March 21st, 2019 Edition

Pelosi, Clay stump for voting rights

By Rachel Lippmann

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis, are among hundreds of co-sponsors of two bills: one that sets new requirements for when states must get federal approval to change their voting or election laws, and another that reduces the amount of money in campaigns, including

eliminating so-called “dark money” from unidentified donors.

Pelosi praised Clay for putting his name on the legislation quickly. She called it an important part of the party’s “For the People”

‘I refuse to kiss the ring of the good ole boy system’

By Rebecca Rivas Of The St.

Louis American Baptist ministers prayed over Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner on March 19 at two North St. Louis city churches, while hundreds of congregation members extended their hands.

“Kim, I’m glad the ministers prayed for us because we’re getting ready to go to battle,” said Adolphus Pruitt, president of the St. Louis City NAACP. “Kim is not going to sit on the back of the judicial bus any longer.” St. Louis NAACP leaders and black ministers believe

Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner receives prayers for “moral encouragement” from (left) Rev. E. G. Shields Jr. of Mount Beulah Missionary Baptist Church, Rev. Carl S. Smith Sr. of New Beginnings Missionary Baptist Church (center), and Rev. Sammie Jones of Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church – along with several other Baptist ministers – on Tuesday, March 19.

By

Rivas

By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American

Of St. Louis Public Radio

Photo by Wiley Price

Photo by Wiley Price

Michael McMillan, president and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay (D. MO) listen as U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) talks about the importance of voting rights at the Ferguson Community Empowerment Center on Monday, March 18.

Zenobia Thompson

Tim Norman of ‘Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s’ sued for back rent in Houston

According to “The Blast,” Tim Norman of “Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s” fame, is being sued for back rent in Houston.

Kensinger Properties reportedly filed the lawsuit against Norman.

“The suit says Norman took out a lease with the company for a property in Houston, where the Sweet Times by Sweetie Pie’s restaurant was previously located,” The Blast said. “The company accuses the reality star of breaching the agreement and claims he owes a total of $254,019.76 in back rent and other unpaid fees.”

she was experiencing complications from autoimmune condition Grave’s Disease, Wendy Williams announced on her show that she has been living in a special facility in New York.

“You know I’ve had a struggle with cocaine in the past,” an emotional Williams revealed to her guests and viewing audience. “I never went to a place to get treatment ... there are people in your family, it might be you ... I want you to know more of the story. After I go to the Pilates and go to several meetings all around town in the tri-state area, I see my brothers and sisters caught up in their addiction and looking for help. They don’t know I’m Wendy. They don’t care [that] I’m Wendy. It’s the brothers and sisters caught up in the struggle. It’s been really interesting, this ride.”

live in the tri-state with a bunch of smelly boys who have become my family,” Williams said.

“We talk and read and talk and read and then I get bored with them. Doors locked by 10 p.m., lights out by 10 p.m., so I go to my room and stare at the ceiling and fall asleep to come here and see you. So that is my truth.”

Smollett pleads not guilty to charges

Jussie Smollett has pleaded not guilty on 16 counts of filing a false police report. The “Empire” costar has entered a plea of not guilty to the courts, according to The , ahead of his next appearance in court on April 17. Mark Geragos, previously insisted his client is “adamantly” maintaining his innocence ahead of the case going

statements given to Detective Kim Murray

Smollett reportedly told police he was assaulted at 2 am by two men who shouted homophobic and racist slurs at him and put a noose around his neck. In the more detailed account, he claimed that he fought back, and that one of the attackers was white.

“Jussie Smollett knew that at the time of this transmission there was no reasonable ground for believing that such an offence had been committed,” the indictment read.

R. Kelly’s camp denies singer had affair with Aaliyah’s mother

They are suing for the unpaid balance plus interest.

Wendy Williams receiving treatment in sober living house

A few weeks after returning from a hiatus from her daytime talk show after announcing

Before making her confession on the show, Wendy admitted that only her husband, Kevin Hunter, had known the truth. It was a secret she even kept from her parents.

“After I finish my appointments, I am driven by my 24-hour sober coach back to a home that I

“Jussie adamantly maintains his innocence even if law enforcement has robbed him of that presumption,” Geragos said in a statement.

Of the 16 new counts, eight charges involve false statements given to Officer Muhammed Baig, while the other eight are for

Last week, R. Kelly’s ex-girlfriend, Lisa Van Allen, sat down with Vlad TV and claimed R. Kelly told her he had a secret affair with the late singer Aaliyah’s mother.

According to TMZ.com, insiders from R. Kelly’s team say the rumor is a flat out lie.

“Sources close to R. Kelly say he absolutely denies he and Diane Haughton had anything but a friendly relationship,” TMZ.com said.

“We’re told Kelly believes the only reason Van Allen made those claims in the Vlad TV interview is to further smear his name and grab headlines for herself.”

In other R. Kelly news, a judge ruled on Friday that that cameras will be allowed during the trial and pre-trial hearings for R. Kelly’s case. Accusers can’t be filmed or photographed without their permission.

The next hearing is set for March 22.

Sources: The Blast, TMZ.com, Celebretainment.com, The Hollywood Reporter, The Wendy Williams Show

Wendy Williams

Tim Norman

Close the Workhouse campaign gains momentum

‘A poor use of public resources that could be invested to address root causes of crime’

By Fernando TormosAponte and Clarissa Rile Hayward For The St. Louis American

When the St. Louis police arrested David Dixon in January, the judge set his bail at $30,000. Unable to pay, he was first held for six days at the city’s Justice Center and then moved to the Medium Security Institution, more commonly known as the Workhouse Dixon has high blood pressure, and he suffers from seizures. Not provided with the medication and other care he needs, he was terrified that he would not make it out of jail alive.

On March 7, a standingroom-only crowd gathered at the Deaconess Center for Child Well-Being for a public meeting hosted by Close the Workhouse, a campaign to shut down St. Louis’ Medium Security Institution, end cash bail in the city, and channel the $16 million St. Louis spends annually to operate the Workhouse to community programs that address the root causes of crime.

As scholars who study the activism that’s grown out of the 2014 Ferguson Movement, we believe this campaign is among the most important of the recent efforts to promote public safety and racial equity in St. Louis. When people are held at the Workhouse, they endure unsafe, unsanitary, and inhumane conditions, including a lack of basic sanitation, exposure to extreme heat and cold, woefully inadequate medical

care, and abuse by guards. In a class action lawsuit filed in 2017, ArchCity Defenders documented some of these conditions, including extreme overcrowding; insect, rodent, and snake infestations; overflowing toilets, sinks, and showers; and a lack of basic sanitation.

Those who advocate “toughon-crime” policies often announce: “If you do the crime, then do the time.” But there’s the rub. Most detainees at the Workhouse have not been found guilty of any crime. Instead, most are held pre-trial, because, like Dixon, they can’t afford to post bail.

According to a second suit that ArchCity Defenders filed in January, which names Dixon as a plaintiff, “85 percent of the over 1,000 individuals locked in St. Louis city jails are there awaiting trial because they are too poor to pay for their release.”

A growing coalition of local civic groups and community leaders have called for the Workhouse’s closure. Leading up to the March 5 election, the Close the Workhouse campaign asked candidates for the Board of Aldermen presidency to sign a pledge of support and received signatures from state Senator Jamilah Nasheed and Alderwoman Megan Green. Unfortunately, Lewis Reed, who won the primary, refused to sign.

But momentum to end cash bail is building, in St. Louis and throughout the nation. In August, California became the first state to abolish cash bail. In Los Angeles, officials man-

dated the closure of the Men’s Central Jail and its replacement with a mental health facility.

Meanwhile, in Jefferson City, state Representative Steven Roberts (D-St. Louis) is pushing to reform the cash bail system statewide.

National news outlets also have turned their attention to this issue. The new six-part BET docu-series, “Finding Justice,” includes a segment highlighting efforts by St. Louis organizers to close the Workhouse.

The broad support garnered by efforts to end cash bail should come as no surprise.

Jailing poor, predominantly black St. Louisans under inhumane conditions exacerbates race- and class-based inequities. People who are held in jail while awaiting trial miss work, often so much that they’re fired. They miss time with their families, sometimes losing custody of their children. They take plea bargains at higher rates than do people who are released pending trial, just to

avoid spending more time in jail.

And recent research shows that even short stints in jail limit political participation.

Spending millions of tax dollars year after year to maintain a dilapidated and unneeded facility is a poor use of public resources that could be invested in education, health care, and social services that address the root causes of crime.

And jailing people accused of low-level and nonviolent crimes while they wait for their

day in court is morally bank-

rupt. St. Louis should join Los Angeles and other cities leading the movement to end cash bail. St. Louis should close the Workhouse. Fernando Tormos-Aponte is a Scholars Strategy Network postdoctoral fellow based at the University of Missouri in St. Louis. Clarissa Rile Hayward is professor of Political Science at Washington University in St. Louis and the author of “How Americans Make Race.”

Community Heroes & Sheroes &

Roxie Randolph is president of Assistance League of St. Louis— an all-volunteer organization of more than 500 who contributed 80,000 hours last year to nine philanthropic programs. For over 30 years, these programs have provided everything from school uniforms, shoes and other clothing items for children and clothing and personal care items for crisis shelter clients. Assistance League volunteers touched the lives of more than 44,000 St. Louisans in the past year. Before retiring, Mrs. Randolph served for 20 years as an engineer at Southwestern Bell (now AT&T) both in Texas and St. Louis. Originally from Houston, Texas, Mrs. Randolph holds both a bachelor of science and a master’s degree in mathematics from Texas Southern University. She also completed a post-baccalaureate fellowship at Oberlin College in Ohio. In 2013, Mrs. Randolph became a member of Assistance League of St. Louis and became actively involved in volunteering and program leadership. She is active in the First Baptist Church of Chesterfield [FBCC], where she is a deaconess, one of the leaders of the FBCC “Fine Arts” department, and lead choreographer of the Church Praise Dance Team. Residents of Chesterfield, MO, Mrs. Randolph and her husband Joe are parents to a daughter, Essence.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Blake Strode of ArchCity Defenders holds up the Close the Workhouse campaign’s report during a panel discus-

sion at the Deaconess Center for Child Well-Being on Thursday, March 7. Joining him on the panel were St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, Michael Milton of the Bail Project, St. Louis Public Defender Mary Fox and (not pictured) Kayla Reed of Action STL.

Editorial /CommEntary

Special prosecutor in city needs closer scrutiny

A special prosecutor has dominated local and national headlines for almost two years, and admittedly Robert Mueller’s investigation of the Trump organization, presidential campaign and administration is one of the pivotal events in our nation’s history. But the local public — particularly the progressive majorities that elected the first African-American chief prosecutors in St. Louis city and county — also needs to pay close attention to another, local special prosecutor. Gerard Carmody is a local attorney in private practice appointed special prosecutor by presiding Circuit Judge Michael Mullen to weigh charges against William Tisaby (and anyone else incriminated in the probe). We believe there is evidence that Tisaby perjured himself (or misspoke) in the legal proceeding to investigate whether then-Gov. Eric Greitens committed felonious invasion of privacy against a local woman during his campaign for governor. Investigating a possible perjury charge against Tisaby is not unreasonable — someone investigating a felony charge against a sitting governor should be held to the law’s highest standards — and clearly St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner has a conflict in this case, because she hired Tisaby to perform the investigation and at the very least is a witness. What is not reasonable is Mullen’s appointment of Carmody to prosecute this case. Carmody is widely known to be personal friends with Ed Dowd, one of Greitens’ many lawyers who defended him against the charges Gardner pursued. Further, Gardner formally complained that Greitens’ attorneys threatened to damage her career if she pursued those charges. We believe Mullen should be and is aware of her claims. For Mullen then to appoint Carmody to prosecute the man she hired to investigate Greitens shows at best contempt for Gardner’s claims of intimidation (without any legal process to substantiate or refute them) and at worst complicity in an effort to in fact damage Gardner’s career. We believe that Gardner’s handling of the Greitens case was flawed and deserves scrutiny,

and Tisaby’s role was critical. The appointment of a federal prosecutor to investigate Tisaby as special prosecutor would have been reasonable. But Mullen’s appointment of Carmody raises serious questions about Mullen’s judgment and ethics. It’s even more troubling that Mullen granted Carmody — a private attorney — a sweeping search warrant against Gardner that, if executed, would put him in possession of an enormous amount of confidential information about past and current criminal cases. Fortunately, for now, an appeals court blocked the execution of that search warrant.

Carmody is widely known to be personal friends with Ed Dowd, one of Greitens’ many lawyers who defended him against the charges Gardner pursued.

Lurking in the shadows of what appears to be a concerted effort to damage Gardner is the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

The police seized Gardner’s email server along with the special prosecutor, and they are highly motivated to obtain evidence against the circuit attorney and Tisaby. She hired Tisaby, in fact, when St. Louis police were less than cooperative in the investigation of Greitens. When the police leaked evidence of the Brady List of unreliable police witnesses that Gardner keeps, as all prosecutors do and should, she rightly and courageously defended the need for such a list.

Gardner has made many police enemies by doing what she was elected to do, which includes holding accountable a frequently lawless and unconstitutional police department.

To revisit Mullen’s role in this matter, she also is making many judicial enemies by working with the public defender and community advocates to challenge the cash bail system that local judges lazily and unethically have entrenched in our criminal justice system.

We are as anxious as anyone to know what Mueller has on Trump, but we believe the local voters who elected Gardner need to be paying much closer attention to what the special prosecutor on the Tisaby case is doing. We need to be looking into what role Mullen and the police are playing in what appears to be a thinly veiled attempt to destroy her career and undermine her efforts to reform a criminal justice system that is badly damaging our region and its ability to fulfill more of its potential.

member school board.

By Tony Rothert

St. Louis American

For The

In just a few weeks, we are asking the voters of the Ferguson-Florissant School District to be a part of history.

For years, the FergusonFlorissant School District’s voting system diluted the voice of Black residents. That’s about to change. On April 2, district voters will be given a new kind of ballot for school board candidates than they’re used to seeing.

This separate ballot allows voters to place two votes among three school board candidates. It is up to individuals how to spread their votes – to back two candidates with one vote to each, or to put both their votes behind one candidate. It is a voting method called cumulative voting, and it has the power to give minority groups a more representative voice on Election Day.

The change to the voting system is a court-ordered remedy to generations of systematic dilution of the black vote that has had lasting effects on the district’s black community.

In 2014, we sued the Ferguson-Florissant School District on behalf of the NAACP and several residents of the district. At the time of our lawsuit, there was one black member on the seven-

The district’s voting system consistently resulted in a school board that was overwhelmingly white, as white residents nearly always voted as a bloc for white candidates. Yet, Ferguson-Florissant’s student body is greater than 80 percent black. Severe racial disparities in school discipline and student achievement gaps persisted, and the school board took no meaningful effort to address them. An all-white school board forced out the district’s first black superintendent. A court found that the district’s racially polarized voting, in combination with generations of systemic discrimination in housing and education, violated the federal Voting Rights Act by diluting the votes of the African-American community. A district’s school board holds an immense amount of power in the community. School boards decide which schools stay open (and which close), set the curriculum and adopt collective bargaining agreements. Having equitable representation on the school

board ensures that the board responds to the black community in a meaningful way.

The underrepresentation of the black community shaped the way the district was governed, and, in turn, builds on years of discrimination and inequality. Now, FergusonFlorissant’s African-American community has a chance to change things.

To encourage voter participation in this historic election, ACLU of Missouri has launched a targeted effort to educate voters about the change to cumulative voting. This includes canvassing throughout the FergusonFlorissant School District, a direct mail campaign, and a candidate forum with community partners.

We urge residents to join us to get informed on the new voting system and meet the school board candidates. We have teamed up with the St. Louis American, Missouri NAACP State Conference and iHeart Media to help people understand the changes. Come School the Vote with us on March 26 from 6 – 8:30 p.m., Greater Grace Family Church, 3690 Pershall Road, Ferguson, MO 63135.

For more information, visit www.fergflovotes.com.

Tony Rothert is legal director at ACLU of Missouri.

Commentary We must build better systems for young people

By Tamara Vaughn-Walker For The St.

American

Louis

I spent the first years 19 years of my life residing in the Samuel Gompers Housing Projects in East St. Louis. During my earlier childhood years, I remember my neighborhood being a place where parents and elders looked out for the safety and nurturing of all children in the community.

Even though I lived in the projects, adults in my community instilled the importance of taking pride in the place we called home. On Saturdays during the summer, the adults organized neighborhood cleanup activities and everyone in the neighborhood was involved with picking up trash, planting flowers and pulling up weeds.

However, in the late 1980s to early ‘90s, my neighborhood took a drastic turn for the worse. It became a volatile and scary place to live. Parents didn’t allow their children to play outside after a certain time because of neighborhood feuds and shootings. I was being raised in a low-income, highly traumatized community, and my future seemed bleak.

My childhood friends and I started to normalize violence, seeing people being arrested, witnessing the effect of the drugs, school suspensions, expulsions and death. I remember praying on several occasions asking God to allow me to see my 18th birthday.

When I was 16 years old, my childhood friend was murdered by three teenage boys. I experienced a great deal of pain, depression, trauma, anger and frustration. Sadly, some of those experiences still haunt me to this day. I have attended more funerals of my peers than high school graduations.

Thankfully, I had a good support system of family members, teachers and other caring adults who took time to give me nurturing, support and guidance. Despite the hardships, I was first in my family to attend college. I graduated from Saint Louis University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice and a Minor in Education. Later, I attended Lindenwood University and received a Master of Science degree in Human Resources Management.

So many of our children, youth and young adults need the same support I received. As a community of adults, we have to be more intentional about creating systems that are supportive of producing leaders. Our young people have endured so much pain and punishment just by entering a world that makes them feel unwelcomed and underserving of love.

Realistically, how do we expect our children to succeed and thrive when they experience hopelessness, devastation and a lack of community investment?

Black communities are still impacted by governmentimposed redlining and harmful exclusionary policies and practices. In order for black communities to recover, investments in better schools, businesses, housing and economic development are essential.

We should offer counseling and trauma-based services to promote mental health support for children and families

Letters to the editor

Less care for low-income people

Recently, the Trump administration made harmful changes to a longstanding public health program that’s been successfully keeping people across Missouri and nationwide healthy for nearly 50 years. Here in Missouri the Title X program supports a diverse network of health care providers that deliver family planning and sexual health care services, including breast and cervical cancer detection, screening and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, HIV testing, and contraception to 38,000 patients every year. The program prioritizes care for poor and low-income women, men, and teens as well as those who, without Title X, would lack any other access to care.

Despite its successes, the administration is attempting to fundamentally alter the Title X family planning program and make it more difficult for patients to get the care they need from providers they trust. If the Title X rule continues as the administration has proposed, our nation can expect less care for low-income people, lower quality standards in family planning and worse

health outcomes. The rule will limit honest conversations and damage the strength of the providerpatient relationship, ultimately crippling patients’ ability to make fully informed reproductive health decisions for themselves. The longterm health consequences could be dire. Reversing years of progress, we could see a dramatic reduction in critical health services, resulting in an increased rate of unintended pregnancies and STDs. The Title X rule undermines the trust we’ve built in Missouri. Our patients deserve better.

Alison Dreith, St. Louis

Don’t fix bridges at expense of basic services

The bait-n-switch continues unabated in Missouri’s Republican-controlled government. In his State of the State address, Gov. Mike Parson requested a $350 million bond issue to replace or repair 250 bridges. This request is apparently in response to the smackdown delivered by taxpayers in the defeat of the previously proposed 10-cent-agallon fuel tax. The Missouri Department

within schools, public housing communities, juvenile detention facilities, jails, prisons and faith communities. During the time of my childhood friend’s death, my peers and I did not have access to therapy and counseling services to help us process our grief and other emotions we endured. We should embed in our schools policies, practices, procedures and investments that are responsive to racial and ethnic disparity data, culturally responsive pedagogy, student accommodations (504 plans/ IEPs), fostering stronger family engagement partnerships and safety.

We should continuously analyze juvenile decision point data findings to improve community infrastructure with better housing, transportation, employment development, education to divert individuals from resorting to illegal activities. We should place more attention on early intervention, prevention alternatives and community collaboration. In an effort to break generational cycles, black youth need early exposure and increased access to college, vocational education, employment and career shadowing opportunities to increase their earned income potential.

I am committed to creating better systems for youth across the St. Louis region. I honor my friend’s legacy by transferring my pain into power to benefit other kids in need. Let’s join forces!

Tamara Vaughn-Walker is the Juvenile Justice Council coordinator with the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office and is a Community Advisory Board member with the Deaconess Foundation.

edited for length and style.

of Transportation (MoDoT) historically funded its operation on a pay-as-you-go basis. But in 2000, MoDoT issued more than $3.8 billion in bonds to finance road and bridge replacement/repair, and $1.8 billion was still outstanding as of June 30, 2018. That debt is funded via a constitutionally dedicated source within MoDoT. Parson wants his $350 million bond issue funded from general revenue, not MoDoT. This would leave less money available for education, health care and other basic state services to struggling Missourians. The eventual pay-out for Parson’s bond folly over 15 years would be $450 million ($30 million a year). This would ultimately reduce funds from general revenue which funds healthcare, education and other basic services.

Repairing/replacing old bridges is a righteous cause, but doing so by extracting funds from basic services is a rejection of fiscal reality. Imposing a 15-year bridge repair tax on Missouri’s wealthy corporations is a more realistic option. Old adage: when you need money, seek those who have it.

Michael K. Broughton Green Park

Tony Rothert

Guest Columnist Tamara VaughnWalker

To complete his Eagle Scout requirements, Parkway South High School senior Elijah Edwards (center) approached Assistance League of St. Louis about building Little Lending Community Libraries for deserving schools. On March 1, Ritenour School District’s Iveland Elementary School opened one of six new Little  Lending Community Libraries being installed by Assistance League of St. Louis, along with Sue Long (left), who chairs the Books From Friends initiative.

Kirkwood to host public meeting on city-county merger

The City of Kirkwood will hold a Public Information Meeting on the proposed CityCounty merger 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 26 at Reim Theatre, Kirkwood Community Center, 111 S. Geyer Rd. It will be structured in a question-andanswer format between the public and City of Kirkwood Council members and staff. The public is encouraged to attend.

Free Archery Basics for Families classes

The Missouri Department of Conservation will host a free Archery Basics for Families class 2 p.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday, March 26 at the August A. Busch Shooting Range and Outdoor Education Center, located at 3550 Route D in Defiance, approximately five miles west of Highway 94. The class is free and open to those age nine and older; however, participants 9-15 must be accompanied by an adult. These programs will introduce the fundamentals for safely and successfully shooting a compound bow, followed by hands-on practice. All equipment will be provided. Advanced online registration is required at https://bit.ly/2tRZgm7.

Where did this Better Together come from?

By Dorothy Dempsey For The St. Louis American

St. Louis city is in trouble, and the people who live in the city are in dire need of rescue. Mayor Lyda Krewson and St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger want to make changes to our city that a lot of black people know nothing about.

Where did this Better Together come from? They did not think we were better together with the massive white flight experienced in St. Louis city.

A ballot initiative is being prepared for a constitutional amendment that would superimpose a new type of government, a metro city, over the city and county. Control and finance are the motivating factors in this scenario, and it does not involve blacks controlling anything. All of this has been bankrolled by the billionaire Rex Sinquefield. We people of color must be prepared for eminent domain and unforeseen loss. There may be a plan to make St. Louis better, but you can bet your bottom dollar that blacks and people of color are not included or on the beneficiary list of the Better Together scenario in a mindful way.

Dorothy Dempsey

If the powers that be want to make St. Louis city better, then ask the people who live in the city what would be better for them. Ask us how you can help us with the problems of a shortage of police officers, utility trucks, clean-up crews, street maintenance crews. Ask us about closed-up school buildings. Tell us why you don’t want to fix up St. Louis before you come in telling us how you want to rearrange St. Louis.

Everyone knows that St. Louis needs change. However, this is not the change we want or need. We need a vibrant city with black voices being heard across the table equal in every way to the people who think that we are inferior and not able to make decisions for ourselves.

We are equal, and our voices will be heard. This is like telling St. Louis residents that they may live in the city but they must abide by the Better Together rules in which they have no say-so. Mayor Krewson has offered the city very little transparency in this endeavor.

I invite Mayor Krewson and Rex Sinquefield into North St. Louis’ Penrose area. Despite its many problems, it still has possibilities. It has the Julia Davis Library, Wesley House, four large churches within blocks of each other, O’Fallon Park, Joyce Myer Center, and the North Newstead Foundation.

The city needs to be given an equal chance. We can thrive if given an opportunity to bring the city back to what it once was.

The mayor of this city who knows all of the important people who are involved in Better Together should be working her behind off to save this city. All the people who are on the sidelines cheering her on are the ones who got us where we are now.

Continued from A1

agenda, which focuses on cleaner government, increasing wages and controlling the cost of health care. Cleaner government, she said, is crucial to the other two parts of the agenda.

“The confidence that people have when we say that we are going to have for the people an electoral agenda that removes obstacles or participation, that increases the voices of the grassroots, it gives people confidence that we can get it done, because the voices of the people will be heard,” she said.

Public pressure will be crucial to pushing the Republicancontrolled Senate to vote on both measures, Pelosi said.

“I’m starting a new club called the ‘too-hot-to-handle’ club,” she said to laughter. “If they’re not going to pass it, tell us why.” She said the party plans to hold hearings around the country to make voters aware of the bills.

Clay said the new standards for voting-law changes are vital to making sure that people of color

CENTER

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$6 million annual payments.

The city passed the necessary legislation earlier this year, and County Executive Steve Stenger supports the plan.

Adolphus Pruitt, president of the St. Louis City NAACP, said Bill 73 does not ensure that the county’s minority participation goals would be enforced on the convention expansion project. Because funds from both governments

have the right to cast a ballot, and says he knows exactly why Republicans won’t allow a vote.

“They don’t want them to have a stake in their own government. Why is that? Because they want to keep things the same,” he said.

Pelosi and Clay spoke at the Urban League’s Ferguson Community Empowerment Center, which was built on the site of a QuikTrip that burned in the days after Michael Brown was fatally shot in 2014. Pelosi called it an honor, though sad, to be in Ferguson, but added she was happy to see “this phoenix rising from the ashes of what happened before to be a model to our country.”

Before that, the two visited the Lacy Clay Center for Children’s Health, which provides mental health treatment to low-income children, and the Fathers Support Center, which helps men become more involved parents, both in St. Louis. They then ate lunch with local political leaders at Cathy’s Kitchen in Ferguson.

Follow Rachel on Twitter: @ rlippmann

Reprinted with permission from news.stlouispublicradio.org

are at play, Pruitt is pushing the council to establish regional goals for employing minority workforce and contractors on the project.

“As a council you have the full authority to negotiate a better deal, and you have a fiduciary responsibility to allocate county funds in a way that benefits county residents,” stated Pruitt in a March 18 letter to the council.

Erby said she shares the concern because she and Councilwoman Rochelle Walton Gray championed Bill 350 to establish the county’s

minority participation goals in 2017. At the March 19 council meeting, Erby said she wanted to take a few weeks to review legal opinions regarding this issue.

“I know that’s difficult for the people who are trying to get this done,” Erby said at the meeting. “And I know there are some time frames that need to be met, but there are questions that need to be answered.”

The other legal opinion the council will review is about whether they are legally bound to spend the hotel tax

money on hospitality or if they can allocate it towards repairing roads and other needs, a question raised by Councilman Ernie Trakas at the Tuesday meeting.

Jack Thomas Jr., the county’s new chief diversity officer, said that he believes the city and county will work together on establishing minority participation goals. The two governments recently passed legislation regarding how they employ minority and female workers, city residents, apprentices and minority and women-owned businesses on

publicly-funded construction projects. While the numbers are different, Thomas believes they would adopt the highest goals possible.

Kitty Ratcliffe, who is president of the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Convention, also known as Explore St. Louis, said the 42-year-old complex is in dire need of upgrades. The expansion will help sustain and grow visitor traffic, she said.

“On an average, we have $265 million of new money that’s coming into St. Louis every year from conventions at

Center,” Ratcliffe told St. Louis Public Radio, adding that about half of that sum is spent on hotels, with the remainder going to restaurants, transportation, entertainment and other area services and purchases.

Among other upgrades, the expansion plan calls for a much larger ballroom that could compete with other cities’ facilities – ballrooms that span between 40,000 and 60,000 square feet, Ratcliffe said. The existing America’s Center ballroom is about 28,000 square feet.

In the NAACP’s letter to the council, Pruitt also raised concerns about promotion discrimination that often plaques the hospitality industry. Pruitt said that Explore St. Louis has not provided the NAACP with information about the minority makeup of their upper management.

“Explore St. Louis has refused to paint a picture of its top management by race, gender, pay, and the amount of time in their present position,” Pruitt stated in the letter to the council.

At the meeting on March 19, Explore St. Louis’ attorney Robert Wallace said that there was some “confusion” regarding the organization’s compliance with the NAACP’s Sunshine requests about their workforce diversity. He said the request was “not specific,” but Explore St. Louis leaders offered to meet with the NAACP.

“We can’t provide records that don’t exist but can answer questions if they are appropriate to be answered,” Wallace testified at the council meeting.

All 30 members of Explore St. Louis’ upper management team attended the meeting and stood up at one point. Ratcliffe told The St. Louis American 50 percent of the senior team are women, 30 percent are African American and one percent is Hispanic – and that information was provided to the NAACP and the council.

Ratcliffe said in her comments to the council that Explore St. Louis has a “very diverse workforce. It’s representative of our community.”

“Mr. Pruitt has raised some questions about them I’m not sure why because they actually are a great team,” Ratcliffe said. “We’ve been accused of trotting out people of color just to impress you. That’s absolutely not true. What we wanted was to impress you with business in the county.”

One of the black business owners who testified on Tuesday was Darryl Jones, a partner in Culinary Hospitality Partners which operates the food and beverage services at America’s Center. Of his 236 full-time employees, 30 percent of them reside in the county. Of his $4.2 million in payroll costs, $1.25 million is paid to county residents.

“We have the opportunity to employ hundreds of people that live in the city and the county, and many of those are minorities,” Jones said. “I urge you to approve the expansion project for the convention center in hopes we can engage in some of the larger conventions that we’ve missed out in years past.”

America’s

CEO Dwayne Butler (far right) and People’s Health Center staff welcome House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, U.S. Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay and other elected leaders during their visit to the Lacy Clay Center for Children’s Health in St. Louis on Mar. 18. The center addresses behavioral health needs of children and adolescents.

Photo by Wiley Price

GARDNER

Continued from A1

the “biased” actions of a St. Louis circuit judge – and the special prosecutor he appointed – have put St. Louis residents’ public safety at risk.

In a March 13 letter, they asked the Missouri Supreme Court chief justice to remove Circuit Judge Michael Mullen and Special Prosecutor Gerard Carmody from their involvement in a grand jury case, regarding a former investigator for Gardner.

“It’s time to put aside politics, the good ole boy connections, the opposition to change and restore some semblance of impartiality and fairness to this ‘so called’ investigation,” according to the March 13 letter to Chief Justice Zel M. Fischer from the presidents of the St. Louis NAACP and Missouri Missionary Baptist Convention.

The grand jury investigation is reviewing whether Gardner’s investigator William Tisaby lied under oath last spring during then-Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens’ felonious invasion of privacy case.

Carmody, of the local law

THOMPSON

Continued from A1 friend that she didn’t think she could do much to help, but she attended the meeting anyway. There, representatives from progressive organizations, such as the Organization for Black Struggle and the Coalition for Black Trade Unionists, were speaking about the movement and the meaning of repression.

“My words were, ‘Where have you all been?’” She joined the movement that day and ended up becoming a leader in the effort to save the hospital.

“Once I became involved with the struggle to save Homer G. Phillips Hospital, that was the gateway to getting

firm Carmody MacDonald, has ties to one or more of Greitens’ defense attorneys – who Gardner alleges threatened to “ruin” her if she tried to prosecute the former governor. Greitens’ lawyers denied the claim, according to the Associated Press. Mullen appointed Carmody as special prosecutor overseeing the investigation but did not require Carmody to complete a conflict-of-interest statement, according to a spokesman for the circuit court.

On Feb. 20, Mullen approved a search warrant that Carmody issued to seize Gardner’s email server and thousands of documents that Gardner said are not related to the Tisaby case. The release of these files puts people’s privacy at risk, Gardner said. On March 12, Mullen rejected Gardner’s motion to quash the search warrant and said in a hearing that he thought her office was “playing games.” Gardner’s attorneys appealed within hours of Mullen’s decision. In the short amount of time it took for them to file the appeal, the police and Carmody seized the circuit attorney’s email server – knowing an appeal was underway, according to Gardner. The

involved in the struggle for equality, the struggle against discrimination, the struggle against racism,” Thompson said. “It made me aware of what was going on around me, and what can be done. You don’t have to roll over.

Don’t agonize, organize.”

Despite her efforts, the hospital closed in 1979, but it was far from her last leadership role in the struggle. Thompson graduated from the Homer G. Phillips School of Nursing in 1965 and went on to serve 54 years as a nurse. Health care has always been the center of her life, she said. Although she is retired, she still has a few “patientfriends” that she visits and helps navigate through the medical system. “I always say that nursing

Court of Appeals ordered a halt on the search warrant that evening.

The letter from the St. Louis NAACP and ministers criticized Mullen for approving a search warrant that is a “seemingly boundless aid abet the ‘night riding’ tactics of opponents of the circuit attorney’s reform efforts.”

“Judge Mullen and Gerard Carmody have illustrated through their behavior that they cannot work past their bias that is driven by their past professional relationships and personal disdain for the circuit attorney to be fair and impartial in performing their duties on behalf of the people of the City of St. Louis,” the letter states. “Therefore, they should be replaced by the Court.”

Court rules prohibit Fischer from commenting publicly on the NAACP and ministers’ letter or even reviewing it outside of a court setting because the grand jury case is underway.

Mullen and Carmody are not able to comment on the letter because of a gag order Mullen issued on March 5 for involved parties in the Tisaby case. The Court of Appeals ruled on March 12 that Gardner was not a party in the case.

At the March 19 prayer ser-

is my passion, but activism is my calling,” Thompson said.

Reflecting on all these years of service and activism, she has been able to rationalize those two parts of her in this way. People don’t willingly enter a life where they are constantly beaten up, humiliated, and putting their financial security in jeopardy.

“When I put all that together, I said activism must be a calling because I don’t think someone would raise their hand and say ‘I want that to happen to me,’” Thompson said.

Thompson’s fearless activism and lifelong service to the community are among the reasons she will receive the Lifetime Achiever in Health Care Award at the 19th Annual Salute to Excellence

vice, Gardner told the audience that the attacks were not only against her, but against the community that elected her.

“It’s your struggle that says you demand change and want to reform a criminal justice system that matters,” Gardner said. “It is unfortunate, but it is about a few powerful people in our city that they are saying to the voters of this city that they know what’s best for you, better than you know for yourself.”

Police and court accountability

Pruitt told the St. Louis American that Gardner has shown strong leadership in dealing with misconduct in the police department, in promoting fairness and equity in the court, and in pushing forward progressive criminal justice reform.

“All of those go against the norm – and the norm being inequity for people of color,” Pruitt said. “She is fighting for the people who are marginalized. That brings us under unprecedented attack from who those want to keep the status quo.”

And while the vast majority of police are law abiding, Pruitt

in Health Care Awards

Luncheon on Friday, April 26, at the Frontenac Hilton.

She is a recipient of the Martin Luther King Award for leading the struggle to save Homer G. Phillips Hospital.

She has serves as a board member of Missourians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty and is a founding board member for the Workers Educational Society, which educates young people in building progressive coalitions, including the campaign to raise the minimum wage. She also participates with Jobs with Justice, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists and the Organization for Black Struggle.

Thompson also served as the co-chair of the St. Louis Free Angela Davis Committee.

said, there are some who aren’t.

“Kim’s commitments in weeding them out of the criminal justice system, it rubs them the wrong way,” Pruitt said. “They have declared war on her and made no secret about it. It’s their intent to make sure she doesn’t get re-elected.”

In Gardner’s motion to quash the search warrant, she said that there is more to the investigation than the perjury charge – it is more pushback from the police department.

Gardner, the first AfricanAmerican woman to be elected to her position in St. Louis, ran on a promise to “reform a broken system,” the motion states.

Since she began her term on January 1, 2017, she claims she has been under “a near-constant barrage of criticism” from the police department for her decisions, including to seek first-degree murder charges against former police officer Jason Stockley for the 2011 shooting death of Anthony Lamar Smith. In August 2018, her office angered the police department when she placed 28 city officers on an “exclusion list,” based on the officers’ “veracity,” it states. Such lists, known as a “Brady list,” are commonly kept by prosecutors to protect the credibility of

She is a veteran of dozen of electoral campaigns focused on electing African-American trade unionists to local and state-wide office.

And through all her activism, her late daughter Dumeha, who was born in 1971, was always at her side at rallies and meetings, Zenobia said.

“She’s a longtimer, and she’s been on the right side,” said activist Percy Green. “She’s been superb in her profession. As it relates to the community, she has always been a person you can count on.”

Green describes Thompson as “noble, competent and trustworthy,” and someone who works behind the scenes “filling the void.” Yet she is also capable of being a spokesperson, he said.

their witnesses.

Recently, the circuit attorney accused the police of obstruction when her investigators attempted to obtain a drug test from an officer who fatally shot and killed a colleague on January 24. Police Chief John Hayden angrily responded at a press conference saying that Gardner’s accusation was “insulting.”

“The department’s animosity toward the circuit attorney’s efforts resulted in the unprecedented appointment of this special prosecutor,” Gardner’s motion to quash the search warrant states. “Now, the unelected special prosecutor is using the warrant to usurp the power of the St. Louis-elected circuit attorney.” Pruitt said that the community plans on showing who has the power – and it’s the people who elected Gardner. At the prayer service, Gardner said it is time to take a stand against those who have “made their ruthless intentions known.”

“No matter how much these few powerful people dislike my policies or my personality, no matter the disdain they have for me,” she said, “I refuse to kneel down and kiss the ring of the good ole boy system.”

“Early on, I was convinced that universal health care for everyone was the way to go and that health care was a human right,” Thompson said.

“And for years I have been struggling, going to meetings, conventions, workshops, demonstrating, organizations to promote the concept of health care as a human right and universal health care.”

Tickets for the 19th Annual Salute to Excellence in Health Care Awards Luncheon on Friday, April 26 at the Frontenac Hilton are $750 per table for VIP/Corporate seating and $50 each/$500 table for Individual seating. To order tickets, call 314533-8000 or visit www.stlamerican.com.

In politics, all kinfolk are not skinfolk

Blake Strode, a civil rights lawyer and advocate in St. Louis, submitted this column and it was posted to stlamerican.com before the March 5 municipal primary, when a number of white progressives – including Megan Ellyia Green and Cara Spencer – faced black candidates in competitive races. (Green lost the primary for aldermanic president; Spencer won her primary challenge and remains 20th Ward alderman.) Strode’s argument remains of interest for the 2020 Democratic Presidential Primary – and beyond.

Some things are so obvious they go without saying. Others, despite their obviousness, need to be said clearly and loudly. Judging by the sheer number of conversations carried out in hushed tones over the past few months, this piece falls into the latter category.

In May of last year, I wrote an open letter to The American posing the question: “What can we expect from all of this black representation?” Consider this a follow-up.

Let me state at the outset what this is not.

This is not an endorsement.

This is not a suggestion that black and white are or should be the only racial identities that matter in our politics. And this is most certainly not an excuse for the outrageous underrepresentation of black people and other people of color at all levels of elected office.

This is, however, a particular response to a particular challenge that we face in this political moment.

Thanks to generations of organizing, struggle, and sacrifice, black elected leadership is no longer an oxymoron in this country. The eight-year image of a black family in the White House will likely pay subconscious dividends for years to come. And the moral leadership of a movement proclaiming that Black Lives Matter from Ferguson and Baltimore to Baton Rouge and beyond has demanded that the black experience be represented both in policies and candidate profiles.

This moment also calls us to wrestle with the occasional tension between black identity and political ideology.

In a St. Louis context defined by black-andwhite racial politics, we struggle with this tension. But we are hardly alone. On the national stage, at least two prominent black candidates have emerged in the 2020 Democratic primary for U.S. president, and both have spotty records when it comes to serving the interests of vulnerable black and brown communities.

U.S. Senator Kamala Harris, during her many years as a prosecutor and attorney general in California, defended the constitutionality of the death penalty; defended a cruel and arbitrary “three strikes” law that resulted in life sentences for any third felony; spearheaded an anti-truancy law resulting in fines and jail time for parents of children who were chronically truant from school; refused to turn over the names of police officers with histories of misconduct and

criminal records; and literally laughed aloud at the idea of marijuana legalization.

U.S. Senator Cory Booker’s close ties to Wall Street and corporate interests raise legitimate questions about his policymaking priorities.

In 2017, Booker sided with the pharmaceutical industry in defeating a bill that would have lowered prescription drug prices by allowing the purchase of prescription drugs from Canada. In 2012, Booker made headlines by calling President Barack Obama’s criticism of Mitt Romney’s record at Bain Capital “ridiculous” and “nauseating ” and demanding that the Obama campaign “stop attacking private equity.”

The following election cycle, Booker raised more money from Wall Street than any other member of Congress. These are just facts. They

are part of the policy records of these black candidates. And they are not records that speak to a prioritization of policies that benefit the majority of black people. The senators now have an opportunity to explain these choices, and explain them they should.

In the meantime, it would be absurd to conclude that these candidates are the best options for black people merely because they are black. Black folks were never so easily manipulated by the likes of Clarence Thomas, Herman Cain, or Dr. Ben Carson; there is no reason a “D” next to a candidate’s name should change that.

Now what does any of this have to do with St. Louis?

Black St. Louisans have rightly come to demand a level of representation that accounts for the history and

Odella Booker

demographics of this town. But those of us who care deeply about the systemic inequity and structural racism that have plagued black residents of St. Louis for generations know from experience that black representation does not necessarily mean “black” politics.

And yet, multiple times during the past few months, I have heard the explicit argument that being committed to racial equity is incompatible with voting for white candidates. This is a harmful and dangerous notion, and one that we should reject outright.

Whether voting for an aldermanic seat, president of the Board of Aldermen, or any future local or statewide office, the choice for voters who believe in social and racial justice must be a candidate with a proven record and policy

agenda that evidences a sincere commitment to the interests of black people and other marginalized communities. Those candidates will not always be black. The idea of identity and politics coming into conflict is nothing new for black people. In the political context, we have grown fond of the phrase “all skinfolk ain’t kinfolk,” but it seems we often miss the corollary: “all kinfolk ain’t skinfolk.” From the abolitionist movement to the Civil Rights Era to the Movement for Black Lives, some of our closest allies in the fight for racial justice have long included people who do not look like us.

There are some non-black folks I would trust with my life. And there are some black folks I wouldn’t trust with the life of my goldfish. Why should politics be any different? Plainly stated: some white people have better racial politics than some people of color. Some white politicians have policy records more aligned with the interests of the black community than some black politicians. Sometimes, when this is the case, caring about black people means voting for white people. I want to see more black people and people of color running for and winning elected office. I would love to see a slate of candidates that represents the full

Photo by Chuck Ramsay

Megan Ellyia Green at the debate for Board of Aldermen president held at HarrisStowe State University on Saturday, January 26. Blake Strode

The Performance of Blackness at the Missouri History Museum

By Emily Underwood For The St. Louis American

For centuries performance has been a vehicle for playing out society’s fears, desires, motivations, and values. Through the stage – and later the screen – this collective processing of our own humanity has been presented with both thoughtful nuance and utter disregard. At its best, performance offers audiences the opportunity for selfreflection and deeper understanding. At its worst, it magnifies the ugliest parts of us, perpetuating stereotypes, reinforcing biases, and inspiring hateful divisiveness that endures long after the performance has ended.

On Sunday, March 24, at 6:30pm, and on Tuesday, April 2, at 6:30pm, the Missouri Historical Society will host the two-part series From the Birth of Blackface to The Birth of a Nation: The Performance of Blackness, presented with the Ethics Project and Washington University School of Law. Although each component of the program can stand on its own, the two halves work in tandem to excavate the depth of blackface in American history and how it continues to pervade our consciousness – even long after it has fallen out of social acceptance.

ized images of blackness and a distorted view of black culture that was more palatable and easily digested for white entertainment.

During the April 2 program, Griffin and Washington University law professor Kimberly Norwood will present a selection of illustrative clips from the three-hour film and then lead a panel discussion. Panelists will include historian and academic leader John Wright; Missouri NAACP president Nimrod Chapel Jr.; the Black Rep founder and producing director Ron Himes; and Kimberly Hicks Franks. The panelists will discuss the film and its context – as well as its lasting impact – and they’ll continue the conversation about the pervasiveness of blackface stereotypes in contemporary culture.

From the Birth of Blackface to The Birth of a Nation: The Performance of Blackness, a two part series

On March 24, Katrina Thompson Moore, associate professor of history at Saint Louis University, will present The Birth of Blackface. She’ll trace the story of how stereotypes have been acted out through racist costuming and performance from the early stages of vaudeville theaters to the headlines about offensive Halloween costumes that pop up every year. A conversation between Moore and the Ethics Project’s founder and President Christi Griffin will follow the presentation. They’ll dig deeper into the pervasive displays of negative racial stereotypes and engage the audience in a conversation about the visceral reactions to Virginia governor Ralph Northam’s use of blackface in a yearbook photo.

Sunday, March 24, at 6:30pm, and on Tuesday, April 2, at 6:30pm, at the Missouri Historical Society

Griffin founded the Ethics Project in 2007 with a mission to “improve the well-being of our youth and strengthen our community by addressing the impact of crime, incarceration, and injustice on children, families, and the community as a whole.” The Ethics Project provides a variety of resources to educate the public on the legal system, increase the ethics of those within that system, and address incarceration. Its platform includes the Mother 2 Mother program, which provides black mothers with the opportunity to bear witness to the experience of raising black sons. But what does this have to do with performance and blackface? “To the extent that racist perceptions and over-criminalization of black people impacts crime, injustice, and mass incarceration, these programs about the history of blackface and The Birth of a Nation are important vehicles for raising awareness and changing the conversation,” Griffin said.

As of March 11, St. Louis County Library is expanding its musical instrument lending program to include keyboards, electric guitars, box drums, xylophones, bass guitars and djembes

The instruments are available for check out at four branches: Library Headquarters, Daniel Boone, Florissant Valley and Grant’s View. Patrons with a valid library card can take home the musical instrument of their choice for two weeks. Instructional music books and DVDs are often included with most of the instruments, along with a hard case to protect it from damage.

The instrument lending program began in June 2018 with ukuleles, acoustic guitars, banjos and bongos, and has been extremely popular with library patrons.

Recently, a patron and her daughter returned an acoustic guitar to the Florissant Valley Branch and told staff, “This was a creative, educational, and helpful experience which helped us decide to purchase a guitar. We also got to spend more time together. We can’t thank

It is no surprise that the tradition of caricaturing black people did not limit itself to live performance; it easily found its way into the burgeoning world of motion pictures as well.

When D. W. Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation was released in 1915, it featured a number of performers in blackface, portraying black men as boorish and sexually aggressive threats to white communities. These portrayals – along with other minstrel show archetypes – presented dehuman-

Shakia Gullette, manager of local history initiatives at the Missouri Historical Society, also stresses the connections between the historic use of blackface and current issues within the justice system. “Drawing that connecting line is a prime example of the ways in which popular culture permeates into other parts of our lives. These conversations are so important because it’s only with hindsight that we can understand the breadth of the effects they have on our community.”

Join the conversation at the Missouri History Museum on Sunday, March 24, and Tuesday, April 2. Both sessions are free and open to the public.

Emily Underwood is director of community programs at the Missouri Historical Society.

Christi Griffin Kim Norwood

Get the most bang for your buck

Be prepared to ask questions and take notes when going to the doctor

American staff

Health care can be complicated and even confusing. The best way for you to avoid being overwhelmed by uncertainty is to become health-care literate. This doesn’t just mean learning terms for body parts and illnesses, it also means knowing how to talk to your doctors so you have a better understanding of how to follow recommendations, take medications correctly and take charge of your health. If you don’t understand the information given to you by your doctors, you are more likely to be in poor health, which is why it is important for everyone to know how to talk to their doctor.

Talking openly with your doctor and getting the most from your appointments may also

n Ask questions. What should I do to prevent or delay health problems? Are there tests or screenings I should have? Am I due for vaccines?

help you reduce your out-of-pocket costs. By being engaged and more proactive with your health, you may be able to avoid issues that are more complex and the need for additional care. Here are some tips you can use when talking to your doctors.

Be prepared. Being prepared can make a big difference in the success of your appointment with your doctor. You should have a general list of questions that you would like the answers to, such as:

• What should I do to prevent or delay health problems?

• Are there tests or screenings I should have?

• Am I due for vaccines?

You should have a list of all prescription and over-the counter medications, other drugs, vitamins and any herbal remedies you are currently taking. You should also make note of any nutritional drinks or shakes, herbal teas, energy drinks, coffee and alcohol

See DOCTOR, A11

Walk or run with CWAH

Get active at Community Women Against Hardship’s 15th annual Health Fair

American staff

Community Women Against Hardship will host its 15th annual noncompetitive walk/run and Health Fair at Tower Grove Park Saturday, May 18, with registration at 8 a.m. Walkers and runners can register for 1K, 3K or 5K. A physician will be available to discuss concerns at the event.

Gloria Taylor, founder/CEO of Community Women Against Hardship (CWAH), continues to schedule this event because of the need for greater attention to good health and wellness practice.

“CWAH has consistently increased the importance of taking control of our health,” said Dr. Denise

Hooks-Anderson, associate professor, Family and Community Medicine at Saint Louis University and the medical editor of The St. Louis American “If we do not make some drastic changes, it is predicted that for the first time in our history that the health of our children and their children will be worse than previous generations.”

Dr. John Morris, is director of the Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Washington University School of Medicine, will be present at the Health Fair. Other participants will include Dr. Christy Richardson, endocrinologist, who will conduct diabetes

See CWAH, A11

House Bill 126 would ban virtually all abortions in Missouri

By Leah Boersig For The St. Louis American

On February 27, the Missouri House of Representatives passed one of the most restrictive and extreme anti-abortion bans in the country. House Bill 126 would ban virtually all abortions in our state, robbing women of an essential right to a safe and legal abortion.

n This unconstitutional and cruel bill would ban abortion as soon as six weeks – before many women even know they are pregnant.

This unconstitutional and cruel bill would ban abortion as soon as six weeks – before many women even know they are pregnant. These type of bans are designed to achieve the ultimate goal of the antichoice movement: to criminalize all abortion and punish women. House Bill 126 has become a catchall for extreme anti-choice bans, including an amendment that would require minors to obtain written consent from both parents prior to terminating a pregnancy. These restrictions fail to recognize teens who are neglected or abused by their parents. Antichoice legislators have also made sure to attach a “trigger law” to the bill, which would automatically ban abortion if Roe v. Wade is gutted by the anti-choice majority in the U.S. Supreme Court. Missouri legislators have quickly advanced their anti-choice bill to the Senate for first read. All eyes are on our state to see if we will let anti-choice extremists dictate if, when, and how a woman should start or grow her family. Voters have told Missouri legislators that they believe women should make their healthcare decisions with their doctors, not their politicians.

The question is: will legislators listen?

Leah Boersig is board president of NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri.

Leah Boersig

Community Women Against Hardship: Shirley Dye, Clarice Evans, Sherondia Elliott, Rosalyn Fulton, Arlecia Stamps, Vince Glass, Marilyn Gooch, Kay Gage, JoAnn Reese, Myrtis Spencer, Taria Dyson, Cynthia Clay and Gloria Taylor

No heart for hookahs

Experts point to heart, vessel damage from water pipe tobacco smoking

By Sandra Jordan Of The St. Louis American

Even though it has been around for centuries, hookah smoking is not a less harmful alternative to smoking cigarettes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Smoking tobacco in hookahs or other water pipes results in inhaling toxic chemicals, often at levels exceeding cigarette smoke, which may harm the heart and blood vessels, according to a new scientific statement published in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation.

Water pipes have many names - hookah, narghile, argileh, shisha and goza – and usually consist of a head or bowl that holds tobacco, a body, water base and hose that ends with a mouthpiece. Burning charcoal is placed on top of the tobacco-filled bowl. Hookah tobacco is usually a combination of dried fruit, flavored tobacco and substances to keep the tobacco moist.

at an increased risk for diseases like the common cold and influenza,” states a Missouri Partners in Prevention coalition piece on hookah smoking. Partners in Prevention is a substance abuse consortium comprised of 21 public and private college and university campuses across the state dedicated to creating healthy and safe college campuses. “The second-hand smoke from a hookah contains 4x the carcinogenic PAHs and 30x the carbon monoxide of a single cigarette. In fact, a typical onehour hookah session generates as much second-hand smoke as 2-10 cigarette smokers.”

n There is evidence to suggest that hookah smoking is addictive and can lead to the use of other tobacco products such as cigarettes.

– Aruni Bhatnagar, medical director, University of Louisville Diabetes and Obesity Center

During a hookah smoking session that typically last for 30 or more minutes, users inhale many liters of smoke filled with large quantities of particulate matter at higher concentrations than cigarettes.

The group-oriented nature of hookah smoking puts everyone present in line for negative health effects.

“The same mouthpiece is often shared by everyone in the group. Hookahs also have intricate parts that are hard to clean and sterilize. As a result, people who smoke hookah are

Although direct comparisons between hookahs and cigarettes have some limitations, a single session of hookah use typically results in greater exposure to carbon monoxide than a single cigarette. Even shortterm exposure to carbon monoxide in hookahs is toxic and can interfere with exercise capacity, according to the statement authors.

In addition to carbon monoxide, hookah smoke contains other potentially harmful chemicals that can affect the cardiovascular system, including nicotine, air pollutants, particulate matter, volatile organic chemicals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, acrolein, lead, cadmium and arsenic. Most of these toxins are higher in hookah than cigarette smoke.

“Hookah smoke contains harmful substances and the American Heart Association strongly recommends avoiding the use of tobacco in any form,” said Aruni Bhatnagar,

chair of the writing group for the statement and professor of medicine and director of the University of Louisville Diabetes and Obesity Center in Kentucky.

There is growing evidence that hookah tobacco smoking acutely impacts heart rate and blood pressure. Chronic use is associated with increased coronary artery disease risk.

“Many young people mistakenly believe that smoking tobacco from a hookah is less harmful than cigarette smoking because the tobacco if filtered through water, but there is no scientific evidence that supports that claim. However,

there is evidence to suggest that hookah smoking is addictive and can lead to the use of other tobacco products such as cigarettes,” said Bhatnagar.

The spread of hookah smoking, especially among young people, is promoted by several factors, including sweetened and flavored hookah tobacco, social media that promotes this method of tobacco use and misperceptions regarding its addictive potential and adverse health effects.

Unlike cigarette tobacco, hookah tobacco, often colorfully packaged, can be

sold in candy and fruit flavors, which appeal to younger audiences. The flavors and sweeteners added to the tobacco mask the harshness of smoke, making it easier to start and continue smoking hookahs.

In addition, because many people smoke hookah in lounges and cafes it is perceived to be a social activity and less habit-forming. More importantly, most of the tobacco marketed to hookah users does not carry a health warning, leading to the misperception that it is not harmful.

In the United States, recent surveys have estimated hookah usage that range from 4.

Health officials on alert after measles case confirmed in Jefferson County

8 percent among high school students to 13.6 percent of young adults (18-24 years old). People 18-24 years of age also accounted for 55 percent of hookah smokers nationwide. In addition, those who use a hookah are more likely to start smoking cigarettes than those who have never smoked a hookah. Currently, there is a persistent misperception among hookah users that this method of tobacco use is harmless. In contrast, many youth are more aware of the risks associated with cigarette smoking and avoid that method of tobacco use because of those risks.

By Sarah Fentem St. Louis Public Radio

Health officials in Jefferson County are trying to find people who may have come in contact with a person there who has caught measles.

The person caught the virus after traveling, according to officials at the Jefferson County Health Department. The department is “working directly with the case to identify potential contacts and make arrangements for follow

DOCTOR

Continued from A10

you drink.

Always be prepared to ask questions directly related to the reason for your visit, even if it’s just a routine check-up. Why this check-up now?

Being prepared for an appointment will show your doctor that you are engaged and ready to do your part to maintain good health.

Listen. During an appointment, you should ask questions and then listen diligently while the doctor responds. You may even want to have a piece of paper with you to take notes or the doctor will provide one upon request.

up immunizations and care if necessary,” officials said in a release.

Measles infects the respiratory system and can cause deafness, blindness and can even be fatal in some rare cases. People who contract the measles develop a distinctive red, splotchy rash over their bodies. There is no specific antiviral treatment or medicine for measles, but giving a person a vaccine soon after they’ve been infected may lessen symptoms.

Measles is one of the

Ask for clarification when needed. You should feel empowered to ask for clarification if you don’t understand something. Repeat the information back to the doctor and ask if you have understood properly. Before leaving the appointment, you should know what your main issue is, what you need to do to treat it, and why the recommended treatment is important. If you aren’t clear on these three points, you need ask for clarification.

Ask about referrals. You should pay close attention to any referrals that the doctor orders. Don’t hesitate to ask, “Why are we doing this?” You need to understand the need for the referral and the expected outcome. You

world’s most contagious viruses. Doctors say a person can catch it simply by walking into a room an infected person had been in two hours before.

A person prepares a measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, which protects against 93-97 percent of measles cases. Health officials say a case has been reported in Jefferson County.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared measles eliminated in the United States in 2000,

should understand the need, expected outcome and whether or not these services are being requested diagnostically or if it will help your condition.

If you are insured, consider the network. If you are insured, you likely have specific doctors and facilities in the network. Whether or not the doctor or facility you are being referred to is in-network will impact the cost of the follow-up visit. If the service provider is not in-network, you should ask if an alternative of equal medical quality is available.

Ask about further tests. Don’t hesitate to ask about the need and expected outcome when being referred for lab tests, imaging or other outpatient services

thanks to widespread use of the Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccine. Before scientists developed the vaccine, between 3 and 4 million people caught measles and 500 died from it each year in the U.S., according to the agency. The virus is still common in other countries. Undervaccinated communities can be at risk of an outbreak when someone contracts the virus while traveling and returns home.

In the Jefferson County

Don’t hesitate to ask about costs. When lab, imaging or outpatient services are requested, you should also pay close attention to where you are being referred, and you shouldn’t be afraid to ask if there are alternatives. Freestanding facilities may have less out-of-pocket costs than services received at the hospital, so you should talk to your doctor about your concerns and finding the service provider that is best for you.

Ask questions until you get answers. When you are diagnosed with a health problem, you need to understand, in common language, what the issue is. Again, being prepared, asking questions and really listening while your doctor responds can

case, the person contracted the disease while traveling out of state, the health department said. Health officials didn’t say where the person had traveled.

Measles cases are on the rise nationwide, as more parents choose to not vaccinate their children. A recent outbreak in Washington State has infected more than 70 people.

Washington is one of the states that allows parents to opt out of giving their children vaccines because of “personal beliefs.” Other states, including

go a long way in understanding your condition. Some of the common questions you should ask about your condition include:

• What is the name of the condition?

• How it is spelled?

• What does it mean?

• What may have caused it?

• How long it will last? You should also inquire about treatment options for your condition and how you can learn more. It’s your responsibility to take control of your health and control your health care spending.

Source: Anthem HealthLink, https://www.healthlink.com.

Missouri, have more stringent laws that allow for religious exemptions to vaccines. Health officials didn’t specify if the person in Jefferson County was vaccinated. It’s possible — but very unlikely — for a person to contract the virus after they’ve been vaccinated, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Follow Sarah on Twitter: @ Petit_Smudge Reprinted with permission from news.stlpublicradio.org

Continued from A10

screenings, and Dr. Eboni January, OB/GYN at Betty Kerr Peoples Health Center. Arts and crafts and face painting activities will be provided for young children. Children also may participate in the exercise dancing the wobble or a hula hoop contest for cash awards. Skylar Wilson, a 10-year-old entrepreneur with Skylarlicious Naturals, will be available for a Meet and Greet. Children are free. Registration is $10 for teens 13-17, $20 for adults. T-shirts are available for each paid registrant. For more information, call 314-2897523.

NEWSPAPER IN EDUCATION

GRAINS Keep‘em Whole!

Nutrition Challenge:

We each need at least 3 servings per day of whole grains. But what does that mean? How can we know what foods contain whole grains?

Look at the ingredients list of a package of food you are about to eat. If the word “whole” is used, then there is most likely a whole grain ingredient. A few items that don’t use the word whole

Do This. Not That!

No Bullies Allowed!

Now that it is spring, warmer weather allows us all to get more outdoor exercise. Here are some ways to become a more active person.

Healthy Kids Kids

are popcorn, wheatberries, brown rice and wild rice.

Getting plenty of whole grains in your diet can improve your health and reduce your chance for some chronic illnesses such as stroke, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. Visit wholegrainscouncil.org for more information.

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1, NH 3, NH 5

Instead of playing video games — play baseball, football, badminton, or some other active game.

Instead of surfing the ‘Net — go for a brisk walk around the neighborhood.

Break into small groups and define what it means to be a bully. Share your ideas with the class. Did you have the same things listed (as the other groups) that you would consider as bullying behavior?

Now back in your groups, create a newspaper ad that includes at least two of the following:

> How bullying hurts others.

> What to do if you are bullied.

Cocoa Puffers Cereal

INGREDIENTS:Whole Grain Corn,Sugar,Corn Meal,Corn Syrup,Canola and/or Rice Bran Oil,Cocoa Processed withAlkali,ColorAdded,Salt,Fructose,Natural andArtificial Flavor,Trisodium Phosphate,BHTAdded to Preserve Freshness. Vitamins and Minerals: Tricalcium Phosphate,Calcium Carbonate,Zinc and Iron (mineral nutrients), Vitamin

(sodium ascorbate),

(niacinamide),

(pyridoxine hydrochloride),

(riboflavin),

(thiamin mononi- trate),

(palmitate),

(folic acid),

,Vitamin

3 MAY CONTAIN WHEAT INGREDIENTS.

Instead of watching TV — ride your bike with friends.

Can you think of other ways to be more active? Going outside and staying active not only increases your heart rate and burns calories, but it also helps you build friendships!

Learning Standards: HPE1, HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1, NH 5

> What to do if you see someone else bullied.

> What to do if YOU are the bully.

Look through the newspaper for examples of ad layouts and design. Discuss the words “compassion,” “empathy” and “sympathy.” How do they each play into your response to bullying at your school?

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 4

Jam & Graham

Cheesecake

Ingredients:

3 Large Graham crackers (broken into squares)

3 Oz. Low-fat cream cheese (softened)

3 Tbsp Strawberry jam

Directions: Mix the cream cheese with the jam. Spread on top of the graham cracker squares. Chill for 30 minutes for a softer cracker (crust). Try with different jam flavors!

Dr. Xaivier Tipler, Chiropractor

Where do you work? I am a doctor of chiropractic at Proficient Chiropractic. Where did you go to school? I graduated from New Madrid County Central High School. I then earned a BS in biology from Central Methodist University, a BS in human anatomy from Logan College of Chiropractic and a doctor of chiropractic from Logan College of Chiropractic.

What does a chiropractor do? Some things I do daily in my profession are evaluate people’s spine and nervous system. I help people find solutions to some of their health concerns and we discuss the body’s natural ability to heal itself.

Why did you choose this career? I chose to be a chiropractor because I suffered a back injury while playing basketball in college. Chiropractic care was the only thing that helped me continue to play sports in college.

What is your favorite part of the job you have?

My favorite part of my job is witnessing people that have been suffering needlessly come into our office, leaving out educated, healthier and with a new found hope with life.

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

“Questions or comments? Contact Cathy Sewell csewell@stlamerican.com or 314-289-5422

The Saint Louis Science Center’s Summer Science Blast Summer Camp provides children ages four to sixteen learning experiences to develop their interest and passion for science.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11’s historic trip to the moon, and our camp theme for the summer is “One Giant Leap”.

Visit slsc.org/summer-camps, call 314.289.4439 or email daycamps@slsc.org for more information.

Kids

cabin fever?

Whether you want to learn more about turtles, penguins, apes, or big cats, the Zoo has a class for you! Our programs are designed to help individuals of all ages and abilities learn through experience, involvement and discovery. Programs include live animals, guided tours, and exciting activities and experiences for the whole family. Programs available for homeschoolers and scouts too!

For program listings and registration information, visit www.stlzoo.org/education or call (314) 646-4544, option #6.

The St. Louis American’s award winning NIE program provides newspapers and resources to more than 8,000 teachers and students each week throughout the school year, at no charge.

Questions or comments? Contact Cathy Sewell csewell@stlamerican.com or 314-289-5422

CLASSROOM SPOTLIGHT

Walbridge STEAM Academy 3rd grade teacher

Cassandra Thornton works with students

Brown,

and

The atmosphere is a thick layer of air that protects us from the sun’s radiation, falling meteors, and toxic gas. The atmosphere consists of five layers: troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, ionosphere and exosphere. The layer closest to the earth is the troposphere. It is 11 miles thick and it controls our weather. The next layer is the stratosphere, which is 30 miles high, contains the ozone layer, which protects us from the sun. Next, is the mesosphere (about 50 miles from Earth), which is -180 degrees Fahrenheit. 430 miles above the earth is the ionosphere,

SCIENCE INVESTIGATION

Background Information:

which is considered outer space. Ions in the ionosphere create an electrical layer used to transmit radio waves. Extending more than 6,000 miles is the final layer, the exosphere. The atmosphere is approximately 75% nitrogen and 25% oxygen.

For More Information, Visit: http://www.kidsgeo.com/geography-forkids/0040-introduction-to-our-atmosphere.php.

Learning Standards: I can read nonfiction text for main idea and supporting details.

Build a Portable Cloud

In this experiment, you will see how moisture, temperature, and condensation affect cloud formation.

Materials Needed:

• Gallon Jar • Hot and Cold Water

• Lamp • Rubber Glove

• Food Coloring • Matches

• Rubber Band Process:

q Pour ½ cup cold water into the jar. Add a few drops of food coloring and stir for one minute to allow some water to evaporate.

w Place the plastic glove over the jar—with the fingers down in the jar and the open end of the glove over the mouth. Use the rubber band to secure the glove.

e Adjust the lamp so that it shines on the jar and turn on the light.

MATH CONNECTION

Solve these weather word problems. Remember to look for clue words and check your answer.

r Place your hand in the glove and quickly pull it outward without disturbing the seal. Record your observations.

t Now quickly push your hand back into the glove and record your observations.

y Carefully remove the glove from the lid, drop a lit match into the jar, and seal it with the glove placed in the previous position.

u Put your hand into the glove, pull it out quickly, and record the observations.

i Repeat the entire process using hot tap water. What differences do you notice?

Analyze: How does temperature affect cloud formation?

Learning Standards: I can follow sequential directions to complete an experiment. I can analyze results.

The Problem with Weather

z A hurricane has wind speeds as low as 75 miles per hour (mph). If the wind is blowing 87 mph, how many fewer mph until it is no longer considered a hurricane?

x Sixteen inches of rainfall fell last year. Twelve inches fell this year. What is the total number of inches of rainfall over the past two years? ____________ What is the average of the two numbers? ____________

DID YOU KNOW?

c The temperature in New York City is 43 degrees. In San Francisco it is 70 degrees. What is the difference in temperature between New York and San Francisco?

v If a cloud is 18 feet long, how many inches long is it?

b If snow is falling at a rate of ¾ inch per hour, how much snow would you have in 5 hours? _____________________

Learning Standards: I can read word problems to determine clue words. I can add, subtract multiply, and divide to solve a problem.

The Earth’s molten iron core creates a magnetic field—extending from the surface of the Earth out several kilometers. This is known as the magnetosphere. The Earth’s atmosphere extends out to 10,000 km. For more facts about the atmosphere, visit https://easyscienceforkids.com/all-about-theatmosphere/. Earth doesn’t take 24 hours to rotate on its axis; it actually takes 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds.

SCIENCE STARS

AFRICAN AMERICAN METEOROLOGIST: Samuel Williamson

Samuel Williamson was born in Tennessee on March 5, 1949. After graduating from W.P. Ware High School in 1967, he attended Tennessee State where he received his bachelor’s degree in mathematics. Nine years later, he earned his master’s degree in management from Webster University.

In 1971, he began his career with the U.S. Air Force’s Air Weather Service as an atmospheric scientist. Six years later, he joined the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), where he worked to help create the Doppler Weather Radar System. This is the system that uses radars to detect precipitation and calculate its motion and intensity. This system is important because it allows meteorologists to warn citizens about upcoming storms so that they can prepare and be safe.

Williamson later served as the Senior Staff Associate for the National Science Foundation, where he worked to develop science education. He also served on the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Science. In 1998, he became the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research. He used this opportunity to make positive changes in the use of aviation weather, space weather, wildland fire weather, weather for surface transportation, and tropical cyclone research.

Williamson is a member of the American Meteorological Society, the Montgomery College Foundation Board, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, National Guard Association, Committee for the Environment, Natural Resources, and Sustainability (CENRS), and the National Science and Technology Council. He was elected as a Fellow of the African Scientific Institute. In 2010, he received the Presidential Rank Award, and the NOAA Distinguished Career Award.

Discuss: An atmospheric scientist has a very important career. Explain why. If you are interested in this career, what could you do now to start learning about it?

Learning Standards: I can read about a person who has made contributions in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.

MAP CORNER

Use the newspaper to complete the following activities.

Activity

One — Conflict: Locate a news story that has a conflict. What is the conflict? Is it an internal conflict or an external conflict? Is there an effort to resolve the conflict?

Activity Two — Weather Watch: Are there any cause/ effect news stories about weather? Can you find an article that has timely information related to weather—for example: weatherizing your house, the importance of sunscreen, gardening tips for the spring, etc.

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can identify conflict and cause/effect relationships.

This special Newspaper In Education initiative is made possible, and delivered to classrooms, through The St. Louis American Foundation and its

Keyshaun

Kameron Noldon

Damiya Bevly on how to build a bridge using the newspaper’s education page. Photo by Wiley Price/ St. Louis American.

I’m calling on my neighbors to improve our schools, our homes

By Janet Roberson Special to the American

You’re looking at a miracle. I had open heart surgery and two strokes. I wanted to volunteer in retirement, but I never got a chance to because I kept staying sick. So once my youngest grandchild started school, I decided it was time to go do something. I told myself, “I’m not an old lady. I’m 61.”

That’s when I went across the street to Northside Community Housing and offered to volunteer. They said, “Oh, you came right on time, Ms. Roberson. Can you do this? Can you do that?” I just started doing odd things around the office. Eventually, I started going around, inviting people to financial planning classes

about how to buy a house. I would tell them, “Hi, I’m Ms. Jan; I live at the house on the corner.” That connection would make them feel open and want to learn more.

When I’m talking with my neighbors I meet young people and people my age who have never been able to buy a house but who want to. Home ownership is special – when you have something of your own that you worked for, it makes you feel good.

But this town’s segregated. It was when I grew up downtown in Pruitt-Igoe and it still is. And where you live – whether you own or rent – that dictates what kind of education you can access. I have three grandchildren. The two in St. Louis – Jaden and Chloe, when we were

realized

Janet Roberson is a board member for Northside Community Housing and a recent graduate of WEPOWER’s PowerBuilding Academy. She is pictured here on her front porch in the The Ville neighborhood.

Photo by Kristen Trudo

up for the

ies, but we weren’t picked. We were stuck. So we started at a charter school. Now, I often volunteer in the school’s classrooms. Before retirement, I was a substitute teacher and also a social worker. My mom was a social worker too. She was very much involved in the community where we grew up. I have kind of fallen in her footsteps in that way. Knowing this, the director of Northside Community Housing told me about WEPOWER, and that their Education PowerBuilding Academy was about building with the people in our community.

So I joined, and there were all different kinds of people and all different types of thinking in the group. At first we grouped ourselves by age – young people one side, older people over there. You could feel tension at the start of our discussions – but not in a bad way. At first it was kind of hard to hear experiences from a different generation, because even though my generation grew up segregated, the younger generation, they know about prejudice, but they know it in a different way.

But when we started learning to speak from our own experience and consider what other people felt – not just our opinion – we became closer to each other, more like a family. We built respect and trust across generations.

Some of the young people’s opinions or answers made me think, “Wow, I never thought of it like that.” This pushed me to start thinking outside of the box and about the power we have within us – that sometimes we don’t really think of – power that we don’t know we have.

When we shared our experiences with education with one another, the question of why some public schools were resourced more than others kept coming up. We looked into it, except that while our district operates a budget of almost $300 million, the breakdown of that budget is not accessible to parents and residents. After reviewing how other districts nationwide have leveraged transparency and collaboration with the community to improve student performance, we created three policy solutions. They are intended to increase transparency and community involvement in our district’s budgeting process. We launched the Better Budgets, Better Schools campaign to advocate for the district to adopt these solutions. Now, I encourage my neighbors to not belittle themselves and to accept things for how they are. No, you have to speak out! I’m knocking on doors all over the region. I’ve talked with principals, teachers, school nurses. I called 100 northside residents yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that!

I’m calling people about the school board candidate forum that’s coming up on Saturday, March 30 from 1-3 p.m. It’ll be at O’Fallon Park Rec Complex YMCA at 4343 W Florissant Ave. Two seats on the city’s school board are up for election on April 2. We will be asking candidates the tough questions to learn more about their positions. The elected school board will be gaining power back from the appointed board soon, making this election that much more important. My grandchildren will be on summer break soon, and we are looking for summer activities. When I’m talking to people, I tell them it’s worth their while to come because we’re giving away two $200 activity scholarships for youth to use this summer! Everyone who attends is entered to win. RSVP online at bit.ly/marchcandidateforum.

Business

Keisha Mabry inspires with ‘mastHERclass’

It was a meeting of minds, hearts, hopes, passions, truths

By Sharee Silerio

For The St. Louis American

Keisha & Friends presented mastHERclass on March 8 – International Women’s Day – at the Westin Hotel downtown. Over eight hours, women from all walks of life, ethnicities, sizes, skin tones, fashion tastes, heights, personalities, professions, ages and hairstyles gathered to learn how they could become masters of their fates. Twelve women – including Keisha Mabry herself – taught classes covering topics from beauty to social media branding, event planning and selling products online. Those teachers included makeup artist Dre Brown; event producer Sabrina T. Boissiere; Uchenna and Chioma Ngwudo, who own a clothing and accessory line featuring West

n “You are the business! Who do you need to be around? Who do you need to let go?”

– Jovian Zayne

African prints; Tori Elizabeth, creative director, wardrobe stylist and co-founder of The Colored Girl; Chris Miss Bright, founder of The Art of Conversation and co-founder of Black Girl Beach Day; entrepreneur, filmmaker, creative director and writer Samantha Ramirez-Herrera; travel influencer, creative consultant, author and founder of Passport 2 Pretty, Kenecia Lashae;

designer Samantha Smikle; digital marketing strategist and founder of LoveBrownSugar, Christina S. Brown; founder of podcast network Mayzie Media, Ahyiana Angel; leadership and professional development coach Jovian Zayne; and Mabry.

It was more than an opportunity for women of color to share their story and guide other women on how to do their thing – it was a meeting of minds, hearts, hopes, passions, truths and a yearning to act upon what inspires them. With a sold-out event, each of the 250 attendees chose four classes to take.

My first class, “Building an Online Community,” was taught by Christina Brown, who encouraged us to “start with love.” Brown

See MABRY, B2

Women professionals discuss their experiences and share candid advice

By Kalynn Clinton For The St.

Louis American

“It’s not just thinking about how you show up and go to work every day, it’s reminding yourself that you get up and make a difference.” This is one of the many valuable pieces of advice shared by Ashley Harris and other panelists at the HER-Story event on Thursday, March 7 at the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL).

UMSL’s Black Business Student Association hosted HER-Story, an annual discussion panel featuring local black female professionals, to celebrate Women’s History Month. The panelists included Janell Buckner, CPA for Ernst & Young; Paris Forest, director of Strategy and Operations for Boeing; Jeanetta Hawkins, president and CEO of Personal Touches by Jeanetta; Eric’el Johnson, an electrical engineer for Boeing; and Ashley Harris, Community Outreach specialist for World Wide Technology. Dacia Polk, an award-winning activist and entertainer, served as moderator.

Mark C. Darrell was honored as a Legal Legend by the Mound City Bar Association. The award recognizes African-American attorneys who have devoted more than 30 years to the highest standards of the practice of law and exemplary service to the community. He is senior vice president, chief legal and compliance officer of Spire Inc. and chairs Spire’s charitable foundation.

Reona Wise was appointed executive director of Almost Home, whose mission is to empower young moms to become self-sufficient and create a better future for themselves and their children. She has over 15 years of executive management and consulting experience in the non-profit sector, private business and state and local government.

Arthur Williams Jr. joined Life Care Center of Bridgeton, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility, as executive director. He most recently served as executive director for Delhaven Manor Nursing Center. Prior to that appointment, he was marketing director for The Valley – StoneBridge Senior Living in Florissant. He also served as marketing director at Life Care Center of Florissant.

JaNae’ L. Alfred will join the School District of University City as principal of Barbara C. Jordan Elementary School. A 2002 graduate of University City High School, she is currently the assistant principal at Mason Ridge Elementary School in the Parkway School District. Previously she was an instructional support leader at Vogt and Duschene elementary schools in the FergusonFlorissant School District.

who probably wouldn’t get the opportunity to go racing. Scott participated all season in our rental karts and was a standout.”

EL Gray was appointed chief operating officer of At Home Care, a home health care agency. She will oversee four offices in Missouri with a home base in St.

Scott McClendon

Reona Wise

EL Gray

JaNae’ L. Alfred

Mark C, Darrell

Arthur Williams Jr.

UMSL’s Black Business Student Association hosted HER-Story, an annual discussion panel featuring local black female professionals, on March 7 to celebrate Women’s History Month. See UMSL, B6

Volunteer Kesha Kent and speaker Kenecia Lashae during the Keisha & Friends MastHERclass day-long business seminar presented by St. Louis resident and author Keisha Mabry on Friday, March 8 at the Westin Hotel.

Photo by Sharee Silerio

MABRY

continued from page B1

said, “Identify your audience. Choose your platform. Craft your brand’s voice. Be authentic. Give something away. Be consistent.” Brown stressed that community starts with transparency and great storytelling.

In my next class, “Content and Campaign Creation,” Tori Elizabeth taught us to not only “ask, but give.” This was demonstrated in an activity, where we listed three members of our tribe, how they can offer value to our pursuits, and how we could add value to theirs.

One by one, a woman in the room stood up to state what she needed in addition to what skills, talents and experience she had to offer. After her, another woman stood up to indicate how she could fulfill the last woman’s need, then she shared what she needs help with. It was powerful to witness.

The last class I took, by Jovian Zayne, covered “Building a Business on

Purpose.” She advised us to “consider the intention and impact of your business.” She challenged us to have a deeper awareness of who we need to be in order to be successful in business. She said our business and purpose are impacted by our habits, attitudes, relationships and thoughts.

“You are the business!” Zayne exclaimed. “Who do you need to be around? Who do you need to let go?”

The sisterhood, love, support, and bonding that took place over the day was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Something – maybe perspective, confidence, hope, knowledge – shifted over the course of the day, and I feel like a new woman, entrepreneur, creator and person because of it.

Sharee Silerio

(ShareeSilerio.com) is a writer, director, producer and blogger.

When she isn’t creating for The Root or Curly Nikki, she enjoys sharing her journey to discover wisdom, become whole and fulfill her dreams at SincerelySharee.com.

Grace Hill Women’s Business Center to host 20th annual Wall of Fame

Tawana Austin, Valeda Keys and Tendai Morris will be honored

International Women’s Day (Friday, March 8) at the Westin Hotel.

American staff

Grace Hill Women’s Business Center will host its 20th annual Wall of Fame event 5:30 p.m. March 27 at The Caramel Room at Bissinger’s, 1600 North Broadway St. The event honors women for their dedicated and tireless efforts to work on their businesses and remain sustainable.

Sustainability results from the continuance of expansion

through employees, finances, and assets. For many women in previous years, sustaining a business beyond the three-year mark was rare. Alyce Herndon, director of the Grace Hill Women’s Business Center, said that 45 percent of the women she has seen start a business since 2014 are no longer in business in 2019. “It was only 31 years ago that the H.R. 5050-Women’s Business Ownership Act was passed,” Herndon said, “which improved inclusion for women business owners to stand alone

n “Every day a woman starts a business, it’s her-story in the making.”

– Alyce Herndon, director of the Grace Hill Women’s Business Center

in financial decision making, be included in business data statistics through the U. S. Census Bureau, and provided resources like the Grace Hill Women’s Business Center to empower, promote, and assist for the growth and expansion of women entrepreneurs.”

Grace Hill Women’s Business Center provides oneon-one business counseling,

workshops, seminars, and business development courses like Idea Spot and Workshop in Business Opportunities. On average, the center helps create 30 business per year. Since 1999, the center has generated more than $10 million in loans for business startups and expansions, assisted over 5000 clients, and assisted in creating over 1000 jobs.

This year’s Wall of Fame honorees are Tawana Austin, owner of Royalty Enterprises LLC; Valeda Keys, owner of Valeda’s Hope; and Tendai Morris, owner of Healthy Hair Solutions.

Austin started Royalty Enterprises LLC to provide adult day care services to help people regain their independence and become more self-sufficient.

Keys created Valeda’s to bring awareness of breast cancer and to provide resources and further support those dealing with breast cancer. Morris formed Healthy Hair Solutions to deliver safe and quality hair products and to educate people on the importance of healthy hair maintenance.

“Every day a woman starts a business,” Herndon said, “it’s her-story in the making.” Light refreshments will be served, while guests will have the opportunity to take part in the center’s first silent auction. Some of the auction items will include packages for products/ services from small business owners. The event is free to the public. Cocktail attire is welcomed.

March 29 deadline for Money Smart Kid Essay Contest

Sixth through eighth grade students in the St. Louis area have until Friday, March 29 to compete for up to $2,000 in scholarships in the Money Smart Kid Essay Contest.

Students must demonstrate their knowledge of good money management skills by submitting an essay in 500 words or less that explains income volatility, describing why a family may experience income volatility and how they can prepare for it. To enter the contest, students must be in grades sixth through eighth in a school in

one of the following counties: Bond, Calhoun, Clinton, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Monroe and St. Clair in Illinois; Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, St. Charles, St. Louis, Warren and Washington and the City of St. Louis in Missouri. Three winners will be selected to receive scholarships, including a grand prize of $2,000; the second-place winner will receive $1,000, and a third-place finalist will receive $500. The contest is hosted by the Greater St. Louis Financial Education Collaborative and

Money Smart Committee, in partnership with United Way of Greater St. Louis. Essay submissions are due Friday, March 29 by 5 p.m. The full application and contest guidelines are available at MoneySmartSTL. org. Applications and essays can be submitted via email to essay@moneysmartstlouis. org, faxed to 314-539-4234, Attn: Money Smart Kid Essay Contest, or mailed to Money Smart Kid Essay Contest, 8764 Manchester, Suite 203, St. Louis, MO 63144.

A MastHerclass volunteer helps presenter Christina Brown during a breakout session for the women’s business workshop created by author and speaker Keisha Mabry that was held on

Photo by Sharee Silerio

n “If the Lakers got the No. 1 pick, I’d trade LeBron James. You’re talking three years left of LeBron or 15 years of Zion (Williamson).”

— Paul Pierce

Sports

I

Can anybody dash Duke’s national championship plans?

~ See ‘Sports Eye’ page B4 ~

SLU goes to the NCAA

Here is a recap of what was a spectacular weekend of basketball at the high school and collegiate levels in the area.

Billikens are dancing

The Saint Louis University Billikens are headed to the NCAA Tournament after making an improbable run to the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament championship in Brooklyn last weekend. Entering the weekend as the No. 6 seed, the Billikens won four games in four days to win the tournament and the automatic bid to the NCAA’s field of 68. Former Althoff High star Jordan Goodwin had 16 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Billikens to a 55-53 victory over St. Bonaventure in the championship game. SLU also defeated Richmond, Dayton and Davidson en route to the championship. Senior guard Tramaine Isbell Jr. was named the Most Outstanding Player of the A-10 Tournament. Isbell and senior Javon Bess were named to the All-Tournament Team.

It marked the second time that the Billikens have won a conference tournament championship by winning four games in four days. SLU achieved the same feat in 2000 when it won the Conference USA Tournament as the No. 9 seed in Memphis, Tennessee. It has been dubbed the “Miracle in Memphis.”

Saint Louis U. received a No. 13 seed in the NCAA Tournament’s East Region. They will face No. 4 seed Virginia Tech on Friday night in San Jose, California. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:57 p.m.

The Dynasty continues Incarnate Word Academy won its third con-

By Ishmael H. Sistrunk

Shout out to the Mizzou women’s basketball team. The Tigers (23-10) team qualified for its fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. Selection Monday was an interesting one for the Robin Pingleton’s team. ESPN accidentally leaked the tournament selections and seedings in advance of the official release. It meant that news of Mizzou’s disappointing seventh seed was well-known before the team’s 5 p.m. selection party. ESPN had projected the Tigers to earn a No. 5 seed for the tournament. Much of the disappointment related to the seeding was overshadowed by the fact that the Tigers landed in the Greensboro Region. That means the team’s first-round game versus No. 10 seed Drake (27-6) will take place Friday in Iowa City, Iowa. Just a fourhour drive from Columbia, the Tigers can expect plenty

Mizzou women go dancing

of fans to make the short trip north to support the squad. The Tigers team is led by senior guard Sophie Cunningham. Cunningham has averaged 18.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game this season. She was the SEC’s fourth-leading scoring this season and was one of 15 players named to the Wooden Award National Ballot. Cunningham has had major help from junior guard Amber Smith (12.2 points, 7.0 rebounds) and senior forward Cierra Porter (7.2 points, 5 rebounds). Last season, as a No. 5 seed, the Tigers team was defeated in the first round by Florida Gulf Coast. If the team hopes to advance past the first round this year, the ladies will need to come out fiery and focused. Drake is ranked eighth in the nation in scoring and No. 21 in three-pointers made. The Tigers will have to do some serious defending to advance to the second round and beyond. Known as one of the grittiest

in the country, I have a feeling Cunningham and the crew will be up to

Earl Austin Jr.

Photo by Ethan Weston / Columbia Missourian

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

Can anybody dash Duke’s national championship plans?

Let’s examine the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Reid Roundup style ... Congratulations to the SLU Billikens for a gutsy fourgame run that ended with a scintillating come-from-behind win over St. Bonaventure to win the Atlantic 10 title and a ticket to the tournament ... Hey Earl Austin Jr., SLU analyst, bring your boy a souvenir from Salt Lake City ... SLU could bat Virginia Tech, the East Regional No. 4 seed - but I couldn’t convince myself to wonder how long it will be before the “SLU coach Travis

Ford should replace Mizzou coach Cuonzo Martin” talk begins ... At 15-17, I doubt the NIT was going to invite Missouri. Martin announced last week that the Tigers would not participate in the NIT or the College Basketball Invitational, even if invited. Is money that tight at Mizzou? ... The extra practice days would be worth the investment of the Tigers playing in the CBI ... North Carolina beat Duke twice when the Blue Devils were without Zion Williamson for all off about a minute of the first match up. Williamson then turned in a superhuman effort to lead Duke over the Tar Heels in the ACC Tournament - thing is Duke won by all of one point. Tar Heels take three-of-four and the title ... Is any reporter covering Duke the next three weeks going to dare ask Williamson if any-

one in his family, a friend or adviser sought or received money from a shoe company, as is suggested on a FBI wiretap call between a convicted Adidas representative and KU assistant coach Kurtis Townsend? ... My Jayhawks will be tested by a solid Northeastern team, prevail and then lose to New Mexico State - who will have stunned Auburn in the first round ... The NCAA will celebrate coach Bruce Pearl and scandal-plagued Auburn making the earliest of exits ... I’ve got Florida State making a run for coach Leonard Hamilton, one of the most underrated coaches in the nation. They lose to Michigan in the West Regional final, though ... Prairie View and North Carolina Central are the HBCU teams in the tournament - regardless of winning the respective SWAC and MEAC conference tournaments, both

were relegated to playing in “First Four” play-in games ... Liberty will beat Ole Miss in another first round upset ... Tennessee in the Final Four? Either I’m an idiot or really smart ... I’m looking forward to finally seeing Ja Morant of Murray State play. The talented guard averaged 24.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game and led the nation in assists (10.3 per game). He will become the first Division I player to average 20 points and 10 assists and become the first Division I player in 20 years to tally 40 points, 11 assists and five steals in a regulation game. He’s a for-sure NBA first-round draft pick, probably in the first five selections ... Houston coach Kelvin Sampson was labeled a disgrace after his tenure at Indiana, but he’s now the repeat American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. His Cougars are 31-3, a No. 3 seed and should reach the Sweet 16.

Alvin A. Reid

The East St. Louis Flyers

Boys basketball team set a goal of winning a state championship during the summer of 2018.

The Flyers were able to cash in Saturday night with a thrilling 68-63 overtime victory against Chicago Bogan to win the IHSA Class 3A state championship.

East Side finished a brilliant 2018-19 campaign with an overall record of 30-6, a Southwestern Conference championship and their first state championship in school history.

In front of a huge contingent of East St. Louis fans draped in orange and blue, the Flyers made their community known as the City of Champions proud once again.

First team All-State performer Terrance Hargrove Jr. was not going to be denied in his quest for a state championship this season. The Saint Louis University recruit put on show in front of a capacity

CLUTCH

Continued from C7 Mission Impossible. Maybe boxing fans can mount a social media petition to get Tom Cruise to intervene, or Terry Crews or Mayor Lyda Krewson –somebody!

The latest kick in the gut occurred when Wilder rejected a four-fight, $120M offer from

PREP

Continued from C7

secutive girls Class 4 state championship with a 61-35 victory over Kansas City Lincoln Academy. It was also the 10th overall state title for the Red Knights, who continued their state championship dynasty under coach Dan Rolfes. The Red Knights defeated Miller Career Academy 59-28 in the state semifinals as senior guard Marissa Warren had 17 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Senior forward Kiki Britzmann added 15 points. Britzmann scored a game-high 19 points in the state championship game against Lincoln Academy while senior center Rickie Woltman added 14 points and 13 rebounds.

Southwestern Conference stands tall

The Southwestern Conference brought home not

With Maurice Scott Jr.

Flyers soar to first state title

crowd as he erupted for 34 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks.

Junior point guard Jashawn Anderson was also spectacular in the championship game with 13 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals. Bogan’s 6’8” senior forward Rashaun Agee paced the Bengals with 24 points and 14 rebounds before fouling out with 21.1 seconds remaining in overtime.

However, this game turned into arguably one of the greatest games in Illinois High School Association basketball history with the score being tied four times with three lead changes. East St. Louis never had a lead in the game until 46 seconds remaining in overtime.

With the Flyers trailing 53-51, Hargrove Jr. rebounded a missed attempt by Chicago Bogan guard Jeremiah Washington with 19 seconds left in regulation. Flyers head coach Mark Chambers took a time-out. Bengals Jordan Booker fouled guard Jashawn

DAZN that would have guaranteed him two fights with Joshua.

Wilder is banking on the idea that he can earn more than $120 million over four fights. It’s not an unreasonable idea considering that a $50M offer for one fight was rejected by Joshua’s team last year.

Wilder went on to fight lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in an epic showdown that resulted in a draw.

one, but two state championships from last weekend’s Illinois state basketball championships in Peoria. Belleville West defeated Evanston 71-59 to repeat as Class 4A state champions. Senior forward E.J. Liddell concluded his career as an Illinois high school legend after winning leading the Maroons to back-to-back state championships. East St. Louis made history by winning its first state championship with a thrilling 68-63 overtime victory over Chicago Bogan. The Flyers were led by forward Terrance Hargrove Jr., who scored 32 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the championship game. Senior forward Richard Robinson sent the game into overtime with a spectacular tip dunk of a missed free throw at the buzzer of regulation.

Yuri Collins finishes strong

Senior point guard Yuri Collins put a young St. Mary’s

The standout senior led the Flyers to the school’s first ever state championship in boys basketball.

The 6’7” Hargrove had 32 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks in the Flyers’ 68-63 victory over Chicago Bogan in the Illinois Class 3A state championship game. He also had 19 points, 12

EJ Liddell

Anderson with four seconds remaining that set-up the biggest play in the East St. Louis season.

Anderson made the front end of the two-shot foul. However, the second shot by Anderson rattled off the front of the rim and Robinson crashed the boards with a thunderous dunk off the miss with three seconds left to send the game into overtime and the Flyers’ fans into a frenzy. In overtime, the Bengals took a 9-54 with 2:35 remaining on a layup by Antonie Bloxton. Both teams went back-and-forth until East St. Louis took the lead for good (64-63) on a jumper by Hargrove with 34 seconds remaining.

A steal by Flyers guard

pionship in basketball ever. The championship trophy presentation sent the large flyers crowd into a frenzy. Loyal East St. Louis basketball fans hadn’t experience this feeling in basketball since East St. Louis Lincoln won consecutive titles from 1986-89.

Jashawn Anderson with 21 seconds left sealed the deal for East St. Louis Senior High school and its first State cham-

An immediate rematch was expected (and contracted) but Fury ultimately decided to pass on the rematch to sign a lucrative deal with Top Rank. Now instead of facing Fury or Joshua, Wilder is forced to make a mandatory defense against Dominic Breazeale Breazeale sounds more like an R&B singer than a prizefighter. At 20-1, Breazeale isn’t necessarily a pushover, but the one time he faced an A-list opponent (Joshua), he nearly

team on his back and led the Dragons to a second-place finish in the Class 4 state tournament. Despite playing with an injured right knee, Collins scored a game-high 34 points in the Dragons’ 69-64 loss to defending state champion Grandview in the championship game. The 5’10” Collins averaged more than 30 points a game during the Dragons tremendous run in the state tournament.

Cadets take second place

The CBC Cadets made a strong run in the Class 5 state tournament, where they finished second to Columbia Rock Bridge, who won its first state championship with a 65-63 victory. Junior guard Caleb Love enjoyed a terrific Final Four, where he averaged 26.5 points a game. The 6’3” Love scored 28 points in the state championship game against Rock Bridge. He scored 25 points in the Cadets’ 64-62

rebounds and seven blocks in a victory over Peoria Manual in the state semifinals. For the season, Hargrove averaged 18.8 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.3 blocks a game in leading the Flyers to a 30-6 record. Hargrove has signed with Saint Louis University.

Belleville West – Boys Basketball

The senior forward led the Maroons to their second consecutive state championship. The 6’7” Liddell has 24 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks in a 71-59 victory over Evanston in the Illinois Class 4 state championship game. He also had 14 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks in a vic-

tory over Chicago Curie in the state semifinals. For the season, Liddell averaged 20.2 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.8 blocks while shooting 62 percent from the field. He will be headed to The Ohio State University next season.

Scott’s Notes from Peoria Flyers senior Terrence Hargrove Jr.’s performance in Peoria last week was one for the ages. With the abundance of talent displayed during this year’s finals from Chicago Currie, Evanston Township, Belleville West and Chicago Bogan, Hargrove was clearly the best player last weekend at the Peoria Civic Center in both 3A and 4A classes.

It must be noted that Flyers’

got his head knocked off in a KO defeat.

After his bout with Breazeale, Wilder and his manager Shelly Finkel will undoubtedly make another offer to Joshua’s team to try and set up a fight. But between networks, purse splits and future options, this could be another fight that happens well after its expiration date.

Garcia showed heart, Spence showed hands Mikey Garcia showed

plenty of heart in skipping up to welterweight to fight Errol Spence Jr. (25-0-0, 21 KO) for the IBF welter-weight title. Unfortunately for Garcia (39-1-0, 30 KO), that was about all he brought in his bag. Spence proved to be the bigger, faster, stronger fighter as he breezed to a unanimous decision victory over the four-division world champion. Spence out-landed Garcia 34575 in total punches.

The victory vaulted Spence into consideration as one of the best pound for pound fighters on the planet.

Be sure to check In the Clutch online and also follow Ishmael on Twitter @ ishcreates. Subscribe to The St. Louis American’s YouTube page to see weekly sports videos starring Ishmael and Melvin Moore at youtube.com/ stlamericanvideo.

guard Elijah Rice played his best basketball of the season.

The senior guard’s stock rose during tournament play and he is an excellent studant as well.

The Flyers will return several key players for the 2019-

20 season. Guards Jashawn Anderson, Jabril oliveria, Lashaun Johnson, Armond Williams, Brian Calhoun, Kentrell Coz and Andre Gillespie will set the stage for another Flyer run in 202.

Maurice Scott Jr.

victory over Francis Howell in the semifinals, including the last seven points in the final minutes to rally the Cadets from a late deficit for the victory.

The East St. Louis Flyers pose for a photo after their thrilling 68-63 overtime victory against Chicago Bogan to win the IHSA Class 3A state championship.

Lawyers read, donate books to SLPS kids

Lauren Collins, an associate at Sandberg Phoenix and a member of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL), read to students at Stix Early Childhood Center on March 1 during the National Education Association’s annual Read Across America event. More than 40 BAMSL members and staff volunteered to read to approximately 2,000 preschoolers, kindergartners and first graders in more than 30 schools throughout the Saint Louis City Public School District. The BAMSL Read Across America Committee is part of its Young Lawyers Division. Bring Me a Book St. Louis (www.bringmeabookstl.org) partnered with BAMSL to provide a book for each child to take home.

UMSL

continued from page B1

The panelists discussed their experiences and shared candid advice. Hawkins discussed her experiences in various situations when she had to “check herself.” She ended by saying, “If you walk into a room with negative energy, sometimes you can shift the energy by checking yourself first.”

Forest echoed that sentiment and added, “My mantra is to ‘forgive on purpose and trust on credit,’ because if I let one thing ruin my day I’d never get anything done.” They discussed diverse and relevant topics including

setting boundaries in your professional environment, forgiveness, and relationships.

Hawkins said her practice is to “set boundaries and make sure that I’m professional at all times.” When discussing the impact of social media on young women, Johnson said, “A great way to counteract (the negative effects of) social media is to be out in the community. Be a mentor, someone they can have a reality check with. Be a support network.”

Another major topic was self-care and self-worth. Each described how she overcame, or was in the process of overcoming, her own struggles with self-worth. They all stressed the importance of self-care and encouraged the

audience to understand their value in both their personal and professional lives.

Harris said that self-care is “not always about the obvious things, like getting a massage. Reminding yourself of your worth is one of the most important things you can do. Don’t just remind yourself of your value in what you do but in who you are.”

Buckner added, “My daily affirmation is simply that ‘I am enough.’”

HER-Story was planned and organized by UMSL Black Business Student Association President Myrina Otey, Vice President Donella Johnson, Secretary Kalynn Clinton, Treasurer Aliyah Bradshaw, and Secretary Wangui Gathungu.

Financial Focus

By Ana Stringfellow

The

‘Us’ comes undone

Jordan Peele’s ‘Get Out’ follow-up falls short of buzz

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

All eyes have been on comedic-actor and television star turned filmmaker Jordan Peele since he made his game-changing and groundbreaking debut as a feature film writer/director with “Get Out.”

With the film’s 2017 release, Peele made history. He became the first African-American writer-director to have a debut film cross the $100M threshold at the box office – and “Get Out” went on to become the highest-grossing writer/director debut of an original screenplay. “Get Out” is the third-highest grossing R-rated horror movie behind “The Exorcist” and “It” with $255M worldwide at the box office. Peele became the first African-American to win an “Original Screenplay” Academy Award – and introduced a new subgenre of the race-based

See FILM, C4

STL love for 314 Day

Though a native of Florida, Plies is a favorite among the St. Louis rap scene. He celebrated the unofficial St. Louis pride holiday better known as 314 Day with a special show at the Pageant last Thursday. Several St. Louis artists made appearances as featured performers, including Mai Lee, Laudie On The Track, Luey V and Shorty Da Prince among others.

Struck by the Pulitzer and the Brooklyn Museum

‘Striking Power’ shows 23 centuries of losing the culture war in ancient Egypt

By Chris King

Of The St. Louis American

History, including the history of art and religion, tends to be told by the victors — until they get overrun and silenced by the next epoch of victors.

In “Striking Power: Iconoclasm in Ancient Egypt,” a new collaboration with the Brooklyn Museum and its virtually unparalleled ancient Egyptian art collection, the Pulitzer Arts Foundation looks up the nose of the victor’s story to stage what 23 centuries of losing the culture war looked like. Mostly, there was no nose to look up once the victors left their mark. Ancient Egyptians ascribed spiritual power to sculpture, especially funerary sculpture, so there were many good reasons for hacking off the nose of a tomb sculpture.

Stephanie Weissberg, associate curator for the Pulitzer, explained that period tomb robbers who struck when the graves were fresh (give or take a century) would lop off sculptures’ noses because it deprived that sculpted spirit of air. That was thought to quash the dead victim’s spiritual retribution for robbing his or her grave.

Akhenaten and His Daughter Offering to the Aten New Kingdom, Dynasty 18, Amarna Period, reign of Akhenaten, ca. 1353-1336 BCE, made for a temple in Hermopolis Magna, Egypt. Limestone, pigment, 8 15/16 × 20 5/16 × 1 1/4 inches (22.7 × 51.6 × 3.2 cm), Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 60.197.6. “Striking Power: Iconoclasm in Ancient Egypt” will be on display at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation March 22–August 11.

Then any time there was a new sheriff on the ancient upper Nile, the old gods and king statues would get snuffed out at the nose. When the startup Christians built catacombs in sacred Egyptian spaces, the monks butchered the noses (and other body parts) of the sculptures they found and left the hacked stone limb there as a sort of drop mic of desecration.

Mariah’s moment

Carey’s live performance delighted fans when her Caution Tour stopped at the

Saturday night. The concert was her first return to a

stage in more than 15 years.

‘Caution

Tour’ a redemption song for Carey

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

It might sound like butchered ancient sculpture, no matter how rich the back story, would not be much to look at. But the Pulitzer stages the work in ways that give you a lot to look at as a sequenced exhibition, and the series of interconnected ensemble tableaux adds to the

n “Vision Of Love,” “My All” and “Anytime You Need A Friend” were among the best of the slow tunes.

It was apparent from the opening vocal run on her debut single “Vision of Love” that Mariah Carey would be a game-changer within the music industry. Nearly thirty years after she essentially began her career with a mic drop (and more than 15 years since her last visit to St. Louis), Carey gave an near sold-out crowd at Stifel Theatre an enjoyably curated snapshot of her catalog that stretches genres – and at this point, generations. Carey holds countless records – and can be considered a legend with respect to contributions to the Pop, Adult Contemporary and R&B charts. But recent live televised performances called Carey’s abilities as a live performer into question. Carey seemed to be using her latest tour to prove that she still has the chops. In the same way that she captured the undivided attention of music as a teenager, The Caution Tour reminded her fans that not only does she still have it, but she’s not going anywhere.

With a prolific list of chart-topping albums and singles, Carey could have kept the audience there all night. But in 90 minutes she gave a set of about 20 tunes that included fan favorites, a few selections from her latest album – which is the namesake of the tour – and songs she simply seemed to enjoy performing. The audience was diverse as Carey’s catalog, but it was clear from the spin session of her official DJ Suss One ahead of her show that the Caution Tour would be a night with heavy emphasis on R&B.

He paid tribute to Michael Jackson, Prince, Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Luther Vandross and Marvin Gaye before getting into a mix of songs that the urban music lovers among her fan base knew word for word – including Rick James, Soul For Real, Tevin Campbell and Notorious B.I.G.

In grand diva form, Carey emerged in a sequined evening “ensemble” and carefully made her way down a two-level staircase while performing “A No No” from her latest album “Caution.”

The opening tune and “Dream Lover” follow up had a Vegas residency feel. Carey looked and See MARIAH, C4

Photo courtesy of Live Nation

Mariah

Stifel Theatre

St. Louis

Photo by Brooklyn Museum

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

How to place a calendar listing

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

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

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

concerts

Fri., Mar. 22, 8 p.m., The 13th Annual Gateway Blues Festival. Feat. Sir Charles Jones, Shirley Brown, Pokey Bear, Calvin Richardson, TK Soul, Theodis Ealey and Terry Wright. Chaifetz Arena, 1 S. Compton Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www.ticketmaster.com.

Sat., Mar. 23, 5:30 p.m. (doors), Breakaway Productions & Witherspoon Entertainment present Will Downing. Special guest Lamont Hadley. Givens Auditorium, Harris Stowe, 3026 Laclede Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.

Sat., Mar. 23, Legends of Hip Hop. Feat. Juvenile, Scarface, 8 Ball & MJG, Too Short, DJ Quik, and Bun B. Chaifetz Arena, 1 S. Compton Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www. ticketmaster.com.

Wed., Mar. 27, 8 p.m., The Millennium Tour 2019 feat. B2K, Mario, Pretty Ricky, Lloyd, Bobby V, Ying Yang Twins, and Chingy. 1401 Clark Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www. enterprisecenter.com.

Thur., Mar. 28, 7:30 p.m., Live Nation presents Justin Timberlake – The Man of the Woods Tour. Enterprise Center, 1401 Clark Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www.enterprisecenter. com.

Sat., Mar. 30, 7:30 p.m., 2019

Sheldon Gala feat. Ahmad Jamal. 3648 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.

Sat., Mar. 30, 8 p.m., Rockhouse Entertainment, LLC presents Jacquees. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., 63112. For more information,

visit www.ticketmaster.com.

Sat., Mar. 30, 8 p.m., Pop’s Concert Venue presents T-Pain: 1UP Tour. 1403 Mississippi Ave., Sauget, IL. 62201. For more information, visit www.ticketweb.com.

Sun., Apr. 7, 7 p.m., Ambassador presents J. Holiday. 9800 Halls Ferry Rd., 63136. For more information, visit www.metrotix.com.

Sat., Apr. 13, 7 p.m., Jonathan McReynolds Make More Room Tour. The Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Ave., 63110. For more information, visit www.eventbrite.com.

special events

Sat., Mar. 23, 7:30 a.m., 2019 United Negro College Fund St. Louis 5K Walk/Run for Education. Tower Grove Park Sons of Rest Pavilion, 63116. For more information, visit www.give.uncf.org.

Sat., Mar. 23, 11 a.m., Job and Resource Fair. For parents, students, and the entire community. There will be representatives from our Workforce Development Agency, City of St. Louis, Bailys, and more. Carnahan School of the Future, 4041 S. Broadway, 63118. For more information, visit www. facebook.com.

Sat., Mar. 23, 1 p.m., Ales for Tails Homebrew Festival Urban Chestnut Grove Brewery and Bierhall, 4465 Manchester Ave., 63110. For more information visit www. eventbrite.com.

Sat., Mar. 23, 2 p.m., Talk With Tam’s Townhall: Empowering North St. Louis by Empowering North St. Louisans. YMCA O’Fallon Park Recreation Complex, 4343 W. Florissant, 63115. For more information visit www.

The Guide

Kenya Vaughn recommends

topministriesstl.org

Sun., Mar. 24, 12 p.m., Bridal Show. Fashion show, special promotions, tastings, over 50 of the top wedding pros and so much more. The Foundry Art Centre, 520 North Main Center, 63301. For more information, visit www. bridestlouis.com.

Sat., Mar. 30, 10 a.m., Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre Job Fair. We are hiring for maintenance, ushers, security, stagehands, and more. 14141 Riverport Dr., 63043. For more information or to register, visit www.eventbrite.com.

Sat., Mar. 30, 1 p.m., Action St. Louis & Better Budgets, Better Schools invites you to a Candidate Forum. For St. Louis Elected School Board of Education candidates. O’Fallon Park YMCA, 4343 W. Florissant Ave., 63115. For more information, visit www. secure.everyaction.com.

Sat., Mar. 30, 7 p.m., Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Nu Chi Chapter presents Mardi Gras Soul Plane II. Feat. Dirty Muggs and Murphy Lee.

70s attire. St. Louis Lambert International Airport, 10701 Lambert International Blvd., 63145. For more information, visit www.nx-ques.com.

Fri., Apr. 5, 5 p.m., The Friends of Jennings School’s 6th Annual Scholarship & Awards Gala. Proceeds benefit Jennings School District, local homeless shelters, and college scholarships. 1 Norwood Hills Country Club, 63121. For more information, visit www. jennigsk12.org.

Sat., Apr. 6, 9 a.m., Hare in the Air Egg Hunt. For children 2 – 8. Enjoy activities like a petting zoo, balloon artists, costumed characters, a police car and more. Logan University, 1851 Schoettler Rd., 63017. For more information, visit www.logan. edu/HareInTheAir.

Sat., Apr. 6, 6 p.m., St. Louis Crisis Nursery Razzle Ball 2019: Wish Upon A Star Enjoy music, live and silent auctions, and raise funds to end child abuse and neglect. Sheraton Westport-Lakeside Chalet, 191 W. Port Plaza Dr., 63146. For more information,

Get information on utilities assistance, tenant rights, lead inspections, home repair, down payments assistance, and more. City Garden Montessori Charter School, 1618 Tower Grove Ave., 63110. For more information, visit www. facebook.com.

Sun., Apr. 14, 2 p.m., A Tasteful Affair 31. The best chefs and beverage specialists from more than 25+ local establishments will be on hand along with silent and live auctions. Four Seasons Hotel, 999 N 2nd St., 63102. For more information, visit www. foodoutreach.org/a-tastefulaffair-31.

comedy

visit www.crisisnurserykids. org.

Thur., Apr. 11, 5:30 p.m.,

United 4 Children presents the Lighting the Way Gala Entertainment, tastings, and auctions to raise funds for childcare and after-school programs. Missouri Athletic Club, 405 Washington Ave., 63102. For more information, visit www.united4children.org.

Apr. 12 – 14, Washington University Thurtene presents Thurtene Carnival. Three days of exhilarating rides, live performances, and tasty food. 1 Brookings Dr., 63130. For more information, visit www. thurtene.org.

Sat., Apr. 13, 6 p.m., 2019 Annual Kids In The Middle Gala: Dream The Impossible. Help kids and families transition to a new way of life before, during and after separation and divorce. Ameristar Casino, 1 Ameristar Blvd., 63301. For more information, visit www. kidsinthemiddle.org.

Sat., Apr. 13, 10 a.m., Housing Resource Fair.

Mar. 21 – 23, Helium Comedy Club presents Adele Givens. 1151 Saint Louis Galleria, 63117. For more information, visit www. st-louis.heliumcomedy.com. Sun., Mar. 31, 7:30 p.m., Helium Comedy Club presents B. Simone. 1151 Saint Louis Galleria, 63117. Fri., Apr. 5, 7 p.m., Cracking Up Comedy Tour feat. DeRay Davis, Michael Blackson, Red Grant, and Bruce Bruce. Chaifetz Arena, 1 S. Compton Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www. ticketmaster.com.

Fri., Apr. 12, 8 p.m., The Pageant presents J.B. Smoove. 6161 Delmar Blvd., 63112. For more information, visit www.ticketmaster.com. Apr. 12 – 13, Funny Bone presents Tim Meadows Westport Plaza, 614 W. Port Plaza Dr., 63146. For more information, visit www. stlouisfunnybone.com.

Thur., Mar. 21, 7 p.m., Left Bank Books hosts author Myisha Cherry, author of UnMuted: Conversations on Prejudice, Oppression, and Social Justice. With St. Louis activist Tef Poe. 399 N. Euclid Ave., 63108.

Thur., Mar. 21, 7 p.m., Subterranean Books hosts author Rafia Zafar, author of Recipes for Respect: African American Meals and Meaning 6275 Delmar Blvd., 63130. For more information, visit www. store.subbooks.com.

Left Bank Books hosts author Damon Young, author of ‘What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Blacker.’ For more information, see LITERARY.

Fri., Mar. 29, 7 p.m., Left Bank Books hosts author Damon Young, author of What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Blacker. A celebration of the idiosyncrasies and distinctions of Blackness and a critique of white supremacy and how we define masculinity. 399 N. Euclid Ave., 63108.

Mon., Apr. 1, 7 p.m., The Novel Neighbor and We Stories hosts author Dr. Margaret Hagerman, author of White Kids: Growing Up with Privilege In a Racially Divided America. St. Louis Community College Forest Park, 5600 Oakland Ave., 63110. For more information, visit www.eventbrite.com.

Tues., Apr. 2, 7 p.m., Left Bank Books hosts author Jennifer Eberhardt, author of Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think, and Do. St. Louis Public Radio Community Room, 3651 Olive St., 63108. For more information, www.left-bank. com.

Sun., Apr. 7, 2 p.m., Kirkwood Public Library hosts author Jacqui Germain, author of When the Ghosts Come Ashore. Germain will share her poetry and speak on the role of poetry and activism in St. Louis. 140 E. Jefferson Ave., 63122. For more information, visit www. left-bank.com.

Wed., Apr. 10, 7 p.m., Whitaker Jazz Speaks presents A Love Supreme: The Music and Message in John Coltrane’s Magnum Opus ft. Ashley Kahn. St. Louis Public Library Schlafly Branch, 225 N. Euclid Ave., 63108. For more information, visit www.left-bank.com.

Thur., Apr. 11, 7 p.m., Kwame Hightower: Community Event & Book Signing. A night of comics, food, music, and community. Unveiling of Kwame Hightower and the Man with No Name. Urb Arts, 2600 N. 14th St., 63106. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

art

Thur., Mar. 21, 6:30 p.m., Creative Reaction Lab invites you to Artwork for Equity: An Exhibit + Auction. Artists have been selected to produce original art promoting inclusion, equity, liberation, and justice. TechArtista, 4818 Washington Blvd., 63108. For

Kenya Vaughn recommends

more information, visit www. creativereationlab.com.

Mar. 29 – 31, The Greater St. Louis Art Association presents Spring Art Fair. 130 artists from over 20 states will display original works ranging from ceramics, jewelry, sculpture, and more. Queeny Park, 550 Weidman Rd., 63011. For more information, visit www.artfairatqueenypark. com.

Sat., Mar. 30, 4 p.m., Come to the Table: Art Show and Sale Opening Reception. Celebrate food and community, support local artists, and enjoy amazing artwork. Sale runs through Apr. 27. Good Shepherd Arts Center, 52 S. Florissant Rd., 63135. For more information, visit www.goodshepherdarts. org.

Through Apr. 13, Griot Museum of Black History presents Brilliance, Beauty, Blackness. A special exhibition of photographic portraits of extraordinary Black women from St. Louis and Atlanta. 2505 St. Louis Ave., 63106. For more information, visit www.thegriotmuseum. com.

lectures and workshops

Sat., Mar. 23, 9 a.m., Not Easily Broken Women’s Empowerment Workshop Dr. Relda Owens-Mathews, Rev. Rhonda Aldridge, and Sinita Wells will encourage you, while comedienne Mama Dee entertains you. UMSL School of Social Work, 3036 Bellerive Dr., 63121. For more information, visit www. facebook.com.

Sat., Mar. 23, 10 a.m., Moore 4 More presents Skills, Drills, & Dollar Bills: College Preparation 101. Workshop will cover budgeting, financial aid, self-care, and more. Cardinal Ritter College Prep, 701 N. Spring Ave., 63108. For more information or to register, visit www.eventbrite. com.

Sun., Mar. 24, 2 p.m., Missouri History Museum presents The History of Blackface Part 1. An exploration of its origins to its continual presence followed by a Q&A session. 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112. For more information, visit www.

mohistory.org.

Wed., Mar. 27, 6:30 p.m., Decision-Making: Using Award Letters to Assess Affordability. Understand award letters, compare financial aid packages, and more. The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis, 6825 Clayton Ave., 63139. For more information, visit www.sfstl. org.

Mar. 28 – 29, The Collaboration on Race, Inequality, and Social Mobility in America invites you to Race at the Forefront: Sharpening a Focus on Race in Applied Research. Brown School of Social Work, Washington University, One Brookings Dr., 63130. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Fri., Mar. 29, 10 a.m., Gender Impacts: Mothers and Reentry. The 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity Ave., 63130. For more information, visit www.prisonedproject. wustl.edu.

Sun., Mar. 31, 3 p.m., Bridging the Delmar Housing Divide: Partnering with Fountain Park-Lewis Place Neighbors to Sustain

Cracking Up Comedy Tour feat. DeRay Davis, Michael Blackson, Red Grant, and Bruce Bruce. See COMEDY for details.

prepare income tax returns free of charge. For more information, visit these sites: https://mctcfreetax.org/, https://stlouistap.org/, http:// naba-stl.org/vita/location/, http://gatewayeitc.org/index. html

health

Sat., Mar. 23, 6 p.m., Lupus Foundation of America, Heartland Chapter presents The Purple Ball. Support Lupus research, education, support and advocacy. The Four Seasons, S. 1st St., 63102. For more information, visit www.lupusheartland.ejoinme. org.

Fri., Mar. 29, 6:30 p.m., Sing for Siteman. World-class vocalists come together to support raise funds to support Siteman Cancer Center. John Burroughs School, 755 Price Rd., 63124. For more information, visit www. singforsiteman.org.

Sun., Mar. 31, 1 p.m., Pros and Cons of Medicare for All. Four panelists will discuss this important issue in healthcare. Central Reform Congregation, 5020 Waterman Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www.pnhpmo.org.

Their Homes. Second Presbyterian Church, 4501 Westminster Pl., 63108. For more information, visit www. stlvillage.org.

Tues., Apr. 2, 6:30 p.m., Missouri History Museum presents The Birth of a Nation. View selected clips from the 1915 film The Birth of a Nation, and stay for a panel discussion that dives deeper into the film’s representation of blackness. 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112.

Tues., Apr. 2, 6:30 p.m., Mound City Bar Association Young Lawyers Division presents Trying to Cope with Cosby & Kavanaugh? #MeToo. St. Louis University, 1 S. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, visit www. facebook.com.

Fri., Apr. 5, 8 a.m., Transitioning Veterans Summit and VA Town Hall. Clark Hall, UMSL, 1 University Blvd., 63121. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Through Apr 16, numerous Volunteer Income Tax Assistance & AARP TaxAide sites will open to

Apr. 5 – 7, GO! St. Louis Marathon & Family Fitness Weekend. The weekend includes a full marathon, half marathon, marathon relay, 10K, 5K, children’s fun runs, and more. Downtown St. Louis and Forest Park. For more information, visit www. gostlouis.org.

Fri., Mar.22, US starring Lupita Nyong’o and Winston Duke opens in theaters nationwide.

Mar. 29 – 31, 14th Annual African Film Festival. The films showcase the latest talent and new directions in cinema while highlighting themes in a variety of African countries. Brown Hall, Washington University, Hoyt and Chapin Dr., 63130. For more information, visit www. africanfilm.wustl.edu.

Wed., Apr. 3, 7 p.m., Do Not Resist Film Screening. A vital and influential exploration of the rapid militarization of the police in the United States. TechArtista, 4818 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www. facebook.com.

haunting and sometimes almost grisly beauty of the sculptural fragments themselves.

Weissberg explained the simple, effective staging strategy used throughout the show of pairing a fragment with a more complete surviving figure similar to the one that got mutilated by the thief, victor or religious usurper. The more completed figure helps you fill in the fragmented one in your mind and see what parts got mutilated. Then the fragments speak to the more complete remnants, too, in the sad way loss gives shape to life.

The Brooklyn Museum (whose senior curator Edward Bleiberg co-curated the show with Weissberg) has a vast ancient Egyptian collection, and the Pulitzer’s unique, artin-itself building has quite a bit of exhibit space between two levels and several twists and turns. These facts taken together, spotlight the deliberate pacing of the show and the curators’ righteous statement

MARIAH

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sounded great as she let fans know that she can still pull off those F#7 notes that set her apart from her vocal powerhouse peers early on in her career throughout the performance of “Emotions.”

Though some fans might have been a bit disenchanted that they didn’t hear more songs, few would argue about the caliber of the performance –or vocal quality. A grand-scale show with a handful of wardrobe changes, backup dancers and a full band, Carey meandered through dance tracks,

that these pieces and pairings from the past need some space to speak to us. The museum’s ground-level side room (down the long hall that overlooks the basement performance space at the foot of the stairs) exhibits just two pieces: a small mutilated humanoid head and a large complete stone sarcophagus of the type this head was hacked from. Come to think of it — and the Pulitzer gives you plenty of space and time to think about it — having the best face you put forth toward the hereafter hacked from your coffin lid, punched right off your ticket to ride into glory, is enough for one room.

The Pulitzer and Brooklyn Museum do not overplay their hand, or nose, or face. Sometimes one culture’s mutilation is just another culture’s sensible recycling in supplyand-demand chain logistics. Weissberg explained how Islamic victors in the land of the dead pharaohs did not have any axe to grind with the old kings or gods or any insecure need to show they were the baddest new religion in the valley of death. They just knew a good chunk of stone when they saw it. Some of these spiritual

ballads and midtempo. Carey’s attention to her popular remixes of “Fantasy,” “Always Be My Baby” and “Heartbreaker” was a pleasant surprise.

As a token of gratitude for the #JusticeForGlitter efforts, Carey thanked fans personally and gave a medley of songs featured on the album from the film in which she starred – including “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life” and “I Didn’t Mean to Turn You On” that went full disco with a roller dancer with a glitterball helmet. As the tour name suggested, “Caution” would be the only other album to get more attention than one or two tracks. Along with the opening number she performed, “8th Grade,” “GTFO” were among them.

sculptures are damaged with no more intention or grudge than a 2x4 cut to size on a local jobsite today.

The exhibit brilliantly ends in the Pulitzer’s basement with a black stone base of a mutilated sculpture with nothing left but two feet. The Islamic victors weren’t impressed or intimidated by this stand-up spiritual offering to vanquished royalty or their pet gods. They just had new construction going up and here was some good solid stone.

I imagined people walking away from these ancient sculpted feet on a warm day (the show opens on March 22 and stays up through August 11). I imagined people going outside in that enchanted courtyard at the Pulitzer, taking off their footwear, and looking at their feet. Maybe taking feet selfies, feet fragments, in the sunlit courtyard. I imagined people walking away from the Pulitzer — or moving however they move — feeling the more completed figure that is yourself.

For more information, visit https://pulitzerarts.org/exhibition/striking-power/.

“Vision Of Love,” “My All” and “Anytime You Need A Friend” were among the best of the slow tunes. “Always Be My Baby” – made even cuter by a surprise appearance by her twins Monroe and Moroccan towards the end of the song –“Dreamlover” and “We Belong Together” were best in show for the more upbeat selections. Carey closed the show with “Hero” and fans probably wanted to hear more songs. A few additional tracks – particularly from her self-titled debut and the “Emancipation of MiMi” album – would have been the tipping point to take the Caution Tour experience from really good to great.

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suspense thriller into the horror film mix. On the strength of “Get Out,” film fans have already bought into “Us.” Three days before its theatrical release, Peele’s “Get Out” follow-up has already cleared more than $76M in presales and is expected to stomp “Captain Marvel” out of the box office top spot with an anticipated $50M opening weekend. It is highly recommended for those ticket holders – and anyone else who plans to see “Us” – to leave any expectations based on the brilliance of “Get Out” at the door. Peele proves once again to be a master at creating new concepts and applying them to horror. In “Us” he takes the notion that individuals can be their own harshest critics up a notch by presenting a reflection of the cast as its own worst nightmare. The idea as a horror film is stunning and leaves room for all sorts of interpretation. But Peele’s brilliant idea was lost in the execution process as he presented it through the experiences of Adelaide Wilson. She harbored a secret for nearly 35 years. A traumatic incident shaped the rest of her existence, but she has been able to keep it to herself. That is, until she her husband and their two children travel to the family beach house for summer vacation. After their youngest child makes a haunting discovery in the driveway – the manifestation of the fears Adelaide has kept to herself for decades – a harrowing and horrifying adventure kicks into overdrive.

“Us” gets to the slowest of starts because Peele sacrifices edge-of-your-seat suspense for the sake of lingering cinematography. The story is set up through a series of flashbacks with minimal dialogue that are revisited with additional revelations as the film concludes. Viewers wait forever

for an ending they probably predicted from the start. And themes that could have been explored to add depth and substance to make for a more cerebral film are constantly left hanging and incomplete. Peele deserves points for an attempt to unhinge the patriarchal hero format often seen in family centered horror films. Sadly, he goes too far on the opposite end of the spectrum with “Us” by all but emasculating the male figures. Adelaide’s traumatic response to what at first sight appears to be a regular occurrence is concerning to her father, but in his brief appearances he is presented as somewhat disengaged in her healing process. Adelaide’s husband is presented as the weakest link in the family unit – and more of a source of comic relief than a viable protector within the family. Moments where the family operates as a unit to save themselves from terror, mostly show the mother and daughter stepping up to do the grimy work. Even the evil version of the father figure is relegated to a minimally effective, nonessential role.

The performances in “Us” are the film’s redeeming quality. Academy Award-winner Lupita Nyong’o gives a spellbinding portrayal as Adelaide Wilson and her evil “tethered” counterpart Red. As Adelaide, she is constantly aloof and distracted by the terrifying thoughts in her head. And as Red, the presumed sum of her fears, Nyong’o is simply terrifying. Winston Duke does well within the limits he is afforded as Adelaide’s husband Gabe. Shahadi Wright Joseph and Evan Alex are convincing and help present a cohesive family chemistry. And while he is just a hair above a cameo on screen, Duke and Nyong’o’s fellow Yale School of Drama alum Yahya Abdul-Mateen II leaves a lasting impression as young Adelaide’s father. A predictable ending twist leaves “Us” open for the possibility of a sequel. The hope is that Peele tightens up the story and gives his idea the film it deserves.

“Us” opens in theaters nationwide on Friday, March 22. The film is rated R with a running time of 116 minutes.

Moments where the family operates as a unit to save themselves from terror, mostly show the mother and daughter stepping up to do the grimy work.

Celebrations

Reunions

reunion announcements can be viewed online!

Beaumont Class Of 1969 will celebrate it’s 50-year reunion Sept 20-22, 2019 at Embassy Suites St. Charles. Come join us as we celebrate these golden years, “Living Life Like It’s Golden.” For more information contact Dennis Hayden 314 276-6188 or beaumontclassof1969@yahoo.

com or send your questions to P.O. Box 155, Florissant, MO 63032.

Beaumont Class of 1979 is planning its 40-year reunion. All activities are scheduled for the weekend of September 27-29. The location is The Airport Marriot at 10700 Pear Tree Drive, St. Louis 63134. For more information, contact Milton Jackson at 314-2764392 or Yolanda Lockhart at lockhartyo08@gmail.com.

Kinloch Class of 1969 is planning its 50-year reunion on August 21, 22 and 23. Dinner dance at Orlandos, 2050 Dorsett Village Plaza. For information call Ruben at 314239-5202 or Ophelia at 314-

280-6596. Classmates please respond by April 2019.

Northwest Class of 1979 is planning on cruising for our 40-year reunion and would love for you to join us! Date to sail is set for July 20, 2019 and you can feel free to contact: Duane Daniels at 314-568-2057 or Howard Day at 414-698-4261 for further information. Please don’t miss the boat!

Soldan Class of 1974 Alumni Association is planning its 45-year reunion. Please get your contact information to dhblackjack@charter.net or call 314-749-3803.

Soldan Class of 1979 is

Happy 39th Birthday to Dax A. Woolfolk! Thanks for being our family fixer upper. With thanks and pride, from your loving family.

Happy Birthday to my son, Larry Jerome White on March 23! You’re in our thoughts and prayers always. Your family and friends in Missouri send greetings to you in Florida! Have a blessed birthday! –Mother Dearest

Happy 60th Birthday to Shirley King on March 23! From your cousin, Fancy

planning its 40-year reunion for the weekend of August 2-3, 2019. Yearlong reunion activities will begin with a kickoff at Soldan High School Homecoming on Saturday, October 13, 2018 prior to the game at 1 p.m. For more information or to assist with reunion activities, please email at: soldanclassof1979@gmail. com or call Barbara at 314 456-3391.

Sumner Class Of 1969 50th reunion “Living Life Like It’s Golden” June 28-30, 2019. Looking for classmates of 1969 to contact us with your updated information via address:sumnerclass1969@ gmail.com or our FB page: Sumner High.

Sumner Class of 1979 will hold its “Bulldogs Rock the Boat” BIG 4-0 Reunion Cruise, June 22-27, 2019. For further information, email your contact information to sumner1979@ymail.com or call 314-406-4309. Join our Facebook group at Sumner High Class of ‘79. Vashon Class of 1974 is planning for its 45-year reunion. We are in the process of rounding up all classmates. To provide or update your contact information, please email ljbady@gmail.com or contact: Joe Verrie Johnson 314-640-5842, Jordan Perry 314-724-4563, or LaVerne James-Bady 314-382-0890.

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

Deadline is 10 a.m. on Friday. If you’d like your class to be featured in a reunion profile, email or mail photos to us. Our email address is: reunions@stlamerican.com

Happy Bornday to our brother Joseph (Joey) Farrar on March 22! We hope you enjoy your day! Love, Donna, Lonna, Chris and Michelle

Rev. Dwight Andrews headlines jazz fundraiser for St. John UCC

American staff

This year marks the 125th anniversary of St. John United Church of Christ in Collinsville, Illinois. Reverend Marvin L. Morgan, interim senior pastor, will kick-off this year-long celebration with a jazz concert featuring Reverend Dwight Andrews of First Congregational Church in Atlanta, who will perform with Cliff Aerie and the Oîkos Ensemble. St. John’s Chancel Choir will serve as the jazz chorus for this special event.

The celebratory festivities get started 7 p.m. Friday, March 29 in the sanctuary of the church, located at 307 West Clay St. in Collinsville.

The Reverend Dwight Andrews is professor of Music Theory and African American Music at Emory University. He is the pastor of First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, in Atlanta. He holds degrees from the University of Michigan, the Yale Divinity School, and Yale University. As a saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist, Andrews has appeared on over 25 jazz and creative music recordings with a wide array of artists, including Wadada Leo Smith, Jay Hoggard, Anthony Davis, and Geri Allen. He is also known for his collaborations with playwright August Wilson and director Lloyd Richards, having served as musical director for the Broadway productions of “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” “The Piano Lesson,” “Seven Guitars,” and the Broadway revival of “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” featuring Whoopi Goldberg and Charles S. Dutton.

In addition, Andrews provided the music direction for the Broadway revival production of “A Raisin in the Sun,” starring Sean Combs, Phylicia Rashad, and Audra McDonald. His film credits include “The Old Settler” starring Phylicia Rashad and Debbie Allen, “The Piano Lesson” with Alfre Woodard, HBO’s “Miss Evers’ Boys” and the PBS documentaries “W.E.B. Dubois: A Biography in Four Voices”

director of the Oîkos Ensemble. A musician, storyteller, composer, playwright, actor, director, author, photographer and media producer, Aerie has spent a lifetime exploring the adventurous terrain of creativity. At the heart of his art and ministry he is a storyteller inviting others to embark on the spiritual journey of discovering the imaginative landscape of the soul.

He has pastored five congregations, founded an experimental arts ministry, worked as a media producer, consultant and was the minister for Special Events, Creativity and the Arts for the United Church of Christ national offices. He has acted and directed Off-Broadway and produced television specials nationally and locally.

His first love is jazz. He led his first jazz worship service in 1971. He established a jazz vespers series in Binghamton, New York which is now in its 16th year. He has been acknowledged as being in the vanguard of the jazz liturgical movement.

For the past seven years he and the Oîkos Ensemble have led more than 300 innovative jazz vesper services, concerts and play-shops at faith communities and multi-cultural gatherings around the country.

and “Homecoming: The Plight of Black Farmers in Georgia.”

Andrews has served as distinguished visiting scholar of the arts at Spelman College and was the inaugural Quincy Jones Visiting Professor of African American Music at Harvard University. He has also taught at Rice University and the Yale University School of Music. Andrews is currently working on a manuscript on the intersection of spirituality and jazz. The Jazz Journalists Association named Andrews as the 2018 Jazz Hero – an advocate, altruist, activist, aider and abettor of jazz who has had a significant impact in his local community. Rev. Clifford Aerie is the founding

St. John UCC has a rich history of serving the Collinsville community. Since its founding in 1894, this congregation has been unshakable in its faith and to its mission of extraordinary community service. The 125 years of service is a testament to the work done throughout the years which has had a positive impact on the parishioners of the church as well as the larger community through outreach efforts.

Tickets for the jazz concert, the first of several anniversary events and a fundraiser to support the 2019 capital campaign, can be purchased from the church office for $50. Contact the office for details at (618) 344-2526. For a list of quarterly anniversary events, visit www.stjohneucc. org .

The Message Being alone with God

One of the telling things about being a Christian, no matter how new the claim might be, is a newfound understanding and appreciation of being by yourself. I don’t mean being lonely or anything. I mean being alone with the Lord.

Some might call it prayer, others meditation. You can call it what you want to, but being alone with God is a whole lot different than being alone without God. Understanding this reality once you’ve accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior can take some getting used to.

Many of us have had great difficulty dealing with self. We can find countless things to do with alone time on our hands; lights get turned on, channel surfing starts in earnest, music blasts, people get called, and shopping gets done. Life got you down?

We aren’t comfortable with who we really are. It might be fear. It might be shame. It could even be embarrassment. All of this and more comes into play when circumstances force us to look back over our own lives without external interference or internal rationalizations. That deafening silence we’re afraid of is filled with the rather loud volume of truth.

Yes, you said it. You did it, and you had a great time while you were at it. But now, if the truth be known, you really wish you hadn’t. You knew better then, and you certainly know better now. But you did it anyway, thinking if nobody knew, if nobody was watching, then maybe, probably, it would be okay.

Wrong! The closer you get to accepting the Lord’s call upon you, the more you come to understand that facing up to your inner demons is required learning. Coming to grips with one’s sinful past is a prerequisite for all future relationships and some you’re in right now, particularly the one with Jesus Christ.

The peace of reconciliation with one’s self begins and ends with the unadulterated truth that nothing can stand between you and the God who loves you, not your pride or ego, not your insecurity, not your sinful nature, nor your clouded view of who you think you really are, as opposed to who God knows you are.

You had better get used to the man or woman in the mirror. That is exactly who God made and whom He loves, warts and all. Once this revelation is internalized, it is the most powerful gift in this and any other world.

Now you can fill those otherwise lonely moments with the truth that you are surrounded by the ever-present crowd of One. The key is knowing you’ve always got that one ever-present companion. In His eyes you are the extraordinary one. After all, He made you in His image. Now go find a quiet spot away from everyone and look for Him inside you. Listen carefully.

Columnist James Washington

Reverend Dwight Andrews of First Congregational Church in Atlanta will perform with Cliff Aerie and the Oîkos Ensemble and St. John’s Chancel Choir at St. John United Church of Christ in Collinsville 7 p.m. Friday, March 29.

League of Metropolitan St. Louis is seeking a Weatherization Auditor to perform energy diagnostic testing on homes participating in the weatherization program.

FINANCIAL REPORTING ACCOUNTANT

Ensure

hours in early childhood, child development, child/family related courses leading to a CDA; or Current CDA credential. Please reply to Center Manager Linda Davis at (314) 679-5440.

TREASURY SUPERVISOR

Ensure accounts payables and accounts receivables are completed accurately and in a timely manner so financial statements are properly presented. To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational. com/careers-page/.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY –FIREFIGHTER/ PARAMEDIC

Riverview Fire Protection District is seeking candidates for the position of a Floater Firefighter/Paramedic. Details, requirements and instructions (Candidate Guidelines) are listed below: Prior to Filling Out Job Application Please Visit Our Web Site: RiverviewFPD.com for Candidate Guidelines.

Interested candidates must complete an “Application for Employment Form” at the Fire District’s Headquarters located at 9933 Diamond Drive St. Louis Missouri, 63137. Application forms will be available and accepted from 08:00 AM (CST) to 4:00 PM, (CST) Monday through Friday, March 28, 2019 through April 5, 2019.

INVITATION FOR EQUIPMENT BIDS

the following: • Database Administrator • Digital Communications Coordinator • Payroll Specialist

• Visitor Engagement Navigator

Please visit www.mohistory.org under the “Current Openings” tab for position details and to apply.

Equal Opportunity Employer

FINANCE OPERATIONS ANALYST

Responsible for managing technical support for systems and software used by the Finance department. Responsible for developing and verifying the correctness and quality of reports, updating reports for system changes, performing and coordinating user testing of system implementations and upgrades, trouble-shooting and analysis for technical problems, and facilitating interaction between the Finance department and other areas of the company regarding systems in order to meet corporate goals. To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational.com/ careers-page/.

VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION COUNSELOR

The State of Missouri is accepting applications for a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor in the St. Louis area. Starting salary is $39,528$41,496. View job description, benefits and application instructions at https://dese.applicantpro.com/jobs/

East-West Gateway Council of Governments is seeking bids for an automatic sandbagging machine. Bids are due 04/05/19. Funding provided by the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security. MBEs / WBEs are encouraged to submit bids. Find details at www. ewgateway.org or by calling 314-421-4220 ext. 208. METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS SEWER DISTRICT

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District will receive RFQ’s in the Purchasing Division, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103-2555 until 11:00 a.m. on April 23, 2019 to contract with a company for: FIRST AID SUPPLIES. Specifications and bid forms may be obtained from www.stlmsd.com, click on the “MSD AT WORK” link, (bid opportunities). The bid document will be identified as 9879 RFQ. If you do not have access to the internet, call 314-768-6254 to request a copy of this bid. Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

ST. LOUIS COUNTY LIBRARY DISTRICT INVITATION FOR BID: SEAL & STRIPE DATE ISSUED: March 18, 2019

The Board of Trustees of the St. Louis County Library District (“Library District”) is accepting bids from qualified businesses for the Service of Sealing & Striping Parking Lots at two branch locations: Grant’s View and Lewis & Clark. All Bids are due no later than 3:00 P.M. C.T., on April 3, 2019. For more information please visit https://www.slcl. org/bid-opportunities.

The Auditor will inspect and conduct energy/lead abatement audit of homes; perform final inspections (QCI Certified Auditors Only); prepare cost estimates in compliance with insurance standards; document all activities, prepare reports, and maintain files/records.

Qualified candidates must have general knowledge of residential structures; work independently; make sound decisions; demonstrate tact and discretion in preparing, disclosing, and handling information of a confidential and sensitive nature; and maintain a valid driver license and good driving record.

Education background should be equivalent to a high School diploma/ GED with at least 4 years of experience in home construction/home repair; working knowledge of construction and/or home repair. BPI certification preferred.

Interested persons should submit a resume with cover letter and salary requirements to the: Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis Human Resources Department hr@urbanleague-stl.org EOE No Phone Calls Please

DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL SYSTEMS

Responsible for enterprise data integrity as it pertains to the flow of information into the financial statements. Serve as the end user liaison to the Information Services Department. Additionally, function as the liaison from the Accounting Department to the other business units, including Underwriting, Claims, Policy Services, and Actuarial Services, to ensure quality and accessibility of all enterprise data used for internal and external reporting purposes. To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational.com/ careers-page/.

LEAD TEACHERS

New City School, a diverse, progressive elementary school in the Central West End, is looking for lead teachers. Learn more: newcityschool.org/about/employment

PART TIME OFFICE MANAGER

St. LouisArtWorks is seeking a Part Time Office Manager. Must be Experienced in office and financial management, demonstrated organizational and time management and have a minimum of one year of experience using QuickBooks. If interested contact priscilla.block@stlartworks.org with resume, references and cover letter.

SCREENING ASSISTANT

We’re hiring! TGNCDC is looking to hire a full time Tenant Screening Assistant for our unique non-profit tenant screening service, HomeScreen. For full job description and instructions on how to apply visit our Facebook page Facebook.com/towergrovecdc

As member of the Products Compliance

of nine (9) college credit hours in early childhood related courses; or current CDA credential a plus. Please reply to Center Manager Linda Davis at (314) 679-5440.

METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS SEWER DISTRICT

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District will receive RFQ’s in the Purchasing Division, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103-2555 until 10:00 a.m. on April 24, 2019 to contract with a company for: CAULKS A PUMP STATION HOIST AND CRANE SYSTEM. Specifications and bid forms may be obtained from www.stlmsd.com, click on the “MSD AT WORK” link, (bid opportunities). The bid document will be identified as 9889 RFQ. If you do not have access to the internet, call 314.768.2735 to request a copy of this bid. Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

CITY OF ST. LOUIS BOARD OF PUBLIC SERVICE

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS for PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES FOR ADA SELF-EVALUATION AND TRANSITION PLAN, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI. Statements of Qualifications due by 5:00 PM CT, April 5, 2019 at Board of Public Service, 1200 Market, Room 301 City Hall, St. Louis, MO 63103. RFQ may be obtained from BPS website www. stl-bps.org, under On Line Plan Room-Plan Room, or call Board of Public Service at 314-622-3535. 25% MBE and 5% WBE participation goals.

Great Rivers Greenway is seeking qualifications for Facilitation Services for its Regional Plan Update. Check greatriversgreenway.org for more information and submit by Friday, April 12, 2019. NOTICE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY ST. LOUIS CITY, MISSOURI

ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

St. Louis Community College will receive separate sealed bids for CONTRACT NO. F 19 202. Corporate Office Renovations at St. Louis Community College at Corporate College, until 2:00 p.m. local time March 26, 2019. Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud at the office of the Manager of Engineering and Design. 5464 Highland Park. St. Louis. MO 63110-1314. Specifications and bid forms may be obtained from the Manager’s office. at the above address or by calling (314) 644-9770.

Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting: March 15. 2019. 10:00 am Meet in Lobby at the Corporate College

An Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer

REQUEST FOR BIDS

Pinnacle Contracting

Lyon School Apartments

7417 Vermont Avenue

St. Louis, MO 63111

Due date: 3/28 at 2:00pm

Pre-bid walkthroughs: 3/15 at 10:30-11:30 am and 3/21 at 9:00-10:00 am

Description: Pinnacle Contracting is accepting bids for the renovation of 51,911 SF of an old city school into 32 apartments. The following trades have already been awarded: Historic Aluminum Windows, Fire Protection, Plumbing, HVAC, & Electrical. MBE/WBE is required. Project is Sales Tax EXEMPT. Email bids to bids@pinnaclecontracting.com. Call or email Keana Flanders for the link to the plans and specs at 314-783-8000 ext. 2 or keana@pinnaclecontracting.com.

ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

St. Louis Community College will receive separate sealed bids for CONTRACT NO. F 19 403. Abatement for Science Lab Relocation at St. Louis Community College at Forest Park Campus. until 2:00 p.m. local time April 2, 2019. Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud at the office of the Manager of Engineering and Design. 5464 Highland Park. St. Louis. MO 63110-1314. Specifications and bid forms may be obtained from the Manager’s office. at the above address or by calling (314) 644-9770.

Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting: March 21. 2019. 10:00 am Meet at 4th floor D TowerForest Park Campus

An Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer

ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

St. Louis Community College will receive separate sealed bids for Contract No. F 18 406V and F 18 406W, BID RELEASE #4 - Center for Nursing and Health Science Building, St. Louis Community College at Forest Park, until March 26, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. local time CDT, which includes the following packages: BP-01A Final Cleaning and 10A Signage, Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud at the office of the Manager of Engineering and Design, 5464 Highland Park Drive. A Pre-bid meeting will be held on March 19, 2019 at 1:30pm at the Tarlton Corporation, 5500 W. Park Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110. Drawings, specifications and bid information may be obtained from Cross Rhodes’ Plan room at 1712 Macklind Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110 or at Tarlton Corporation’s website at www.tarltoncorp.com. An Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer

ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

St. Louis Community College will receive separate sealed bids for Contract No. F 19 503, New Roof for Theater and Training Center Buildings, St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley, until 2:00 p.m. local time, Thursday, April 9, 2019. Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud at the office of the Manager of Engineering and Design, 5464 Highland Park Drive (Plan Room). Specifications and bid forms may be obtained from the Manager’s office, at the above address or by calling (314) 644-9770.

Voluntary Pre-bid Meeting: Thursday March 28, 2019 at 1:30 p.m. Meet at the Theater Building - Florissant Valley Campus An Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer

JUVENILE DETENTION DOOR AND SECURITY CONTROL UPGRADE

Sealed proposals will be received by the Board of Public Service in Room 208 City Hall, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, Mo. Until 1:45 PM, CT, on _April 16, 2019, then publicly opened and read. Plans and Specifications may be examined on the Board of Public Service website http:// www.stl-bps.org/planroom (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 pre-bid conference for all contractors bidding on this project will be held on March 26, 2019 at 10:00 A.M. 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).

SEALED BIDS

for Repair

Parking Lots and Driveways, Troop C Headquarters, Weldon Springs, St. Charles County, Missouri, Project No. R1905-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 4/18/2019. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/ facilities

SEALED BIDS

for Construction Services, Telecom & Data Wiring, Statewide, State of Missouri, Project No. ZASIDIQ-9021, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, Thursday, April 11, 2019. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http:// oa.mo. gov/facilities BID

Great Rivers Greenway is seeking bids for light lantern repair under the I-70 overpass. Check https://greatriversgreenway.org/ jobs-bids/ and submit by April 19, 2019.

MWBE PreBid Meeting Notice

The SITE Improvement Association is hosting a Prebid meeting for Qualified and Certified MWBE contractors to discuss working on St. Louis County’s 2019 CRS Pavement Rehabilitation, Area B Project Project No. CR-1788

This meeting is being held on behalf of the following SITE contractor members: J.M. Marschuetz Construction Co. 15 Truitt Drive Eureka, MO 63025 636/938-3600

The meeting will take place at 10:00 a.m. March 28, 2019 St. Vincent Community Center 7335 St Charles Rock Road, St. Louis, MO 63133

Project plans are available from St Louis County. For questions regarding this prebid meeting, contact SITE Improvement Association at 314/966-2950.

Deaconess

to download the

request for proposals, please visit: https://www.deaconess.org/ accounting-hr-rfp

REQUEST

PROPOSALS

Detailed Plan for Alton Great Streets Project

East-West Gateway is seeking submittals from consultants to develop a detailed plan for the Alton Great Streets Project. A DBE goal has been set for this project. Submittals are due no later than 1:00 p.m. on April 8, 2019. Submittal details and specifications can be obtained at www.ewgateway.org or by calling 314-421-4220 ext. 263.

Swag Snap of the Week

An unforgettable Memory at 314 Day with Plies. When Shorty Da Prince popped up doing the “Mono” we were cookin’ with grease up in there for the 314 Day celebration going down at The Pageant as folks waited for Plies – who is on the list with Yo Gotti as one of the city’s most-beloved non-natives. The pre-show turn up was real thanks pop-ups by staples of the St. Louis hip-hop scene. Laudie on Da Track and his hair game were serving Miguel realness as he lets his Panamanian roots, i.e. silky box and edges shine through. Luey V had the folks doin’ their own dance. And whoever didn’t make a cameo, DJ Shay Money showed them love – including Tha Whole Nine and Da Bangaz I was reminded that our city has had some jams over the years, both from our peeps who went national and the groups that are definitely a 314 thing. I also saw that we have some fresh faces on the scene. Girl rap group Dineros were giving a PG-13 version of The City Girls. Okay, the Dineros were rated R, but the City Girls are NC-17 at their most wholesome moments, so the Dineros divas looked and sounded like they could have been on Nickelodeon based on what they gave us at the Pageant, if we were to compare the two groups. I’m hoping that the Dineros keep it up as far as getting used to being onstage and getting a cohesive performance dynamic, because they could be a cute addition to the scene. Now let’s get right to the main attraction. At first it was Plies, who always gives the most energy imaginable – even if he comes on stage in a bathrobe. But his show was stolen when he asked DJ Shay Money to pick someone from the crowd to serve up a twerk. A woman emerged from the floor and from the moment she got started nobody remembered what happened before – including Plies. Anytime you start your twerk from the position of a headstand, you are nothing to play with. And the woman gave us twerking mixed with contortionism, Ashtanga Yoga and acrobatics. I later found out that her name was Memory and she’s from Chicago. Hot 104.1 FM’s Miss Pooh said, “You got the right name, ‘cause ain’t nobody gonna forget you after that.” Plies was utterly enthralled – and y’all already know he’s seen master twerkers from all across the globe. Memory may or may not have had some memory foam body parts, but I can’t take nothin’ away from her skills. She could have had a “booty-do” and done those moves and we all would have been still been blown away.

Cheers to Chesley. For those of you who don’t know, my girl Chesley over at Radio One is bidding farewell to our city after serving as promotions director for the past few years. She was a beast (in the best way imaginable) and I hate to see her go – but we partied like it was 1999 up in Hollywood Casino’s Boogie Nights in an epic send off for her. Actually, we partied like it was 1989 – because R&B vets Tony Terry and Keith Washington stopped through after co-headlining a show at The Ambassador for the East St. Louis Deltas. I had a ball up in there rubbing shoulders with the Radio One folks – which I always do. And I got the tea that J. Spain, a former member of the Q 95.5 promotions team, would be her replacement – and that my girl Isis Jones will be back on the air at 95.5 FM. That’s some full-circle moment magic if I’ve ever seen it. Will Downing is on his way back. The weather wouldn’t let Will Downing be great for Valentine’s Day, so now we can have a romantic pre-Easter concert this weekend at Harris-Stowe State University that also features Lamont Hadley thanks to Witherspoon Ent. and Breakaway Productions. It’s been a minute since I’ve heard that velvety voice of his. And I can’t wait to wind down with him Saturday night (doors open at 5;30 p.m.) – right before I run down the street and turn up with my favorite rap duo (see below). For those who don’t already have tickets, or would like more information, visit www.metrotix.com

Legends of Hip Hop will be lit. Y’all knew where I would be Saturday night the minute 8Ball & MJG was listed on the lineup – even if I had to hit up two concerts in one night. I will go ahead and make it official that my night will end at the Chaifetz Arena when the Legends of Hip Hop Tour lands in The Lou. Too Short, Bun B, Scarface, Juvenile and DJ Quik will be getting it in for all of the 70s and 80s babies and I’m expecting to get my whole entire life. The show starts at 8 p.m. Visit www.ticketmaster.com if you haven’t already purchased your tickets.

Cool on Helium. I knew when I was greeted with a “I know who you are. I can’t help you right now. Can you step to the side, please?” that I was in for a waiting game as the new regime at the Helium box office continues to be nice-nasty cordial. At this point, my efforts feel unappreciated. I am not perching in there just to get a complementary laugh. I go attempting to spotlight the black comics that come through in an effort to let our readers know to keep Helium on their radar because they constantly rotate our favorite urban funny men and women within our roster – and to give the club some shine for doing so. Based on my last experience this Sunday trying to check out my boy Corey Holcomb, I’m going to assume that they don’t want the publicity and fall back. Sorry Adele Givens. I tried – and considering the relationship I’ve had with management before now, I was more forgiving than usual when it comes to getting dusted at the door. But after waiting 30 minutes, I’ll be passing on trying to keep it going. Thank you Sharonda for letting me in to check out Jay Pharaoh. And thanks to the many, many previous staff who was so gracious from the time they opened until two months ago when it came to providing accommodations whenever I popped in to cover comics that I knew y’all wanted to hear about.

Shannon, Christina and Sinita of the Radio One St. Louis family came through to give Chesley (second from left) a fond farewell Saturday @ Boogie Nights

R&B vet Tony Terry (third from left) posed with Jami, Demetrius, Tony Terry, Lil D, Adrienne and David Saturday @ Boogie Nights

Dancing Darryl, Redd and Ebony came through to support Mai Lee and catch Plies perform for 314 Day Thursday @ The Pageant

Reggie and ‘American Idol’ finalist Curtis Finch came through to check out Mariah Carey Saturday night @ Stifel Theatre

Tony T-Luv Davis congratulated rap girl group Dineros after they warmed the stage for Plies as part of the 314 Day festivities Thursday @ The Pageant

Lamar Harris with six-time Grammy winner Terence Blanchard following ‘Music and Words: Composing Across Genres’ Sunday @ Missouri History Museum

Naija checked out ‘Music and Words: Composing Across Genres’ with her mother Crystal Sunday @ Missouri History Museum

Princess Stormm and Lil D of Radio One St. Louis were all smiles as the wished Chesley the best during her goodbye bash Saturday @ Boogie Nights

Niecy and Jonda where excited to see a sneak preview of Jordan Peele’s ‘Us’ Tuesday night @ AMC Creve Coeur

Melanie snapped a quick pic with rap star Plies after his performance at the 314 Day celebration Thursday night @ The Pageant

Phyllis and Pamela of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.’s East St. Louis Chapter welcomed R&B veterans Keith Washington and Tony Terry for a special night of music Saturday night at The Ambassador.

The 5 biggest disruptors wreaking havoc on your hormones

Some people are operating in 2019 with a “new year-new you” approach. They are determined to make self-improvements that provide a fresh, positive outlook and strong sense of well-being.

But sometimes health factors undermine those good intentions, such as depression and its link to hormone imbalances. There are myriad ways both men and women suffer adverse effects to their hormones, said Don Colbert, M.D., and many of them are avoidable.

“We are exposed to thousands of toxic chemicals on a regular basis in the air, water and food,” Colbert (https://drcolbert. com), author of Dr. Colbert’s Hormone Health Zone. “Some of them are hormone disruptors because they disturb your endocrine system, wreaking havoc and creating hormonal imbalances.

“Not only are the effects of all these disruptors depressing to think about; they actually cause depression, along with countless other ailments such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and more. But the basic principle is this: decreasing the number of disruptions will improve your health.”

Colbert breaks down the top hormone disruptors affecting men and women along

with ways to minimize the disruption or stop it:

Lifestyle choices “Whether it’s weight gain and a lack of exercise, anger and unforgiveness, drinking too much alcohol or some other thing that can be controlled, your hormone levels drop and you begin a slow slide to poorer health,” Colbert said. “Make better choices and that dramatically decreases the chances of having any hormone deficiency symptoms.”

Medications

Medications affect the body’s cells, and some times side effects mani fest in major problems.

For example, Colbert cites Mayo Clinic research show ing a prescription statin drug that lowered cholesterol could result in liver damage, memory loss or type 2 diabetes. “I estimate that 55 percent of the entire US population is taking pills that directly and negatively affect hormone levels,” Colbert said. “Get off these harmful medications you hate.”

Things you touch Chemicals entering the body through the skin can cause

long-term damage. Colbert notes phthalates, disruptors found in household cleaners, cosmetics, toys and numerous other products. “Phthalates negatively affect both men’s and women’s ability to use the testosterone that is in our bodies,” Colbert said. “Another is BPA (bisphenol A), found on the inside of metal-canned foods and plastic food-storing containers. Specifically, BPA has been found to cause or contribute to cancer, fertility problems, developmental issues and heart disease. I recommend buying glass jars of food and storing in ceramic containers.”

Diet deficiencies “The standard American diet is usually low in key nutrients that support a healthy thyroid,” Colbert said. “Many patients with hormone imbalances have low iodine. The best solution is eat more vegetables, ideally raw or steamed.”

Aging. Colbert said estrogen levels for women begin to decline around the age of 50; for men, testosterone levels can drop

low around age 45-50. “Aging is a natural combatant as a hormone disruptor,” he said, “but we can slow the acceleration of the effects of aging by optimizing our hormones. Healthy habits can make a huge difference.”

“Symptoms of serious problems indicated by hormonal imbalance can be reversed by those who focus on health in their diet, lifestyle and living environment,” Colbert said. “Then they can enable all of their systems to function optimally.”

Don Colbert, M.D. (https://drcolbert. com), is the author of Dr. Colbert’s Hormone Health Zone. He has been a board-certified family practice doctor for more than 25 years and has offices in Orlando, Fla., and Dallas. The author of over 40 books, he wrote two New York Times best-sellers - The Seven Pillars of Health and Dr. Colbert’s “I Can Do This” Diet - has sold more than 10 million books and treated 50,000-plus patients. Dr. Colbert is a frequent show guest of Christian leaders Joyce Meyer, John Hagee, and Kenneth Copeland and has been featured on The Dr. Oz Show, Fox News, ABC World News Tonight, and in periodicals such as Newsweek and Reader’s Digest.

Your search for exceptional pregnancy care is over - it’s right here in your own community.

Affinia Healthcare takes pride in caring for moms and babies to ensure a healthy start for ALL! Honor your pregnancy and baby with the care you deserve.

- Same day OB and pediatric appointments

- Patient-centered prenatal care and delivery experience

- Medical experts to guide your pregnancy and birth experience

- Centering (group sessions) prenatal care available

- Delivery by our OB team at the NEW Barnes Women & Infants Center

- On-site ultrasound services

- On-site laboratory services

- On-site Medicaid assistance

- Integrated behavioral health, dental, and substance use care

- Welcome to pregnancy and baby showers

- Fathers and support people welcome

- On-site WIC/lactation, breastfeeding support

- Interpreters and many bilingual team members

- Prenatal Yoga

- Easy post-birth transition to Women’s Wellness and infant care

The 4 most common questions about well-woman visits

Also known as wellness exams or gynecological exams, well-woman visits are a normal and important part of taking care of your health. A well-woman visit is a reproductive health checkup with your clinician or OB-GYN. What’s involved in a well-woman visit? Should I be worried? If it’s been awhile since your last visit, here’s what you should expect during your exam.

How do you prepare for a well-woman exam?

One of the best ways to prepare for a well-woman exam is to take time to think about and write down any questions you may have about your health. It’s okay if you’re a bit nervous about the exam. That’s normal. Everything during the exam will be 100 percent confidential. The visit is meant to provide you with up-todate, clear information to help you better understand your health.

What happens during a well-woman visit?

First, the visit will start with a few questions from the clinician or medical assistant. They’ll ask about your medical history, your sexual history and if you have any specific health concerns. They may also check your height, weight and

blood pressure. Next, depending on your age and the last time you saw a doctor, you may have cancer screenings like a breast exam or a Pap test. Afterward, the clinician will perform a pelvic exam,

where they check your vulva and internal reproductive organs. Finally, there will be a chance for you to ask any questions you may have about your reproductive health, such as birth

control, STI testing, healthy relationships, or any referrals you may need. No question is off limits. Think of a well-woman visit as your time to talk to the doctor. How often should you go to get a wellwoman exam?

You should get a well-woman exam once a year with a clinician or OB-GYN. Your doctor will tell you at the visit if you need to come back for follow up, if you need a referral or if you need to make any additional appointments.

How much does a well-woman visit cost?

With insurance, a well-woman visit can be free with no copay. Without insurance, affordable coverage options may be available. Talk to your doctor or health center directly about specific payment options. If you’re due for a well-woman visit, make an appointment online with Planned Parenthood at www.plannedparenthood. org/book. All of our locations offer wellwoman exams, whether or not you have insurance. We also have same-day, weekend and evening appointments available. If you have any questions about the exams or any of our other services, give us a call at 314-531-7526 for more information.

Recycled Art sale April 4 at The Resale Shop

The fourth annual Recycled Art Sale takes place at The Resale Shop (295 N. Lindbergh) on Thursday, April 4, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., with a VIP Preview Night on Wednesday, April 3, from 4 to 7 p.m.

The event chairs are Phyllis Langsdorf and Peggy Remis. Langsdorf who brainstormed the idea of the charity art sale for NCJW STL several years ago when a friend, who had recently inherited 30 paintings from her mother, asked for advice about donating the artwork. Today the event has grown to include more than 200 pieces of original signed and numbered prints, paintings, sculpture and more.

“Expect to find a wonderful assortment of artwork,” Langsdorf said. “We expect Preview Night will be very busy, but because we have over 200 pieces of art, there will still be plenty to choose from on the 4th, which is free and open to the

public.”

One of the many highlights are a Marc Chagall original and a five-piece collection of New Orleans Mardi Gras signed serigraphs by Mel Wiken. Art pieces are priced from $15 to $500 each so there is something for everyone.

Tickets to the April 3rd VIP Preview Night are an $18 donation each and include a wine and cheese reception. They can be purchased online by visiting theresaleshop.org or at the door. The event opens to the public the following day, on April 4, free of charge.

The Recycled Art Sale has become a signature fundraiser for The Resale Shop and will help provide necessary funds to put on the various community projects and programs of NCJW St. Louis which works to improve the lives of women, children and families.

Affinia Healthcare was my gateway to better health

My name is Geneva Smith. I am an Affinia Healthcare patient and this is my women’s health story.

A year ago, I was between jobs and did not have insurance. I knew I was past due for my well-woman exam, but because of my employment situation I thought I would have to forego care. During a conversation with my friend, she mentioned that I should apply for Gateway to Better Health. Gateway to Better Health is not insurance, but a temporary health care program for eligible uninsured adults in St. Louis City and County. My friend directed me to Affinia Healthcare for assistance.

Affinia Healthcare’s community outreach team helped me enroll into the program and within a few weeks I was able to make an appointment with a Women’s Health clinician. I do not have enough adjectives in my vocabulary to describe the level of compassion, respect and care that I received at Affinia Healthcare’s Women’s Health department. The experience surpassed my expectations.

After my appointment, Affinia Healthcare contacted me and shared that I would need additional testing. I learned that I had early signs of ovarian cancer. My world swirled … I swooned … I could not breathe … thoughts of this disease ravaging my body flooded my mind, but I was in good hands. My Affinia Healthcare OB/GYN medical provider was there with me every step of the way. She was supportive, kept me informed and provided options. I underwent medical procedures and now am on the road to recovery.

I can honestly say that if it were not for access to health care, early detection, and the quick action of Affinia Healthcare, my story may have had a different ending. I am sharing my women’s health story, so that other women throughout the St. Louis area will know that getting their womenwellness exam is crucial and can possibly save their lives.

Affinia Healthcare is a trusted community health center in the St. Louis region. Throughout its 113 year history, Affinia

Healthcare has sought to fill the unmet healthcare needs of those who live in St. Louis and surrounding areas, provide exceptional care, and alleviate healthcare disparities of minorities, the homeless, and other vulnerable populations. Affinia

Healthcare accepts Medicare, Medicaid and most commercial insurance plans. Sliding fees are available for those who qualify. For appointments, call Affinia Healthcare at 314-814-8700.

Geneva Smith

Revamping postpartum care

By Anne Makeever with Roberta Codemo

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has proposed a redesigned guideline for postpartum care to help reduce the rising incidence of mortality in women during the first three months after childbirth. More than onehalf of pregnancy-related deaths occur during this time.

Traditionally, a woman sees her obstetrician for a single postpartum visit at six weeks after childbirth. The new approach calls for women to see their specialists within the first three weeks postpartum for an initial assessment. Following that exam, she will continue to receive individualized care. At 12 weeks after childbirth, the patient will see her doctor again for a final and comprehensive exam that will include an assessment of her physical, social and mental health, and plans for follow-up care to address any identified problems.

Camaryn Chrisman Robbins, MD, a Washington University obstetrician and gynecologist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, says women are especially vulnerable to health problems in the three months following childbirth, as they transition from pregnancy to parenthood. Common health issues that can occur during this period, often called the fourth trimester, include high blood pressure, diabetes and postpartum depression.

One of the reasons for the increase in postpartum mortality, Chrisman Robbins notes, is the age at which women give

birth. “We’re seeing a different group of pregnant women than we were 20 years ago,” she says, noting that many women are waiting until later in life to have children. And some of these women are coming into pregnancy already managing complex medical conditions.

“Pregnancy is hard on a woman’s body,” Chrisman Robbins says. More than half of postpartum strokes occur within 10 days after childbirth. For women at risk for hypertensive disorders, blood-pressure evaluation is recommended within 72 hours and no later than three to 10 days postpartum, Chrisman Robbins notes. And she adds that high blood pressure, which can cause pre-eclampsia, eclampsia and stroke, often declines significantly between four and 12 weeks postpartum. In addition to identifying and treating risk factors such as high blood pressure and diabetes, this redesigned standard of care also will help identify women at risk for postpartum depression. Specialists will have additional opportunities to evaluate their patients for warning signs, including crying, irritability, anger outbursts, guilt, feelings of detachment from the newborn baby and thoughts of self-harm or harming the infant.

Chrisman Robbins says the new guideline will require changes to insurance reimbursement. Currently the majority of health-insurance plans offer reimbursement for a single doctor visit at six weeks postpartum; additional visits are not yet reimbursed.

Excerpt from Curiosus magazine vol II, published by Barnes-Jewish Hospital

Photos from BJC

Workplace protections during illness, new child

Missouri barely makes the grade when it comes to Family and Medical Leave Act, according to a report by the National Partnership for Women & Families.

Missouri received a “D” grade for failing to provide basic workplace protections that go beyond federal law. Its report, Raising Expectations, analyzed state laws and regulations governing paid and unpaid leave in the United States and assigned grades to 50 states and the District of Columbia. It determined that half the states, including Missouri, are doing little or nothing beyond what federal law requires to ensure that workers don’t have to risk their pay or their jobs when they need time off to care for a new child or a sick family member, recover from illness, or seek health care services.

The report, released last fall found that, 25 years after the federal government enacted the FMLA, half of the country has failed to meaningfully expand on FMLA’s baseline protection of unpaid leave. These states are also failing to adopt policies to safeguard workers’ economic security when personal or family health needs arise or when a new child is born or adopted. It warns that lack of adequate paid leave will become a bigger problem in the future

with people having children later in life and our nation aging rapidly.

In Missouri, advocates and officials have sought to expand access to paid leave. In 2016, Kansas City began a trend toward expanded paid parental leave cov-

erage for municipal employees. Last year, former Missouri Governor Eric Greitens issued an executive order granting paid parental leave to state executive branch employees.

The report’s grades are based on how

well state laws help people manage their work, health and care needs. States that guarantee workers access to paid or unpaid workplace leave beyond FMLA are likely to receive higher grades. It found:

• Not a single state earns a grade of “A+.”

• Only six states – California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Washington state – plus the District of Columbia earn a grade of “A” or “A-.”

• Just six states receive grades in the “B” range, with Connecticut and Oregon each receiving a “B+.”

• Thirteen states receive grades in the “C” range.

• Fully half the states (25) earn grades of “D” (16 states) or “F” (nine states) because they are doing little or nothing to offer additional protections to working families. The nine failing states are Alabama, Idaho, Michigan*, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.

“Millions of families face a heartbreaking choice between job and family when

illness strikes or a new child comes,” said Debra L. Ness, president of the National Partnership. “Families of color and lowincome and working-class families are harmed the most by work/family conflicts. We are highly encouraged by the states that earn high grades in this report, all of which are demonstrating that paid family and medical leave programs, paid sick days laws and meaningfully expanded unpaid leave help support workers, families and the economy. But it is disturbing that lawmakers in half the states have taken little or no meaningful action to advance family friendly policies. Their failure to act damages businesses, our economy and the public’s health. We need every state to step up, and we urgently need Congress to adopt a strong national paid family and medical leave program like the Family And Medical Insurance (FAMILY) Act, which is modeled on successful state programs; the Healthy Families Act, a national paid sick days standard; and a more expansive FMLA.”

The report’s call for national action is supported by the vast majority of voters. A national survey, conducted in July by PerryUndem and Bellwether Research & Consulting for the National Partnership, finds that four in five voters – including seven in 10 Republicans – believe the FMLA should be updated, and equal

shares support a national paid family and medical leave policy that covers all people who work. Voters across parties and demographic groups support a program that covers child and elder care and personal medical leave and is jointly paid for

lies and businesses while strengthening our economy.”

Previous versions of this report, then titled Expecting Better, were released in 2005, 2012, 2014 and 2016 and graded states for their laws supporting new and

Most states are not doing nearly enough to allow working people to care for ourselves and our loved ones.

Vicki Shabo, vice president, National Partnership

• More expansive unpaid leave to address family and medical needs;

• Paid sick time for routine short-term personal or family health needs;

• Paid family and medical leave for more serious longer-term family or medical health needs; and

• Requirements that the sick time employers provide voluntarily also be available to workers who need to care for a sick family member.

The full study is available, along with state-specific graphics, at NationalPartnership.org/RaisingExpectations.

by employers and employees.

“The states that earn high grades in our new study are paving the way for the national change our country needs,” said National Partnership Vice President Vicki Shabo. “But most states are not doing nearly enough to allow working people to care for ourselves and our loved ones. Access to paid leave should not depend on where we live or work or what job we hold. Public demand for paid leave solutions is high, and lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle are taking notice. All lawmakers must commit to strengthening existing family friendly policies and adopting new ones – and we need strong federal laws that benefit all workers, fami-

expecting parents. In 2016, Missouri received a grade of “F” based on its support of new and expecting parents. This year’s report expands on this by grading states on laws that help all working people: new parents; people who are caring for seriously ill, injured or disabled family members; and workers addressing their own health needs. The expanded focus reflects the fact that workers need access to policies that help them manage their work and caregiving responsibilities throughout their lives and the lives of their loved ones.

The grades are based on whether states have enacted laws in one or more of the following categories:

* Michigan legislators adopted a paid sick days law after this report was finalized.

The National Partnership for Women & Families is a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy group dedicated to promoting fairness in the workplace, reproductive health and rights, access to quality, affordable health care and policies that help women and men meet the dual demands of work and family. Based in Washington, D.C., the organization drafted and led the fight to pass the Family and Medical Leave Act. More information is available at NationalPartnership.org.

Adopting heart healthy habits

Adopting a heart healthy eating plan, getting more exercise, avoiding tobacco and managing known risk factors are among the key recommendations in the 2019 Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease guideline from the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association. Also, it is recommended that aspirin should only rarely be used to help prevent heart attacks and stroke in people without known cardiovascular disease.

The guideline was presented March 17 at ACC’s 68th Annual Scientific Session, with comprehensive but practical recommendations for preventing cardiovascular disease, which remains the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Nearly 1 out of 3 deaths in the U.S. is due to cardiovascular disease.

“The most important way to prevent cardiovascular disease, whether it’s a build-up of plaque in the arteries, heart attack, stroke, heart failure or issues with how the heart contracts and pumps blood to the rest of the body, is by adopting heart healthy habits and to do so over one’s lifetime,” said Roger S. Blumenthal, MD, co-chair of the 2019 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Primary Prevention of

Cardiovascular Disease and the Kenneth Jay Pollin Professor of Cardiology at Johns Hopkins Medicine. “More than 80 percent of all cardiovascular events are preventable through lifestyle changes, yet we often fall short in terms of implementing these strategies and controlling other risk factors.”

The guideline recommends starting with a thorough risk assessment that estimates how likely someone is to develop blockages in their arteries and have a heart attack or stroke or die as a result. All patients should openly talk with their care team about their current health habits and personal risk for cardiovascular disease and, together, determine the best way to prevent it based on current evidence and personal preferences.

The guideline underscores healthy lifestyle changes as the cornerstone of preventing heart disease and goes a step further by providing practical advice based on the latest research. Key lifestyle recommendations include eating healthier –choosing more vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, whole grains, and fish, and limiting salt, saturated fats, fried foods, processed meats, and sweetened beverages; specific eating plans like the Mediterranean,

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DASH and vegetarian diets. Exercising regularly –aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercises such as brisk walking, swimming, dancing or cycling each week. For people who are inactive, some activity is better than none and small 10-minute bursts of activity throughout the day can add up.

“We can all do better with our dietary and exercise habits, and that’s so important when we think about wanting to live longer and healthier lives, whether it’s to see our grandchildren grow up or to stay as active as possible in older age,”

Blumenthal said.

The guideline also says aim for getting to and maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding tobacco smoking and vaping products and breathing in smoke.

For people who’ve had a heart attack, stroke, open heart surgery or stents placed to open clogged arteries, aspirin can be lifesaving. However, regular use of aspirin to prevent heart attacks and stroke in healthy people isn’t as clear-cut and the risk of bleeding may outweigh the potential benefit.

When it comes to health, every individual matters.

Since our founding as a single local health plan in 1984, Centene has been committed to transforming the health of the communities we serve, one person at a time. Our experiences have taught us that quality healthcare should be both local and personal —because every community, and every individual, is unique.

You know what is best for each member of your family, and Centene is proud to provide the high-quality health solutions to help you and your loved ones get well, stay well, and be well.