The St. LouiS AmericAn
St. Louis ‘Marches for Our Lives’
Gun violence survivors demand gun reform
By Isaiah Peters The St. Louis American
Joining nationwide demonstrations against gun violence, around 300 St. Louisans and gun violence survivors took to the street on Saturday, June 11, 2022, as part of a ‘March for Our Lives.’
The deadly massacres at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, targeting children, and at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, targeting Black people sparked an outcry for gun reform throughout the nation. School massacre survivors from over the last 25 years from Pearl, Mississippi, Parkland, Florida and Newtown, Connecticut, shared their gut-wrenching stories.
“Four years later, I’m participating in the same marches, asking why America loves its guns more than its people?” Haley Stav, a Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting survivor and social activist asked.
Celebrating freedom
Visual Movement, from East St. Louis, Ill., marched to the riverfront from the Old Court House during the 2nd Annual Juneteenth Commemoration Saturday, June 19, 2021. For a list of 2022 Juneteenth events in the St. Louis area see Living It.
Activists and protestors march and chant “Hey, Hey, NRA how many kids have you killed today,” in Downtown St. Louis on Saturday, June 11, 2022.
‘It
is not just a day off or a carnival’
EyeSeeMe 7th Anniversary/Juneteenth celebration to highlight empowerment
By Kenya Vaughn
The St. Louis American
When Jeffrey Blair and his wife Pamela Blair realized the date they selected for the grand opening of EyeSeeMe African American Children’s Bookstore fell on Juneteenth, they took it as a sign of approval from the ancestors.
“It was like, ‘maybe we are supposed to do this,’” he said. “At first we weren’t sure.
We didn’t have any experience with bookstores – and people were buying their books from Amazon. Seven years later, we are still here.”
On Sunday, June 19th, EyeSeeMe will have a joint celebration for their seventh anniversary and Juneteenth in the parking lot of their University City store (6951 Olive Blvd).
“We will have fun – a lot of activities for the whole family,” Blair said. “We will also
share information about the significance of the commemoration. It is not just a day off or a carnival.”
They will honor Juneteenth and “have some reflection on why we are here.”
“We are standing on the shoulders of giants,” Blair said. “They came out of chattel slavery – legal bondage. And if you study Reconstruction, we had so many individuals
Bush: GOP colleagues who helped rioters should be expelled
Third Jan. 6 hearing set for Thursday
By Alvin A. Reid The St. Louis American
U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., has been impoverished, homeless and tear-gassed on the streets of Ferguson.
Yet even she was shocked while viewing a video during the first session of the House Select Committee investigation on the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. While sitting in the gallery of the hearing room along with other members of Congress and spectators, The Grio reported that Bush uttered, “Jesus” as the shocking video was played.
After last Thursday night’s first televised hearing, Bush told The Independent that any Republican member of Congress who helped instigate the January 6 riot on the Capitol should be expelled and if need be, prosecuted.
“I was here. I remember what it felt like, to know what it’s like,” Bush said.
“I need to see what’s going to come out of this. I need to bear witness, myself, because this was a white supremacist-in-chief president that was at the [head] of this.”
During her opening remarks, committee vice chair, Republican Liz Cheney of Wyoming reported that several Republican members of Congress, including House Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, had sought pardons from President Trump for the rioters who breached the Capitol as Congress was about to certify the 2020
A knockout
Mayor bans use of ‘no-knock’ warrants
executive order. The practice is now banned, and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) is prohibited from requesting this type of warrant from a judge. The warrants allowed law enforcement to enter an individual’s property without notification and have led to deaths of innocent occupants in homes her and across America.
“Public safety and policing must be responsive to the needs and concerns of the community,” said Jones upon signing the order.
“This is an important step for our
The city limited the use of no-knock warrants in drug cases in 2020, and the executive order now
Photo by Isaiah Peters / St. Louis American
Bennie Thompson
Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American
St. Louis rappers Jizzle Buckz, Luh Half indicted on fentanyl charges
Fourteen people, including St. Louis rappers Davante “Jizzle Buckz” Lindsey, 25, and Andre “Luh Half” Pearson, 25, have been indicted on federal charges accusing them of operating a fentanyl distribution network in the region.
In April, Lindsey, Pearson, and five others were initially indicted. Seven other defendants, including Edward “Edot” Hopkins, 20, were included in a replacement indictment on Wednesday, June 9, 2022.
All defendants face a felony charge of conspiring to distribute fentanyl. Some also face the charges of fentanyl possession, fentanyl distribution, possession of a firearm from a drug trafficking crime, conspiracy to tamper with a witness, or other crimes.
Nine pistols, two vehicles, and more than $84,000 were obtained during the investigation.
Prosecutors say Lindsey and Pearson are leaders of the “55 Boyz,” an organization dedicated to drug trafficking and gun violence throughout the city, mainly along Interstate 55.
The case is also under investigation by the
St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
More information about the case is on the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri’s website at http://www.justice. gov/edmo.
First-time African American winners make history at 75th Tony Awards
Broadway’s Theater community gathered on June 12, 2022, to celebrate the 75th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall, which was broadcast live on CBS. Ariana DeBose the first out Afro-Latina lesbian to win an Academy Award, made history again by hosting the Tony Awards. However, her adroit singing, timing, and well-deliv ered comedic lines gave the impres sion that she was a veteran host.
African American first-time Tony Award winners included: Joaquina Kalukango, Best Actress in a musi cal, “Paradise Square,”; Michael R. Jackson, Best Book for a Musical and Best Musical, “A Strange Loop,” and Myles Frost, Best Actor in a musical, “MJ ”
Phylis Rashad won Best Actress for “Skeleton Crew ” and Jennifer Hudson won a Tony for co-producing “A Strange Loop,” earning her the “EGOT”
distinction as an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony winner.
Pasha Bleadsell, lead model in Nelly’s Hot In Herre video, dead at 38
Pasha Bleadsell, model and leading lady in Nelly’s Hot In Herre video, has died. She was 38.
Bleadsell’s friend, music video director Director X confirmed on Monday, June 6, 2022, that she died from a brain tumor on Saturday, June 4.
“If you made videos in the 2000s or were around to watch them, you know Pasha,” X said. “We met her doing background work on the set of Donell Jones’ Where I Want from there we put her in the mix. It was a wild ride from then on.” X reminiscenced on the countless videos he placed her in, and the many times they spent together. He said she was a genuine, cool person, who never brought drama.
Bleadsell also starred in 50 Cent’s P.I.M.P,” and Sean Paul’s “Gimme the Light ”
Mellody Hobson invests ownership in Denver Broncos
“You never know when the last time you speak to someone [it] will be the last time you speak. I hold on to my memories of you with love. Rest in Power Pasha January 24th, 1984 - June 4th, 2022.”
Mellody Hobson joins an elite group of Black women with an ownership stake in a professional sports team. Hobson, co-CEO of Ariel Investments, will be the Denver Broncos’ next partowner. The Denver Post reports that the NFL will reportedly sell for $4.65 billion to Wal-Mart heir Rob Walton Forbes estimated last year the team was valued at $3.75 billion.
“Beyond her role at Ariel, Mellody is an influential leader in corporate and civic organizations across the nation,” Walton said in a press release. “Mellody currently serves as chair of the Starbucks Corporation board and is also a director of JPMorgan Chase. We know she will bring her strategic acumen and leadership perspective to our team.” As Starbucks’ chair, Hobson became the first Black woman to chair a company in the Standard & Poor’s 500. Additionally, she is DreamWorks Animation board chair, and a board member of Estée Lauder Companies.
Sources: United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri, CBS,
Ariana DeBose
and
to
- Rep. Ayanna Pressley [D. Mass.] on importance of
Shine a LIGHT
Bringing public health back to the public
By JoAnn Weaver
For The St. Louis American
Public health has come to the attention of the public more than ever since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
And yet, while awareness of the importance of community health practices and policies has risen, the public remains removed from the process.
Leaders Igniting Generational Healing and Transformation (LIGHT) connects the community by putting people first.
“We want to reimagine public health,” said Juliet Iwelunmor, Ph.D., professor of behavioral science and health education.
“After the pandemic, there has been a call to recognize where public health failed the public, beginning with questioning the traditional methods of public health engagement, dissemination, and research. We need to acknowledge that, in some ways, we—and the traditional way we’ve always done things—are part of the problem.”
LIGHT, led by faculty and students from Saint Louis
University’s College for Public Health and Social Justice, encompasses a new biannual literary journal in public health, a festival to engage both the public and public health professionals who are interested in creatively communicating about public health and a creative writing summer camp for children.
The summer camp will have free scholarships.
“In our field, the way people communicate is through peerreviewed journals,” Iwelunmor said. “When we talk about open access, the public oftentimes don’t have access to these journals, so we want to meet people where they are.”
Iwelunmor said SLU, with a college dedicated to both public health and social justice, is uniquely situated to address the issue.
“We need to do a better job of centering the public back into public health, beginning with the way we share our work as public health researchers,” she said.
“We need to increase the diversity of people in public health, increase participation of communities often under-
represented in our work, and increase voices, experiences, stories, typically unheard of, even strategies and methods typically not used, like storytelling or poetry, all of which are necessary for our transformation and healing.”
For more than 100 years, the public health field has shared information among its professionals, Iwelunmor said, and not the public. Most public health research is restricted to academic journals that the public typically doesn’t access.
“The public is kept in the dark about public health, and we want to change that,” said Alexis Engelhart, MPH research coordinator for LIGHT.
LIGHT launched its first open call for submissions of art, letters, stories, poetry, and other creative works in February.
“Their work—fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art, letters, and other literary works—will push the margins of public health,” said Engelhart.
The top submissions will be featured in the inaugural issue of the LIGHT literary journal in public health that connects, creates, and curates content for the public by the public.
“LIGHT is intentionally created and committed to giving the public a voice in public health, but it will also foster youth involvement and creativity and push researchers to think outside the box, bringing
coexistence of creativity and research to the world we live in,” Engelhart said.
The journal will include the work of a diverse roster of new and experienced authors and artists, storytellers, and poets, particularly from populations under-represented in public health.
“In addition to creating that platform to connect both the public and researchers, there will be a learning opportunity where people will see there are other ways to communicate health information, or scientific jargon, such as art that can convey lived experiences,”
Chisom Obiezu-Umeh, Ph.D. student and Project Manager for LIGHT, said.
The mission of LIGHT is to create an open-access narrative space for critical conversations and connections that push the boundaries of what public health entails.
“I think this could be a learning opportunity for people outside of public health for even people inside of public health to see that there are more creative ways to deliver this information,” Obiezu-Umeh said. The journal will feature creative crowdsourced submissions—artwork, letters, poems, and stories, and more—on pressing public health issues and topics to connect people using dialogue, language, and voices about healing and health that resonate with everyone best.
An open call for submissions for the second issue of this journal will start in August.
SkillUP is a free program that helps Food Stamp (SNAP) recipients get help with skills, training, and employer connections to get a job (or a better job) A SkillUP job coach from the agencies below will work with you to create an individual plan to help you reach your goals and start a new career L E A R N W H I L E Y O U E A R N A variety of well-paying jobs are available in St Louis at companies including: Amazon Fulfillment Center - Deer Valley Home Health - Spectrum - First Student - BJC HealthcareUnited Health Group - Smart Pac Inc - SSM Health - Schnucks - The Home Quest GroupRevive Janitorial - Penske - Walmart - MediPlex Health and others Let us connect you to work and valuable resources through
Better Family Life
Ask for Ida Roundtree 5415 Page Avenue St Louis, MO 63112 314-367-3440 ext 500 iroundtree@betterfamilylife org
Mission: St Louis
Ask for Genesis Glover 3018 N Grand Boulevard St Louis, MO 63107 314-681-1130 genesis@missionstl org
Employment Connection
Ask for Christina Brewington 2838 Market Street St Louis, MO 63103 314-333-5665 brewingtonc@employmentstl org
Urban League of Metropolitan St Louis
Ask for Rosemary Batteast 8960 Jennings Station Road St Louis, MO 63136 314-227-1624 rbatteast@urbanleague-stl org
[From left] Juliet Iwelunmor, Ph.D., Alexis Engelhart, MPH researcher, and SLU Ph.D. student Chisom Obiezu-Umeh from Saint Louis University’s College for Public Health and Social Justice who are focused on putting people first in public health through Leaders Igniting Generational Healing and Transformation [LIGHT].
Photo courtesy of Saint Louis University
Guest Editorial
A Black dad’s Father’s Day message to America
By Keith Magee
I am a middle-aged African American father, reeling from the sheer horror of what happened to members of my community in Buffalo, and to the many families in Uvalde, Texas. Through my pain, I am praying for all the victims and their traumatized families, friends, and neighbors — and for all the minority Americans who are feeling even more afraid now than they did before.
And if you, like the alleged Buffalo shooter, are a White, teenage male, I want you to know that I am also praying for you.
I am capable of empathy. I can imagine that you may well sometimes feel angry, lonely, or anxious. That’s normal — we live in a scary world. You’ve grown up hearing about the threats of economic instability, climate change and terrorism.
You’ve seen our politicians and your own community grow ever more polarized, with all sides demonizing each other. You live on the front line of social media’s relentless onslaught on truth and kindness. You, as have we all, just lived through the worst public health crisis in a century and may well have lost loved ones to COVID-19.
Meanwhile, many of the social norms your grandparents certainly felt bound by are being swept away — this can be destabilizing, even intimidating — but it is also a great gift for young men of your generation.
It is no longer taboo in large swathes of American society to question and be open about your sexuality. And, if you choose well, your partner or spouse will value your mental health over your ability to always appear brave and strong.
like you, pray like you, love like you or even vote like you. Then they’ll try to recruit you as cannon fodder to the cause of their hateful way of thinking.
I’m here to tell you three vital truths.
First, and most importantly, the very notion of white supremacy is based on a false premise. Yes, American citizens come from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, each of which (including yours) boasts its own traditions and culture, as well as the national ones we all share. But race itself is a social construct, invented by European and early American colonialists and slave traders who needed to justify their abhorrent treatment of Africans and Native Americans.
Initially, the oppressors declared that only Christians had a soul; everyone else was subhuman and could be treated as such. When African slaves began converting to Christianity, a new pretext was urgently needed. And so, supported by the hastily created pseudoscience of eugenics, the idea of race was born. It’s an idea that’s still being used today to normalize and weaponize hate.
I cherish my ethnicity while gladly celebrating yours and I would ask you to do the same for me. However, we must deny the existence of race, for it makes victims of us both.
As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues
Jan. 6 hearings are about accountability
By Ben Jealous
Some extremely important truth-telling is continuing in Washington, D.C.
Many people are skeptical about Congress. Sometimes that cynicism is well earned. But the bipartisan House Select Committee investigating the plot to overturn the 2020 presidential election is doing essential and good work. All of us should pay attention to the public hearings the committee is holding this month.
Let’s be clear.
activists who were told their country was being stolen from them. Some welcomed a civil war to take it back. They answered Trump’s call to come to Washington on the day Congress would affirm Biden’s victory. They gathered weapons and body armor and trained in military tactics. And they smashed their way into the Capitol.
They came too close to pulling it off. And that means some of them will try again if they are not held accountable now.
should be grateful for the committee members and staff who have worked so hard to get at the truth despite stonewalling and defiance of legal subpoenas from Trump’s team.
Defending democracy should not be a partisan project.
However, not everything has changed. Not yet.
Because you are male, you were born a winner of the patriarchal jackpot. You are more likely to rise to the top of the career ladder and will be better paid on your way up. The state will not attempt to dictate what you can and cannot do with your own body. On top of that, because you are White, and you live in a country that is structurally racist, you enjoy the huge privilege your skin color gives you.
No one will try to rob you of your right to vote. You don’t need to be terrified of law enforcement officers. You will benefit from better education, health care, job opportunities and finances, for example, than your peers who happen to be Black. Although your ancestors also likely moved here from somewhere else at some point in the past, it wasn’t as shackled slaves. If you have the bonus of being Christian, heterosexual, cisgender and able-bodied, then you might well never know firsthand how it feels to be stigmatized, marginalized, or hated because of some aspect of yourself over which you have absolutely no control. That makes you incredibly lucky indeed.
My question to you is this — what are you going to do with all that luck?
You are seen by some other white, male Americans as being part of an exclusive club, the membership of which gives you the ability to subjugate other less fortunate citizens. The more extreme of your fellow club members — sadly, their voices tend to be the loudest — they will try to tell you (or already have) that your privileges are under threat from anyone who doesn’t look
Second, anyone who tells you that your future prosperity and happiness depend on preserving white supremacy is not only lying to you, they are using you. They are trying to trick you into becoming so paranoid you are fooled into helping them advance their own aims: to fuel their own egos and destroy democracy. People who openly peddle crazed, racist, and anti-Semitic conspiracy theories such as the Great Replacement Theory — the likes of Tucker Carlson and Elise Stefanik — are out to grab power, not to help you.
Third: luck, like love, is unlimited. The more you share it, the more there is to go around. You will not lose your place in the world if other people are no longer marginalized. If the barriers that currently stand in their way are demolished, the whole nation will be richer for it, literally and morally, and you will reap the benefits too. Societies that embrace inclusivity and diversity are much stronger and more stable than those that do not. Nothing would be taken away from you if all Americans finally became equal, it’s just that everyone would get to be lucky.
Like countless young Americans, you may well already be a cheerleader for equality and inclusion, for which I congratulate you — you give me hope. If you are not, I can promise you that you have nothing to fear from progress. Turn on your TV and you’ll see women, LGBTQ people and those who are Black and brown marching peacefully to protect their rights, because they know they deserve justice as much as you do.
Look for the humanity in each of them — it mirrors your own. Go out and talk to minoritized Americans about their ambitions. You’ll discover that none of them wants to “replace” you. March with them and they’ll embrace you as an ally. Then you will be truly lucky. And one day, with your help, we all will.
Keith Magee is chair and professor of practice in social justice at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom. This guest editorial was published in the Philadelphia Tribune.
The violent crimes that took place during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol were not just about an angry crowd getting out of control. The people attacking police and hunting for members of Congress and Vice President Mike Pence were part of a larger criminal conspiracy. They were out to overturn the will of American voters who elected Joe Biden to be president. It was an attack on our country, you, me, and everyone who turned out to vote.
I believe the record reflects that the criminal conspiracy started at the very top, with former President Donald Trump. It included members of Trump’s staff and legal team who pressured Pence to break the law, ignore his constitutional duty, and throw the country into chaos. It included members of Congress and pro-Trump political and religious leaders who continued to spread Trump’s lied about a stolen election long after the courts had rejected these false claims. And it included far-right
That is why it is so important that Americans learn everything we can about the scheming and planning that led up to the violent attempt to prevent the peaceful transfer of power. And it is important that we remain watchful about the steps they are taking now to give them a better chance at succeeding next time.
Getting the truth is the first step in holding people accountable. It will be up to the Justice
n Let’s be clear. The violent crimes that took place during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol were not just about an angry crowd getting out of control.
Department, which has charged hundreds of people for their crimes during the insurrection, to make sure that the powerful individuals who plotted behind the scenes face the same kinds of consequences as those who rioted at the Capitol.
All Americans should be grateful to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for creating the House Select Committee. We
Republican Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger deserve credit for serving on the committee. They deserve credit for insisting that the truth come out. They deserve praise for standing up to Trump and all the cowardly or unprincipled Republicans who are trying to protect Trump by sabotaging the investigation, lying about the committee, and obscuring the truth.
Rep. Jamie Raskin, one of the heroes of the January 6 committee, has called Cheney and Kinzinger “constitutional patriots” for defending democracy. We know that Trump’s Republicans have been plotting to undermine the committee’s work. They are counting on farright media outlets to carry their propaganda. They want to prevent Trump from being held accountable by confusing and concealing the truth. That is a threat to our future. It could lead us away from a national commitment to transferring power peacefully to election winners.
It could send us further down the road, as Rep. Raskin recently described, to “coups and insurrections and fascistinspired political instability.” It’s up to all of us not to let that happen. I encourage everyone reading this to watch as many of the January 6 hearings as you can. Urge your elected officials to defend truth, accountability, democracy, and the right to cast a vote and have it counted.
Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way
Commentary
Red states have real violence problems
By Rev. Jesse L. Jackson
Violence is on the rise across this country. Murder rates are up dramatically during the pandemic. Most people associate gun violence and rising murder rates with urban areas that are disproportionately African American or Latino. But violence is not color-coded. If it were, the war between Russia and Ukraine would be labeled white violence.
Republicans have made rising murder rates one of their attack lines against Democrats who they label as being soft on crime. They also claim Democrats are defunding the police. But no city has defunded its police. In fact, police budgets are up across the country.
To send
stlamerican.com or send your
Ironically, the highest murder rates are in states that voted for Donald Trump, not those that voted for Joe Biden. Eight of the top 10 states with the highest murder rates voted for Trump. Murder rates were 40% higher in the 25 states that voted for Trump than in those that voted for Biden.
Mississippi has by far the highest murder rate in the country, followed by Louisiana. Mississippi’s murder rate is a stunning 400% higher than that of New York and 250% higher than that of California. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s San Francisco has half the murder rate of Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s Bakersfield. Gun violence rises as easy access to guns rises. Many
mayors and city councils in big cities seek to put severe restrictions on guns – banning assault weapons, limiting handguns, banning open carry, requiring testing, licensing, and registration. Sadly, in many states, the gun lobby has enlisted Republicans at the state level to pre-empt, or block, efforts to control guns at the local level.
Now Republican leaders seem intent on a race to the bottom, on who can cater most to the gun lobby, who can be the most macho, the most extreme, the most ‘Trumpy.’
The gun lobby is pushing for laws that allow open carrying of a handgun without a permit.
Twenty-five states already have such laws. Violence isn’t color-coded. It is a spirit, a demon. In the pandemic, more people grow fearful and frustrated. Anger congeals, resentment builds. When guns are easily available and near at hand, too often that anger can be expressed in violence.
In these days, as our politics gets more partisan, as political rhetoric grows more abusive, political violence is rising. After the outbreak of COVID-19, violence against Asian Ameri-
cans soared, as if they were somehow responsible. Violence against immigrants rose as the vicious rhetoric about them escalated. Targeted violence against Jews and synagogues, Muslims and mosques is also on the rise. We need practical plans and bold initiatives for disarmament both at home and abroad. In cities, we need new efforts to bring all the stakeholders together – officials, community leaders, clerics of all faiths, gang leaders, police – to discuss ways to reduce the level of violence and to get rid of the guns. An arms race between the miscreants and the police is not a sensible answer, particularly in an era when assault weapons are no longer banned. Political posturing won’t bring down the level of violence. Making guns ever more available with ever fewer restrictions hasn’t helped. Even the best police forces have a challenging time solving murders, much less preventing them. Violence will be reduced when we address its causes and reduce the availability of its instruments. Perhaps murders will decline as we move beyond the pandemic. Until we come together, however, this society will remain one of the most violent in the world.
Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. created The Rainbow PUSH Coalition – a multi-racial, multi-issue, progressive, international membership organization fighting for social change
Guest Columnist Keith Magee
Columnist Rev. Jesse L. Jackson
Columnist
Ben Jealous
Word Up!
2022 graduates Camryn Moore and Kailee Bryant are Incarnate Word Academy’s first African American valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively. Moore will attend Washington University in St. Louis in the fall, where she has earned a full scholarship. She plans to major in biology on the pre-med track, while pursuing a minor in Spanish. Bryant will continue her education at the University of Southern California - Annenberg, where she will major in journalism and political science. She was accepted to a number of prestigious colleges and universities and earned over $1 million in scholarship offers.
SLDC grants available to improve 11 North City corridors
St. Louis American staff
Businesses and nonprofits in 11 eligible corridors and neighborhoods in North St. Louis can apply for operational support and façade and storefront improvement grants.
The St. Louis Development Corporation [SLDC] will award funds to business and organizations located along North Grand Blvd.; Dr. Martin Luther King Dr.; Florissant Ave.; North Broadway; Natural Bridge Ave.; West Florissant Ave.; Delmar West; Delmar East; Goodfellow; Union Ave.; and Page Ave.
“Launching the North St. Louis Commercial Corridor Grant Program is a tangible step to bringing SLDC’s Economic Justice Plan to life,” said Lance Knuckles, SLDC deputy executive director of strategic growth and development.
Small businesses and nonprofits along each corridor can apply for grants providing operational support for a business to maintain standard operations, business activity that supports the growth of the business and its ability to scale to respond to market opportunities, and façade and storefront improvements.
Community Need Grants will be awarded to businesses and nonprofit organizations located in a Housing and Urban Development [HUD] Qualified Census Tract [QCT] and are within a neighborhood that contains a portion of one of the North St. Louis Commercial Corridors.
America is not greatest country in world
By Karsonya Wise Whitehead
We are people with short memories.
We move quickly from one tragedy to the next, and despite our best intentions, it has become much harder to focus on and try to fix one thing because there is just too much happening.
In the last month, we have marked one million people who have died from COVID-19; there has been a marked uptick in violent crime across the country; a white supremacist, domestic terrorist targeted and killed 10 Black people at a grocery store; and a mass shooter at Robb Elementary School killed 19 children and two teachers.
Even with all this pain, school shootings should hit differently and should lead to change. Children are our future, and they are the most vulnerable part of our society.
In the Masai culture, their traditional greeting is “Casserian Energi,” which means “How are the children?” They believe that the best determinant for their community’s future health and prosperity is the mental, emotional, and psychological well-being of their children.
I remember Columbine and the fear and anger that everyone expressed in 1999. This was before social media, when we sent emails and made phone calls or marched to get our elected officials to do something. And nothing happened.
I remember Sandy Hook in 2012 and how I believed that after the senseless murder of 20 children and six teachers, America would do what the United Kingdom did in 1996 after the Dunblane Massacre. On March 13, 1996, a gunman went into Dunblane Primary School, and shot and killed 16 children and one teacher. In response to the outrage and petitions from the people, two firearms acts were passed, one which outlawed the private ownership of most handguns within the U.K.
Here in America, after Sandy Hook, the cycle of emotions started, and when we finally looked away, nothing had changed. I am not convinced that gun laws will change in this country, even less than a month after America had one mass shooting per day for an entire week that ended with a mass shooting in Buffalo.
We live in a country that has more guns than people. There are 258.3 million adults in America, and there are estimated to be over 400 million guns between the police, the military, and civilians, with civilians owning 393 million. According to the Pew Research Center, only 30% of Americans own a legally registered gun, so 98% of the registered guns in this country are in the hands of approximately 77 million people.
In 2019, after someone pointed a rifle at my youngest son and me, I reached out to a therapist friend who told me that when I feel most afraid, I should say to myself things like, “I am safe. My son is safe. We are safe.” I have come back to this moment and said those words countless times, and every time I do, the realist in me whispers, “for now.” I know that things will not change until Congress changes them.
“Investing these funds in marginalized and underserved communities in St. Louis, particularly North City, is proof of a long-term commitment to economic empowerment, equitable & inclusive development, and neighborhood transformation.”
To qualify, a small business or nonprofit organization must fill a gap in needed professional or health services or enhanced retail or cultural offerings in the neighborhood. Applications are available online at www. stlouis-mo.gov/sldc/grants/north-st-louis-commercialcorridor/ Businesses that do not have access to a computer are encouraged to visit your local library branch for computer access to complete the application.
Congress can start by passing both the Keep Americans Safe Act (H.R.2510 / S.1108), which would prohibit the sale and transfer of highcapacity magazines, and the Assault Weapons Ban of 2021, which would ban the sale, transfer, manufacture, and importation of military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines. We also need to get rid of our obsession with guns because until we do that, we will never be safe. More importantly, our children will never be safe.
Karsonya Wise Whitehead is the founding executive director of The Karson Institute for Race, Peace, & Social Justice at Loyola University Maryland
Photo courtesy of Incarnate Word
Karsonya Wise Whitehead
Lance Knuckles
–in all levels of government and in every industry – make so much progress and so many contributions before Jim Crow.”
Watching the positive impact of teaching their own four children about the achievements of Black people in the past and present and wanting to provide those resources to other young people was among the original motivations for the Blairs to open EyeSeeMe.
“What our forefathers did right out of bondage was astonishing,” Blair said. “They had to learn how to read. They had to teach each other how to read while learning how to build their lives. They did the work –and took advantage of every opportunity to not have freedom just be on paper, but to actually live free and to build their cities and communities.”
Much has changed since the Blairs took the leap with EyeSeeMe. They opened less than a year after the death of Michael Brown compelled the community to protest relentlessly in the name of police reform. Their bookstore offered a counter narrative to the negative stereotypes being assigned to those within the
No knock
Continued from A1 makes them unlawful. The SLMPD has not deployed a no-knock warrant in the past year, but the order “strengthens the city’s long-term commitment to reimagining policing and building trust between community members and their police force,” Jones explained.
movement, and the people who became hashtags due to fatal encounters with law enforcement. EyeSeeMe went viral a few years later after a young boy named Sidney Keys III was filmed by his mother Winnie Thompson while they are reading a book by a Black author. Keys was truly captivated by the title because he saw an image of his likeness on the cover.
The community response to EyeSeeMe led them to move to a larger location in 2019. They tripled the size of their store to accommodate more books and additional programming for the community. They had high hopes and huge expectations for their future. “We said, ‘in 2020, we are going to hit it big,” Blair said. “And then COVID happened. It really pulled the rug out from under us.”
Things did shift for EyeSeeMe. Like the rest of the world, the changes that came were beyond what anyone could have expected – and impossible to prepare for.
“It was really tough. We weren’t sure we were going to make it through,” Blair said. They launched a GoFundMe campaign, which saved their business. “It felt good that when we told the community that we were risking having to close our doors – that even
though they were dealing with COVID –people took time to really support us,” Blair said. “That made the difference of us being able to survive.”
They revamped their business model in real time, making a pivot to focus on online sales. During the shutdown, EyeSeeMe became more of a warehouse/fulfillment center for their expanded digital presence.
Restored by a movement
At the onset of the pan-
demic, EyeSeeMe was facing closure. But a miraculous thing happened with world’s response to the murder of George Floyd in the summer of 2020. They saw an exponential surge in sales from those seeking to arm themselves with resources and knowledge necessary for change.
“We had hundreds of thousands of orders come in,” Blair said. “That’s really good because that is why we opened the bookstore in the first place.”
They were realizing their
ing and bystanders.
intention of providing information to offer a better understanding of race and racism, and to have diverse books for children of all colors.
“Black children need to see people who look like them in the books, but also non-African Americans need diversity in their collection as well so they can have a sense about other people – and battle stereotypes,” Blair said. “We were really able to fulfill our mission during that year.”
With those protests, came a heightened interest in the Black experience. This year, EyeSeeMe’s anniversary celebration comes on the eve of the Juneteenth Federal Holiday.
“I just left the bank and there was a sign that said, ‘We will be closed on Monday, June 20th because of a national holiday,’” Blair said. “And at first, in my mind, I was like, ‘what holiday is that?’”
He is encouraged by the recognition, but cautious about the potential for the holiday to be co-opted for corporate gain.
“When the original Juneteenth took place it was about coming together to empower one another,” Blair said. “How do we really put ourselves, our children and our nation in a position to ensure that the next 400 years in this country are better for us than the last 400? What barriers do
we need to break down? What opportunities do we need to take advantage of? Juneteenth is the perfect opportunity to have those discussions.”
As he reflects on his family’s EyeSeeMe journey, Blair could not overstate his gratitude – to the St. Louis region as well as people and organizations that have cultivated relationships, established partnerships and provided support to help sustain EyeSeeMe and its mission.
He describes Sunday’s festivities as an opportunity to celebrate the victories of the past and reaffirm the commitment to work towards a more equitable future.
“Think of it as a relay race,” Blair said. “We are taking it from our forefathers, running the race that we have in front of us and passing it on – hopefully in a better position to the next generation that is coming up. I feel proud and honored to be a part of that tradition.”
The EyeSeeMe African American Children’s Bookstore 7th Anniversary/Juneteenth Celebration will take place from 12 noon – 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 19th in the parking lot of EyeSeeMe, 6951 Olive Blvd in University City. For more information, visit www.eyeseeme.com or call (314)349-1122.
The Fatal State Violence Response Program, which includes the families of Don Clark, Sr., and Isaiah Hammett, who were both killed in no-knock raids on February 21, 2017, and June 7, 2017, respectively, called the mayor’s action “a significant step in the right direction.”
killed at least 22 people in St. Louis since it was organized in November 2021. Several of the deaths were the result of police chases.
The FSV Response Team also wants:
“However, the fight does not end here. We will continue organizing to ensure a complete end to no-knock raids, quickknock raids, and other forms of militarized policing, both in St. Louis and the greater St. Louis region.
According to the FSV Response Team, police have
•A full, unequivocal ban on the use of no-knock raids, “quick knock” raids, and other forms of militarized policing on St. Louis residents.
•A full, unequivocal ban on the police use of vehicular chases, which endanger not only the person being chased but the officers doing the chas-
•Truly independent investigations of killings by police, with real consequences and accountability.
•Increased transparency for surviving families on the circumstance of our loved ones’ death.
•Reparations for families who have lost loved ones to police violence.
The city’s ban also prohibits a police officer from asking law enforcement officers outside of the City of St. Louis Division of Police to execute search warrants in the City of St. Louis to bypass this Executive Order.
In addition, deployment of
diversionary devices, such as flash bangs, shall not occur unless a situation, upon evaluation by the scene commander, has developed or is identified as a scenario in which a lethal confrontation is possible, and a distraction is necessary to lessen the chance of an armed confrontation.
Other specifications in the order include:
•Before entering a residence based on a warrant, police officers must now announce audibly that they have a police search warrant at least three times.
•A majority of officers who enter the location to execute the warrant must have an activated body worn camera. Cameras should be tested for ability to activate prior to executing a search.
“Nothing in this order shall be construed to limit the ability of SLMPD to respond to immediate life safety incidents with appropriate protocols,” said Jones’ executive order states.
“Violation of this order will result in a disciplinary investigation. Annually, the St. Louis Police Department shall include in its reporting the number of officers who are being investigated for potential violations of this Executive Order or who have been disciplined.”
EyeSeeMe African American Children’s Bookstore owners Jeffrey and Pamela Blair. The store, located in University City, will celebrate its 7th Anniversary in conjunction with Juneteenth on Sunday, June 19.
Photo by Carolina Hidalgo / St. Louis Public Radio
Bush
Continued from A1
presidential election results.
“They should be investigated, if they were part of this, they should be expelled because that is section three of the 14th Amendment”, Bush said.
The 14th amendment of the US Constitution which prohibits those who “have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same” from holding office.
“Our democracy remains in danger,” Committee Chair Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Mississippi, said during his opening statement.
“The conspiracy to thwart the will of the people is not over. Unfortunately, there are those in this country who
Gun violence
Continued from A1
According to the National Park Service, around 50,000 protesters participated in the gun reform march in Washington, D.C. Some of the teenagers who survived the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Massacre in Parkland, Florida, in 2018 founded ‘March for Our Lives.’
“We can’t continue a political philosophy and ideology that says I can take care of me, I don’t have to take care of you,” Heather Fleming, founder of In Purpose Educational Services and Missouri Equity Education Partnership, said. “We rise together, or we fall together.”
Brown paper bags, 247 in all as of Saturday, were placed on the ground of Kiener Plaza’s lawn, memorializing the lives lost in massacres across the country in the last six months.
“Gun violence is my friend Bailey holding her little brother tight and saying an extra I love you before dropping him off because she doesn’t know if it’s the last time she’ll see him alive,” Stav said.
“Gun violence is bouquets of flowers in the street memorializing the unarmed black man who was reduced to a hashtag by a police officer.”
Gun reform legislation framework passed by the House last week includes universal background checks, red flag laws, mental health records review, and increasing the purchase age from 18 to 21.It is pending a Senate vote, and several GOP senators said they would support some aspects of the bill. Retiring Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt signaled his support for some version of the bill over the weekend.
Survivor and teacher Liesl Fressola shared her harrowing story of how she escaped Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012. Fressola lost her best friend and teacher Vicky Soto in the massacre that day; Soto was 27.
“The unbelievable pain and grief that has followed that day have brought me to my knees,” Freesola said. “The best way I can describe it is that I felt I had a dark secret that everyone knew and was talking about.”
Several high-profile Republicans, including Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell, have stated mental health issues and school security are common denominators.
“Multiple states are evaluating their laws and introducing bills to make much-needed changes; however, in Missouri, they’re not,” Amber Benge, a survivor of a 1997 school shooting in Pearl, Mississippi, said.
Following a 1996 U.K. massacre, the federal government enacted the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 which banned all cartridge ammunition handguns except for .22 caliber single-shot weapons. In 1998 the law banned the .22 cartridge handguns as well.
Beverly Logan, a protester and a League of Women Voters member, said she is frustrated at the apathy over the decades of the state and federal government’s response to gun violence. Logan said she would like to see the
thirst for power but have no love or respect for what makes America great: devotion to the Constitution, allegiance to the rule of law, our shared journey to build a more perfect Union.”
Among the most chilling images displayed during the first two hearings, was a photo of a noose and gallows erected near the Capitol by insurrectionists.
Capitol Police officer Caroline Edwards told the NNPA, “It was something like I’ve seen in the movies.”
“I couldn’t believe my eyes; there were officers on the ground. They were bleeding. I was slipping in people’s blood. It was carnage. It was chaos.”
Several former White House officials from the Trump administration said the President refused to stop the insurrection and ignored his
AR-15 off the market. Assault weapon availability was once subject to more criticism and limited for 10 years under the Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act
“Growing up, we didn’t have a lot, but we loved each other and cared for each other,” Logan said. “Now, we don’t believe in looking out for our neighbors. The proliferation of guns, the manufacturers and the lobbyists behind them have to go.”
Logan said gun-related murders happen daily, yet we wait for massacres to unite and demand change. She also said the regulation of guns on the market needs to be tighter so tracking lost or ‘re-sold’ guns is traceable.
“Young people can buy guns at 18 when their brains have not fully developed and can kill our children and our future,” Logan said.
The reoccurring silver lining from the massacre survivor stories was localized solutions.
A month following the Parkland Massacre, the Republican-run Florida Legislature passed the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act signed into law on March 9. The act raised the minimum age for buying rifles to 21, mandatory background checks, banned bump stocks and barred some potentially violent people arrested under certain laws from possessing guns. The NRA predictably sued because of the ACT; the suit was dismissed in June 2021.
“Senate Republican obstruction of gun violence prevention legislation is killing us, and it could have killed me,” Congresswoman Cori Bush said.
“I haven’t survived gun violence once; I survived multiple times.”
“I’m going to close with the words of the late great John Lewis,” Benge said. “Speak up, speak out, get in the way, get in good trouble, necessary trouble and help redeem the soul of America.”
team of advisers who urged him to intervene.
“These are people from our community,” said Bush.
“How do we know when we show up to a doctor’s office to get treated or have a checkup … or the bus driver who is taking our kids to school … how do we know it’s not someone [who] has these beliefs?
“They [believe] Donald Trump is almighty, the king, and everything that he says is correct.”
Bush also said the hearings and facts being disclosed must energize America’s Black voters.
“This means that we need to continue to vote. We need to continue to show up … this
didn’t just happen because of a president. [Trump] had other folks, state reps and … people in other positions that made them be able to do that,” she said.
A delusional Trump
The former President declared the election as fraudulent “right out of the box on election night before there was actually any potential of looking at evidence,” former U.S. Attorney William Barr said in a taped deposition played by Committee members on Monday, June 13, the second day of public hearings.
Matt Morgan, the Trump campaign’s general counsel, pro-
vided a videotaped deposition in which he noted that “the law firms were not comfortable making arguments that (lawyer and advisor) Rudy Giuliani was making publicly” about election fraud.
One lawmaker described Giuliani as “apparently inebriated.”
Meanwhile, Trump’s former campaign manager Bill Stepien, said his boss disagreed with those who suggested it was too early to call the election.
Following Joe Biden’s election win, Trump publicly declared himself the victor, and the Big Lie began. He told supporters at the White House, including Barr,
that a big vote dump had occurred in Detroit.
“I said, ‘Did anyone point out to you – did all the people complaining about it point out to you, you actually did better in Detroit than you did last time?” Barr stated. The former attorney general declared, “there’s no indication of fraud in Detroit.”
Barr also put the kibosh on Trump’s claim of election fraud in Philadelphia.
“The President has repeatedly suggested there was some kind of outpouring of unexpected votes in inner-city areas like Philadelphia. That was absolute rubbish,” Barr stated. NNPA Newswire contributed to this report
Ameren Missouri makes AC donations as temperatures soar
Part of ‘Save Our Seniors’ project
St. Louis American staff
St. Louis faced scorching temperatures and high humidity as the official first day of summer nears.
Fortunately, Ameren Missouri has donated $200,000 to Cooldownstlouis.org and Cooldownmissouri.org to support the vulnerable customers in St. Louis and eastern Missouri.
The company also donated 850 new window air conditioners and 750 four-packs of energy-efficient LED lightbulbs. On average, the energy-efficient air conditioners cost less than a dollar a day to operate, allowing customers to stay cool and safe.
“As temperatures rise, Ameren Missouri and Cooldownstlouis.org do important work to protect our region’s most vulnerable,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones, honorary chair of Cooldownstlouis.org.
“From the Save Our Seniors project to providing utility grants to make sure residents can keep their air on, this unique partnership helps St. Louisans beat the heat while saving lives.”
This year’s air conditioner donation marks the 22nd anniversary of Cooldownstlouis.org and Cooldownmissouri.org’s
“Save our Seniors” (S.O.S) Cooling Summer Project. It is Ameren Missouri’s 17th year of participation in the pro-
gram. Ameren Missouri has helped deliver more than 9,000 window air conditioner units to qualified seniors and people with disabilities across the region.
“The Urban League is a proud partner with Michael P. McMillan, president and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, said Cooldownstlouis.org and Ameren Missouri “continue to be crucial lifelines in our effort each summer to make sure neighbors struggling to choose between air conditioning during a heat wave, and putting lots of dollars in the gas tank and food on the table.”
“It really does take a village to ensure the health and safety during these hot, dangerous summer days for our region’s most vulnerable.”
St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson, representing the Fire Chiefs Association of Greater St. Louis, encouraged people to physically check on loved ones, and “make sure the A/Cs are functioning properly and the utility bills have been paid.”
“We in the first-responder fire community know that Cooldownstlouis.org has a long history of saving lives. These 850 donated Ameren Missouri energy-efficient air-conditioners represent another life-saving resource for our most vulnerable.”
Temperatures reached triple
Ameren Missouri workers and voluteers load trucks with free air
residents that don’t have a cool place to beat the heat. The event took place
Tues. June 14, 2022.
digits June 13-15, which means St. Louis could be instore for a torrid summer.
“We know that St. Louis experiences three days of tripledigit temperatures each summer on average – and plenty more days in the high 90s,” said Mark Birk, chairman and president of Ameren Missouri.
“Our partnership with Cooldownstlouis.org and Cooldownmissouri.org will help protect the most vulnerable in our area when the weather inevitably becomes dangerously hot.”
Other Ameren Missouri resources are available for seniors and those with medical concerns. Customers and
their families are encouraged to visit AmerenMissouri. com/HealthAndSafety for information on:
Medical Equipment Registry – Allows customers to register electrically operated life-sustaining medical equipment so Ameren Missouri can notify them about planned maintenance outages.
The Caring Contact Program – Eligible customers may designate a person or agency for Ameren Missouri to contact prior to disconnection for nonpayment. Caring Contact helps protect the health and safety of older adults and people with disabilities who may need additional
support in handling potential disconnection of service.
Keeping Cool Program – Helps make summer energy bills more affordable for seniors, people with disabilities, the chronically ill, or households with young children. It includes up to five monthly electric bill credits in the summer months to keep customers cool and safe.
Low-Income Weatherization
Assistance – Income-eligible homeowners and renters can request weatherization improvements to their homes through local agencies. The improvements include caulking, water heater jackets, weather stripping and insulation.
Cooldownstlouis.org and Cooldownmissouri.org will also be distributing 200,000 cooling cards with helpful summer tips along with Ameren Missouri’s contact information to connect customers to available resources.
Older adults and people with disabilities as well as low- to moderate-income families are encouraged to apply for energy assistance funds by visiting Cooldownstlouis. org and Cooldownmissouri. org websites or by calling 314.241.0001 or 314.834.0034, which are their hotlines for seniors and people with disabilities only.
Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American
conditioners donated by Cool Down St. Louis for
at the company’s downtown location
Regional Arts Commission awards $1
programs
After a hiatus of almost two years because of COVID-19, The Regional Arts Commission is again supporting local artists and organizations in a big way. From left, Myah Singh, Jess Dugan, Vanessa Cooksey, Sheila Suderwalla, Tino Ochoa, and John Russell.
Artists First hosts ceremony
St. Louis American staff
For the first time in nearly two years, the Regional Arts Commission (RAC) of St. Louis has awarded more than $1.15 million in new grant funding for local artists and arts programming across the region.
More than 90 arts programs and 85 individual artists will receive direct financial support in 2022.
The announcement was made June 15 at Artists First in Maplewood, a nonprofit, inclusive art studio that empowers artists of all abilities. The organization received a $13,500 Program Support Grant this year from RAC.
“The Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis has led the way in the survival and promotion of the arts in St. Louis,” said Sheila Suderwalla, Artists First executive director.
“Artists First is grateful not only to be a partner with RAC but also for their support in championing artists of all abilities.”
“This is a big accomplishment for RAC,” said Vanessa Cooksey, RAC president and CEO.
“It demonstrates the highlevel of teamwork between our Board of Commissioners and staff as we worked together to ensure excellent stewardship of public dollars and public trust. We made significant administrative and operational sacrifices over the last two years to guarantee grants and programs benefiting St. Louis’ arts organizations and artists were funded at the highest possible level within our means.”
Nearly all RAC’s funding comes from the hotel/motel tax earned in St. Louis City and County. Since April of 2020, RAC lost more than 60% of its revenue. Due to the drastic loss, all but one of its programs were cancelled and its General Operating Support grant payments
were cut by 75%. According to the American for the Arts’ Arts and Economic Prosperity Report, the St. Louis arts and culture sector brings in nearly $600 million in economic activity every year and provides more than 19,000 full-time jobs.
“Sometimes we forget that St. Louis is an arts town,” Cooksey added.
“We have 400+ arts and culture nonprofits, dozens of forprofit entertainment venues and 15,000 working artists driving our region’s creative economy. The sector brings more than 12 million people to St. Louis every year–which is more than all professional and collegiate sports combined.”
One of those working artists is Jess Dugan. Through their photography, videography and writing, Dugan explores issues of identity. Their work has been widely exhibited and is in the permanent collections of over 40 museums throughout the United States.
“Support from the Regional Arts Commission has played a significant and pivotal role in my career,” said Dugan.
“In 2016, a grant from RAC allowed me to take the leap to working full-time as an artist, which I continue to do. Over the past several years, I have received numerous Artist Support Grants, allowing me to purchase essential studio equipment, produce traveling exhibitions, and so much more.
I am incredibly grateful to RAC for all the support they provide to artists working in St. Louis.”
“Grantmaking is the cornerstone of RAC’s work,” said Cheryl D.S. Walker, RAC Commission Chair.
“In alignment with our current Strategic Plan, we took several steps to ensure this year’s process was more efficient and effective for our grantees. RAC shortened applications to make the process
easier and did not require matching funds, which made our grant opportunities more accessible. We also surveyed applicants to collect feedback on how to improve the application process for next year and beyond.”
“These changes are the first of many,” said Cooksey.
“We are strengthening our organizational infrastructure and prioritizing equity, diversity, and inclusion in response to the continued impacts of COVID-19 on the arts and culture sector
A full list of grant recipients can be found at https://www. racstl.org/grants
Join AARP St. Louis, St. Clair County Transit District, and Citizens for Modern Transit to celebrate the Belleville Transit Center Transformation on Saturday June 25, 2022. Ribbon cutting will take place at 12:30 p.m. Enjoy live music, food trucks, and more during Passport to Music on Metro, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. Belleville Transit Center is located at 800 Scheel Street, Belleville, IL. Learn more at aarp.org/stlouis
Join us for Belleville Transit Center Transformation: Saturday June 25, 2022 Belleville Transit Center 800 Scheel Street, Belleville, IL For more information visit aarp.org/stlouis
Photo courtesy of The RAC
No more ‘no knock’ warrants; Green goes for aldermanic president seat
Mayor Tishaura O. Jones has heard and responded to the demands from victims, families, and the community: the use of “no-knock” warrants is banned in the City of St. Louis.
The mayor’s executive order prohibits St. Louis Metropolitan Police officers from entering a residence without first giving warning or announcing themselves as law enforcement. No-knock warrants have been in the national spotlight since March 2020, when 26-year old Breonna Taylor was shot and killed by Louisville police, who had entered the wrong apartment. In 2017, SLMPD officers shot and killed 63-year old veteran Don Clark while serving a no-knock warrant based on falsified information provided by a police officer.
Clark’s family has been vocal about banning no-knock warrants in St. Louis, and Don Clark Jr. was present with Mayor Jones at Tuesday’s signing. Other family members whose loved ones were killing during no-knock raids surrounded the mayor as she signed the ban.
“It’s a really good first step and shows the mayor is understanding our concerns and hearing our cries,” Don Clark Jr. said. “Hopefully after today, no one else has to experience what my family has been through.”
The executive order also provides further restrictions on the use of flash-bangs and other “diversionary devices,” and requires that “the majority of officers” who enter a residence under a warrant wear activated body cams.
“Public safety and policing must be responsive to the needs and concerns of the community,” said Mayor Jones in a statement. “This is an important step for our city and in line with action taken by municipalities across the country.”
•
Alderwoman Megan-Ellyia
Green (Ward 15) is the first candidate to declare her run for the now-vacant position of President of the Board of Aldermen. Green filed her candidacy paperwork with the Missouri Ethics Commission over the weekend and formally announced her intent to fill the role held for 15 years by the now-resigned and -indicted former aldermanic president, Lewis Reed At this point, other potential aldermanic challengers may include former and defeated mayoral candidate Cara Spencer (Ward 20), the unremarkable Jack Coatar (Ward 7), and police surveillance enthusiast Tom Oldenburg (Ward 16). So far, only Green has filed to run for board president; the deadline to file with the City Board of Elections has yet-to-be-announced but is expected to be later this summer. Board Vice President Joe Vollmer (Ward 10) has been acting as board president since Reed’s resignation and has stated that he would not run for the position in November. Coatar and Oldenburg both rely upon the Kelley Group to manage their campaigns and social media accounts, so both aldermen considering a run could potentially create a conflict for the Kelley political machine. Founder Michael Kelley most recently is known for his working on campaigns for disgraced former county executive Steve Stenger, former St. Louis mayor Lyda Krewson, and Reed. Kelley was paid unknown, and likely obscene, sums of money to lobby for the failed airport privatization project and Rex Sinquefeld’s ill-considered proposed city/county merger plan, Better Together. There would be somewhat
of a poetic justice if Green is successful in her bid to replace Reed as board president - who could forget Reed’s gross, sexist attacks toward Green during his January 2016 appearance on the radio show of the late open-andnotorious racist Bob Romanik. During the segment, Reed is heard chuckling as the ex-police chief/convicted felon Romanik hurls insult after misogynist insult toward Green. Reed publicly apologized to Green and released a statement a few days later, calling Romanik’s abusive language “shock jock tactics.”
before responding to Fitch’s letter, given Fitch’s previous close relationship with now-convicted, former county executive Steve Stenger and allegations that Fitch may have made a secret deal with Stenger to receive a pension that Fitch otherwise was not qualified to receive. After Stenger was forced to resign, Page said, the deal to benefit Fitch was never completed. Page also called attention to Fitch’s history of manipulating media and public opinion as the police chief for the St. Louis County Police, where Fitch used his public office to smear former county executive Charlie Dooley
In the wake of St. Louis County’s own federal bribery indictment, County Councilpest Tim Fitch demanded that County Executive Sam Page release legal documents to Fitch, related to employment records and possible investigations for other county employees. Instead of responding to Fitch’s letter, Page instead sent a detailed letter to Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith to inform him of the former police chief’s attempted interference in a federal investigation. Page stated that he was requesting Goldsmith’s input
from the convicted white-collar criminal.
As if the connection to the Stenger investigation wasn’t enough, Page closes out his letter by drawing attention to Dueker’s relationship as advisor, counsel, and financial supporter of disgracefully resigned former aldermen Jeffrey Boyd and Reed, who are currently being prosecuted by Goldsmith’s office for white collar crimes.
In response to Dueker’s latest attempt at relevancy, Page spokesman Doug Moore simply replied, “Jane will say anything for attention. Case in point.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to comment on Fitch’s publicity stunt.
•
Speaking of discredited Boyd: he officially has announced his endorsement for his replacement in the 22nd Ward and is throwing his support behind current ward committeewoman Norma
In his letter, Page also called attention to Fitch’s close relationship with police lobbyist and current county executive candidate Jane Dueker Dueker was a key contributor to Stenger’s apologist administration, from running his political campaigns to fundraising to writing policy, and according to Page, was caught helping to falsify records and testimony that was later presented to the County Council to cover up Stenger’s misdeeds. Dueker’s participation with Stenger’s campaign and administration was well known and she’s made no attempts to distance herself
Walker. Boyd is currently facing four federal felony charges for two separate white-collar schemes. Suddenly an expert on leadership, Boyd touted Walker’s public service background, stating via text “[w]e need her leadership to keep moving the ward forward. Although I’m no longer alderman, I will always be available if you need me. I love my community.” Would this happen to be the same community from which Boyd allegedly hustled away hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax abatements - funds that would have otherwise gone to St. Louis Public Schools? Walker will face Tonya Finley-McCaw, the charismatic mother of state Rep. Rasheen Aldridge. Finley-McCaw, who ran against Boyd in 2019, was endorsed by this paper, recognized for her drive to serve her constituents and to reconnect the ward to its best interests, not those of its political representatives.
In the meantime, someone should probably let Boyd know that his future availability will depend on the outcome of his contest with the U.S. Department of Justice and the Bureau of Prisons.
Michael Kelley
Megan-Ellyia Green
Tim Fitch
“Taking Care of You”
Is COVID over?
Many Americans no longer living in fear
By Sylvester Brown Jr.
The St. Louis American
LA (LaShonda) Green has paid her dues.
She’s been in the bar business for almost 20 years working as a server, bartender, and, eventually, a manager. Finally, in March of this year, Green and her partners opened their own establishment, Stl On the Rocks Bar and Grill in Overland.
Green was a bit nervous months before the grand opening. She had a good reason. She contracted the COVID-virus in April 2020 and again in December of 2021.
“The first time, it was like a bad flu, and it
didn’t last that long,” Green recalled. “When I caught it again, I was only down for one day, but I quarantined for three weeks.”
Another cause of concern was how the virus impacted the bar industry during the past two years.
“We felt the effects immediately,” Green explained.
“Things changed overnight. The lounge where I worked shut down completely. No events, no private parties…nothing. We all depend on tips. If there [are] no customers, there are no tips. We don’t get paid and we can’t pay our bills.” Green and her co-workers hosted fund-raisers and started a social media go-fund-me page. Thanks to their loyal customers, almost $10,000 was raised to support bartenders and workers. Nine of them, Green said, received a thousand dollars each, which was a Godsend.
Not protecting our children from gun violence
By Denise Hooks-Anderson
n Active shooter drills. How crazy is that? Instead of multiplication drills, children learn skills like pretending to be dead, wiping blood on their clothes, or learning how to barricade doors.
For most of us, watching children innocently play in the park brings simple joy. Children tend to romp around with abundant energy and a carefree attitude. Their joy is often contagious and makes even the tough among us soften just a little. However, we have quickly become a country where the safety of our children cannot be guaranteed, and their innocence cannot be maintained. When our children can’t be safe at school and must learn how to handle an active shooter, we have failed as a nation. Active shooter drills. How crazy is that? Instead of multiplication drills, children learn skills like pretending to be dead, wiping blood on their clothes, or learning how to barricade doors. So, instead of wondering if our children ate their entire lunch, parents have to worry if the next school shooting will be at their child’s school and if it is their child who will not make it home for dinner. I sometimes wonder if the staunch supporters of gun rights would be so passionate about the right to bear arms if it were their child massacred while trying to walk home from school or attend a movie? For all of these children who have now witnessed mass shootings or who have been shot, what is like for them now? Let’s explore what it is like to be the victim of gun violence. Bullets pierce the skin but do not take a linear path within the body. Fragments of the bullet could be anywhere. Typically, death is not instant. Most people die from loss of blood or if they survive the first few hours, many die of infection. But what about the lifelong trauma that will follow these children who survived but saw their friends killed? That mental wound may never heal.
FDA moves to ban menthol cigarettes
Could save thousands of Black lives
By Alvin A. Reid
The St. Louis American
It is no secret that tobacco companies aggressively market menthol-flavored tobacco products to African Americans, the LGBQT community, people with low incomes, and other marginalized groups.
This contributes to targeted groups being more likely to smoke menthol cigarettes than other populations, according to a study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], and Food and Drug Administration [FDA].
“This is a big public health problem,” said Dr. Li-Shiun Chen, a Washington University associate professor of psychiatry who has researched the impact of menthol cigarettes on minority communities.
“Adding menthol into cigarettes attracts people to smoking and makes it harder for them to stop. It also increases the addiction potential.”
The FDA has started its administrative process, which it hopes to complete in a year, to ban menthol from cigarettes, cigars, and e-cigarettes. E-cigarettes [vaping] are becoming favored by teen smokers – especially Black teens.
n “Adding menthol into cigarettes attracts people to smoking and makes it harder for them to stop. It also increases the addiction potential.”
– Dr. Li-Shiun Chen, a Washington University associate professor of psychiatry
“Banning menthol in cigarettes, the last available flavor, and all flavors in cigars will help save lives, particularly among those disproportionately affected by these daily products,” Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock announced in a release.
“Together, these actions represent powerful science-based approaches that will have extraordinary public health impact. We believe these actions will launch us on a trajectory toward ending tobacco-related
Lyft driver Joseph Robnett says that most of his customers do not think the COVID-19 pandemic is over, but they are getting on with life because the number of deaths connected to the virus has dropped significantly.
Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American
Photo courtesy of the L.A. Sentinel
Denise HooksAnderson
“Taking Care of You”
AHA gets to heart of the matter on HBP
Special to The American
A healthy blood pressure is less than 120/80.
The higher a person’s blood pressure is, the more forcefully blood is pumping through the blood vessels. As the workload increases, the force and friction of high blood pressure damages the delicate tissues inside the arteries.
Over time and left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to life-threatening problems, including heart attack and stroke. People with hypertension also have an increased risk of serious complications and even death from COVID-19.
Nearly half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure, but the burden of disease is disproportionately higher in Black people, who have among the highest rates of hypertension in the world. Additionally, high
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COVID, Green explained, served as the impetus to start her own business. Although infection levels had started dropping after the arrival of vaccines in December, there were still consistent surges with a large spike during the 2021winter holidays. Green recalled her feelings of uncertainty at that time.
“I thought, ‘we’re supposed to open in a couple months, what if the world shuts down again?’ Eventually, I just put my faith in God. You just can’t live your life in fear.” Green is among many Americans who’ve decided they are no longer going to live in fear of the pandemic.
According to a Gallup poll conducted between April and May of this year, 34 percent of respondents believe the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. is over. However, 66 percent did not agree with that sentiment. Only 21 percent said their lives are back to normal with 58 percent saying it’s “somewhat normal” and 21 percent saying their lives are nowhere near normal.
Green doesn’t believe life is back to normal and she encourages her customers to wear masks and adhere to safety requirements, especially if they have elderly or sick relatives at home. But she and her partners felt the timing was right to make their move, despite the ongoing pandemic. The grand
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disease and deaths in the U.S.”
According to the FDA, the move could save the lives of 92,000 to 238,000 African Americans.
Chen said research confirms that Black Americans smoke less cigarettes than other ethnic groups yet have a higher incidence rate of contracting cancer.
“Menthol plays an important role in that. There is deeper inhalation, and addiction factors because of the menthol flavor,” she said.
African American men have the highest rates of lung cancer in America, according to the CDC.
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blood pressure develops earlier in life and is usually more severe in this community.
While lifestyle factors, such as an unhealthy, high-sodium diet, smoking and physical inactivity, increase the risk of high blood pressure, the American Heart Association (AHA) states that structural discrimination contributes to inequities in access, use and quality of health care, leading to the disproportionate burden of cardiovascular risk factors, including high blood pressure, in communities of color.
The AHA and other organizations are collaborating to enable community organizations, faith-based groups, and workplace settings to teach its members how to self-monitor and manage their blood pressure, as well as how to seek medical care.
Home monitoring a must
The American Heart Association recommends that people with high blood pressure monitor themselves regularly at home, and not wait until a visit to the doctor.
The effort is complemented by on-demand health lessons where people learn simple steps to keep their blood pressure healthy and prevent car-
diovascular disease.
The AHA is also working with outpatient clinics, including Federally Qualified Health Centers, and equipping them with the tools and resources in under-resourced communities to self-measure and manage their blood pressure.
This includes providing complimentary self-monitoring blood pressure cuffs to patients and giving clinicians access to evidence-based strategies from the Association’s Target: BP initiative, which informs the way health care teams assess and categorize levels of blood pressure, determine cardiovascular disease risk and guide hypertension management.
The lack of diverse representation in the medical field is another crucial factor that needs to be addressed. That is why the AHA established the Historically Black Colleges
opening in March, Green said, was an astounding success.
More Americans, according to the Gallup poll, are feeling more optimistic about the pandemic’s trajectory. The latest wave of optimism is higher than it was last summer prior to the arrival of the Delta variant of COVID-19. It remains to be seen how this optimism will play out in the coming summer months.
Menthol flavoring in cigarettes has been banned in seven of 10 Canadian provinces since 2015-17. A governmental study between 2016-18 concluded that “the menthol ban was significantly associated with higher rates of quit attempts and quit success among menthol smokers, compared with non-menthol smokers, and may have helped to prevent relapse among menthol smokers who had quit smoking before the ban.”
“The [tobacco industry] supports the argument that ‘if you take it away, it might get worse.’ [The study] addresses that concern. [A menthol ban] will help most people,” Chen said.
According to a 2018 National Institute of Health study, 85 percent of Black
Most municipalities, schools and businesses have dropped mask mandates. Although COVID-19 cases are on the rise, many Americans’ attitudes toward the virus have relaxed because more than 67 percent of Americans are vaccinated and Covid deaths are on the decline.
Joseph Robnett, a Lyft driver since October 2021, has seen some of these shifting attitudes
smokers preferred menthol cigarettes.
An FDA survey conducted between 2013 and 2015 showed that among Black adults who smoke, 93 percent used menthol cigarettes when they first tried smoking. Among White adults who smoke, 44 percent used menthol cigarettes when they first tried smoking.
The FDA has estimated that between 1980 and 2018, 1.5 million African Americans began smoking menthol cigarettes and 157,000 African Americans died prematurely because of menthol cigarettes. Ironically, the FDA had banned flavored cigarettes from being manufactured or sold in 2009. Menthol escaped the ban, which was approved
first-hand from his riders.
“I estimate that maybe half of my riders think it (the pandemic) is not over, but they’re done worrying about it,”
Robnett said, adding, “If people don’t see the death risks are as high as they were, they sort of take their guards down.”
The Gallup poll indicated that 50 percent of the U.S. population think their lives “will never return to what they were
by Congress, because some members of the Congressional Black Caucus did not support the menthol ban.
Former Congressman William Lacy Clay supported the ban.
Rep. Donald McEachin and some other Black Caucus members warn, “there could be unintended consequences” for not supporting the menthol ban. This would include police using the ban to arrest and/or harass Black people.
“It will disproportionately impact African Americans and lower-income communities while tobacco products commonly used by predominantly white or more affluent populations go unchecked,” McEachin said in a statement. Virginia ranks fourth in tobacco production in the
Local playwright Loretta Butler premiered her play “Guess Who’s Coming Back: You Ready?” to packed houses in 2019, then audiences dwindled as COVID19 struck. The play is back on stage and Butler says the show must go on regardless of the ongoing pandemic.
and Universities Scholars Program to increase the number of Black students who apply and are accepted into graduate science, research and public health programs. In 2019, only 7% of medical students and 6% of med school graduates in the U.S. were Black. Underrepresented medical professionals are more likely to practice in their communities where cultural sensitivity can create trust and improve outcomes.
The AHA recommends home monitoring for all people with high blood pressure, and it is important to know how to do it correctly. To learn how to monitor your BP at home and prevent and manage hypertension, go to www.heart.org/ ManageHBP.
This article was provided by the American Heart Association
first, I’d say I made about $200 a day. Now I’m making more like $300 a day.” Robnett, who has been vaccinated and boosted said he’s even let his guards down…a little.
“I’m not as cautious as I should be but I’m more cautious than most,” he admitted.
Local playwright, Loretta Butler, premiered her spiritually based play “Guess Who’s Coming Back: You Ready?” to packed houses in 2019. She had two shows in 2021 and three shows so far this year. Although her latest productions, in smaller venues, weren’t as packed as her previous shows, Butler said she didn’t notice any real negative effects from the pandemic. In fact, she hosted an open mic fundraiser in May and plans another run of her play in July. COVID, Butler said affirmatively, is a test from on high.
“God created it all. He allowed the pandemic and he’s going to allow me to do what I need to do to get what he wants from me.”
before the pandemic’’ with 29 percent believing that “normal lives will resume at some point though they differ on how long that will take.”
Robnett offers no statistical analysis but said he has noticed an uptick of people who use his services now as opposed to when he first started driving late last year.
“Maybe it was because I was just starting out but, at
U.S., according to a 2020 U.S. Drug Administration report.
The Biden administration has countered that argument by explaining the ban would go after manufacturers and people who sell, not individuals who smoke menthol cigarettes.
Keith Wailoo, author of Pushing Cool: Big Tobacco, Racial Marketing, and the untold Story of the Menthol Cigarette, told National Public Radio those that were hesitant to ban menthol feared losing campaign contributions and other support from tobacco companies and retailers.
The national NAACP supports the FDA menthol ban, saying that the tobacco industry’s aggressive targeting of the Black community continues.
Although she’s noticed people who act like the pandemic is over, Butler doesn’t include herself in that group. Still, like Green, the bar-owner, Butler refuses to allow fear to dictate her life.
“It’s all about your fear tolerance,” she explained. “I believe you have to face your fears and overcome them. If you don’t, well, you’ll remain stuck.”
Sylvester Brown Jr. is The St. Louis American’s inaugural Deaconess Fellow.
Derrick Johnson, NAACP president called the ban a “win for justice.”
“These products have killed our children, our parents, our brothers, sisters, and livelihoods. After fighting against deadly menthol products for decades, today is a victory for Black America,” said in a statement.
“This pattern continues today with expanded marketing strategies like supporting and providing scholarship funding for events, supporting various Black leaders with financial support, discounting menthol products in Black neighborhoods, and abundant advertising in stores frequented by Black communities,” the NAACP said in a statement.
The organization said that it received tobacco industry financial support until 2002.
part, for us to go out and hunt for our food, why do we need all of these guns? Why does any
average citizen who is not part of the military, need a semi-automatic weapon? Shame on us America! Our children deserve better! Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D., FAAFP
Photo courtesy of Center For Total Health
Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American
Alyce Herndon’s
Onyx Print Center a gem of Ferguson
‘Put
action behind your vision’
Owner Alyce Herndon’s Onyx Business & Print Center in downtown Ferguson offers business cards, banners, newsletters, brochures, and other services.
By Ashley Winters
The St. Louis American
Alyce Herndon says she never thought that Onyx Business & Print Center would become a reality.
It was just a vision, but her hard work paid off when the business was established last year. Its first anniversary is nearing, and Herndon says it is just getting started.
The business, located at 611 S. Florissant Rd. in downtown Ferguson, offers business cards, banners, newsletters, brochures, and other services.
Herndon says her print shop does more than produce business cards and other print jobs. It is
n Alyce Herndon says her print shop does more than produce business cards and other print jobs. It is a place of gathering for the St. Louis community where she can inspire and help Black entrepreneurs on their journey.
a place of gathering for the St. Louis community where she can inspire and help Black entrepreneurs on their journey.
“Here I am just a lil’ brown girl trying to
make sure that I champion for other Black and brown women of color,” said Herndon.
A graduate of the Jennings School District Herndon joined the U.S. Army after high school and served eight years. Upon returning home, she continued her education and earned an undergraduate degree in Psychology, with an emphasis on Women Studies and Religion, from Webster University
She later obtained two master’s degrees: A degree in Management and Leadership and a Non-Profit and Management degree, both from Webster University. Still not satisfied, Herndon received her doctorate in Business from Walden
See ONYX, B2
The region’s potential is in its own backyard
Chris Krehmeyer
If a rebirth of St. Louis is to come, it will primarily come from people and communities that have historically been overlooked. It will come from places including Pagedale, Wellston, Hyde Park, College Hill, Ferguson, Jennings, surrounding areas and in between. It will come because enough people finally understand that the St. Louis region cannot reach its potential until more St. Louisans reach theirs. Our region has overlooked the potential of so many St. Louisans and communities in its own backyard. For this shortsightedness, St. Louis has paid a heavy price. It has cost us all in generations of lost productivity and potential from marginalized lives and lives cut prematurely short.
It has cost us with a continual exodus of talented people who felt they had to move to other cities more welcoming, with more opportunities. It has cost our region in every imaginable
n Our greatest potential lies in our own backyard, and it has yet to be tapped into. This must change. If it doesn’t, no number of new buildings and amenities will overcome this deficit.
way — socially, economically, our pride and reputation. What encourages me is, at long last, more people from various parts of the region are seeing the light. This was not the case in 2008 when residents and community leaders in the Normandy Schools footprint came together to make a change. People are tired of seeing their community decline. Together, we created a plan based on what community members believed was most needed. During the last 14 years, a lot has been accomplished. But there is still a long, long way to go. Since that time, St. Louis has made signif-
icant investments in the region. There has been nearly a billion dollars in investment and development in the central corridor alone. This is wonderful and greatly needed. However, we have yet to invest in the people and communities that have historically been left behind.
Our greatest potential lies in our own backyard, and it has yet to be tapped into. This must change. If it doesn’t, no number of new buildings and amenities will overcome this deficit.
This is the message of Once and for All, a Beyond Housing campaign. Its mission is to transform under-resourced, Black communities within our region to create a stronger, more equitable and prosperous St. Louis - once and for all.
But to do so, more St. Louisans must understand the collective fates are intertwined, and that transforming our under-resourced communities is not just the right thing to. It’s vital for our collective future.
I’m encouraged by the increased discussion on how to finally solve our region’s challenges. There seems to be a greater collective desire among businesses, civic organizations, nonprofits,
PeoPle on the Move
Robert Loyd has joined Kwame Building Group as human resources manager. He is responsible for recruitment, onboarding and training employees, benefits and payroll administration, government reporting and compliance, leadership and organizational change, performance management and employee relations. Loyd holds a master’s degree in business administration from Fontbonne University and a bachelor’s degree in business management from National Louis University.
Davis named VP of economic development
Clayco recently welcomed Milton Davis, PE as vice president of economic development. Davis has over 35 years of experience in business development; operations, project and construction management; and engineering design in support of capital project execution. He holds a MBA and BS in chemical engineering from the University of Alabama (UA) where he is a Distinguished Engineering Fellow. Davis serves on the Board of Trustees for the Alabama Community College System and UA’s Engineering Leadership Board. Loyd named HR manager at Kwame
Hare named to board of Operation Food Search
Operation Food Search (OFS), a non-profit hunger relief organization, announced that Sherrie Michelle Hare, an advocate for the unhoused and low-income families, has joined their Board of Directors. Hare is the executive director of the Soupn-Share Outreach Program (SNSOP), a local nonprofit with several key programs, including a diaper bank that serves low-income families, WIC, and the Riverbend Head Start programs in Madison County. During her 13 years with SNSOP, she has added a training center that teaches life skills, financial literacy, interviewing, resume writing, and computer basics for seniors.
Scales-Ferguson named director of DEIB
Chaifetz School of Business recently appointed Chalana Scales-Ferguson as its inaugural director of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. In the role, ScalesFerguson will execute intentional and meaningful DEIB events and programming for internal and external stakeholders that focus on well-being, resiliency, professionalism and personal and social development. She will provide training and marshal resources to develop content that creates a sense of belonging inside and outside of the classroom.
Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American
Robert Loyd
Milton Davis
Sherrie Michelle Hare
Chalana ScalesFerguson
Onyx
Continued from B1
University in December 2021. Her professional path led her to The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, Inc. Women’s Business Center, formerly the Grace Hill Women’s Business Center. For seven years Herndon served as the Center Director providing business training and counseling to future business owners in the St. Louis region.
She was awarded the Melton M. Lewis Equal Justice Award and the 100 St. Louisans To Know Award in 2018.
Herndon’s experience in corporate spaces pushed her to be an advocate for women of color business owners. She believes they are not invited to the table; they don’t have a champion and lack representation.
She said she used her position in the corporate world, “to inform and share with other women of color how to put action behind their vision.”
Herndon then had an ‘a-ha’ moment. She realized that everything she was teaching, she could also be doing. In 2016, Herndon started her
Region
Continued from B1 local governments, and the region’s people to see change. The business community is particularly concerned with
own nonprofit, Onyx Business Solutions. She facilitated workshops that focused on teaching entrepreneurs how to market, manage, and build their business.
“I know what failure looks like. I just want to tell people what success looks like,” she said.
In the thick of the pandemic in 2020, Herndon was writing obituaries for families who lost a loved one to COVID-19. She partnered with local companies to print the obituaries and an employee suggested that she go into business for herself and open her own print shop.
Ironically, later that day Herndon got word that a local family-owned print shop in Ferguson was closing. She said she “took a giant leap of faith,” visited the location and spoke with the owner of the building. By the end of the conversation, Herndon had made a deal with the owner and sealed it with a handshake.
“That’s the power of women in negotiations,” said Herndon.
“Don’t be afraid to tell people your dream, you never know the power they have that can help that dream come true.”
Herndon relishes the oppor-
the fate of our region, as the success of St. Louis directly impacts its success.
In other cities across the nation, the St. Louis business community realizes that greater equity is a key for its own success, as well as the greater community.
tunity to assist other business owners, saying that it’s fun for her to mentor and provide materials to help take someone else’s business to the next level.
“I hope people see the passion that I have just by interacting with me and the experience and knowledge that I’m willing to share,” said Herndon.
The print shop is just more than a business, says Herndon.
“It’s a place for growth, learning, and shared community values,” she said. Guests are welcomed into the print shop by a cozy section of vibrant house plants, a round wooden table and comfortable chairs. It’s a vibe that feels like “I’m here for you.”
Herndon said her business will remain a gathering space where she can facilitate workshops and print material for the community.
She is acquiring Women’s Business Enterprise certification along with Minority Business Enterprise certification and her Women Owned Small Business certification too.
After all, she says she still has work to do.
People must realize that creating a more equitable workforce is removing obstacles within our under-resourced communities that make it more difficult for Black people to even get a foot into the door — even if that door is now open. At a time when St. Louis businesses are having difficulty attracting talent from outside the region, it should be obvious the need to develop our workforce from within.
We believe we have the answer for the challenges of our communities and the greater region. It is based on the latest thinking on how to create real change and from our personal experience in making that happen.
A rebirth of St. Louis is more possible now than ever in its recent past. But the only way it will happen is through our under-resourced communities. We only progress so far while continuing to leave so many of us behind. To learn more, visit onceandforall.org
Chris Krehmeyer is president and CEO of Beyond Housing, a community development organization
Onyx Printing owner Dr. Alyce Herndon at her Ferguson location Thursday, June 9.
Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American
n “It definitely lacks a lot of culture.”
Sports
InSIdE SportS
By Earl Austin Jr.
St. Louisans do nifty job at NCAA Outdoor Track Championships
St. Louis area athletes put their best foot forward at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon last weekend.
Sophomore middle distance standout Brandon Miller of Texas A&M finished in third place in the 800-meter run. The former John Burroughs star recorded his best time of the season with a 1 minute 45.09 second performance. It earned him a second consecutive top three finish at the Nationals. Miller finished second last year. He earned a second All-American medal by running a leg on the Aggies’ 4x400-meter relay that finished in fifth place. Miller turned in a split of 45.05 seconds on the third leg. Miller’s performance in Oregon capped another outstanding season. He was the national champion in the 800 meters at the NCAA Indoor National Championships and a repeat champion at the Southeastern Conference meet as well. He is also the two-time indoor SEC champion in the 800.
Former McCluer North standout Lance Lang of the University of Kentucky earned an All-American medal as a member of the Wildcats’ 4x400-meter relay team. Lang helped the Wildcats to a sixth-place finish in the finals, helped set a new school record in the process. The Wildcats also finished second in the 4x400 at the recent SEC Outdoor Championships. Lang is among Kentucky’s top sprinters, earning All-American status in multiple events during his career. He was an Indoor All-American in the 60-meter dash in 2020, the 200-meter dash in 2021 and 2022, and the 4x400 in 2020-22.
Former Belleville West star LaQwasia Stepney of Nebraska earned Second Team All-American status in the women’s long jump in her first appearance at the NCAA Championships. She finished in 13th place in the finals. Stepney also finished second in the long jump at the Big Ten Championships in Minnesota, which was an improvement over her 18th place finish last season as a freshman. Stepney was a former Illinois state champion in the long jump and hurdles during her career at Belleville West.
Former Nerinx Hall sprinter Courtney Williams of Clemson earned a Second Team
All-American medal as a member of the Tigers’ 4x400-meter relay team that finished in 16th place. Williams ran the anchor leg to earn her first All-American medal. She also helped Clemson to a second-place finish at the Atlantic Coast Conference championships in the 4x400. She also finished in sixth place in the open 400 at the ACC meet.
Former Hillsboro High multi-event talent
Isaiah Martin of Purdue finished in ninth place in the decathlon to earn Second Team AllAmerican status for the second consecutive season. Martin scored 7,708 points, which was a career best. He has earned All-American honors for the fifth time in his career at Purdue.
Former Brentwood High field star of the
University of Missouri finished ninth in the women’s javelin to secure Second Team AllAmerican honors. Sophie Rivera had a seasonal best throw of 176 feet 9 inches on her final throw of the competition to secure her spot on the All-American team.
Another pair of area sprinters who competed at the NCAA meet were Justin Robinson of Arizona State and Madison Fuller of Vanderbilt. Robinson, a former Hazelwood West star, qualified in the 400-meter dash and earned Honorable Mention All-American honors. Fuller is a former John Burroughs standout who earned Honorable Mention All-American honors as a member of Vanderbilt›s 4x400-meter relay.
SportS EyE
With Alvin A. Reid
Courtney Ramey is headed to Arizona On the men’s college basketball front, former Webster Groves standout Courtney Ramey will play his final year of collegiate ball at Arizona as a graduate transfer. Ramey enjoyed an excellent four-year run with Texas, where he was one of the top defensive players in the Big XII Conference. In four seasons at Texas, he averaged 10 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists in addition to his defensive prowess. He finished with 1,275 points, 445 rebounds and 358 assists. As a high school star at Webster Groves, Ramey led the Statesmen to backto-back Class 5 state championships in 2017 and 2018.
Black players can take command, get Del Rio dumped
Jack Del Rio, Washington Commanders defensive coordinator, shared via Twitter in 2020 that he is a supporter of former President Donald Trump. He’s all in with Trump’s twisted view of what America stands for. That is his business - until it impacts his relationship with his employer, fellow employees, and the National Football League.
Del Rio raged on Twitter on Wednesday, June 8, 2022, challenging the need for the Congressional hearings on the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. He called the murderous attempt to overthrow the smooth transition of the presidency “a dust-up.”
Rivera announced Del Rio had been fined $100,000. Del Rio apologized a second time.
Alvin A. Reid
“Coach Del Rio did apologize for his comments on Wednesday, and he understands the distinction between the events of that dark day and peaceful protests, which are a hallmark of our democracy. He does have the right to voice his opinion as a citizen of the United States and it most certainly is his constitutional right to do so. However, words have consequences and his words hurt a lot of people in our community,” Rivera told reporters. His comments were aimed directly at the Black community. So, every Black player on the Commanders is enraged, right?
He wondered why there was no investigation of the few cases of violence and looting in the wake of the George Floyd murder by a former Minneapolis police officer and ignored hundreds of peaceful demonstrations.
By Wednesday afternoon, Del Rio uttered a half-hearted apology. Then, head coach Ron
Chase Young, a third-year All-Pro defensive end, said at mini-camp last week “He’s my guy,” in reference to Del Rio. Young’s fellow defensive line star Jonathan Allen told NBC Sports Washington, “I don’t care about Del Rio’s opinion as long as he shows up every day and works hard. That’s what I want from my
defensive coordinator.”
I ask both Young and Allen, “Is this this what you want for your people?”
In 2016, during Colin Kaepernick’s peaceful protests of police brutality which included sitting through the
this to say: “Save those individual decisions to express yourself on an individual forum.” NAACP President Derrick Johnson told Pro Football
Talk, “You can’t coach a majority Black team while turning your back on the Black community. It’s time for you to pack up and step off the field.”
If you have a team full of Black players who are as clueless as Young and Allen, I guess you can keep coaching them.
Johnson continued, saying “it’s time for Jack Del Rio to resign or be terminated.”
“Downplaying the insurrection by comparing it to nationwide protests, which were in response to a public lynching, is twisted.”
Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed said. “Today, I’m sick and tired!”
“A dust-up! 100,000 [dollars] is not enough, money ain’t nothing to a person who is recycled through coaching.
Man if [you’re] coached by him put your pants on! Its simple right and wrong. Wrong.”
That statement was obviously directed at Young, Allen, and other Black players on the Commanders.
How Del Rio still has a job is beyond me. If he is canned, he will sue and end up with a big settlement check. But that is the price to be paid for having this clown on the payroll in the first place.
The Reid Roundup New Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill had this to say when asked to compare Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes to Tua Tagovailoa: “Obviously, like I’m gonna go with [Mahomes] as the strongest arm but as far as accuracy-wise, I’m going with Tua all day.”…Tiger Woods has joined Michael Jordan and LeBron James on the $1 billion athletes list, according to FORBES. Woods earned a gross total of over $1.7 billion before taxes and agents’ fees in his 27-year-long career from golf, endorsements and other deals…Noted hockey analyst Adam Gretz had this to say with New York Rangers defenseman and player of color K’Andre Miller: “[He] looked fantastic at times in the playoffs and looks like he could be on the verge of a true breakout season next year.”…When asked about sports wagering, Charles Barkley told Yahoo Sports, “There’s too much of it. This is the same Barkley who likes to gamble and is a spokesperson for the wagering powerhouse Fan Duel.
national anthem, the then Oakland Raiders head coach Del Rio had
Earl Austin Jr.
Texas A&M distance runner Brandon Miller, who starred at John Burroughs, finished third in the 800-meter run at the 2022 the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
– White Sox shortstop
Tim Anderson on the lack of Black players on MLB rosters
Chase Young apparently has no problem with Jack Del Rio.
Photo courtesy of Washington Commanders
Photo courtesy of Texas A&M
Northside-Southside MetroLink expansion study approved
The Bi-State Development Board of Commissioners has approved an Intergovernmental Agreement with St. Louis and St. Louis County regarding an expanded Northside-Southside MetroLink Corridor Study.
Phase 1 of the alignment centers on Jefferson Avenue, and the route would stay on Jefferson Avenue, starting at Chippewa and run north to the National Geospatial Agency.
The study will expand the Northside-Southside Corridor Technological Alternatives Analysis and build upon previous research to formalize a more complete assessment of areas in St. Louis County for, according to Taulby Roach, CEO of transit agency Bi-State Development.
Roach said might ask the East-West Gateway Council of Governments to endorse it as St. Louis’ locally preferred alternative at its August or September meeting.
St. Louis County will fund the study while jointly managing it with St. Louis and Bi-State Development.
In November 2021, Mayor Tishaura Jones, who supports a Northside-Southside route, said. “This is the time for us to continue forward on that project.”
Rosalynn Bryant joins Ranken Tech as Chief People Officer
Ranken Technical College has hired Rosalynn Bryant as its Chief People Officer. Bryant will lead Ranken’s human resources and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, and brings 20 years of related experience, including her most recent role as Human Resources and Strategic
Effectiveness vice dean at the Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College.
“I admire the work we are doing to prepare students for the workforce. I feel welcome at Ranken, and my desire is for employees and students to feel a strong sense of belonging and inclusion at Ranken,”
she said.
“Educating our future workforce is a passion of mine, and one that Ranken shares as well. That’s one of the reasons I decided to accept this role at Ranken. Their mission of educating and train-
ing students to prepare them for employment and advancement truly aligns with my personal philosophy that education is a path to career success.”
Before arriving at Ranken, she worked with health care
organizations including BJC Healthcare and SSM and in academia at Saint Louis University. Earlier in her career, she held HR manager roles at People’s Health Center and Kwame Building Group. Bryant holds a master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Webster
University in St. Louis, and a Bachelor’s in Organizational Studies, with a Minor in Communications, from Saint Louis University. She is also a Fellows graduate of the St. Louis Business Diversity Initiatives Leadership Program.
SLATE seeks applications for Summer Youth Employment Program
The St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE) has opened applications for its Summer Youth Employment Program. Funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the program offers St. Louis youth ages 14-24 years old the opportunity for an 8-week paid work
experience throughout various departments with the City of St. Louis. Young adults will also participate in workshops that will prove to be beneficial to their academic, personal, and professional development and success while earning up to $15/hour.
“SLATE is ready to do our part to help keep our youth safe and productive this summer,” said SLATE Executive Director Fredrecka McGlown, “Many St. Louis residents have entered the workforce with support from SLATE, and we are
eager to continue the tradition while educating residents on the various phenomenal programs our agency offers.”
Applicants must be 14-24 years old, be a resident of the City of St. Louis, as
well as reside in a qualified census tract OR in a household whose total income is at or under $69,090. Interested applicants can complete the online pre-registration form at tinyurl.com/SYEP-STL and will receive a call from SLATE within 48 - 72 business hours of receipt regarding required
eligibility documentation and next steps. For more information on how St. Louisans can become a participant in the program or a worksite to host youth for work experience, please visit SLATE at tinyurl. com/SYEP-STL or call at 314589-8000.
Fredrecka McGlown
Rosalynn Bryant
Living It
Don’t knock the ‘Hustle’
New Adam Sandler film premiers on Netflix, in theaters
By Dwight Brown NNPA News Wire Film Critic
When comic actor Adam Sandler took on the challenging role of a diamond dealer in the gritty riveting film Uncut Gems, he crossed a chasm. It was as if he’d put his past behind him and was determined to become a multifaceted actor. Hustle proves that point. Sandler doesn’t overdo the basketball scout character of Stanley Sugarmen. He lives it. Sugarmen is the attentive and skilled employee of the Philadelphia 76ers. He travels worldwide looking for exceptional talent. Finding that “missing piece” is almost an allusive endeavor, yet he continues. His plucky efforts are well-respected by the franchise’s owner Rex (Robert Duvall): “You never took anybody’s s--t.” But not by the boss’s conniving son Vince (Ben Foster). When Stanley finally finds an uncut gem of a player in Spain, a streetballer named Bo Cruz (NBA player Juancho Hernangómez), he thinks his career is on an upswing. But Vince has every intention of sabotaging Stan’s protégée. Will Stan ever catch a break?
For basketball fans, this LeBron James-produced sports drama/comedy is paradise. Icons like Shaq, and Dr. J make cameos. Dunks, three-pointers, trash talking and other mainstays of the game are in play. Still the heart of the film is Stanley’s journey from company man to outcast, to mentor and hopefully savior. It’s a transition that is well developed and documented by Will Fetters (A Star Is Born) and Taylor Materne’s thoughtful, humorous and heartwarming script. Sugarman’s personal and professional lives are well established. His family is a bedrock (Queen Latifah plays his wife Teresa and Jordan Hull his daughter Alex). His colleagues superficial (Jaleel
Local mainstay
The Muny’s 104th season opens curtain with ‘Chicago’
By Danielle Brown The St. Louis American
The nation’s oldest and largest theatrical venue returns for its 104th season with seven outstanding shows and enough to meet everyone’s tastes.
“We always try to put together a mix that speaks to everyone,” Kwofe Coleman, Muny president and CEO, said. “We incorporate something for the family and kids. Work that strikes a classical chord, something contemporary, comedy, and drama.”
This year’s season features “Chicago,” “Camelot,” “Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins,” “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” “Legally Blonde the Musical,” “The Color Purple,” and “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” Chicago premiered June 13 and runs through (June 19). Written by late Chicago Tribune reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins, the production narrates the story of rivals Roxie and Velma, two murderers jailed for heinous crimes who form an unlikely alliance all in the name of show business. Last year, the production took a pause due to COVID but has since redeemed itself after a
White as Blake, VP Player Personnel). His friends support him (Kenny Smith as Leon a sports agent and old buddy).
The challenges he faces from past mistakes and the mixture of respect and derision he confronts charts his course. It’s no wonder he’s willing to shepherd an imperfect but talented basketball
player. They both are haunted and hounded by previous human errors—bad reputations only success can put to rest. Even over the roughest patches, the fatherly scout stays hyped about his new charge: “This guy is as if Scottie Pippen and a wolf had a baby, Lisa Leslie raised him, and Alan Iverson was the babysitter.”
challenging halt.
“I am so grateful that every principal artist is returning,” said Mike Isaacson, Muny artistic director, and executive producer. “Their commitment to this extraordinary production and The Muny audience is humbling. I can’t wait to see them and Chicago again.”
J. Harrison Ghee, who stars as Velma, describes his character as a consummate performer
embossed in a creative world while battling the pride she holds from the bloody murder she committed.
“It’s been great returning to the show as we’re calling it a renaissance production,” Harrison Ghee said. “It’s been wonderful working with familiar faces and teaching new faces about the
The odd man out persona weighs on Sandler’s shoulders, but he is more than up to the task. His emotions either float close to the surface or erupt. His humor is twisted and funny when it needs to
Hustle, C8
Photo Courtesy of The Muny
Photo courtesy of Netflix
Queen Latifah and Adam Sandler in a scene from the new film “Hustle,” now showing in theaters and streaming on Netflix.
See Juneteenth, C8
Written by late Chicago Tribune reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins, the production narrates the story of rivals Roxie and Velma, two jailed murderers who form an unlikely alliance in the name of show business. Last year, the production took a pause due to COVID-19 and is now back on stage.
Are You Summer REady?
Are you summer ready? COVID-19 is not done with us yet! Don't let COVID ruin your summer Get educated, get vaccinated, and be sure to get your boosters if you are eligible Watch for our Community Health Navigators on your block and get the info you need to be safe No insurance? No worries! The Urban League has partnered with People's Health Centers and Visionary Vaccines to provide free vaccinations Our health navigators will hook you up and even help you get to your appointment It's your summer, enjoy it!
Meet us Every Wednesday 11 A.M. to 3 P.M. on the block at Northwest High School!
Urban League Community Health Navigators Are In Your Neighborhood Music! Food! Resources! Games! Prizes ! Vaccines and More!
Stop by one of our pop up vaccination clinics sponsored by the City of St. Louis' Division of Recreation. Pediatric vaccinations available, too!
Wednesday, June 22nd
Wohl Recreation Center 1515 N Kingshighway Blvd STL 63113
Wednesday, June 29th
Gamble Recreation Center 2907 Gamble Street STL 63106
Wednesday, June 29th
Cherokee Recreation Center 3200 S Jefferson Blvd STL 63118
Be a Tourist in Your Own Town
Activities and opportunities to gather for Juneteenth
Photo courtesy of mohistory.org
Juneteenth Emancipation Day Celebration in Texas, June 19, 1900. The Portal to Texas History.
By Jennifer Poindexter, Explore St. Louis
Juneteenth is a celebration of Black joy, culture, history, and resistance. All around the St. Louis region, we can find opportunities to learn more about Juneteenth and to celebrate the resilience that we have as Black people.
With activities ranging from programs at the Missouri History Museum to the Juneteenth Celebration in the Delmar Loop, we have several highlights that will encompass whatever your plans are.
Missouri Historical Society
The Missouri Historical Society has developed a variety of programs to honor Juneteenth. Of particular interest is a keynote lecture from Bill Doggett, the late Reverend Dr. John N. Doggett Jr.’s son. He will tell the story of his father’s civic journey from Los Angeles to St. Louis. Rev. Doggett’s work began in the 1950s and he eventually ended up in St. Louis in the 1960s, becoming president of the St. Louis City NAACP and a board member of the Missouri Historical Society among many other significant St. Louis roles. The program starts at 5:30 p.m.
on Thu., June 16, and is part of the Thursday Nights at the Museum series. This event will begin and end with a performance by the heavenly sounds of the Community Gospel Choir of St. Louis, which is directed by Suzanne Palmer. Aimed at a younger audience, the History Museum’s storytelling program will focus on freedom celebrations past and present. Kids will learn about the holiday by reading books and hearing about St. Louis’ history. This program is from 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Fri., June 17, and does not require a ticket or reservation.
Juneteenth Celebration on Delmar
The bustling Delmar Loop is celebrating Juneteenth on Sat., June 11, with an impressive amount of adult and kid-friendly activities. The celebration begins with an open drum call by Baba Kunma and will be hosted by DJ KP. Food from local restaurants such as AAA fish house, Krab Kingz and Vails Brothers will be available along with performances by African Mascarade-Mask to Stilts, African Dance by Spirit Angel of African Dance and the Red Black & Brass Band. Beyond learning from the onsite vendors, there will be
opportunities to participate in a mural painting, kid’s face painting and a 360-photo booth for memorable photos with friends and family.
Juneteenth is a way to celebrate Black history and heritage with family and community. There are several Black-owned restaurants where you can gather together and honor Black contributions to the local culinary scene. Consider brunch at the history museum, which is catered by Pure Catering, dinner at Prime 55, or grab a sweet bite at Sweet Art. There are also a number of Black-owned concepts at the new City Foundry STL, including Chez Ali, Patty’s Cheesecake and 4Hens Creole Kitchen.
There are many options when choosing what you want to do around Juneteenth, and you can make a full weekend of it by booking one of St. Louis’ many hotels. Make it a staycation and check off as many activities as possible.
As I am planning my Juneteenth plans, I find it extremely important to gather around my loved ones and honor our heritage. For, us that is what this celebration is all about.
May our ancestors be proud.
To view a list of Juneteenth activities, visit explorestlouis. com.
Muny
Continued from C1
show.”
After Chicago ends, Camelot makes its legendary debut back to The Muny after 13 years. It goes from June 22-28. The musical chronicles the complicated love triangle of King Arthur, his beautiful queen Guenevere, and her affair with the young knight, Lancelot.
Classic family favorite Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins graces The Muny’s stage July 5-13. The iconic production was famously portrayed by Julie Andrews in a Walt Disney film and tells the story of how the Banks family is in for a surprise when their nanny Mary Poppins moves and turns their
routine life upside down.
Sweeney Todd makes its Muny debut July 16-22. The peculiar storyline places a wrongly accused barber centerstage as he confronts the person responsible for tearing his family apart.
From July 25-31, Legally Blonde makes its Muny come back after 11 years. The plot follows the journey of ditzy sorority girl Elle Woods, who transforms from a directionless material girl to a refined Harvard Law graduate.
Based on Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and Steven Spielberg’s timeless film, The Color Purple will premiere at The Muny August 3-9. The powerful production tackles Celie’s traumatic life experiences, ultimately her to a higher purpose of self-love and discovery.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat closes the season operating August 12-18. The production centers around the biblical character Joseph, son of Jacob, his twelve brothers, and his unique, vibrant coat. With many of the musicals also being films, the world of theater brings a different flavor to the artform. Coleman said the most significant difference the audience notices is the acting happening in real time.
“Theater has a level of humanity you cannot match on screen,” Coleman said. “When you experience what happens in front of you, you can feel and touch it.” For tickets and more information about this season, visit https://muny.org/.
Juneteenth: Faith and Freedom explores church role in holiday
St. Louis American staff
What does Juneteenth reveal about the nature of the struggle for freedom? How did a bible that was used to justify slavery become an inspiration for liberation?
In Juneteenth: Faith and Freedom viewers are taken on a riveting journey that provides answers to these questions and more as it presents firsthand accounts of descendants of those emancipated during this momentous time in our nation’s history. The film is available on YouTube.
Juneteenth is the first new federal holiday created by the United States Congress in nearly four decades. As interest in this holiday grows, Juneteenth: Faith and Freedom is an illuminating tool for deep understanding and thoughtful perspectives about the complex history of race, slavery, and faith in America.
“As we began our research, we learned more about the depth of faith stories and biblical convictions
included in the first celebration of the day and the many subsequent celebrations. We want to make sure that the Christian faith roots and worldview of the people who began celebrating this day are not lost in celebrations of the holiday,” said Matt Lucas, CEO and president of Our Daily Bread Ministries.
In Juneteenth: Faith and Freedom Our Daily Bread Ministries’ Rasool Berry brings viewers on a journey of discovery as he explores how Juneteenth unfolded in Galveston, Texas, where the celebration originated.
Berry visits historical sites and talks to scholars, advocates, direct descendants of formerly enslaved people, as well as the “grandmother of Juneteenth,” Opal Lee. They uncover what happened on June 19, 1865, and discuss the community response, the aftermath of events, and what happens next.
These direct accounts are priceless pieces of American history
Spiritually Speaking
To fulfill God’s plan, plan ahead
By Lyndia Grant
The late Napoleon Hill, author of the bestselling book Think and Grow Rich, still reminds us, “Richness is whatever it is you happen to want.”
This week, we talk about the principle of “organized planning.” Every man needs a plan to get to his goal. Once you have that plan, you will know your next steps. You’ve heard the cliché: If you fail to plan, plan to fail. When God gave you the idea of your dream, just know that dream was meant only for you. How can anyone else know what God has said to you? Stay away from listening to others who
try to guide your life. Those who are most successful follow an inner voice, as God guides them. That inner voice is the providence of God. Write carefully those thoughts given to you by the Holy Spirit. Make organized, step-by-step plans. Tweak those plans with the help of your role model or mentor, someone you’re sure who knows.
As you work your plan, go into action out in the world where God can inspire and put needed resources in your path, and watch miracles begin to happen. Belief/faith will have such a strong effect on manifesting those dreams into reality. According to Neale Donald Walsch’s Conversations
TRYTHEYTHURSDAY
Visit one of our Ys on Thursdays to enjoy all the benefits of being a member for the day FOR FREE!
Join a group fitness class, take a splash in the pool, shoot some hoops or check out the fitness center’s top-of-the-line equipment.
weaved together to tell a story of faith, hope, resilience, and perseverance. Juneteenth: Faith and Freedom is emotional, evocative, inspirational, and educational; it is necessary viewing for groups and individuals interested in the history of Juneteenth, and its vital intersection with the Christian faith, according to Berry.
“The first celebration of what has become known as Juneteenth took place at a church in Galveston, and I discovered that people who were
Columnist Lyndia Grant
With God, there are no “dues to pay” for miracles. In the Word, The Savior tells us to seek, and we shall find, knock and the door shall be opened to us, ask and it shall be given. As you move toward your seemingly impossible goal, keep your mind on Jesus, pray without ceasing, and renew your mind daily. Don’t allow negativity to get in. Never mind what you think if those upstream thoughts do come along occasionally; never mind what “they” say either — those hideous comments that anger or hurt. Ignore the negative voices, and keep working on your plans, and go with the flow. The stream of life will take you down the river with ease! Your plans may not all work out,
closest to it understood their emancipation on spiritual terms. To really understand that story, we need to grasp their perspective on their own emancipation. The church is where the story starts, but that’s not where the faith component ends. The role of the Black church in establishing communities was really vital, I discovered,” says Berry.
Directed by Ya’Ke Smith, a rising voice in independent cinema who is celebrated for his “unflinching
but those who succeed develop a new plan, with the same goal in mind. One instance was when I finally got the opportunity to go to college. It was Trinity University, in Washington. My age was mid-50s, studying and giving up my personal, relaxing time was not easy. During my first semester, everything in me said, “You must drop out, this is ridiculous, you are now too old to give up your life as you have been accustomed to this way!” But I’m blessed that my inner voice kept me thinking more clearly. Never give up! Those who quit are sure to get what they went after, and that’s nothing! Quitters never win and winners never quit! The bible has many instances where planning was of value. The Parable of the Ten Virgins: Shows how Planning and Preparation Made the Difference: Matthew 25: vs 1-13 this lesson involves a strange marriage custom we don’t fully understand, but the message rings loud and clear … the wise
Rasool Berry (right) interviewing the “grandmother of Juneteenth,” Opal Lee, and scholars, advocates, and direct descendants of formerly enslaved people.
Photo courtesy of Our Daily Bread ministries.
and veracious style of storytelling,” Juneteenth: Faith and Freedom is presented by the Our Daily Bread Voices Collection and Our Daily Bread Media in association with Exodus Filmworks and the Jude 3 Project.
Smith says, “You can’t tell the story of Juneteenth without faith playing a prominent role, because faith is central to the narrative. It was in the songs sung, it was in the heart of everyone who escaped a plantation and ran towards freedom, it has always been the one thing that the oppressed had access to and that no one could take from them.”
servant of God is the one who cares enough to plan and prepare. The wise virgins were prepared for the unexpected delay of the Groom. Stay inspired! Here are some affirmations to repeat daily: “I feel good now; my worthiness is not in question; the Word says anything I desire, can be mine; I am eager, full of life; I feel fantastic, sure, unlimited, never finished, always unfolding, and I’m led by The Holy Spirit.” Therefore, anything I want to know the Holy Spirit will answer. In closing, fail your way to success! What does that mean? When you create a plan as you go toward your goal, and if you should fail, just get up and create a new plan and be sure those plans are organized plans.
Lyndia Grant is a speaker/writer living in the Washington, D.C. area, and hosts Think on These Things on 1340 AM (WYCB)
FAMILY DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST
Good Shepherd Children and Family Services is seeking a Family Development Specialist to recruit, train, license, and support foster parents. For more information, please visit: https://goodshepherdstl.org/ employment-opportunities.
CASE MANAGERS & DATA COORDINATOR
Criminal Justice Ministry has openings for Case Managers and a Data Coordinator. Help us to improve communities by supporting and empowering those impacted by incarceration. Details at https://www.cjmstlouis.org/ jobs. Send resume to apply@cjmstlouis.org
CLAIMS ANALYST
Responsible for handling assigned claims from initial assignment to closure, as well as provide assistance in various administrative functions associated with the Excess WC LOB. To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational.com/ careers-page/
DEPUTY PROBATE COMMISSIONER
The 22nd Judicial Circuit, City of St. Louis, is soliciting candidates for Deputy Probate Commissioner. The Court en banc will make the appointment for a term of 4 years. Annual salary $137,745, payable by the State of Missouri. Missouri law requires the Deputy Probate Commissioner to possess the same qualifications as a circuit judge. See www. stlcitycircuitcourt.com and click on “Employment Opportunities” for full description of qualifications and instructions to apply are provided in the links below. Materials must be returned to stlca.resumes@courts.mo.gov, before 5 p.m. July 15, 2022.
COORDINATOR – TREATY REINSURANCE
Provide technical support to Treaty Reinsurance (TRe) Department underwriters. Responsible for booking premium-related transactions, maintaining systems data and business reports, handling contract wording approval processes, and adhering to daily and seasonal SOX compliance processes.
To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational. com/careers-page/
COORDINATOR – CLIENT ENGAGEMENT
Coordinator – Client Engagement serves as overall support for the operational needs of the Client Engagement initiatives. Assist in the daily tasks necessary to support the overall Client Engagement strategy and execution of initiatives.
To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational. com/careers-page/
TECHNICAL SERVICES ANALYST
Coordinates user testing procedures for policy processing and other changes affecting the policy administration systems or supporting applications. Responsible for planning, organizing, documenting and training end users of all policy administration systems, ImageNow, custom applications, project enhancements, and aiding in the assessment and improvement of system support. To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational.com/ careers-page/
ANALYST
Responsible for providing client / customer support to the operational functions of the Large Casualty unit. Responsible for the coordination, issuance and tracking of transactions and services provided to ensure customer service standards are maintained. Operates as a Subject Matter Expert for transactional issuance. To apply, please visit: https:// www.safetynational.com/ careers-page/
LIABILITY CLAIMS MANAGER
Responsible for handling assigned claims from initial assignment to closure as well as provide assistance in various administr ative functions associated with the liability lines of business such as Automobile Liability, General Liability, Employers Liability, Public Entity, Cyber, Excess, Umbrella, and Construction Liability. To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational.com/ careers-page/
St. LouiS american Bids &
LETTING NO. 8747
FOREST PARK ROUND LAKE RENOVATION
Electronic bids submitted through the Bid Express Online Portal will be received by the Board of Public Service until 1:45 PM, CT, on JULY 12, 2022, then publicly opened and read. Proposals must be submitted electronically using “Bid Express Online Portal” at https:// www.bidexpress.com/businesses/20618/home. Plans and Specifications may be examined on the Board of Public Service website http://www. stl-bps.org (BPS On Line Plan Room) and may be purchased directly through the BPS website from INDOX Services at cost plus shipping. No refunds will be made.
An optional pre-bid conference for all contractors bidding on this project will be held onsite, at Round Lake, 5202 Grand Dr. in Forest Park, St. louis, MO 63110, on June 21, 2022 at 10:00 a.m.
Bidders shall comply with all applicable City, State and Federal laws (including MBE/WBE policies).
All bidders must regard Federal Executive Order 11246, “Notice of Requirement for Affirmative Action to Ensure Equal Employment Opportunity”, the “Equal Opportunity Clause” and the “Standard Federal Equal Employment Specifications” set forth within and referenced at www.stl-bps.org (Announcements).
ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE
will receive separate sealed bids for CONTRACT NO. F 22 202, Corporate College 2nd Floor Suite 215 Renovation at St. Louis Community College at Corporate College, until 2:00 p.m. local time Thursday June 30, 2022. Bids will be opened at 5464 Highland Park, St. Louis, MO 63110-1314. Drawings, Specifications, bid forms and other related contract information may be obtained at ePlanbidding. com, The Builders Association and at the Mid-States Minority Supplier Development Council. Questions should be directed to Jodi Caticchio at Arcturis 314-206-7159. Voluntary Pre-Bid June 23,2022 at 10 a.m. At Corporate College Suite 215. Contact Pat Espy at pespy@stlcc.edu Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer
CITY OF FERGUSON, MISSOURI REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NUISANCE ABATEMENT SERVICES 2
The City of Ferguson (“City”) is soliciting proposals to provide Nuisance Abatement Services on property in violation of the City’s overgrown vegetation ordinance for a period of 7/1/22 - 6/30/23. The examinations shall also be made in compliance with laws of the state of Missouri. The City intends to award multiple contractors for the work. The City reserves the right to accept or reject all or any part of the proposal, to waive technicalities and to accept the offer considered to be the most advantageous to the city. The full scope of work and RFP document can be found on the city’s website at the Bid Center (www.fergusoncity.com).
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE REGARDING TREATMENT COURT COMMISSIONER VACANCY TO ALL ATTORNEYS RESIDING IN ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MISSOURI
The Circuit Court of St. Louis County, Missouri, announces that it is soliciting candidates for the position of Treatment Court Commissioner of the Circuit Court of St. Louis County.
The Circuit Judges will make the appointment for a term of (4) years, at an annual salary of an associate circuit judge, payable by the State of Missouri, pursuant to RSMo §478.003.
Missouri law requires the Treatment Court Commissioner(s) to possess the same qualifications as an associate circuit judge, including those set forth in the Missouri Constitution, Article V, Section 21, to wit, they must be qualified voters of the state, residents of St. Louis County, Missouri, at least twenty-five years old, licensed to practice law in Missouri; and possess all other qualifications as required by law. (See RSMo Chapter 478).
Questionnaires and Candidate Instructions may be obtained by sending a resume and cover letter to St. Louis County Circuit Court, ATTN: Human Resources, 105 S. Central Avenue, Clayton, Missouri, 63105, or via email to SLCCourtJobs@courts.mo.gov
Completed questionnaires must be submitted in writing to St. Louis County Circuit Court, ATTN: Human Resources, 105 S. Central Avenue, Clayton, Missouri 63105, or via email to SLCCourtJobs@courts.mo.gov on or before June 30, 2022.
The appointment is scheduled to take place upon a vote of the Circuit Judges en banc on or about July 13, 2022. EOE. Please contact the Human Resources Department at 615-4471 (voice) or RelayMo 711 or 800-735-2966 if you need any accommodations in the application process, or if you would like this posting in an alternative form.
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
Electronic bids submitted through the Bid Express Online Portal will be received by the Board of Public Service until 1:45 PM, CT, on JULY 12, 2022, then publicly opened and read. Proposals must be submitted electronically using “Bid Express Online Portal” at https://www.bidexpress. com/businesses/20618/home. Plans and Specifications may be examined on the Board of Public Service website http:// www.stl-bps.org (BPS On Line Plan Room) and may be purchased directly through the BPS website from INDOX Services at cost plus shipping. No refunds will be made.
A mandatory pre-bid conference for all contractors bidding on this project will be held June 23, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. The pre-bid conference will be held in Room 305 City Hall, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103.
Bidders shall comply with all applicable City, State and Federal laws (including MBE/WBE policies).
All bidders must regard Federal Executive Order 11246, “Notice of Requirement for Affirmative Action to Ensure Equal Employment Opportunity”, the “Equal Opportunity Clause” and the “Standard Federal Equal Employment Specifications” set forth within and referenced at www.stl-bps.org (Announcements).
NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS
Paric Corporation is seeking proposals for the following project: KING’S HILL located at 4914 Daggett Ave.
PARIC Corporation is soliciting bids for the Demolition, Roofing, Windows, and Elevators ONLY for KING’S HILL located on 4914 Daggett Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110. The project consists of an existing building where we will be renovating the core/shell for tenant improvements. Access to documents is available from our SmartBid link. If you do not received a bid invitation please send your company information to tlalexaner@paric.com.
BIDS WILL BE DUE ON JULY 7th, 2022 at 2:00 PM.
Send all questions to Kory Kostecki (kKostecki@paric.com).
Goals for Construction Business Enterprise:
• 21% African American
• 11% Women
• .5% Asian American
• .5% Native American
• 2% Hispanic American
All bids should be delivered to Paric via e-mail (bids@paric.com) or fax (636-561-9501).
PARIC CORPORATION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER RFP#
Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District Requests for Quotes, Bids and Proposals are posted online for public download. Please navigate to www.msdprojectclear.org
> Doing Business With Us
> View Non-Capital Bids (commodities and services) or >Visit Planroom (capital construction bids)
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
PUBLIC NOTICE
The Assessment Books or Records, containing the assessments of taxable property in the City of St. Louis for the year 2022, are open for inspection in the Assessor’s Office, Room 114, City Hall. The 2022 values can also be viewed at https://www.stlouis-mo. gov/data/address-search/.
The Board of Equalization will meet beginning on July 5, 2022, during regular business hours, and will remain in session pursuant to State Law. Any person may appeal the assessment of their property by emailing appeal@stlouis-mo.gov or writing to the Board of Equalization, 1200 Market St., Room 120, St. Louis, MO 63103.
Any appeal to the Board of Equalization is required to be filed in the Office of the Assessor on or before July 11, 2022.
Michael R. Dauphin City of St. Louis Assessor
SOLICITING BIDS
Sisters of Lavender Rose is soliciting bids from food service vendors. Bids are for service in the Saint Louis Area (i.e., Hazelwood, Ferguson Florissant). We are looking for providers to serve CACFP compliant meals for suppers and snacks. The days of operation are as follows: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday; with additional meals for Saturday and Sunday to be served on Fridays as well. The contract will be for one year with the possibility of renewal. All contracts are subject to review by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. To obtain a bid packet contact; Sisters of Lavender Rose; Telephone: (314)885-0805; sistersoflavenderrose@gmail.com Upon contact Sisters of Lavender Rose will provide a physical address to pick up the bid packet. The deadline for bid submission WIll be Tuesday, June 21 2022 at 11:59p. A public bid opening will take place at 10786 Indian Head Industrial Blvd on Friday , June 24, 2022 at 10:30a.
Harris-Stowe State University (HSSU) is requesting proposals from Contractors to operate the University’s Dining Hall and provide food services on the University’s campus. Interested parties may obtain a copy of the RFP by emailing bids@hssu.edu and freemanc@hssu.edu or calling 314-340-3325.
Proposals must be emailed no later than 2pm on Thursday, June 23, 2022 to bids@hssu.edu and freemanc@hssu.edu responses to the RFP will be opened and read at a virtual bid opening on Thursday, June 23, 2022 at 2:30pm. The link to the virtual bid opening will be sent at the time of bid submission.
St. LouiS american Bids & Public Notices St.
INVITATION TO BID
FERGUSON-FLORISSANT
SCHOOL DISTRICT
MSB PROJECTOR REPLACEMENT (CAFÉ)
Sealed bids for the above project are being requested from the Ferguson Florissant School District and will be received and publicly opened on Friday, July 1st, 2022 @ 1:15pm CST at the Operation and Maintenance Dept. located at 8855 Dunn Rd. (REAR) Hazelwood, MO 63042. Pre Bid Meeting Monday June 27th, 2022 @ 9:00am at MSB 201 Brotherton Ln. Ferguson, MO 63135. Bid specs must be obtained at http:// new.fergflor.k12.mo.us/facilities-rfq. Contact Matt Furfaro at mfurfaro@fergflor.org for further information/questions.
SEALED BIDS
Bids for Repair
B u i l d i n g
E x t e r i o r , Howerton State Office Building Project No. O2015-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, July 14, 2022. For specific project i n f o r m a t i o n and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities
NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY (NOFA)
The St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) is announcing the availability of $4M of its Citywide Housing Fund to facilitate the new construction or rehabilitation of affordable or mixed-income residential housing development projects with units reserved for households with income that do not exceed 30% AMI. This NOFA only applies to developments located within HUD designated Qualified Census Tracts, targeting North St. Louis neighborhoods. “The City of St. Louis will achieve its greatest economic growth when all residents, businesses, and neighborhoods have equitable opportunities to reach their potential.” Executive Director, Neal Richardson
This NOFA is being funded by The Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) allocated to SLDC and passed through the St. Louis City Community Development Administration. The application to apply for the funds will be available for download on SLDC’s website at https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/SLDC on Friday, June 17, 2022. Responses are due by 4:00 pm, Friday, July 15, 2022. SLDC is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity.
RFP ENGINEERING
SERVICES DUE: FRI., 7/1/22 @ 1 P.M.
Moline Acres, MO Community Center Renovation Project 2454 Chambers Rd., 63136 Email tmzmarket@icloud.com for complete RFP package. Project Description The Moline Acres Community Center facility will be constructed on existing city-owned property at 2454 Chambers Road, 63136. The current structure is 1,400 SF and an 800 SF addition will bring the facility to 2,200 SF. The property is 1.75 acres in size.
INVITATION TO BID
FERGUSON-FLORISSANT SCHOOL DISTRICT MCH AUDIO/VIDEO SYSTEM REPLACEMENT (HUB)
Sealed bids for the above project are being requested from the Ferguson Florissant School District and will be received and publicly opened on Friday, July 1st, 2022 @ 2:00pm CST at the Operation and Maintenance Dept. located at 8855 Dunn Rd. (REAR) Hazelwood, MO 63042. Bid specs must be obtained at http://new.fergflor.k12.mo.us/ facilities-rfq. Contact Matt Furfaro at mfurfaro@fergflor. org for further information/ questions.
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Altman-Charter Co., requests subcontractor proposals specifically on the Elevator, Masonry and Plumbing scopes of work for The New Broadview. This is the Renovation of an existing building into 110 Affordable Senior Apartments and related common area spaces. This project is located at 5 Broadway, East St. Louis, IL 62201. Proposals are due at the office of AltmanCharter Co., 315 Consort Dr., St. Louis, MO 63011 on or before Thur., June 30, 2022, at 3:00 PM (CT). Qualified Minority, Section 3, and Women owned businesses are encouraged to submit proposals. Plans can be viewed at FW Dodge, Construct Connect, SIBA, MOKAN, Cross Rhodes Reprographics, and the Altman-Charter plan room in St. Louis. Bidders should contact Mr. Greg Mehrmann with any questions or to submit a proposal at gregm@altman-charter. com or bids@altman-charter.com . Our telephone # is (636) 207-8670, and our fax # is (636) 207-8671. There will be a Pre-Bid Meeting on June 15, 2022, from 9-11am at the SIUE East St. Louis Center, 601 James R. Thompson Blvd – Building D (Multi-Purpose Room), East St. Louis, IL 62201.
INVITATION TO BID
FERGUSON-FLORISSANT
SCHOOL DISTRICT
MSB PROJECTOR REPLACEMENT (AUDITORIUM)
Sealed bids for the above project are being requested from the Ferguson Florissant School District and will be received and publicly opened on Friday, July 1st, 2022 @ 1:30pm CST at the Operation and Maintenance Dept. located at 8855 Dunn Rd. (REAR) Hazelwood, MO 63042. Pre Bid Meeting Monday June 27th, 2022 @ 10:00am at MSB 201 Brotherton Ln. Ferguson, MO 63135. Bid specs must be obtained at http://new.fergflor. k12.mo.us/facilities-rfq. Contact Matt Furfaro at mfurfaro@fergflor.org for further information/ questions.
SEALED BIDS
B i d s f o r Water System
MARLIN PERKINS SOCIETY CELEBRATION VENUE RFP 2022
The Saint Louis Zoo seeks bids from qualified firms to submit proposals for Marlin Perkins Society Celebration Venue RFP 2022. Bid documents are available as of 6/15/2022 on the Saint Louis Zoo website: stlzoo.org/vendor.
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Altman-Charter Co., requests subcontractor/ supplier proposals on all scopes of work for The New Broadview. This is the Renovation of an existing building into 110 Affordable Senior Apartments and related common area spaces. This project is located at 5 Broadway, East St. Louis, IL 62201. Proposals are due at the office of Altman-Charter Co., 315 Consort Dr., St. Louis, MO 63011 on or before Thur., June 30, 2022, at 3:00 PM (CT). Qualified Minority, Section 3, and Women owned businesses are encouraged to submit proposals. Plans can be viewed at FW Dodge, Construct Connect, SIBA, MOKAN, Cross Rhodes Reprographics, and the Altman-Charter plan room in St. Louis. Bidders should contact Mr. Greg Mehrmann with any questions or to submit a proposal at gregm@altman-charter. com or bids@altman-charter.com . Our telephone # is (636) 207-8670, and our fax # is (636) 207-8671. There will be a Pre-Bid Meeting on June 15, 2022, from 9-11am at the SIUE East St. Louis Center, 601 James R. Thompson Blvd – Building D (Multi-Purpose Room), East St. Louis, IL 62201.
RFP - MEDICAL SERVICE PROVIDER
The St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission is seeking proposals for a Medical Service Provider to provide on-site emergency First Aid services. For a complete RFP package contact rharris@explorestlouis. com. Proposals due by 11:00 a.m. June 27, 2022. The Commission reserves the right to reject any and all proposals. EOE
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ)
The St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) is issuing a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a Construction Manager that will have the role of the Qualified Active Low-Income Community Business (QALICB) in a New Market Tax Credit structured revolving loan fund for minority and women owned developers. The fund will provide low interest loans for the rehabilitation or new construction of for sale homes in HUD designated Qualified Census Tracts in St. Louis City, targeting North City, in line with SLDC’s Economic Justice Plan.
“The City of St. Louis will achieve its greatest economic growth when all residents, businesses, and neighborhoods have equitable opportunities to reach their potential.” Executive Director, Neal Richardson
The Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) allocated to SLDC, passed through the St. Louis City Community Development Administration, will provide capital for the revolving loan fund. The RFQ will be available for download on SLDC’s website at https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/SLDC on Friday, June 10, 2022. Responses are due by 4:00 pm, Tuesday, July 5, 2022. SLDC is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity.
PUBLISHER’S NOTICE:
Advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, imitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial\status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination. “We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.”
Call Angelita Houston at 314-289-5430 or email ahouston@stlamerican.com to place your ads today!
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE AND DRAFT HOME ARP PLAN
The City of St. Louis is soliciting comments on its draft HOME ARP PLAN (CAPER). The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded the City of St. Louis of $10,635,523 in HOME-American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“HOME-ARP”) funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) made available through the HOME Investment Partnerships Act (42 U.S.0 12701 et seq.) and Section 3205 of the American Rescue Plan (“ARP”) (Pub. L. No. 117-2). HOME-ARP fund is to be used to help communities create affordable housing and services for people experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness.
In order to utilize funding, the City of St. Louis must develop and submit to HUD for approval a HOME-ARP Allocation Plan which describes the intended use of funds and identify any preferences for eligible activities. The development of the Plan is based on the requirements of Community Planning and Development (CPD) Notice 21-10. It involves stakeholder consultation and community engagement.
Virtual Public Hearing Notice/Public Comment Period
The Community Development Administration will conduct a virtual public hearing on Thursday, June 30, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. The purpose of this hearing is to solicit public comments pertaining to the HOME ARP Plan prior to its submission to HUD. Instructions for attending the Virtual Public Hearing are available on the CDA website http://www.stlouis-mo.gov/cda/
Available for Review
M2125-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, June 30, 2022. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http:// oa.mo.gov/ facilities
I m p r o v e m e n t s Bennett Spring State Park, Project No. X1807-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, July 14, 2022. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities
The HOME ARP Plan will be available in draft form for review by any interested citizen prior to submission to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on June 14, 2022 through the City of St. Louis Community Development Administration website http://www.stlouis-mo.gov/cda/ The draft report, will also be available for review at the offices of the Community Development Administration located at 1520 Market Street, Suite 2000, St. Louis, MO 63103
Written Comments
The views of citizens, public agencies, and other interested parties are encouraged. Written comments with respect to the proposed HOME ARP Plan will be accepted via email until 5pm on June 30, 2022 and should be directed via email at CDBG@stlouis-mo.gov
Juneteenth
Continued from C1
leader B. Marcell Williams’ first “Jewelteenth,” happening on Saturday, June 18.
In partnership with the Missouri Division of Tourism, the office of Mayor Tishaura O. Jones, Annie Malone Children & Family Services, STL Exchange, and Williams’ b.Marcell Enterprises, the event marks St. Louis’ first city-sponsored Juneteenth event.
Williams established her b.Marcell nonprofit organization 15 years ago while a student at Howard University. Its mission is serving young Black girls from marginalized communities through mentorship, education, training, and social activism.
She coined the term ‘Jewelteenth’ as an homage to her grandparents, who are retired St. Louis Public Schools educators.
The Community Gospel Choir of St. Louis will perform. Missouri History Museum, 5 p.m. Thursday, Jun 16, 2022.
-A Juneteenth Celebration of Jackie Robinson; The festivities include a block party and barbeque at New Horizons United Methodist Church, live music, baseball food prepared by the Holy Smokers of Salem UMC, activities for children, cornhole toss games, storytelling on Juneteenth and Jackie Robinson, information tables from community partners, a voter registration table, a first aid tent, and more. 2-5 p.m. Saturday, June 18, 2022.
-Juneteenth Community Celebration, Emerson Family YMCA, 3390 Pershall Road Ferguson, noon-5 p.m. Saturday June 18.
Delmar Blvd 9 a.m.- 8 p.m. Saturday, June 18, 2022.
-Juneteenth Black Business Pop Up Shop, Ferguson Community Empowerment Center 9420 W. Florissant Ave., 2 p.m.7 p.m. Saturday, June 18, 2022.
-Juneteenth Father’s Day Block Party and Fashion Show, Sumner High School, 4248 Cottage Avenue, St. Louis, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, June 19, 2022.
-Eyeseeme Bookstore’s 7th Year Anniversary and Juneteenth Celebration, EyeSeeMe African American Children’s Bookstore 6951 Olive Blvd University City, noon-4 p.m. Sunday, June 19, 2022.
be. Yet the seriousness of certain moments, like the revelations that expose his dishonesty, are rendered with a sensitivity that will make audiences hope that Stanley will prevail even as his failures mount.
Director Jeremiah Zagar (We the Animals) finds the right tone for the proceedings. He directs the cast as if they were in a hybrid film that was a combination of Ballers, Rocky, Creed and Hoop Dreams. With the aid of editors Tom Costain and Brian M. Robinson, scenes are mercifully short and to the point.
An engaging and eclectic collage sequence, during one of Bo’s money hustling pickup games, blast popup images on the screen like a deck of basketball cards being shuffled. These quick video bursts of energy near the film’s end help sustain momen-
tum. It’s noticeable that the cinematography (Zak Mulligan, We the Animals) expertly catches the balls in motion, players charging down the court and the intimate moments when Sandler and Latifah share bedroom scenes—the kind that illustrate husbands and wives as friends and lovers.
n Dunks, three-pointers, trash talking and other mainstays of the game are in play. Still the heart of the film is Stanley’s journey from company man to outcast, to mentor and hopefully savior.
The bouncy musical score by Dan Deacon (Ascension) is praiseworthy too. A very hip playlist includes selective bits of rock, rap, soul and hip hop in just the right places. The clip of Tierra Whack singing “Heaven”
is perfectly timed: “Angels watching over me … I was blind, now I can see … Everything you did for me … Knew you would come eventually.”
It’s never a real film unless Queen Latifah is in it. Utah Jazz player Juancho Hernangómez may find himself moonlighting as an actor after his strong performance. Minnesota Timberwolves 1st draft choice Anthony Edwards, as Bo’s archrival Kermit Wilts, talks a lot of smack. He’s as brutal as Bo is oversensitive.
Still the core of this film is Sandler and his meditative interpretation of a put upon man seeking his day of reckoning. It’s a nice surprise watching a comic actor, who was once the subject of ridicule for his blue collar films, build a reputation as a nuanced performer who commands respect.
Visit NNPA News Wire Film Critic Dwight Brown at DwightBrownInk.com and BlackPressUSA.com.
In addition to celebrating her grandparents’ legacy, she also wanted to celebrate the contributions of all African Americans who died for our freedom, late ancestors who were changemakers, and those who work daily to break glass ceilings.
“We’re all standing in representation together for the youth,” Williams said. “It’s about coming together as a family to celebrate the rich history of African Americans in St. Louis.”
Jewelteenth is Saturday, June 18 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Kaufman Park, 1200 Market Street. The event is free and familyfriendly.
Check out the list below of our Juneteenth events happening this week.
-The Missouri History Museum’s Juneteenth Keynote Lecture and Gospel Music Celebration. Join keynote speaker Bill Doggett in a presentation about his father, civil rights leader Rev. John N. Doggett Jr.
-Juneteenth Community Bike Ride-In collaboration with Trailnet and 4 The VilleSaturday, June 18 9 a.m. Tandy Recreation Center, 4206 Kennerly Ave, 9 a.m. Saturday, June 18, 2022.
-East St. Louis Celebrates 618 Day and Juneteenth, 6755 State St., East St. Louis, 9 a.m.6 p.m. Saturday, June 18, 2022.
-Juneteenth Celebration and Resource Fair, Old North St. Louis 2700 N. 14th Street, St. Louis, noon 6:30 p.m. Saturday, June 18, 2022.
-A Walk for Democracy and Justice, Forest Park, Cricket Field, 5595 Grand Blvd, St. Louis, 7 a.m.- 5 p.m. Saturday, June 18, 2022.
-Story Stitchers Juneteenth Celebration, Craft Alliance 5080 Delmar Blvd St. Louis, MO 1:30 p.m. Saturday, June 18, 2022.
-Better Family Life 16th Annual Juneteenth Festival Sabayet, 4000 Maffitt, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, June 18, 2022.
-Delmar Main Street Juneteenth Festival, Saturday,
-Wellston Loop Juneteenth Concert Series, Wellston, 5955 Martin Luther King Dr., 2-6 p.m. Sunday, June 19, 2022.
-Inaugural Juneteenth “Free Dome” Celebration, Fairground Park, 3715 Natural Bridge Avenue, St. Louis, 1-7 p.m. Sunday, June 19, 2022.
-Juneteenth Brunch & Open Mic, The Sliced Pint 1511 Washington Avenue, St. Louis, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, June 19, 2022.
-3rd Annual House of Soul Juneteenth Festival House of Soul, 1204 Washington Ave St. Louis, noon- 8 p.m Sunday, June 19, 2022.
-“A Song for My Father” Juneteenth and Father’s Day Celebration with Robert Nelson. Blue Strawberry 364 N. Boyle Ave 7 p.m. Sunday, June 19, 2022.
-Jubilee, A Juneteenth Barbecue, The Noir Bookshop, 2317 Cherokee St., noon-5 p.m. Sunday, 19 2022.
-City of Dellwood Juneteenth Parade and Celebration, Dellwood Rec Center, 10266 W. Florissant Ave. 1 p.m. Sunday, June 19, 2022.
Photo courtesy of Netflix
Queen Latifah plays Teresa Sugarman, wife of Stanley Sugarman (Adam Sandler) in the film “Hustle.”