

A rapper with a cause

In 2015, Common raised his fist for Ferguson while on stage at ESSENCE Festival during a performance of his song “Glory” in front of tens of thousands of urban music fans at the Mercedes Superdome in New Orleans. A month later, he came to Ferguson and repeated the sign of solidarity as he headlined the “Ferguson is Everywhere”’ concert at Fubar. He also marched with protestors as activists and organizers commemorated the one-year anniversary of the unrest in memory of Michael Brown.

The Muny cancels 2020 season

COVID-19 creates historic pause after more than a

century of shows

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

“Meet me at The Muny…The Muny at Forest Park.” The jingle is one that every native St. Louis and transplants can sing on command. But due to COVID-19, their massive open-air theater will sit empty for 2020.

“The truth is that for nothing else to have caused to interrupt our season in 102 years, it reminds us how serious of a situation this public health crisis is,” said Kwofe Coleman, managing director of The Muny.

In April, they were hopeful that the show would go on, granted with a postponement to mid-July. But on Monday, June 8, the organization announced that they will not bring a 2020 season to their stage.

“This is a historic first, and hopefully last, for our beloved theatre,” said Muny Board Chair, Louis A. Cella. “The sad reality is that there is simply no way to overcome the obstacles this pandemic has presented while ensur-

ing the safety of our audience, staff, artists and community.”

The unprecedented decision is indeed a milestone. Their season consists of a year’s worth of musical theater jam packed into one summer. Incessantly scheduled but masterfully produced, The Muny productions are an anchor among the summer cultural programming for the region. Hundreds of thousands joyfully file in and out

Muny Managing Director Kwofe Coleman and President and CEO Denny Reagan

By Kenya Vaughn

of Forest Park annually.

“Coming together every summer is more than entertainment – it’s a reunion, a celebration and a tradition,” said Muny President and CEO, Denny Reagan. “To miss that for the first time in 102 years is tremendously difficult and disheartening.”

See Muny, C2

livelihood – and the livelihood of millions across the nation,” said Brian Owens during the Arts United STL Benefit Concert. “I am a performing artist. I’m a recording artist. I love performing live on stage and being in the studio with my friends and fellow musicians. Because of the pandemic I can’t do that now.” More than a dozen arts organizations – 16 in total – came together or Arts United STL, a free virtual benefit concert to raise funds for the Regional Arts Commission (RAC) Artist Relief Fund, which gives emergency grants to working artists whose livelihoods have been affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

“The artist relief fund provides emergency grants to working artists who have lost significant income due to COVID-19 pandemic,” said host Andrea Purnell. “These grants help cover urgent, life sustaining expenses such as rent, groceries childcare and utilities.”

Arts United STL was produced by Opera Theatre of Saint Louis in partnership with the St. Louis Shakespeare Festival and was directed by Tom Ridgely. The broadcast featured performances from local arts organizations including The Big Muddy Dance Company, The Black Rep, Circus Flora, COCA, Jazz St. Louis, Metro Theater Company, The Muny, Opera Theatre of See Art, C2 n The city stepped up to sustain St. Louis creatives in a major way through the virtual performing arts experience fundraiser on Sunday, May 31.

Photo by John Gitchoff courtesy of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

Continued from C1

It is something Coleman has never known in his adult life.

The Muny has been a part of Coleman’s summer since he was 16 years old, beginning his career there as an usher.

“It’s a weird feeling,” Coleman said. “The past 22 summers of my life I’ve spent in this place – and it will be different. Even though we all had been preparing as an organization for this as a possibility, just even communicating that we were actually postponing the season with the staff was harder than I anticipated.”

Their announcement in April on a tentative postponed 2020 season had some contingencies. That’s why they didn’t go full speed ahead. Instead they included a revisit date so they

could have weeks to observe and decide whether it was possible based on the state of the pandemic.

“Part of the evolution was hoping that the progress of recovery had come to a point where some of that social distancing was safely more relaxed than they are – the same with the gathering restrictions,” Coleman said. Unfortunately, things just hadn’t reached the safe point –even for the postpone date.

“Social distancing needs to maintain – and those are the right choices from a public health perspective,” Colman said. “We are not at odds with those choices We know it is our responsibility to adhere to them. And adhering to them means that we can’t do this.”

There’s not really a way to present and produce musical theater to a live audience from a socially distant setting in general, but this is even more true

for what The Muny offers artistically and the scale in which they present it.

“We are a large place and part of the identity and value of our institution,” Coleman said, pointing to public health requirements for gatherings.

They also had to consider the artistic, production and technical elements of how social distance makes their creative process impossible.

“How do you sing and rehearse in masks and face shields?” Coleman asked. “And then there’s the orchestra, the actors, the designers and the crew.”

The right decision came at a heavy cost for The Muny in the form of a $4 million deficit due to lost revenue.

“It’s not a small hit, but we are blessed and thankful. We are thankful and we are blessed,” Coleman said. They will be able to keep their 35 fulltime employees as they prepare

for the 2021 season.

“And hopefully with some community and corporate support we can withstand that and come back next year [in an even stronger position],” Coleman said. “That’s not the same for every organization and we don’t take that blessing lightly.”

In lieu of the originally announced 2020 season lineup, a complete schedule of virtual alternative programming will be announced soon. This lineup will include digital broadcasts of past Muny Magic at The Sheldon performances, and a new series featuring Muny friends and family from around the world.

“We are all heartbroken, but this is the right decision for our community and everyone on and backstage in our Muny family,” said Muny Artistic Director and Executive Producer, Mike Isaacson. “For 102 years, The Muny has pro-

vided St. Louisans with amazing entertainment and joyous memories, and even though we cannot be together in Forest Park this summer, we are committed to continuing this summer tradition for our audience.”

Beginning June 15, the originally scheduled season opening date, The Muny will – for five consecutive Mondays – broadcast five installments of their off-season cabaret Muny Magic at The Sheldon. Starting with Beth Leavel’s series premiere performance from 2015, the entire lineup will be announced soon. Additionally, beginning July 20, The Muny will produce special online performances with more information to come at a later date. “We hope this virtual alternative programming will showcase how even when our audience isn’t in our seats, they are in our hearts,” Isaacson said.

Subscribers and ticketholders for the 2020 season have the

option of converting the funds spent into a donation, receiving a credit for the 2021 season or obtaining a refund. As they brace for the historic moment of a dark Muny mainstage season, Coleman points to its history during another pandemic.

For their inaugural season, the region – and the world –were fresh from quarantine from the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918.

“The Muny was something for the world to come back to – a glimmer of hope” Coleman said. “Our hope is that this time next year that this pandemic can again be a place where people regather.”

Walk-up service to The Muny Box Office in Forest Park is currently unavailable. However, box office staff can be reached via email at boxoffice@muny.org. For more information on the 2021 season, visit www.muny.org.

Last month she discussed her book and how she came to write it during a Facebook Live Conversation with St. Louis native and journalist Ryan Schuessler – who Gibson requested because of his role in what led to her having her first book published. The chat was presented by Left Bank Books.

Seeking to busy herself after retirement, Gibson found an ad for a writer’s workshop led by St. Louis Oasis, a group for seniors.

She had been cleaning out a desk and found a lot of writings that she had done over the years but had not compiled any of it.

“I thought, maybe I will take this workshop so I can compile these things for my children – and my grandchildren that I might have one day.” Gibson said. “I really did enjoy the writing workshop because you get feedback. It’s a frightening

experience to write something, read it and to have it critiqued. And in this one, you couldn’t speak – you couldn’t defend what you wrote. It turned out to be a wonderful experience and I really did improve my writing.”

The woman facilitating the workshop kept telling Gibson that her writing was good.

“I kept saying, ‘thank you,’” Gibson said.

The woman assured her she wasn’t saying so just to be polite by encouraging her to submit her work for literary magazines and anthologies. At first, she was reluctant, because that wasn’t the intention of her participating in the workshop.

“I was there to write a book,” Gibson said. She ultimately relented after positive feedback. Gibson received an email suggesting that she submit her work to an anthology about life in St. Louis.

“I had workshopped a piece, and at 11:30 at night I pressed send – and probably around 8

o’clock the next morning, you e-mailed me back,” Gibson said to Schuessler. His response was “I love it, do you have more?” Gibson turned the tables on her interviewer as she traced the origins of her debut book.

“My question to you is, what did you see in that initial piece?” Gibson asked

Saint Louis, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Saint Louis Ballet, St. Louis Children’s Choirs,

St. Louis Shakespeare Festival, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, The Sheldon, STAGES St. Louis, the Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis, and more. Purnell, who is also a RAC Commissioner and acclaimed actress, stood on stage at Powell Symphony Hall and helped

weave together footage of socially distant performances and messages from members of the St. Louis arts community and internationally renowned talent with a St. Louis connection.

“Art is at the heart of what is essential of keeping us going during this pandemic,” said playwright, director and theater producer Mariah Richardson during the show. “Support from all of you would mean that you care – not only about us as artists, but you care about how our civilization is going to be remembered.”

Schuessler.

Hers was one of the first submissions for Belt Publishing’s “St. Louis Anthology.”

“I was reading it as I was having my breakfast before work and it quite literally made my jaw drop a little bit,” he said. “The warmth of your writing, the vividness of the

Among those doing the asking was St. Louis native Sterling K. Brown, the Emmy Award-wining star of television’s top-rated drama, NBC’s “This Is Us.” “The artists of St. Louis need you right now,” Brown said. “Before this pandemic, there were the shows that they performed in that captivated us and brought us together for a sense of community and to share in the collective history of our city. And to share in the collective history of humanity. There are no such shows right

“Last Children of Mill Creek,” the debut book by author Vivian Gibson, was released April 20, 2020.

Photo by Iris Schmidt

prose was so captivating and felt so organic. I think that initial piece was a great omen of what was going to come with that project.”

He sent the piece to the Anne Trubek, editor of Belt Publishing and said, “you have to read this.”

A year and a half later Gibson and Schuessler were together – virtually, at least –talking about Gibson’s memoir, which was also published by Belt.

“It’s been kind of a whirlwind of events around getting this book written,” Gibson said.

Response to the book, both

now and the artists need you.”

The region answered the call in a major way.

Arts United STL set a goal of raising $250,000 and exceeded that with a total of $350,000, including gifts and commitments made during and after the May 31 broadcast. During the virtual benefit, presenting Sponsors Noémi and Michael Neidorff surprised everyone with an additional $50,000 challenge pledge to match any donations raised in excess of the $250,000 goal up to $300,000. And the Ferring Family Foundation donated $25,000 to the initiative.

Other sponsors included Edward Jones, Emerson, and Switch, with additional support from Karen & Mont Levy, the PNC Foundation, John Russell, Terry & Sally Schnuck, the Staenberg Family Foundation, Pam & Greg Trapp, and Wells Fargo Advisors.

“We can only offer our deepest gratitude to all the donors, organizations, artists and individuals who made this incredible evening happen,” said Andrew Jorgensen, general director of Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. “We are so fortunate to live in a communi-

St. Louis Public Library would like to invite all readers under the age of 18 to participate in its Summer Challenge.

Read books. Complete activities. Earn points. Win prizes.

To learn more and sign up visit slpl.org/summer-challenge/

from the St, Louis community and the literary community has been overwhelmingly positive –and rightfully so. Her use of the language to describe an African American neighborhood that was considered a slum, speaks to the treasure Mill Creek Valley actually was – and gems that it produced.

Rich and vivid, her words give texture and to the experiences to the point where the reader feels transported to her days.

She admits that the success of the book was one of the biggest surprises of the process.

“I still can’t quite wrap my had around people’s description of the writing and how they relate to it,” Gibson said. “And how it makes them feel.”

“Last Children Of Mill Creek” is available for purchase online and anywhere books are sold, including Left Bank Books, to purchase the book from Left Bank Books, visit www.left-bank.com.

ty that cares so deeply for the arts. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank all our participants and supporters.”

Thanks to Arts United STL, the RAC Artist Relief Fund recently re-opened applications for working artists in urgent need due to lost income resulting from the pandemic. Artists interested in applying to the RAC Artist Relief Fund should visit racstl.org/covid19/ relief2020. The application will close on June 12.

“We know there is no replacement for live performance, but we can all do our part to keep art alive,” Purnell said. “Across the region, artists are finding new ways to create and inspire during the pandemic. Your gift will help sustain these artists now, and in the years to come.”

Donations to the Artist Relief Fund can still be made through June 26th, by either visiting ArtsUnitedSTL.com or texting “Artist” to (202) 8581233. The Arts United STL benefit performance can still be viewed in its entirety at bit.ly/ ArtsUnitedSTL

Muny

COGIC cancels 2020 Holy Convocation due to COVID-19

An online experience is being planned

American staff

The Holy Convocation celebrated every year by the Church of God in Christ (COGIC) is a massive act of fellowship and worship and praise. It is almost impossible to imagine Convocation with public health precautions under the COVID-19, such as social distancing, especially when raising your voice in song or praise has been shown to spread the virus if one is infected. Church services and choir

rehearsals have been identified by the CDC as super-spreader events.

So, it comes as a major disappointment but no surprise that COGIC officially cancelled its 2020 Holy Convocation scheduled for November 2-11 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is only the second time that the Holy Convocation has been canceled. This would have been the 113th Holy Convocation.

“In lieu of convening faceto-face, please know that we are planning to have an online experience during the time of

We are angry, but we have work to do

By Pastor B.T. Rice For The St. Louis American

I am angry. How can we not be right now? How many more times must we watch a person being murdered because of the color of their skin? How much longer must we endure being told, “It’s getting better”?

Just exactly how long is this arc of the moral universe that bends toward justice? When do we get to the end? Michelle Obama has it exactly right when she cries that she is “exhausted by a heartbreak that never seems to stop.” And she also has it right when she says, “If we ever hope to move past it, it can’t just be on people

of color to deal with it.”

Tempting as it is to stew in our anger, to stop from exhaustion, to give up the struggle, WE. CANNOT. STOP. We have work to do. And now by “we,” I mean everyone. Every single American. Police or citizen, of color or white. For police and law enforcement: surely after the most recent killings by police of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, you must realize that actions taken so far are not enough. You really have a lot of work to do. Conflict deescalation training and racial sensitivity workshops are good and necessary. But the problems run so

much deeper. The whole cul-

ture of law enforcement in this country must change. Start at the beginning: don’t hire racists in the first place. Stop giving rogue cops second and third and fourth chances. Don’t let police unions be run by racists. Put more black officers in positions of power. For white people: thank you to those who are allies and to those who join us in our struggle. But white people have so much more work to do. Where to begin? The privilege of being white in our country is still not acknowledged enough. The privilege of being able to group all blacks together while compartmentalizing the bad actions of whites. The privilege of being able to march into a state capitol with assault

our annual Holy Convocation,”

Columnist

rifles and rocket launchers on your shoulders and having the president thank you. The privilege of being able to walk into a store without suspicion. The privilege of not having to worry about walking through a neighborhood, jogging down the street, picnicking in the park, or even just sleeping in your own bed without being gunned down. The privilege of being able to rely on the police for protection and not for harassment and worse. The privilege of not having to pray that a camera was rolling to prove that we were doing nothing wrong. Do I need to go on?

“Right now, it’s George, Breonna, and Ahmaud. Before that it was Eric, Sandra, and Michael. It just goes on, and on, and on,” Michelle Obama

Presiding Bishop Charles Edward Blake Sr. preached at the Church of God in Christ’s Holy Convocation in St. Louis is 2016, long before the COVID-19 pandemic

Photo by Wiley Price

Blake Sr. stated in a release.

The annual Holy Convocation, held in St. Louis for the past 10 years, is the organization’s largest conven-

said.

“But if we ever hope to move past it, it can’t just be on people of color to deal with it. It’s up to all of us — black, white, everyone — no matter how well-meaning we think we might be, to do the honest, uncomfortable work of rooting it out. It starts with self-examination and listening to those whose lives are different from our own and ends with justice, compassion, and empathy that manifests in our lives and on our streets.”

Suffice to say, black people are not truly full and equal citizens in America. And in some cases, the progress of the last 60 years is being reversed. We are tired and we are angry that we must still work to even have that acknowledged. Which leads me to black people, who have the hardest work of all ahead of us. Because we are the ones who

tion, drawing members and visitors from all 50 states and several countries from around the globe.

“Our annual Holy Convocation typically brings together more than 50,000 people in the month of November,” Bishop Blake stated. “However, there are still too many unanswered questions as to how this type of densely-populated church gathering can be accomplished while ensuring the safety of all convention attendees, first and foremost.”

COGIC is one of the oldest Pentecostal denominations in the country and the 4th largest Protestant group in the United States with 10,000 churches in over 112 countries worldwide and millions of adherents.

must continue to fight for our rights and for true equality, in the face of government indifference and all too often societal opposition, and even while watching men, women, and children being murdered simply for being black. But continue the fight we must.

There is a saying in the Jewish texts: “You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.” I would have hoped that after all these generations, our work would in fact have been completed. But it is not, and so we must not desist. We have work to do.

I conclude as Michelle Obama concludes: “I pray we all have the strength for that journey, just as I pray for the souls and the families of those who were taken from us.” Pastor B.T. Rice is pastor of New Horizon Seventh Day Christian Church.

Two units available: Lower  Level  $350/month (2  bedrooms) Upper  Level  $450/month  (4  bedrooms)

Do you qualify?

Presiding Bishop Charles E.

Pastor B.T. Rice

FIRE DEPARTMENT

HIRING

The City of Brentwood is creating a hiring list for the Fire Department. Application packets and information can be picked up in person at the Brentwood Fire Department or Brentwood City Hall. Information can also be obtained online at www.brentwoodmo.org/jobs. Please see the website for all details and application requirements. Posting closes June 30th, 2020.

(DJO I)

ACCOUNTING

Full-Time Accounting Assistant

Proficient in Accounts Payable & Excel Spreadsheets. Working knowledge of Accounts Receivable. Understands General Ledger and Financial Reports. Experience in Quick Books preferred. Professional phone etiquette & customer service skills. Send resume with qualifications and work experience to: St. Louis American Newspaper Accounting Assistance 2315 Pine Street, St. Louis, MO 63103 NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE

SENIOR CASE MANAGER

Urban Strategies, Inc is seeking applicants for the Senior Case Manager position for St. Louis’ Near North Side Choice Neighborhood Plan and a Senior Staff Accountant position in our Central Office. To view the full job descriptions visit, https://bit.ly/3bmm1li

CLEAN-TECH COMPANY IS INTERVIEWING FOR VARIOUS LOCATIONS!

Every Thursday 1PM-5PM! #211 South Jefferson Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63103

JOBS AVAILABLE! WE ARE HIRING! Apply online www.cleantechcompany.com/ careers

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet Congregational Offices seek an Administrative Assistant to provide software support to office staff and volunteers; track and assess data for ongoing projects; and provide assistance to the leadership team and director of communications. The ideal candidate is computer-savvy, organized, and friendly. For more information, see our website at https://csjcarondelet.org/were-hiringadministrative-assistant-needed/

SERVICENOW SYSTEMS ENGINEER II

ServiceNow is a cloud computing software service that provides a host of applications to customers. As a ServiceNow administrator, your duties are to provide day to day operations and support. This position will also have the responsibility for design, development, and continuous improvement of the various ServiceNow products and solutions. This administrator role will work closely with the Platform Architect and other ServiceNow Product SMEs.

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

SEALED BIDS

SEALED BIDS

Request for Bids

Pinnacle Contracting Front Page Lofts

300 North Tucker Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63101

Due date: 6/30/20 at 2:00pm Pre-bid walkthroughs: 6/9 (8am-9am), 6/16 (1pm-2pm), 6/23 (1pm-2pm), 6/25 (8am-9am)

*Please visit the Building Connected Project page to access the sign up sheet for the walkthroughs. You must sign up to attend.

Description: Pinnacle Contracting is accepting bids for: Renovation and adaptive re-use of the former PostDispatch Building in downtown St. Louis. The building will be converted into 51 apartments and amenity spaces. The following trades have been awarded: Roofing, Plumbing, Fire Protection, HVAC, and Electrical. Project to start 8/1/20 with an overall 9 month duration. Project is Sales Tax Exempt. MBE/WBE participation is required per Mayor’s Executive Order. Project will require Missouri Annual Prevailing Wage Order #26.*You may view the plans/specs and submit bids on Building Connected. For any questions please contact Keana at bids@pinnaclecontracting.com, or 314-783-8000 ext. 0.

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Paric Corporation is seeking proposals for the following project: Missouri University of Science and Technology Library.

This is a renovation of the exterior envelope.

The scope of work includes but is not limited to Selective Demo, Concrete, Masonry, Waterproofing, Air/Vapor Barrier, TPO Roofing, Glazing, Plaster, Flooring, Painting, Waterproofing, Earthwork, and Site Utilities.

This project has a diversity participation goal of 10% MBE and 10% combined WBE, DBE, Veteran Owned Business and 3% SDVE.

Bids for this project are due on June 22nd at 2:00 p.m. For any questions or would like to find out more detailed information on this opportunity, please contact Jake Livergood at 314-307-2800 or JLivergood@Paric.com.

All bids should be delivered to Paric via e-mail (bids@paric.com) or fax (816-878-6249).

PARIC CORPORATION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

CITY OF ST. LOUIS ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Solicitation For Bids (SFB) for CARPET CLEANING SERVICES

Bids Wanted

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

CITY OF ST. LOUIS

ST. LOUIS LAMBERT

INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Solicitation For Bids (SFB) for AIRPORT MECHANICAL SERVICES

Bids Wanted

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

SEALED BIDS

Bids

go to: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

CITY OF ST. LOUIS

ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Request For Proposals (RFP) for MANAGEMENT & OPERATION OF PARKING FACILITIES

SERVICES

Proposals Wanted

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

Robert Salarano

Airport Properties Division Manager

CITY OF ST. LOUIS

ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Request For Proposals (RFP) for OPERATION & MAINTENANCE OF AIRPORT BAGGAGE HANDLING SYSTEMS SERVICES Proposals Wanted

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

Robert Salarano Airport Properties Division Manager

CITY OF ST. LOUIS

ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Solicitation For Bids (SFB) for SPECIALIZED EMERGENCY AIRFIELD PAVEMENT AND AIRFIELD JOINT REPAIR SERVICES Bids Wanted

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

Public Notice of Single Source Procurement

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is proposing to procure: CUSTOMIZED ELECTRONIC TRAINING AND O&M LEARNING MODULES. 360WATER INC was used for this service. Any inquiries should be sent to gjamison@stlmsd.com.

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

Public Notice of Single Source Procurement

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is proposing to procure: ORACLE/ EBS SUITE MAINTENANCE RENEWAL. ORACLE AMERICA INC was used for this service. Any inquiries should be sent to gjamison@stlmsd.com.

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

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The St. Louis Economic Development Partnership (the “Partnership”) solicits proposals from Certified Public Accounting firms to conduct an annual independent audit of its financial records and related Single Audit Report for multiple entities, for up to a three-year contract period. The audit services shall include the Partnership and its affiliates, which may include the Industrial Development Authority of the County of St. Louis, Missouri; the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority of the County of St. Louis; the St. Louis County Port Authority; the World Trade Center – St. Louis; STLVentureWorks; STL Partnership CDC; the Gateway to the Midwest Investment Center; and the Midwest Cargo Hub Commission.

To be considered, proposals must be received no later than 3:00 PM CST on Monday, July 6, 2020. Proposals should be sent by email to hbean@stlpartnership.com, or to St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, ATTN: Howl Bean II, 7733 Forsyth Blvd., Suite 2200, St. Louis, Missouri 63105. DBE, MBE, and WBE consultants are encouraged to bid, and a five percent bid preference may be available to certified MBE firms.

The complete Request for Proposals may be obtained from the Partnership’s web site at www. stlpartnership.com. The Partnership reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to waive informalities therein. Any questions should be directed to Howl Bean II at (314) 615-7663 or hbean@stlpartnership.com. St. Louis Economic Development

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Accepting

Details

BID PROPOSALS

Midwest

Advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, imitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial\status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.“We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real

63105. At that time, they will be opened and read aloud. A live-stream broadcast of the bid opening will be made available to all of those who wish to participate via request to mbrown@acceng.com. The Scope of Work includes the recon struction of the Route 340 (Olive Blvd.) and Route 67 (Lindbergh Blvd.) inter change. Two new signals will be constructed along with sidewalks, lighting, bridge modifications and drainage improvements. A pre-bid meeting will take place at 2:00 pm on June 16, 2020. The pre-bid meeting will be held on-line. Anyone interested in participating is required to contact Mike Brown by email at mbrown@acceng.com. A link and directions for the live-stream web access will be provided.

All labor used in the construction of this public improvement shall be paid a wage no less than the prevailing hourly rate of wages

Moment grows into a movement

Police accountability protests sparked by killing of George Floyd still growing after two weeks

Photos by Wiley Price, Lawrence Bryant and Dawn Suggs

Adventures of Budget Bunny and the Hopper Hotel

The Top 2020 Questions Homebuyers Are Asking

By Marcia Parks Broker Salesperson

Has the property been tested for radon?

A proper test is the only way to know for certain that a house doesn’t contain this dangerous and odorless gas. If the house does test positive for elevated levels, the levels will need to be reduced through mitigation before you can move in.

Who did the most recent renovations?

Renovations are great, but they should be done by somebody who is qualified. Knowing who to reach out to if there are problems will be helpful.

How old are the appliances?

Everyday appliances like washing machines can be costly. Knowing how old they are can help you prepare for big purchases down the line.

Will the windows need to be replaced?

While replacing one window won’t seem like a lot, having to replace multiple is another story. Updated windows are less drafty and will lower the electric bill.

Is there a history of termite infestation and damage?

Termites are not only pesky bust also can cause structural damage. Knowing the extent of the destruction before you move in can help you determine the best course of action for repairs.

Has this home ever had a mold inspection?

to learn about the ins and outs of the house and the seller’s experience in it. Your agent can request to obtain it before you even view the house.

What is the home’s zoning guidelines?

Home-zoning guidelines vary from location to location. Guidelines permit you to expand on your property and build additional structures.

When can I get a home inspection?

Although home inspections aren’t mandatory, they’re a no-brainer. The inspector can shed light on issues that you wouldn’t find on your own. You’ll be able to bargain with the buyer for either cash credits or request that money be taken off the asking price.

Are smoke detectors properly installed and located?

It’s a known fact that smoke detectors can help save lives. Knowing beforehand that the house is properly fitted with up-to-date detectors will give you peace of mind.

Although the majority of mold is visible, it can be hidden behind structures. Ensuring that an inspection has been completed and the house is mold-free is vital for the overall indoor air quality.

Was there ever any flooding in the house?

Flooding can be indicative that there’s something else going on. If there has been, knowing up front will help you determine the best course of action to fix the underlying issues.

How much are utilities?

Typically, the mortgage and taxes are known up front. But knowing an estimate of the utilities (electric, cable, and trash removal) will give you a better picture of how much you need to budget each month.

Where is the seller’s disclosure?

A seller’s disclosure is your opportunity

What is the neighborhood’s noise level?

A noisy neighborhood can disrupt all. Frankly, there’s nothing worse than moving in and then discovering that your neighbors are equivalent to elephants. Inquire beforehand with either the seller’s agent or the sellers themselves about the noise levels.

What are the neighbors like?

Neighbors can either make or break your home purchase. Be sure to inquire about the characteristics of your neighbors—loudness, friendliness, and neatness.

Are the gutters in good condition?

Although gutters are a relatively easy and affordable fix, they can cause copious amounts of water damage. You can either ask the sellers whether the gutters have been inspected or get a professional to take a look.

Why is this house for sale?

Is the family in need of a larger space? Or is there something terribly wrong with the house itself? Getting a sense of why the current buyers have listed the house can help you determine if it’s best to move forward or not.

Marcia Parks is broker salesperson for Haywood Hoosman Realty. Email marciaparks@vhhrealty.com.

Marcia Parks

Let Midwest BankCentre

time and forever mortgage provider

By Orvin T. Kimbrough CEO of Midwest BankCentre

A few months before I became CEO of Midwest BankCentre, I read an article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch about the city’s housing market. The article described a “broken” system. Of the nearly 4,000 mortgages issued in 2017, only 154—less than 4 percent— had been for homes in North St. Louis City.

The article described several factors contributing to the problem. First, North St. Louis is plagued by abandoned properties—more than 7,000 of them—which drive down home values. Second, properties are often appraised below their value, even when they have been renovated. Finally, home values are tied to people’s ability to secure mortgages. When buyers can’t get loans, property values drop. The result is a vicious, self-perpetuating cycle.

For the majority of my career, I had mainly thought about human and social capital—the thousands of volunteers and generous people who gave millions of dol-

lars a year to the nonprofits I had worked for and the organization I had led for nearly five years, United Way of Greater St. Louis. However, the nonprofit world I had known to this point was not equipped to unilaterally help people overcome the challenges of abandoned property, low appraisals and bad credit. Most agencies focus on helping people cope with short-term crises or long-term disabilities—not build ing financial capital. A threelegged stool of business, government and philanthropy, coupled with will, is needed to drive true, systemic change.

“Who will care enough to step in and sustain an effort to solve the housing crisis in North City?”

A bank with international branches that was comfortable dealing in derivatives and hedge funds and whose decision makers live on the coasts? Or how about an Internet company, like Paypal or Google Bank?

In my first 18 months at Midwest BankCentre, I have come to more fully understand and embrace the reality that small, community banks are wellpositioned and resourced to help solve

problems. Access to financial capital—to buy homes, to fund educations or to start businesses—should be the right of all, and not just the privilege of the most connected. And it is community bankers who live in, go to church with, and invest in the neighborhoods they serve. These are the professionals best positioned to create conditions that ensure access to opportunity for all. These are also our neighbors who should be held accountable for their responsible investments, or lack thereof, in all communities.

At Midwest BankCentre, we’ve been

helping home buyers and home owners since 1906 with their financing needs. Everyone’s story is different, but we’ve helped people find comfort and confidence in choosing the right home loan for them. From conventional loans to 100% financing, constructions loans to ITIN loans – we’re here to help take the complexity out of home borrowing. Let us be your First Time and Forever Mortgage Provider.

If you are interested, shoot me an email HeyOrvSTL@MidwestBankCentre.com or call me at (314) 446 – 3175.

Orvin T. Kimbrough

National Association of Real Estate Brokers issues call to action

‘He who owns the land makes the law’

By Donnell Williams For The St. Louis American

Once again, we, the National Association of Real Estate Brokers are called upon to witness history, to be the conscience of America and to be the trusted advisors of our communities.

While we are grieved at the passing of yet another black man, George Floyd, at the hands of a few bad actors on the Minneapolis police force, we also recognize we are at war with a novel virus – COVID-19. Black Americans are simultaneously battling COVID-19, as well as the virus of racial injustice, the virus of discrimination, the virus of prejudice and the virus of inequality.

impact upon black lives across the country.

NAREB is issuing a Call to Action to eliminate obstructive systemic barriers that hinder or preclude the increase of black homeownership, including lending discrimination and the despair fueled by racial discrimination that obstructs black homeownership.

NAREB calls for:

• passage of the Heroes Act

• all 50 states to pass and update fair housing laws

• cities to reform foreclosure prevention laws

“Enterprise Bank & Trust has allowed me the dream of home ownership. Without their home buyer’s program, the financial burden of becoming a homeowner would’ve been greater. The entire process was quick and seamless. The only thing left to do now is decorate!!! I am forever grateful to Enterprise Bank. If you also desire the security that homeownership can bring, don’t hesitate to contact Enterprise Bank. You won’t regret it!”

— Ursula H. New Homeowner

This is a historic time. A new birth is taking place. In the future, you will be asked “What’d you do?” What’d you do at this critical time as black Americans were waging battles, both physically and economically, on multiple fronts? What’d you do when the homeownership gap between Blacks and Whites hovered around 30 percentage points? What’d you do when black men were shot and killed for jogging in Georgia or physically restrained to death in Minneapolis?

The National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) chooses to respond to the civil unrest within our borders from an economic perspective. The Realtist Nation firmly believes “he who owns the land makes the law.” And to that end we encourage voting. We encourage completing the census and we encourage the amendment of HUD Section 184 that provides low-interest mortgage loans to other minority groups but currently does not include black Americans.

It’s a new day. If nothing else, the year 2020 has shown us that business as usual is over and some rules were made to be broken. Sam Cooke told us “a change is gonna come,” and NAREB pivots to embrace these changes as we continue to work to have a positive

• elimination of ZIP code-based insurance rates

• elimination of credit-based auto, life and property insurance rates

• Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to eliminate Loan Level Price Adjustments (LLPA)

• more investment in Black-owned banks, CDFIs, and credit unions

• the creation and increase of Renaissance neighborhood initiatives

• more technical assistance to increase commercial real estate, property management and real estate investment.

• increase in funding to create more career and business opportunities for black Americans.

For more information visit: www. nareb.com.

Donnell Williams is president of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers.

Donnell Williams

HOME LOANS

WELCOME HOME ST. LOUIS!

Down Payment Assistance Program

In partnership with six local housing counseling agencies, Enterprise Bank & Trust has built the foundation for a future of increasing home ownership across St. Louis.

ALL

THAT IS MISSING IS YOU.

ENTERPRISE BANK & TRUST MAY BE ABLE TO

• Cover a portion of your down payment up to 3%

• Cover a portion of your closing costs up to $1,500 and

• Cover your initial Mortgage Insurance (MI) premium

IMPORTANT DETAILS

• Program available only in African American majority census tracts in St. Louis City and County

• Individual or household income is not to exceed $97,560 per year

• Total benefit per customer including Down Payment Assistance, closing cost, MI payments and homeowner education is not to exceed $20,000

• Offer of credit is subject to credit approval

To Discover More, Contact: Jill Callow, Mortgage Loan Officer Phone: 314-995-5665 Email: jcallow@enterprisebank.com NMLS #: 553176

To See If An Address Qualifies:

• Go to www.ffiec.gov

• Middle bottom of page choose “Geocoding/Mapping System”

• Enter property address in the “Address” field and click “Search”

• Choose “Census Demographic Data”

• Choose “Population”

• Look at the tract Population number and if the Black Population number is more than 50% of the Tract Population number then it qualifies

Offer valid only on 1st lien, owner

purchases. Subsidy subject to completion of

Congratulations! You’ve decided to purchase a home

By Pier Yvette Alsup Chief Community Engagement Officer Together Credit Union

Today’s low mortgage rates certainly make this a great time to be in the market to purchase a new home. Now that your decision is made, it’s time to prepare yourself to make the right decisions by learning about the process, the people who can assist you, and the associated costs.

There are many steps to buying a home. Simply put, these steps are:

Create your budget: calculate your short and long-term living expenses to understand how much home you can afford.

Find a neighborhood: consider schools, your commute to work, and other things important to you such as proximity to church, shopping, parks and entertainment. Working with a real estate agent can help make this process easier. Explore loan choices: shop lenders and shop loan options that best align with your

financial goals. Choose a mortgage: consider your short and long-term budget, then decide on a term (length of your loan) and the type of rate (fixed or variable). With a fixedrate mortgage, your interest rate is the rate you’ll pay from start to finish. This is a good choice if you prefer knowing exactly how much to budget each month. With a variable-rate mortgage, typically the rate starts lower than an available fixed-rate loan, but after a certain period the rate can adjust each year which may make it difficult to predict what your payments will be. Once you have chosen the type of home loan that’s right for you, it’s time to apply for your loan. Being preapproved is key when shopping for a home.

Find a home and learn about it: once you have found a home that meets your needs and budget, review its appraisal and be certain all necessary inspections are performed. Then, be prepared to negotiate. Working with a real estate agent can make

Dream big with a small down payment.

Are you ready to buy a new home, but worry about the down payment? You deserve to dream big…even if your down payment is small. That’s why for more than a century, Commerce Bank has worked with homebuyers — just like you — to turn big dreams into reality.

this process easier as well.

Prepare for closing: closing includes a lot of “signing on the dotted line” and finalizing the settlement along with paying fees including those for the title search and insurance, appraisal, survey, recording

fee, escrow deposit and more, but when you’re through, you’ll have the keys to your new home!

For more information on the home buying process, visit Together Credit Union online at togethercu.org.

Pier Yvette Alsup

Licensed in Missouri, Illinois and Kansas

$140,000

MLS#20029849

3210 Brunswick Florissant, 63033-1029

$285,000

MLS#20016373 944 Jeanerette University City, Missouri 63130

Large ranch home, 3br, 2bath, formal living room and dining

$60,000

MLS#20016302 8539 Drury St Louis, 63147-1313

Residential, 2Beds, 1Baths, 1,107 SqFt, Built in 1930 | 0.1720Acres

Beautiful brick property in Northpoint. Great investment property with tenant.

Residential 3Beds, 3Baths, 1,060 SqFt, Built in 1964 | 0.2030Acres

Occupying a peaceful street position, this is a must see! The floor plan encompasses three spacious bedrooms, three luxurious bathrooms and a sleek and stylish eat-in kitchen. The kitchen features custom cabinets, tile backsplash and an abundance of cabinet space.All doors have been updated and new baseboards throughout along with new light fixtures and ceiling fans. With the finished lower level rec room, updated flooring and the rear deck this home is perfect for that indoor/ outdoor entertaining. The personal touches and upgrades inside are endless, and only moments to shops, eateries and transport. This home provides all the elements for relaxing, comfortable and easy care living.

$75,000

MLS#20001368 14 Tarpon Florissant, 63033-4760

Condo/Coop/Villa, 2Beds, 2Baths, 1,010 SqFt, Built in 1987

IMMACULATE/GATED SENIOR COMMUNITY FOR 55+.

Interior freshly painted in January 2020. New carpet installed on January 10, 2020. Bathroom floors are in the process of being replaced.Adorable villa in gated senior community. There is no need to be concerned about exterior maintenance because the association handles this portion of the maintenance.

$189,000

MLS#20000183

4500 McphersonAve #2E St Louis, 63108-1922

Condo/Coop/Villa, 2Beds, 1Baths, 1,148 SqFt, Built in 1907

Welcome to the Lucerne Condominiums. This turn of the century building was built for the 1904 World’s Fair as home to the Swiss Embassy giving it a lovely historical and architectural detail. Spacious & immaculate move-in ready two bedroom/ one bathroom condo. Unit has a flexible floor plan, natural light & 2 sets of bay windows. Master bedroom offers a sitting area, functional electric fireplace w/decorative mantle & unique archway. Original ornate door frames adorn the unit. Updated kitchen with loads of cabinet space, breakfast bar & new upscale appliances. Kitchen opens to small outside seating. LR offers a woodburning fireplace. In-unit laundry with washer and dryer & assigned storage in the basement. One assigned parking space inside the gated lot. FHAapproved.

$300,000

MLS#20016397 2440 ShannonAve St Louis, 63136-3965

(Left to Right) Bobbie Simmons, Andreal Hoosman (Broker/Owner), Robin Simmons, Vince Tatum, Lamont Perry, Marcia Parks (Broker-Associate), Davida Bryant, Pamela Hoskins

You want to live your best life... even in these uncertain times. At Together Credit Union, we know this doesn't happen by chance. It takes smart decision-making. And sometimes, expert financial advice and care from someone you trust. Someone who knows your name. Your challenges. And your goals.

Together we are stronger. We are rooted in relationships and proud to be part of the vital role we play in our membersʼ lives and their familiesʼ lives, as well as our community. Whether you need a new car or new home, to make the most of your savings during these unprecedented times, or just a convenient way to manage your money remotely, trust Together Credit Union to be there for you every day. Everything we do is with the goal to empower our members.

Call 800-325-9905 or visit us online to open your account today.