May 18th, 2023 edition

The St. LouiS AmericAn

Evidence of the power in health equity

Angelleen Peters-Lewis named 2023 Stellar Performer in Health Care

By Kenya Vaughn

When Angelleen Peters-Lewis was growing up in her hometown of Boston, she initially had dreams of becoming an attorney. In her junior year of high school, she found herself pregnant. Instead of derailing her professional goals, the compassionate healthcare she received from a nurse as she dealt with the side-ef-

SaluTe To healTh

fects of her pregnancy put her on path to a renewed purpose.

See PETERS-LEWIS, A7

Angelleen Peters-Lewis, vice president and chief operating officer of BarnesJewish Hospital, is the St. Louis American Foundation’s 2023 Stellar Performer in Health Care.

Ex-Marine charged in Neely’s subway killing

St. Louis American staff

“I used to be ashamed of my story, but one person came up to me and said, ‘because of you, I realized I could go to school,’” said Peters-Lewis. “The opportunity to provide hope is not some- n Witnesses claim that while riding the F train on May 1, Neely appeared agitated as he sought food. Penny proceeded to place Neely in a chokehold for nearly 15 minutes.

Soon after the White House demanded a “thorough investigation” into the murder of Jordan Neely, an unhoused Black man, earlier this month on a subway car in New York, the suspect, an ex-Marine, learned he will face second-degree manslaughter charges.

“We can confirm that Daniel Penny will be arrested on a charge of manslaughter in the second degree,” the Manhattan district attorney’s office announced in a statement late Thursday. Penny was arraigned and criminally charged in a Manhattan court the following day.

Witnesses claim that while riding the F train on May 1, Neely appeared agitated as he sought food. Penny proceeded to place Neely in a chokehold for nearly 15 minutes.

Neely, who had been celebrated for his subway performances impersonating the late pop star Michael Jackson, died shortly after the incident, and while police questioned Penny, they released him without charges.

“Jordan Neely’s killing was tragic and deeply disturbing,” a White House spokes-

See NEELY, A7

By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American

The end of Kim Gardner’s tenure as St. Louis Circuit Attorney ended suddenly on Tuesday morning - and she left confusion in her wake.

‘I’m straight outta Barnes’

Sterling K. Brown tells Wash U graduates ‘avoid routine of comfort’

By Sylvester Brown Jr.

Adorned in

“Class of 2023, you did it. While this chapter of your formal education has ended, the next chapter of your life awaits,” Brown told the cheering crowd of graduates.

“Afterall, this isn’t the ‘it’s over’ speech,” Brown continued, “This is the beginning of something new and I’m sure many of you are wondering ‘what’s next?’” Brown joked, “I’m straight outta

Barnes Hospital, ya’ll!” before sharing his St. Louis story. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri, to Aralean Banks and Sterling Brown. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Drama from Stanford University in Palto Alto, California, before receiving his master’s degree in fine arts from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. He married fel-

Gardner announced she was resigning immediately and would not remain in office until June 1, 2023, the date she wrote she would leave office in her resignation letter on May 4, 2023. In a statement, the CAO said Gardner “has worked with St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell and his office to ensure a comprehensive transition plan is in place to handle cases that prioritizes public safety.”

“Effective immediately, Kimberly M. Gardner will end her service as the city of See GARDNER, A6

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

The St. Louis American

Photo by Wiley Price

Sterling K. Brown, a St. Louis native and an award-winning actor and producer, delivered the 2023 Commencement address at Washington University in St. Louis May 15, 2023.

Kim Gardner

Kierra Sheard-Kelly pregnant with first child after suffering two miscarriages

Kierra Sheard-Kelly is expecting!

The gospel singer and her husband Jordan Kelly are pregnant with their first child, according to Sheard-Kelly’s rep.

“I am so excited and blessed to have this opportunity to carry, my prayer, and watch our baby grow,” Sheard-Kelly says.

“I’m most excited about raising a game changer, loving someone so deep, and having that same impact my mother had on me.

I think I’ll be raising one of my best friends!”

The exciting news comes after the couple experienced two miscarriages.

“God still showed me that He’s in

charge, and to keep believing,” she said.

“I’ve been fearful and have worried, but God has sent me constant reminders and ways of affirmation. My husband’s faith and declarations have stood in place of my lack many times.”

Sheard-Kelly and Kelly wed in December 2020.

Jamie Foxx on the road to recovery, seeking medical treatment from top rehab center in Chicago

Jamie Foxx is on the road to recovery after an undisclosed health scare led him to the hospital last month.

The oscar winner has received an outpouring of love and support from his peers and supporters. However, his family has been vague in explaining what exactly happened to the actor.

TMZ reported on Monday that Foxx was receiving medical treatment at a rehabilitation center in Chicago. The center specializes in stroke recovery, traumatic brain injury rehab, spinal cord injury rehab, and cancer

rehabilitation, but his diagnosis remains unknown publicly.

Corinne Foxx shared an update about her father’s wellbeing on May 11.

“Update from the family: Sad to see how the media runs wild. My dad has been out of the hospital for weeks, recuperating,” Corinne wrote. “In fact, he was playing pickleball yesterday (May 11)!” she wrote on her Instagram Stories. “Thanks for everyone’s prayers and support! We have an exciting work announcement coming next week, too!”

Foxx was hospitalized in April while he was in Atlanta filming the Netflix movie “Back in Action” with Cameron Diaz.

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky named their 1-year-old son after Wu-Tang clan member RZA

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky’s son’s name is now out to the world. The Daily Mail secured a copy of the birth certificate couple’s son which reveals his name is RZA. Rocky confirmed it.

The Daily Mail reports RZA’s full name is RZA Athelston Mayers. His first name comes from the Wu-Tang clan rapper RZA and he shares his father’s middle name.

Last weekend RZA celebrated his 1st birthday.

Man alleges Jay-Z is his father, files for DNA test

Jay-Z may or not have an illegitimate son roaming around the world somewhere.

Rymir Satterthwaite claims he is Jay-Z’s secret child and has filed a court order for DNA testing.

“I just want to live my life and, when it is all said and done, I hope that Jay-Z would want to be a part of my life, if that is God’s will,” Satterthwaite told Daily Mail

“I won’t stop fighting for this until I win. And I will win because the law is on our side,” Satterthwaite added.

Jay-Z’s team denies Satterthwaite is his son.

“The allegations have been previously reviewed thoroughly by the courts and have been refuted,” the rapper’s attorneys said in a letter to Daily Mail.

Satterthwaite says the rapper and his mother, Wanda had an on-off relationship in the early 1990s before Jay-Z was famous.

Jay-Z and Beyoncé have been married since 2008. The couple have three children together Blue Ivy, 11, and the twins Rumi and Sir, 5.

Sources: PageSix.com, CBSNews.com, WMagazine.com, Revolt.TV, TMZ.com, Vulture.com, PEOPLE.com

Kierra Sheard-Kelly

“When America does not have to face its atrocities then it can hide and push it to the side.”

- Congresswoman Cori Bush after introducing a resolution on reparations

Soccer it to ‘em

By Ashley Winters

The St. Louis American

St. Louis is known for many things, including the Gateway Arch, 1904 World’s Fair, and the St. Louis Cardinals. Soccer is also a historic part of that list and is perfectly situated in the middle of America to be its “Capital of Soccer.”

If you want to indulge in some soccer history take a trip to the Missouri History Museum and explore the Soccer City exhibit. History tells us the first recorded soccer game to be played in the ‘Gateway to the West’ was in 1875 at Grand Avenue Baseball Park.

For nearly 20 years New Dimensions has been using soccer to bridge a gap between kids and families from different neighborhoods, cultures, and socioeconomic backgrounds to an open grassy field to enjoy learning and playing soccer.

The non-profit organization has introduced soccer to countless kids and families in the St. Louis area, serving immigrant kids and kids in underserved neighborhoods.

“The goal is to use soccer as a connecting mechanism to bring kids together and experience fun fellowship,” said Tom Michler, co-founder and executive director of New Dimensions.

Michler says that the overarching mission of his non-profit is to reach kids that may not have a chance to play soccer. From his perspective, youth soccer has become extremely

competitive, and describes it as a ‘pay-to-play,’ which leaves out underserved communities. New Dimensions provides affordability, soccer training, uniforms, and transportation. But the most valuable experience according to Michler is a sense of belonging.

Amnia Naira’s children have been a part of the organization for eight years, and through her experience with New Dimensions, she says that she appreciates the low cost for her kids to play soccer. Plus, there was no bureaucracy to get them signed up, “It feels like family,” said Naira.

“We’re happy that the kids have something to do, and they are developing friendships,” she said.

The non-profit works with kids as young as 5, they are partnered with St. Louis Public School District, and St. Louis Parks and Recreation. Through these partnerships New Dimensions can connect with kids in north city near Wohl Recreation Center, Gamble Recreation Center, and Tandy Recreation Center, also the Dutchtown neighborhood.

Describing some of the benefits of the program Michler said, “We have kids that can flat-out play and we would like to give them more opportunities through soccer.”

“It can have a big impact on their life.”

Yasim Warsame has two young kids who play soccer for Michler’s organization and said his kids are always excited to

For nearly 20 years New Dimensions has been using soccer to bridge a gap between kids and families from different neighborhoods, cultures, and socioeconomic backgrounds to an open grassy field to enjoy learning and playing soccer.

play soccer.

Saowar Saeed did a bit of research on some of the soccer organizations before choosing New Dimensions. What led him to choose this one is because it is so diverse. “These kids that play are from every part of the world,” said Saeed.

Normandy neighborhood playing what he describes as ‘pick-up’ soccer in the school yard. In 2004 while raising two young kids he decided he wanted to expose them to more diversity than he had as a kid.

He thought soccer would be a good doorway to bringing more

n “This is what makes it so special, there are so many different countries being represented on that field. And you know this will have a big impact in the neighborhoods.”

- Saowar Saeed

“This is what makes it so special, there are so many different countries being represented on that field. And you know this will have a big impact in the neighborhoods.”

Michler grew up in the

diversity to their lives. After a trip to Chicago visiting the then Cabrini Green Housing projects baseball field that was taken over by crime, gang violence, and drugs— Michler instantly became inspired. When he saw

how the community and leaders came together to change the narrative of that neighborhood by taking back the baseball field and bringing kids together through sports, he knew he could do the same thing back home.

“From there that was the birth of New Dimensions,” said Michler. After soccer practice the kids enjoy a game of soccer and hot dogs to cap it off.

To help keep kids involved, those who age out of the program after 12, can become junior coaches to help mentor the younger kids.

“We provide an environment that meets the child where they are at, we don’t emphasize the pressure to win,” said the executive director.

“I just want to see them get something out of this, develop in a way that they may not have.”

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

Photo courtesy of New Dimensions

Editorial/Commentary

Guest Editorial

Unarmed Black civilians are five times more likely to be shot and killed by police than unarmed white civilians.

Gun violence has become America’s daily soundtrack

By Sonny Messiah Jiles

We live in a time when guns are ending far too many lives. Mass shootings and police killings dominate daily headlines as the value of human life becomes an afterthought.

Think about it. Your loved one goes to the mall and never comes home again. Your kids go to elementary school and never come home again. Your aging mother goes grocery shopping or to church and never comes home again.

Your 16-year-old has a birthday party, and some of the kids never make it home again. You make a quick stop at the bank, never to go home again.

Or, in the case of the shocking mass shooting in Cleveland, Texas, you ask your neighbor to stop shooting his gun because your baby is trying to sleep, and he kills five people.

These were everyday people getting on with their lives, unaware that death by gunfire was right around the corner. The lives of the victims and the shooter’s families change forever. Something must be done now to stop the madness and stop the guns.

Findings from the Pew Research Center reveal some troubling facts about gun deaths:

more likely to be shot and killed by police than unarmed white civilians.

In Texas, my home state, Giffords reports someone is killed with a gun every two hours, one of the highest incidences of murder in the country.

Some of the deadliest incidents have occurred in the Lone Star State: A store in El Paso, 23 killed and 23 wounded; a church in Sutherland Springs, 25 killed and 20 wounded; a bar in Waco, nine killed and 18 wounded; a high school in Sante Fe, 10 killed and 13 wounded; an elementary school in Uvalde, 21 killed and 17 wounded.

Let’s not just talk about the problem — let’s address the solutions. Someone told me guns are not the problem. People are. OK, I cannot do much about controlling people, but we can control gun access. As a gun owner who was raised with firearms in the home, I am also a realist and recognize the following solutions will not end the carnage.

Everytown.org, America’s largest gun violence prevention organization, has some recommendations. They will not stop all the gun violence, but they are a start:

-More Americans died of gun-related injuries in 2021 than in any other year on record.

-In 2021, 54% of all gun-related deaths in the U.S. were suicides, while 43% were murders.

-Gun murders climbed sharply during the pandemic, increasing 45% between 2019 and 2021.

In addition, FBI data from 2020 showed that handguns account for 59% of U.S. gun murders, and rifles or assault weapons are involved in 3% of firearm murders.

The impact on the Black community is devastating, according to Giffords Law Center, which is led by gun violence victim and former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.

Black men make up 52% of all gun homicide victims in the U.S., despite comprising less than 6% of the population. (Some call this “Black-on-Black crime,” but it is so much more than that).

Unarmed Black civilians are five times

Close background check loopholes: Extend the laws beyond gun stores to include gun shows and online sales prohibiting people with felony convictions, domestic abuse restraining orders, and/or histories of mental illness from buying guns with no questions asked.

Enact extreme risk laws: Allow loved ones and law enforcement who see warning signs to petition the court and restrict a person’s access to firearms when they pose a risk of harming themselves or others. Nineteen states and Washington, D.C., have adopted such laws.

Limit access to assault weapons/ high-capacity magazines: Congress must curtail access to assault weapons — like the AR-15, the weapon of choice for mass shooters — and high-capacity magazines. Pass the Disarm Hate Act: Address the connection between misogyny and extremism to gun violence. Stop the guns NOW!

On Further Review

A distinction without a difference

By Mike Jones

“I not a member of any organized political party. I’m a Democrat.”

This Will Rogers quote came to mind as I read President Biden’s comments after his meeting with respective House and Senate Republican leaders Mike McCarthy and Mitch McConnell on raising the debt ceiling. I was struck how Biden’s remarks were so accommodating to their unreasonable demands.

If you are Black in America, or a member of some other threatened marginalized group, which obviously now includes school children and anyone who happens to be shopping at a random mall, which political party is more dangerous to your well-being? Is it the MAGA-controlled Republican Party or the establishment of the Democratic Party? I would suggest the answer isn’t as obvious as it may seem.

MAGA Republicans, which is the entire Republican Party at this point, are an avowed enemy of anyone who isn’t a white supremacist Christian nationalist heterosexual. So, classifying them is easy, just like lions never have to give any thought to the danger hyenas pose, it’s instinctive.

regularly leaves you politically a day late and a dollar short.

You should just understand and accept they are a real physical threat. What about the establishment of the Democratic Party? That answer requires more thought and analysis to make a judgement.

When you’re faced with only two viable political options like the aforementioned, you’re like the sheep discussing the lunch menu with two wolves. In the real world what we choose is a function of the options available at the time we choose. When forced to decide, and confronted with unacceptable choices, choosing the lesser of the two evils is both a rational and logical course of action. Here’s what you must always be mindful of though, you didn’t make a good choice, you made the less bad choice.

This is what it means politically to be Black or marginalized in America. You support Democrats because it would be immoral and irrational to support Republicans. In the current American political system, becoming a Democrat is the only sensible and viable political option. However, if you’re Black or marginalized, the Democratic Party option

America may have two political parties (debatable), but you don’t have two political options. The Republican and Democratic Parties are both center-toright status quo parties which represent the same vested Neoliberal economic interests. It’s the political maintenance of these vested economic interests that is the driver of the American political system. The lack of viable political options is a feature, not a bug, of the American political system. What do I mean? In Western Europe, the current Democratic Party would be considered a moderate conservative center right party, not committed to any major changes in the way the political economy of the country is structured. The Republicans would be considered a radical far right party, with authoritarian, fascist and racist tendencies. If you want to understand the political success of the current MAGA Republican Party, it’s because it understands how to take advantage the structural deficiencies of the American federal political structure. It is organized to function like a European political party, with a specific set of ideological operating parameters, whether its candidate is running for President or school board. There’s a contradiction in Democratic Party politics in America. The white Democratic establishment will make every effort to accommodate Republicans, basically white Americans it doesn’t politically support. Yet, it will do the bare minimum politically to accommodate Black voters. If Black voters were to vote for Democrats in the same ratios as white voters, or even Asian and Hispanic voters, Democrats could not function as a national political party. The American political system is a relic of history that was designed to politically accommodate a set of elite economic interest, specifically those of the Southern slave holding plantation class. Ultimately it will change, for better or worse and sooner than later, because it’s collapsing. You can’t govern a country of more than 330 million people using a structure that was created before electricity and indoor plumbing. It is governance of the absurd.

‘Freedom

to Learn’ combats attacks on education

By Marc Morial

At last, there is a critical mass of people all over the country who are prepared to draw the line against conservative efforts to erase Black history, against efforts to make anti-racism unnamable, against efforts to undermine the ability of the next generation to understand what the meaning of that history is for the here and now.” —

Kimberlé Crenshaw

In Florida, activists staged a sit-in outside the office of Gov. Ron DeSantis, who signed a law last week that bans teaching about systemic racism and gender and race discrimination.

In Washington, D.C., and New York City, protestors marched outside the College Board headquarters to protest the watering-down of its AP African American History course.

young children; and “Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry,” for which earned author Mildred D. Taylor the Newberry Medal. Access to history, diverse books and critical ideas for students and educators are crucial to the nation’s history as a multicultural democracy. The so-called “War on Wokeness” threatens to eradicate decades of progress toward racial justice, by warping our view of the nation’s past, and thwart our future progress.

Across the country, concerned citizens convened teach-ins on college campuses and read-alouds of banned books. And dozens of Urban League affiliate presidents, gathered in New Orleans for a Leadership Summit, stood together for the Freedom To Learn National Day of Action on Wednesday, expressing their solidarity with the thousands of Americans defending truthful, inclusive education and efforts to remedy systemic racial inequities. Schools banned nearly 1,650 books in the last school year, most of them because they include themes about race or sexuality. Among the titles deemed to be too dangerous for children to read are Toni Morrison’s novel

“The Bluest Eye,” which explores “the devastating effects of racism and self-hatred on young Black girls in America;” Ibram X. Kendi’s “Antiracist Baby,” a guide for discussing racism with

As highlighted in the National Urban League’s 2023 State of Black America report, “Democracy in Peril: Confronting the Threat Within,” 21 states already have enacted measures that censor the honest examination of racism and race in American society, and the College Board has excised crucial material from its AP African American Studies curriculum. The Freedom to Learn campaign has demanded that the College Board:

• Restore the AP African American Studies curriculum.

• Commit to making the course available online to students who live in states in which politicians have enacted bans of books, knowledge, and ideas contained in the original curriculum that would prevent the course from being taught in those states.

• Conduct an independent investigation into to how the course development process was corrupted by outside political forces.

• Hold all implicated College Board officials accountable.

It is a betrayal of democratic values for any responsible leader to actively participate in distorting or denying any part of our country’s history.

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

Sonny Messiah Jiles is CEO of the Houston Defender Network.

Columnist Mike Jones

Columnist Marc H. Morial

Guest Columnist Sonny Messiah Jiles

by

strengthen Urban Sprouts’ scholarship fund that provides financial assistance to 67% of its families, and to recognize

and Gregory Glore.

Urban Sprouts event honors icons who help children

By Danielle Brown

St. Louis American

Urban Sprouts Child Development Center hosted its inaugural Icons Brunch Sunday, April 30 at Laumeier Sculpture Park in Sunset Hills, MO. The event benefits the center’s scholarship fund.

“Urban Sprouts is dedicated to reimagining the early childhood system in our region,” Ellicia Lanier, founder and director of Urban Sprouts said.

“Events like this one bring us together to celebrate the work we do on behalf of children and families.”

and staying away from the oxycontin. It just rebounded. I didn’t wanna miss this if at all possible.”

n Urban Sprouts serves children from infancy to six years old and, and encourages educators to allow children to be innovative.

The 2023 honorees included Marian Wright Edelman, activist, founder and president of Children’s Defense Fund; Gwen Pennington, independent higher education professional; Reverend Traci Blackmon, pastor of Christ The King United Church of Christ; Gregory Glore, civic and community advocate; Pat HoltermanHommes, president and CEO of Youth In Need; Bobby Norfolk, storyteller, and arts educator; Jason Purnell, associate professor and researcher; and Rep. Maxine Waters [DCalifornia].

Norfolk attended the brunch and said travails in his life would not keep him away.

“I was very diligent with the therapies

Norfolk added he stands on the shoulders of other honorees and felt he was in good company. He credits his upbringing in The Ville neighborhood and the teachings he received through St. Louis Public Schools for his career success.

“Working with St. Louis teachers they saw things in me I didn’t see in myself,” Norfolk said.

Lanier also recognized several personal icons – two of her aunts.

“Aunties are so very special to me. I lost my mom at the very young age of 16 and in every good family there are people like these two women who step up, show you the world and open a book of possibility,” she said.

Urban Sprouts serves children from infancy to six years old and encourages educators to allow children to be innovative.

Carol Daniel emceed the event. Gospel artist Kierra Sheard, R&B and soul singer Eric Roberson, and St. Louis native, Dakota Pagan performed.

Learn more about Urban Sprouts Child Development Center visit urbansproutscdc. org/

Remembering the Children’s Crusade

“Daddy,” the boy said, “I don’t want to disobey you, but I have made my pledge. I’m not doing this only because I want to be free. I’m doing it also because I want freedom for you and Mama, and I want it to come before you die.”

This teenage boy overheard talking to his father by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of hundreds of children and youths in Birmingham, Alabama, who decided 60 years ago this week that they were determined to stand up for freedom for their parents, elders, and themselves. They were assaulted by fire hoses and police dogs, went to jail by the hundreds, and finally broke the back of Jim Crow in the city known as “Bombingham.” On this 60th anniversary of the Birmingham Children’s Crusade, it is again time to remember, honor, and follow the example of the children who were front-line soldiers and transforming catalysts in the movement for civil rights and equal justice.

The Children’s Crusade happened at a critical time in the civil rights struggle in Birmingham. In April 1963, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), together with the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights and its fearless leader Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, had started a desegregation campaign in the city. There were mass meetings, lunch counter sit-ins, nonviolent marches, and boycotts of Birmingham’s segregated stores during the busy Easter shopping season.

Dr. King was one of several hundred people arrested in the first weeks of the campaign when he was jailed for violating an anti-protest injunction on Good Friday, April 12, and four days later wrote his famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” But as the days went on with little response from city leaders, a new tactic was introduced: including more children and youths.

For the children, May 2 was “D-Day.” Black disc jockeys were key allies in encouraging and deploying their listeners, and class presidents, star athletes, and prom queens from local schools led the way as hundreds of children skipped class, gathered at the 16th Street Baptist Church, and marched into downtown Birmingham in groups of 50, organized into lines two by two and singing freedom songs. More than a thousand students marched on the first day, and hundreds were arrested. Segregationist police commissioner Bull Connor’s overwhelmed force started using school buses to take the children to jail. But that first wave of children was only the beginning. When hundreds more returned the next day, Connor directed the police and fire department to begin using force on the child marchers. The decision surprised even those used to his meanness and brutality, but it was not enough to stop the marchers. The searing heartbreaking pictures of children being battered by powerful fire hoses and attacked by police dogs appeared on front pages around the country and world and helped turned the tide of public opinion in support of the fight for justice.

On May 8, a temporary truce was called, and on May 10 an agreement was reached that released the jailed children and others on bond and paved the way for desegregation of Birmingham’s public facilities. Hateful segregationists in the city did not give in quietly. Within hours, the Gaston Motel where Dr. King and other SCLC leaders stayed, and Dr. King’s brother Reverend A.D. King’s home were firebombed. Four months later, a bomb was placed under the steps of the 16th Street Baptist Church with a timer deliberately set to go off Sunday morning. 14-year-olds Addie Mae Collins, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Wesley and 11-year-old Denise McNair were killed, with more than 20 others injured. Dr. King later described his despair. But, he said, time eventually “buoyed me with the inspiration of another moment which I shall never forget: when I saw with my own eyes over three thousand young Negro boys and girls, totally unarmed, leave Birmingham’s 16th Street Baptist Church to march to a prayer meeting — ready to pit nothing but the power of their bodies and souls against Bull Connor’s police dogs, clubs, and fire hoses.”

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

Urban Sprouts Child Development Center hosted its inaugural Icons Brunch Sun. April 30, 2023 in Laumeier Sculpture Park. The brunch serves as a fundraiser to

St. Louis Icons. Left to Right

Bobby Norfolk, Jason Purnell, Rev. Traci Blackmon, Pat Holterman-Hommes,

Photo

Michael Thomas

Marian Wright Edelman

Continued from A1

St. Louis Circuit Attorney. Ms. Gardner has been committed to serving the people of the city of St. Louis and has done all she can to ensure a smooth transition.”

Mayor Tishaura O. Jones’ office announced Tuesday afternoon that she had met with Gov. Parson about Gardner’s departure.

“Today, Mayor Jones and Gov. Parson met at City Hall to discuss the needs of the Circuit Attorney’s Office, as the Circuit Attorney resigned earlier than previously expected.

“The Mayor and Governor agreed that restoring faith in this office is critical to a functional criminal justice system. She also re-emphasized that the appointment should serve as a caretaker for the office who can make much-needed changes without the distraction of re-election politics in 2024.

“Mayor Jones appreciates Governor Parson’s commitment to engaging St. Louis’ elected and community leaders as he makes this critical decision, as well as St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell for his willingness to extend assistance in the interim. We remain ready to support the Circuit Attorney’s Office through this transition.”

Parson, who was in St. Louis to attend the ribbon cutting for a St. Louis Community College childcare development center. Parson did not say Tuesday if he would appoint a Democrat to replace Gardner.

“That’s not going to be a factor for me,” Parson told reporters.

“So, it’s not going to be a political appointee, whether they’re Republican or Democrat.

Dream

Olympic gold

Kersee,

It’s about who I think will go in there and do the best job to right this ship in the city of St. Louis. And do they have the heart in the right place to really put St. Louis people first? And I think that’s one of the things that we’ll look at.” He also said he wouldn’t necessarily pick someone based on whether they’ll run for a full term in 2024.

“My whole emphasis on picking this person has nothing to do with the next election,” Parson said. “Because that’s where the people of this city will have the ability to pick that person.” Parson has said a replacement will be

named by Friday, May 19, 2023.

Bell spokesperson Chris King said the St. Louis County Prosecutor’s office Bell was awaiting action by the court or Gov. Mike Parson to declare who has authority over the office.

“Circuit Attorney Gardner resigned unexpectedly, and we are working out what happens now,” King told reporters including KSDK at the Carnahan Courthouse.

“We were invited in last week to form a transition team. And we’re now waiting [to hear] from the court or the governor on who will be the authority for the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s office.” Gardner, who is pur-

suing a nursing degree, leaves the office after state Attorney General Andrew Bailey on Monday announced further trouble for her.

He disclosed that one of his office’s investigators learned through surveillance that the former circuit attorney spent at least three hours at the Family Health Care Center in the Grove on April 27 – the day she later was chastised by a federal court judge in a contempt hearing for running “a rudderless ship of chaos.”

“The timing of Gardner’s absence from her office on that Thursday morning and early afternoon was nota-

ble and highly questionable — and not merely because her office was in a general state of disarray at the time.”

By leaving the office, on Wednesday Bailey was compelled to drop the case to have Gardner removed from office. She also avoided indirect criminal contempt charges, after the charges were dropped by a special prosecutor.

“The State of Missouri, by and through Special Prosecuting Attorney Allison Schreiber Lee, hereby requests this Honorable Court to dismiss the pending indirect criminal contempt matter, for the reason that it no longer serves the interest of justice to continue with

this matter as the defendant is no longer employed as the Circuit Attorney,” according to the motion filed Tuesday. The case against former assistant prosecutor Chris Desilets was also dropped, although he could be recharged.

Judge Michael Noble signed Schreiber Lee’s motion, which is to dismiss the case without prejudice, according to court documents.

Noble called Gardner’s office a “rudderless ship of chaos,” on April 27, 2023, before finding there was enough evidence to show Gardner and her former prosecutor should be charged with indirect criminal contempt.

Three-time

medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee reads from her newly released children’s book “Jackie Joyner-

Running for the Gold: Connecting Kids to Dreams.” The book focuses on Jackie’s Dream Box, a treasure chest of attributes that help youth pursue their dreams. Jackie visited with children, read aloud from the book and provided signed copies to each child.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

big!

Continued from A1

thing I take lightly. And I really believe out of that moment – which seemed like the darkest time of my life –fueled my passion to serve and my purpose in terms of eliminating racial health disparities and serving along with other like-minded individuals to do that work.”

Thirty-five years ago, she was encouraged that she could complete her education and succeed at whatever she set her mind to by a becoming nurse who made sure support systems were in place for her to thrive. Today, Angelleen Peters-Lewis, PhD, RN, FAAN is among the senior leadership of Barnes-Jewish Hospital, where she serves as vice president and chief operating officer. For her unwavering commitment and achievement in her field, Peters-Lewis has been named the 2023 Stellar Performer in Health Care by the St. Louis American Foundation. She will be among those recognized at the 23rd Annual Salute to

Neely

Continued from A1

man said last week. “Our hearts go out to his family and loved ones. We firmly believe that the events surrounding his death demand a thorough investigation.”

The White House wasn’t the only entity demanding further action. Neely’s death sparked protests and a national debate and brought attention to the occasionally harsh and violent treatment of homeless people, particularly those with mental illness.

Penny’s attorneys defended him despite a national uproar over the incident. They claim that

Brown

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low actor, Ryan Michelle Bathe, his college sweetheart, in 2007. They have two sons.

In 2016, Brown became the first Black man to win the Golden Globe award for Best Actor in a Drama TV series (“This is Us”) in the ceremony’s 75-year history. He was also the first African American to win the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) award for ‘Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series.

Answering what he defined as the “oh, so St. Louis question,” Brown said he attended MICDS (Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day School). He and his siblings grew up in a loving but strict, stable home in Olivette, Missouri. His father passed away after a heart attack when Brown was only ten years old. His parents, Brown said, believed in corporal punishment and tough love.

“The indoctrination of home,” Brown said, “can oftentimes be at odds with the evolution of the soul.” Warning the graduates about avoiding “the routine of comfort,” Brown used his personal story to illustrate how he left St. Louis still clinging to the values of his childhood.

“I thought if you didn’t have God in your life, if you hadn’t accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then you’re doomed to burn in a lake of fire for all eternity and I would pray for your immortal soul because that is the good, Christian thing to do.

“I no longer concern myself with saving someone’s soul or feeling the need to proselytize,” Brown said, adding: My only goal is to love you…

Excellence in Health Care

Reception at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 23 at the Hilton St. Louis Frontenac.

“I am shocked and in awe,” Peters-Lewis said of the honor. “All I hope to do is play some small part in making it better to serve the patients and families who entrust us with their care. I don’t think of that as stellar. I just think of that as being a part of an amazing team.”

She originally joined Barnes-Jewish Hospital in 2017 as vice president of patient care services and chief nursing executive.

Peters-Lewis fell in love with the organization’s mission during her first 100 days. Her commitment to “caring for the underserved and academic preeminence” has only grown stronger over the past six years.

“I’m inspired every single day by the innovation and discovery that happens here and our ability to translate that to the care patients receive,” PetersLewis said. “When you are in love with an institution and you are inspired by what it does, it makes it easy. I just feel privileged to be a part of it – and that

Neely was the aggressor, and his alleged mental illness exacerbated the situation.

“When Mr. Neely began aggressively threatening Daniel Penny and the other passengers, Daniel, with the help of others, acted to protect themselves until help arrived,” Penny’s lawyers stated. “Daniel never intended to harm Mr. Neely and could not have foreseen his untimely death.”

Neely’s relatives responded, alleging Penny never helped Neely and didn’t care about him.

According to Neely’s attorneys, Daniel Penny’s press release was not an apology, and the former

to be present and share myself with you as fully as possible. And, if you see something in my being that draws you in…if my conduct is reflective of the divine in some shape, form, or fashion, then we can have a conversation.”

Real world education, Brown stressed, led to a shift in his consciousness.

“I’ve met too many people of different backgrounds-religious or otherwise-who have never had a finger laid upon them… to think that the way I was raised is the only path to achievement or salvation…it’s only one way.”

After leaving Washington University, Brown told the graduates they may discover that the people they have the most “common ground with”

keeps me going. I don’t find the work hard because I’m so passionate about it.”

She was promoted to her current position during the pandemic.

“Although it was without a doubt one of the most challenging times, it has also been one of the highlights of my career,” Peters-Lewis said. “Every day – when our team showed up committed to caring for these patients no matter what – That was truly a highlight.”

that as people talk about the tragic losses of life, they should also be mindful of how many lives were saved because of the selflessness and sacrifice of health care warriors.

“I may have post-traumatic stress, but I feel that it was a privilege to serve,” Peters-Lewis said. “And that when the history books are written and they talk about how many lives were saved that along with this team will go in the history books as serving when people needed us most.”

She rightfully likened the work of her team during the pandemic to being on the frontlines of a battlefield. They had two goals – to keep their team safe, and to save as many lives as possible.

“We didn’t lose anyone on our team,” she said. “And we saved a lot of lives.”

Peters-Lewis also says

marine hasn’t expressed regret for his deadly act.

“It is a character assassination and a clear example of why he believed he was entitled to take Jordan’s life.”

A service for Neely is scheduled on Friday and the Rev. Al Sharpton will deliver the eulogy.

The memorial is at the Mount Neboh Baptist Church in Harlem. Rev. Johnnie Melvin Green Jr., senior pastor of the church, said he invited Sharpton at the Neely family’s request.

“As we face sorrow, pain, and uncertainty in the wake of Jordan’s senseless killing, it is crucial that we come together in the spirit

may not be of their “ethnicity, religion, political affiliation, gender, or sexual orientation.

“You may discover that your soul is as spiritually fed at a mosque or a synagogue, in a theater or in nature as it is in church… or not,” Brown continued.

He ended his dissertation encouraging graduates to represent their school

A dream redefined

During her high-school pregnancy, Peters-Lewis suffered from nausea so extreme that she had to be hospitalized. Her teenage mind couldn’t articulate it at the time, but as she received different levels of attention during encoun-

of healing, action, and perseverance,” Green said in a statement.

“I can think of no one better, no one more equipped to meet this moment with that grace and guidance than Rev. Sharpton.”

Neely’s death was ruled a homicide by the city chief medical examiner’s office, which said he died from compression of the neck.

Penny, 24, was initially questioned and released before he was arraigned and criminally charged with second-degree manslaughter Friday.

Penny, who did not enter a plea, was released after posting a $100,000 bail. He was ordered to

while continuing to “mind the depths of the soul” as they “explore the vastness of the universe…replace fear with curiosity knowing that growth requires discomfort” and to “become the next best version” of themselves and to “step away from home knowing that you’ll always be welcomed back.”

ters with those charged with her care, she began to grasp the concept that emotional well-being and how you are treated is linked to how she felt physically.

“The days when I had a poor nurse, I actually felt worse,” Peters-Lewis said.

“I realized that compassionate care in itself is a dose of medicine.”

Then she met a nurse who – in addition to providing excellent care – set Peters-Lewis up to succeed. She arranged for her to have a tutor when she was home sick. She made sure when Peters-Lewis returned to school that she had the right support to thrive academically as a young mother.

“She said, ‘if you still want to go to school, you can do that’,” Peters-Lewis said. “She told me, ‘You had a little bump in the road, but that doesn’t mean you have to lose your dreams.”

Not getting an education was not an option for Peters-Lewis, the daughter of Caribbean parents who immigrated to the United States from Montserrat and Trinidad.

“One of the positive

surrender his passport and was forbidden to leave the state of New York. His next court date is July 17.

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is running for president, called Penny a “good Samaritan” and the Christian fundraising site GiveSendGo has raised more than $2.5 million for Penny’s legal funds as of Wednesday.

things that I get from my parents is a spirit of resiliency – you don’t migrate from another country without some strength,” PetersLewis said. “To them, America was the pathway for education. And what that meant for us is that you were going to get educated whether you liked it or not.”

Peters-Lewis received her doctorate in nursing from Boston College, where she graduated with distinction and received the Dorothy A. Jones Award for Scholarship, Service and Development. She earned a master’s degree in nursing from Northeastern University and earned her bachelor’s in nursing from Simmons College in Boston.

The St. Louis American Foundation’s 23rd Annual Salute to Excellence in Health Care Awards Reception will take place from 5:30 – 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 22 at the Hilton St. Louis Frontenac. For tickets and/or additional information, call (314)5338000 or visit www.stlamerican.com

“No question

to pardon him right away. It’s the right thing to do,” adding that it’s in Penny’s “blood to defend and protect” as someone who had served in the military.

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley said on FOX News Tuesday that New York Gov. Kathy Hochul should pardon Penny.

about it. She needs

Angelleen Peters-Lewis

MetroLink offers public sessions on North-South expansion

American staff

Expanding MetroLink in the City of St. Louis and North St. Louis County and improving security on current light rail lines will be the focus of upcoming public open houses hosted by the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County in partnership with Metro Transit and Bi-State Development.

The City and County want to expand MetroLink to provide new access to growing and established job centers for residents with limited transportation options and to invest in historically underserved neighborhoods.

Metro Transit is cur-

rently designing security enhancements for the first group of its 38 MetroLink stations that will receive high security gates and fencing. The public is welcome to attend an in-person or virtual event to learn more about expansion and security plans, to see the results of a recent interactive online MetroLink survey that had more than 2,300 respondents and to provide feedback.

The City of St. Louis has modified its preferred Northside-Southside alignment, called the Jefferson Avenue Alignment, because of changing commuter patterns following the COVID-19 pandemic,

growing Downtown West and Midtown employment hubs and escalating construction costs.

The Jefferson Avenue Alignment would travel completely along Jefferson Avenue from Chippewa Street in South St. Louis to Grand Boulevard and west on Natural Bridge in North St. Louis. It would connect to the existing Red and Blue MetroLink lines at a new Transfer Station near Jefferson Avenue. The Jefferson Avenue Alignment is currently

in the 15% design phase, which also includes determining cost and ridership estimates.

St. Louis County is currently conducting an alternatives analysis of four potential MetroLink lines that would extend light rail into North County by connecting with the Jefferson Avenue Alignment on Natural Bridge. The line would be called the North STL County Community Connector. The goal for this alternatives analysis phase is to select one of the four proposed routes

or a combination of routes that best meets the needs of the community. Trains and tracks for both the Jefferson Avenue Alignment and the North STL County Community Connector will look different from the current MetroLink system that was built primarily on former freight railroad right of way. The Jefferson Avenue Alignment and the North STL County Community Connector would utilize low-floor MetroLink vehicles in the street operating within a dedicated right-of-way area (no cars allowed) separated from traffic by a curb. This will enhance safety and

Fight to control Circuit

Attorney’s office is not over

By Jamala Rogers

Kim Gardner’s announcement of her resignation was a communal gut punch to supporters. She then left the office on May 16, 2023, not on June 1 as she first announced.

The twice democratically elected circuit attorney had made a brief appearance just days before the announcement at her office’s roundtable on youth. She vowed never to quit and to keep moving

forward on behalf of her constituency. Gardner received a rousing ovation from the audience for her recommitment in the face of ongoing brutal attacks. In the end, the Republican strategy was successful.

As the first Black, female prosecutor in St. Louis history, Gardner came into office in 2017 with a community-inspired, justice-centered reform agenda. She immediately became a target of the right-wing which spent

countless hours weaponizing whatever she said and did to use against her. Millions of taxpayers’ dollars were spent challenging her law license. The relentless pursuit was focused and intentionally destructive. The character assassination efforts were public and ruthless. Clarence Thomas, this is an example of a hightech lynching!

The attacks didn’t stop with the announcement of Gardner’s resignation. A now-emboldened unelected, state Attorney General Kevin Bailey declared the June 1 effective resignation date as not soon enough.

of mess that she inherited.

Local defense attorney Terry Niehoff had the audacity to say it will take years to clean up the “mess” left by Gardner. There has never been acknowledgment of the years

The televised hearing for wrongfully convicted Lamar Johnson and a recent CBS “48 Hours” special on his case exposed years of corruption in the circuit attorney’s office. It has been a well-documented, but hidden, dysfunctional office since the days of prosecutor George Peach. There are two realities the city now faces. How it deals with them will determine if St. Louis continues its antebellum style of governance.

The first reality is the blatant disenfranchisement of voters, a truth that has outraged many voters, even those who weren’t ardent supporters of Gardner. What has also offended voters is the silence of citywide elected Democrats

regarding the unseating of a peer by another party.

Once you allow such an act to happen to one, all Dems are at risk, especially those with a progressive agenda. As Dr. Martin Luther King reminded us, ‘silence is complicity.’

The second is, “Who will be appointed prosecutor and what community input will be solicited to ensure the person’s credentials and motives are in line with voters?

How will the new staff be attracted to an office with thousands of cases in the backlog to be expedited? They’ll be under the scrutiny of legal watchdogs, not to mention under the lash of the state attorney general.

Bailey has consistently fought against allowing wrongfully convicted persons to have their day in court. What happens to the ones Gardner was about to seek freedom for, like Fredrico Lowe-Bey and

Christopher Dunn?

How is the office going to atone for hundreds of wrongfully convicted and overly sentenced convictions based upon the corrosive collaboration between police and prosecutors?

St. Louis is a relic because of its lack of vision and slows forward implementation of progress for all citizens. Now, it’s becoming a police state on top of being backward politically, socially, and culturally.

There are many residents who will fight for justice and democracy. We admit our painful loss in this round, but there are still rounds left in this bout. We are training, building more muscle for endurance, and developing a new strategy. The People must always be the victors, not a minority that usurps and abuses power with the aid of minions.

Columnist Jamala Rogers

Thank goodness this General Assembly session is over

The Missouri General Assembly ended its annual reign of terror last Friday, thanks partially to a disgruntled, extremist faction of the state Republican party usurping the dwindling number of days of the session to bemoan the fact that leadership was ignoring some of their pet projects that would make their constituents happy.

State Senator Bill Eigel effectively brought the State Senate to an early halt when he launched a filibuster late Thursday with less than 24 hours remaining in the regular session. Eigel, a gubernatorial candidate, tried to force a vote on a personal property tax bill, only to be blocked by fellow Republican, Senate Majority Leader State Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin

O’Laughlin, one of the few adult Republicans remaining in the State Senate, was forced to adjourn the chamber for most of Friday - the last day of the regular session, after Eigel threatened to read from Ronald Reagan’s biography until closing time at 6:00 p.m. The Senate Majority leader rightfully called out Eigel’s clear political ambitions as the driving force behind his publicity stunt. Yet after returning from a cooldown period, the senators resumed their chaotic buffoonery.

But not all clowns wear masks - some wear over-alls. Before Eigel’s fate-sealing stunt last Thursday night, State Senator Mike Moon held the Missouri Senate hostage with a tantrum disguised as a filibuster. Although the Southwest Missouri legislator wore more professional attire for this year’s shenanigans, his two-day filibuster during the last week served as an intentional “protest” of the chamber approving Med-

icaid funding for post-partum healthcare. We can’t imagine why a lawmaker would oppose new mothers having healthcare after labor and delivery. Moon has, for two years in a row, held the floor of the Missouri Senate for significant periods of time, all because of a belligerent resentment against women and their ability to have healthcare. Moon, known for his public support of child marriage, also fought to criminalize abortion and penalize women more harshly than men who commit sexual assaults. Moon’s stunt ultimately undermined numerous opportunities for Republicans to pass legislation that targeted large cities and other marginalized communities. In St. Louis, we can breathe a little easier - at least until the next session begins in January. But don’t be fooled –the General Assembly was still able to pass some devastating laws this session, primarily those targeting transgender Missourians (including a bill sponsored by Moon). But it is clear that in the state and national level these attacks on transgender people are seen as helpful in their overall culture war strategy. It is disgusting and cruel. Perhaps their districts don’t suffer from the same food scarcity, underfunded public schools, or lack of access to medical care, like some St. Louisans. Maybe the constituents of outstate Republicans genuinely don’t have to face the same extreme poverty and wealth gaps seen in the city. Despite their pious words they have nefarious motives for their inhumane behavior. The fact is that the General Assembly’s super-majority achieved very little this session, failing to dismantle the

citizen initiative petition process and losing bids to reduce both corporate taxes and personal property taxes. Only 43 bills have been passed this year, compared to 102 passed in 2019 and around 130 in 2018. A concerning number of grown men instead focused their attention on policing the genitalia of both children and adults, resulting in mean-spirited, unconstitutional laws that ban activities and certain kinds of healthcare for transgender persons.

If the districts represented by Missouri’s most extreme Republicans are supposed to be shining bastions of freedom and prosperity, they have undoubtedly missed or decided to ignore actual reality. The rhetoric and behavior coming from that faction of legislators would certainly indicate that their constituents have

fully both bills failed, but not before the now-former circuit attorney Kimberly Gardner allegedly made a deal with members of the State Senate to resign in exchange for “killing” the proposed legislation. As we stated last week, those bills were likely to tank, even without Gardner’s “deal” - but it was a convenient exit for the embattled attorney.

About Kim Gardner’s abrupt resignation…

Parson reveals his pick for the office, expected to be announced by Friday. Bailey’s temporary appointment followed a separate news report Tuesday, that the unelected Attorney General had withdrawn his made-up “rule” that effectively banned gender-affirming for transgender adults and children alike.

Reportedly, 18 attorneys have submitted applications to the Governor’s Office for the appointment as circuit attorney, although none of the names have been publicly released by the state.

no troubles in the world.

But we have more than a slight suspicion that this isn’t the case, and residents who count the Eigels and Moons (and the Nick Schroers and Dean Plochers) as their legislators deserve more than “culture wars” that don’t address statewide problems like gun violence, opioid addiction, or the rising costs of living. These are real issues experienced by Missourians, not madeup tribulations like those woven by state Republicans from Fox News clips and shreds of OAN, but none of those issues were meaningfully addressed this year.

One of the worst bills proposed in both houses of the legislature was the attempt to place control of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) back into the hands of the state. Thank-

Gardner abrubtly resigned her position on Tuesday, only an hour before a scheduled hearing on the Attorney General’s quo warranto lawsuit to remove her and after last week’s announcement of her resignation, effective June 1. Gardner’s unexpected resignation, “effective immediately,” also announced that St. Louis County Prosecutor Attorney Wesley Bell would help the City Circuit Attorney’s office transition to new leadership.

Except, Bell’s office reportedly had no priot notice of 2-week early Gardner’s departure or her announcement about Bell’s office, and Gardner apparently had no legal authority to appoint her own replacement for her office. Because the circuit attorney position is considered a “county” position, the Missouri Constitution empowers only the governor to select a new leader for that elected office.

To add to the confusion, only a few hours after Gardner’s surprising announcement, Governor Mike Parson then declared that the Missouri Attorney General, the unelected Andrew Bailey, will take over the City Circuit Attorney’s office until

But the back-andforth didn’t stop there, and around 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday, the St. Louis County Prosecutor’s Office released a statement announcing the creation of a regional coalition of prosecutors - including Bell, appointee Joseph McCulloch of St. Charles County, Trisha Stefanski of Jefferson County, and Matthew Becker of Franklin County. McCulloch is the brother of the infamous former County Prosecutor, Bob McCulloch, who was ousted by Bell in 2016. The coalition of regional prosecutors committed to “assist the interim prosecutor…as directed by the governor or attorney general.” If you’re experiencing bewilderment and mental whiplash trying to follow along, we’re right there with you. If you’re feeling unease about an unelected attorney general taking over the city prosecutor’s office, we share your feelings. If you’re struggling to understand how any of this is legal under Missouri laws, we don’t get it, either. There is a lot to look out for in the coming days, and the EYE will be keeping a keen watch.

Photo by Wiley Price

Kim Gardner

‘Taking Care of You’

Addressing Alzheimer’s disproportionate impact on minorities

By JoAnn Weaver

The St. Louis American

Why is the Black population two times more likely, and the Hispanic population one and half times more likely, to develop Alzheimer’s, according to the Alzheimer’s Association?

The Alzheimer’s Association partnered with Washington University in St. Louis on Thursday, May 4 to explore answers to the question along with other health equity issues related to the disease. The event featured three researchers in St. Louis who aim to improve health equity in research, care, and support.

One of those researchers is Dr. Joyce Balls-Berry, an associate Professor of Neurology at Washington

n “Typically, with communities of color, especially African Americans, we tend to be diagnosed with a more advanced form of the disease, so a lot of times that goes back to not having access to specialty care or even access to primary care for the referrals for specialty care to neurology.”

– Dr. Joyce Balls-Berry

University in St. Louis. She recently received a $3.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to recruit Black Americans and other members

of under-resourced communities into a registry for research studies, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

“One thing that I can say about Alzheimer’s disease and early detection is that African Americans are twice as likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease as some type of dementia compared to white counterparts in addition to Hispanic communities, which are about one and a half times more likely to be diagnosed with the disease,” Balls-Berry said.

“Typically, with communities of color, especially African Americans, we tend to be diagnosed with a more advanced form of the disease, so a lot of times that goes back to not having access to specialty care or even access to primary care for the referrals for specialty care to neurology.”

Building equity into our care

By Monique Williams

Like many across St. Louis, I’ve grown more concerned about the widening gap in health care infrastructure; we’ve seen the number of beds available and care options for communities across Missouri, both in the City and in our rural communities, dwindle.

Monique Williams, M.D.

St. Louis is not the only place where some residents have to travel outside their community to access basic healthcare needs. It mirrors a trend happening across many cities: some nonprofit hospital systems are pulling back or trimming services in economically disadvantaged communities and moving into more wealthy, healthier areas where patients cost less to care for. This has big implications for the future of healthcare in St. Louis – and requires real solutions both on a local and a national level to spur change.

Compounding this issue is the increasing shortage of health care providers across Missouri, fueled in part by the COVID pandemic and the increased strain on health care workers, but also by long standing trends and burnout that for too long have come hand-in-hand with these jobs.

n Unless we intentionally create models of care that are inclusive of all patient populations, we will continue seeing the most vulnerable communities left behind.

Unless we intentionally create models of care that are inclusive of all patient populations, we will continue seeing the most vulnerable communities left behind. The results for patients here are significant: those who finally end up in the hospital for longstanding challenges often find their outcomes are worse and their treatments are more costly than if they had received consistent preventative care in their communities. People with these kinds of cases account, by some estimates, for more than two-thirds of our national healthcare costs.

Five actions to bolster better wellbeing in STL region

Self-belief can be best medicine

By Art McCoy, Ph.D, For the St. Louis American

Since 2017, firearm-related injuries have been the most common cause of death from injury among youth in America. Sadly, St. Louis leads the nation for firearm injuries of children. Mental illness is on the rise, and suicide has been the second leading cause of death for people aged 10 to 34, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Numerous St. Louis student incidents and suicides have broken our hearts and fractured our faith in some social systems. On the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic and with our first mass school shooting in St. Louis this 2022-23 school year, we understand

the intersectionality of these epidemics and our wellbeing. Health equity and mental health are at the heart of issues of ill-being. After years of impactful work with experts Pediatricians Jason Newland, M.D., and Sarah Garwood, M.D., Psychiatrist Joan Luby, M.D., and Economist Carol Graham, Ph.D., and others, there are bold actions that can help individuals through any challenge and help our region flourish and thrive even more. Partnering with Washington University and Dr. Luby, the study Early Emotion Development Intervention Improves Mental Health Outcomes in Low-income High-Risk Community Children was

produced. We can reduce ill-being and bolster greater wellbeing. Vital takeaways from my sessions with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Johns Hopkins University ALACRITY, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services summarize substantive insights and actions we must expand in the St. Louis region and beyond. There are five actions that can help us grow beyond the way things are into a future where wellbeing is commonplace.

Belonging reduces isolation and callousness. F.I.T. or fundamental insights into teams and tensions matter. Every family, home, office, class, or group has a

culture, roles, and hidden rules of teaming or teamwork for harmony, happiness, and success or the lack thereof. Make the rules clearly known and inclusively owned. Find ways to say, through genuine action: I see you; I support you; we have a purpose, past, present, and future here; I appreciate and want to understand you. Simplistically stated, individuals often don’t care what you know until they know that you care and want to understand them.

Boundaries reduce carelessness and harmfulness. Adults and children need boundaries. Generally, individuals, especially children, seek to understand and be understood. When you know your boundaries and roles, you become empowered by your power, purpose, and

Joyce (Joy) Balls-Berry, PhD, an associate professor of neurology at Washington University School of Medicine speaking at the forum at Forest Park Community College.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

See ALZHEIMER’S, A13

See WILLIAMS, A13

Art McCoy

‘Taking

Care of You’

Alzheimer’s

Continued from A12

Dr. Balls-Berry talked more about how access to care affects the level of care and treatment available in African American communities.

“For instance, in the St. Louis area, it’s often very hard for communities of color to gain access to neurology in order to receive the proper diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia so that they can receive the treatment that they need,” Dr. Balls-Berry said.

“The other thing that tends to happen, especially in our communities, is we are at a higher risk for vascular disease, like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and the like, which puts us at greater risk for developing vascular dementia, and we know that if we reduce the risk for those vascular disease, like cardiovascular disease, then the risk for those types of dementia work will decrease.”

In 2019, African Americans were 30% more likely to die from heart disease than non-Hispanic whites, according to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Research from the same institution also showed that African American adults are 30% more likely to have high blood pressure, they are less likely than non-Hispanic whites to have their blood pressure under control.

In order to combat these barriers, Dr. BallsBerry advocates for more minority participants in research to help the community and find better treatment options.

“I say engage, advocate, and even participate in research, in order to build trust, and that usually starts with us, with researchers, really inviting community partners, community members, patients, caregivers and even health and service providers to the table for us to design our studies in a way that

Wellbeing

Continued from A12

reflects the needs of the community,” she said.

Dr. Balls-Berry also cited the history of unethical medical experimentation, which cultivates a culture of mistrust against the medical authority.

“I think for researchers, we must acknowledge the historical underpinning of bad science, like the syphilis experiment in the Negro Man here in St. Louis, the Cold War experiments, which happened in downtown St. Louis, really cause more fear for African Americans, especially to participate in science because we weren’t asked whether or not we wanted to engage in that research, so I think one of the things that we do in my lab and my colleagues also do in their labs,” she said

“We really try to increase what we call health research literacy.”

Community Educator Arnesia Calk of Florissant also talked about her outreach about Alzheimer’s in the Black community.

“[In my community

spirit; and purposeful work, which is more than just another job, to increase our healthy habits.

n “One thing that I can say about Alzheimer’s disease and early detection is that African Americans are twice as likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease as some type of dementia compared to white counterparts in addition to Hispanic communities, which are about one and a half times more likely to be diagnosed with the disease.”

– Dr. Joyce Balls-Berry

outreach], we discuss the warning signs, and a lot of people don’t know those, we go over the full magnitude of what Alzheimer’s disease is, and how it’s impacting our community,” Calk said.

“I really try to personalize that, especially when going into African American communities because I’m African American as well, so I want it to really resonate with people to know how our culture is taking the news of this disease and how we can kind of start to be able to move forward and work on preventative

drugs, poisoned water and food, sugars, and fatty foods.

strategies as well as understanding that we have all of these resources that are not always talked about amongst our community.”

A few signs of Alzheimer’s disease include memory loss that disrupts daily life, poor judgment, leading to bad decisions and loss of spontaneity and sense of initiative, according to the National Institute of Health.

Calk went on to talk about the importance of diversity in research studies along with an issue with access to experimental medicine that can

reach it. We see with our eyes; we envision with our hearts.

slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

“We’re not diverse enough with the studies to see how medications and other forms of treatment are affecting people of color and anybody that’s in an underserved and under-represented community, so it is definitely vitally important for us to make sure that we are relaying that message and bridging that gap so that we do have trust and to let people know that what we are doing to get the data that we need can be safe,” she said.

“Also, there’s amazing

things that are happening when it’s coming to the development of drugs and that specific class of drugs that’s being blocked by the government right now for us to be able to have access to.”

The drug Calk is referring to is “Lecanemab.”

According to a study published by the New England Journal of Medicine, the drug was used on people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease and researchers found that it slowed the progression of the disease.

“It was pretty upsetting because…that drug has shown a lot of promise,” Calk said. “Hearing that we’re this close to something that could be potentially a cure or at least something to slow the progression or even just stop the disease in its tracks where it doesn’t go any further is amazing to me, but it’s also incredibly disheartening because of the fact that we’re not allowed to have access.” limits.

Set social, physical, and emotional boundaries early and refine them often. The lack of limits, boundaries, oversight, and supervision allows some of the most harmful thoughts, actions, habits, vices, and tragedies to take root and occur. List your harmful habits and start eliminating them through boundaries.

Balance! We need good books and relationships for our brain and mind; rest and exercise for our body; meaningful songs, gratitude, praises, prayer, and meditation for our

Williams

Continued from A12

Our healthcare system should be focusing more on the people who have the most complex health situations — not less. Seemingly small, everyday changes, like managing medications properly, getting screenings and seeing a doctor who you know and trust, can lead to better health. In my work now, that’s what we are striving for on a daily basis rebuilding healthcare

Establish a life mission statement that encapsulates your core purpose and value for your time. Review your mission and purpose. Revise regularly in scope and scale. Remember, to every thing, there is a season and a time to every purpose.

Behavior modification:

Often, I advise people to create a powerful sacred emotional toolkit (S.E.T.) to detach from the harm and reattach to the helpful and increase personal wellbeing, including the following activities.

Taste: Healthy diet and watch out for alcohol,

to get people healthy and keep them that way, preventing major complications and hospital visits as much as possible. To do that, we’re bringing doctors and other providers to meet patients where they are, in their communities. As exciting and fulfilling as this work is, one organization alone isn’t going to solve this problem. We need real change at the federal level to incentivize great care. That means changes to Medicare that improve reporting and accounting for these social factors in

Hear positivity: Listen to uplifting music, words, and things while surrounding yourself with soul-fuel, not soul-sucking feuds. Our attitude and altitude are often determined by the five people we spend the most time around. Thus, partner with helpers, not hurters.

n Establish a life mission statement that encapsulates your core purpose and value for your time.

See: Visualize your happy and healthy place at least once a day. Have a picture of it, a plan to visit it, a strategy to build it, and a vision to strive to

quality measurement. For underserved communities long ignored by the overall healthcare system, including those in Missouri, value-based care incentivizes care in long-ignored locations. While value-based care models are growing on the coasts, we are also seeing a comparative lack of infrastructure for value-based care in the Midwest. For our most vulnerable, and particularly older populations, they are not thriving in high-volume fee-for-service models and need more care, but most are not set

Smell: Scents stimulate feelings, emotions, thoughts, and memories. Know the smells that produce joyful emotions, memories, thoughts, positive places, and past, present, and future periods. Create and have accessible smells for peace, foods you like, things or people you love.

Healthy Touch: Touch is a love language for some and a source of trauma (i.e., A.C.E.) for

up here to do that broadly yet. One value-based care program – ACO REACH, is an encouraging first step. The ACO REACH program is a physician-focused structure – and is the first model in Medicare’s history requiring providers to develop and implement a robust health equity plan - taking into account those social factors that affect health. This model ties healthcare reimbursement to better health outcomes and allows for additional services like transportation, social work, mental

others. Know if it is a massage, hug, high-five, gardening, washing dishes for the sake of touching water and soap and a thoughtless activity, or the absence of touch. Clearly set boundaries with others to experience what is healthiest for you.

S.E.T. S.E.T. S.E.T.

S.E.T. Actions: Perform acts of kindness to a stranger, loved one, or friend. Sleep well. Take nature walks, exercise, breathe well, and consider yoga. Treat yourself to a day just for you with no technology use.

Finally, your belief system matters! Never underestimate the power of hope. Choose a belief system that cancels hopelessness and anchors you in something significantly bigger than yourself. Hope is an action as much as a thing. If hope fails, find the spiritual strength to hold on, believing brighter days are ahead. Consistent, expansive application of these bold actions will bring better wellbeing, bolstering you and those around you to flourish.

health and community social activities, which a system based on billing for each service does not.

In my work – I’ve seen firsthand how this approach can change a patient’s health and build trust. Many become more aware of their conditions and their capacity to manage them – and call us when small problems arise, instead of going immediately to a costly and sometimes unneeded Emergency Room. Ultimately, this approach helps them take control of their own health, and leads

Art McCoy, Ph.D., is a Saint Louis University Distinguished Fellow and Superintendentin-Residence, Mental Health America Board Director, and Saint Louis Children’s Hospital Chair of the Community Benefit and Health Improvement Committee.

to better outcomes in care and in cost.

There are a wide array of policy options on the table to consider: but they all point to a simple fact: we need to move away from the fee-for-service model that drives up health costs and encourages healthcare providers to focus on bottom lines over patients and towards a care model that puts patients, not the number of services rendered, first.

Dr. Monique Williams is the Senior Medical Director at Oak Street Health in St. Louis.

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 618-910-9551

CLASSROOM SPOTLIGHT

Fourth-grade

students Makhi Curtis and Journie Cox, in Ms. Rhonda Stovall’s class at Gateway Elementary School, are classifying volcanoes by the bubbles found inside of lava.

Photo by Rhonda Stovall

SCIENCE CORNER

Water Pollution

Water pollution is the contamination of water from foreign objects, such as chemicals from factories, or trash from people. Water pollution kills many waterbased animals due to an unsanitary habitat. This also disrupts the food chain. When water is polluted, it affects not only rivers, lakes, and oceans, it also affects drinking water. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 1.2 trillion gallons of untreated sewage, storm water, and industrial waste are found in U.S. water each year. The World Health Organization reports more than 250 million cases annually of water-based diseases.

To prevent water pollution, remember to always put trash in the proper trash can. When you litter, trash often ends up in water. Use water conservatively. For example, don’t leave

SCIENCE INVESTIGATION

In this experiment, you will observe the density of different liquids.

Materials Needed:

• A Tall, Clear Glass

• Turkey Baster

• Different Juices (suggested: pomegranate, orange, grape, apple, etc.)

Procedure:

q Before you begin, form your hypothesis. Which of the liquids is the densest?

w Use your turkey baster to measure the juices. Place the first type of juice in the glass.

MATH CONNECTION

z ½ pint = ______ quart

x _____ cup = 2 fluid ounces

c _____ quarts = ½ gallon

v 128 fluid ounces = ________ quarts

the water running while you brush your teeth. Choose environmentally safe cleaning products, fertilizers, and pesticides. These products interact with your local water supply. And finally, do not dispose of chemicals, oils, paints, or medicines in sinks or toilets. Contact your local authorities to see where you can drop these materials off so that they can be disposed of properly.

For more information, visit: http://www.ducksters. com/science/environment/water_pollution.php.

Learning Standards: I can read nonfiction text for main idea and supporting details. I can make text-to-text and text-to-world connections.

Drink of Density

e Next, fill the turkey baster with the second kind of juice. Will it have the same density and mix with the current juice? Will it have a higher density and settle on the bottom of the glass? Or will it have a lighter density and rise to the top? Slowly add the new juice on top of the juice already in the glass.

r Repeat step 3 until you have used all flavors of juice.

Analyze: Sugar increases density. Observe the labels of the juices. Which juices have a higher sugar content?

Learning Standards: I can follow sequential directions to complete an experiment. I can form and test a hypothesis.

Liquid Conversions

b Amelia needs 3 cups of milk to make a vanilla milkshake. Should she buy a pint, a quart, or a gallon of milk? Explain. _______________

DID YOU KNOW?

For more information on recommended math apps, visit: http://www. parents.com/kids/ education/mathand-science/ best-math-appsfor-kids/.

Learning Standards: I can understand the importance of math fluency. I can make text-to-self connections and text-to-world connections.

1 in 9 people worldwide do not have access to safe and clean drinking water. 1 in 3 people, or 2.4 billion, are without sanitation facilities. In developing countries, 80% of illnesses are caused by poor water and sanitation conditions.

According to the World Health Organization, for every $1 invested in water and sanitation, there is an economic gain of $3 to $34.

SCIENCE STARS

African Inventor & Engineer Ludwick Marishane

Ludwick was born in Motetema, Limpopo, South Africa, in 1990. He always had a mind that loved to problem solve and create new things. In ninth grade, he created a form of biodiesel. The following year, he created a mobile dictionary and began creating a national security magazine. In eleventh grade, he began developing DryBath, a gel that can be used to take a bath without water. He wrote a 40-page business plan and applied for a patent at just 17 years old. Marishane was the youngest South African to ever file for a patent. One year later, he founded his business, Headbody Institutes. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Cape Town.

DryBath gel has many uses. Campers find it handy and many hotels and gyms carry it for their customers’ convenience. Most importantly, it is used in developing countries, such as remote areas of Africa, which lack access to clean water. When the water is unsanitary, it can cause irritation and rashes on the skin. It can cause intestinal issues when it is absorbed through the stomach. When this type of water comes in contact with the eyes, it can cause infection and even blindness. Citizens can use the individual packets of DryBath gel to bathe.

Marishane has received many awards, such as the Global Student Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2011. This award came with $10,000 to start his business. He also won the Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan competition. In 2013, he was one of Time Magazine’s 30 People Under 30 Changing the World. In 2015, he appeared in Forbes Magazine in the 30 Under 30 African Young Entrepreneurs. He was nominated for “African Young Person of the Year.” He received the Frost & Sullivan Growth Leadership & Innovation Award and was named one of the City Press “100 World Class South Africans.”

In an interview with Peter Horsfield on thextraordinary.org, Marishane gave the following advice, “Find what you love doing, and exert all your effort on pursuing it. Do as much as you can on your own, and always ask for help when you need it. Embrace failure, because you will only ever experience it if you give up, not if you try & fail to succeed.“

To watch Marishane’s Ted Talk about his product, visit: https://www.ted.com/speakers/ludwick_marishane Learning Standards: I can read about a person who has made contributions in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. I can make text-toworld connections.

MAP CORNER

Enjoy these activities that help you get to know your St. Louis American newspaper.

Activities —

Verb Forms: On the front page of the newspaper, circle in red all forms of the verb “to be,” and in blue, all forms of the verb “to have.”

Tone/Mood: Look at a feature article closely to see what words and sentences help to make you have strong feelings about the article. Make a list of these words and sentences.

Learning Standards: I can identify verb forms. I can analyze tone/mood in an article.

Gallon

MAY 18 – 24, 2023

How is Delmar DivINe developing?

An interview with visionary Maxine Clark about the movement to replace exclusion with inclusion at infamous ‘Delmar divide’

Maxine Clark, Founder, Delmar DivINe making remarks at the grand opening ceremonies of the new GreaterHealth Pharmacy & Wellness center in the new Delmar Devine building at Delmar and Belt Avenue on Feb. 28, 2023. To her right is Matifadza Hlatshwayo Davis, MD, MPH, Director of Health for the City of St. Louis.

By Chris King

Louis American

For The St.

From the Delmar Divide to the Delmar DivINe - you only change one letter (and add two gratuitous capitalizations to make a point). Maybe, you also can change a mindset. Maxine Clark, the local entrepreneur and philanthropist who dreamt this up and is putting it into practice, wants to change more than mindsets.

She wants to change, obviously, the Delmar Divide - the divide between deprivation and opportunity, poverty and sustenance, Black and white, north and south in St. Louis city and county. She wants to bring us closer together -“proximity matters” - to solve our problems.

So, how is that going for her? We asked her.

The St. Louis American: Can you tell us about Delmar DiviNe? What is it, and what does it offer the community?

Maxine Clark: The Delmar DivINe is a place and space that has been reimagined out of the former St. Luke’s Hospital to house nonprofit tenants in a collaborative and engaging way. The workspace also includes the Berges Family Conference Center, which holds up to 200 people for larger engagement, as well as 18 other conference rooms of varying sizes. The Delmar DivINe has become what I hoped it would be, a gathering place for agencies and community members to meet in comfort, with technology support, and solve problems.

Included in the commercial space is the NoDe - coworking north of

Delmar. Open to the public, the NoDe offers a variety of ways to use the co-working space daily, weekly or monthly. Also, part of the campus facing Delmar are our services open to the community, including a location for the St. Louis Community Credit Union, Greater Health Pharmacy, an SSM Express Clinic and an Edward Jones office. The Deli DivINe [opened] in April.

These tenants act as amenities to the other tenants and to the community. All of the retail tenants are open to the public. St. Louis Community Credit Union is already processing loans and investments in the community. The pharmacy and urgent care are filling in an important gap, as is Edward Jones.

The campus also has 150 apartments, which includes about 15% that are slated

Taking on Amazon

Workers use play in unionization effort

By Sylvester Brown Jr.

The St. Louis American

Labor unions have always meant something special to Stacey Cowsette.

He remembers his younger days when his dad, a steel worker, went on strike in Illinois and how union members banded together during negotiations for better wages and safer working conditions.

The union label was still stamped in Cowsette’s consciousness when he worked at UPS seven years ago. In April 2021, he was hired as a dock worker at Amazon’s St. Peters location. He knew the job was nonunion, but he figured he’d train for other positions and perhaps earn more money.

Just a few months into the job, Cowsette said he learned that Amazon workers who are “cross-trained” aren’t paid anything extra. He was also told there was a cap on raises so no matter what position he worked, there would be no bump in his pay of $18.96 an hour. Cowsette said he also found the company’s break policies unfair. It’s difficult, he stressed, standing for more than 12 hours with only two breaks per day.

PeoPle on the Move

WWT’s Juanita Logan named to Power 80 list

World Wide Technology (WWT) announced that Juanita Logan, vice president, global corporate development was named to the 2023 Women of the Channel Power 80 Solution Provider list, a subset of prominent executives selected from the CRN 2023 Women of the Channel list. The annual Power 80 Solution Provider list honors the most influential women in leadership at some of the country’s most notable solution providers based on their remarkable expertise, channel advocacy and contributions to building solution provider businesses that thrive.

Carter-Hicks named a Civil Service Commissioner

Gloria Carter-Hicks was recently sworn in as a commissioner for St. Louis County’s Civil Service Commission. Carter-Hicks is the president, CEO, and owner of HicksCarter-Hicks, LLC, an award-winning, full-service performance improvement company. She graduated from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, where she served as a parttime instructor of diversity, leadership development, and HR courses in the School of Continuing Education and Outreach. In addition, CarterHicks is a graduate of the prestigious Leadership St. Louis (LSL) program.

Perry named Assistant Principal of the Year

Monica Perry, Ed.D., assistant principal at Riverview Gardens High School, was named the Assistant Principal of the Year by the St. Louis Association of Secondary School Principals (SASSP). Perry was presented the award by SSAP President Gary Jansen, Ed.D. at a special reception on Thursday, April 6 in the RGHS library. Her degrees include: a BS in biology and a masters of science in biology from Jackson State University, a masters in arts in education administration from Lindenwood University and a doctorate in educational leadership from Maryville University. In the summer of 2020, Dr. Perry received a certificate in school management and leadership from Harvard University.

Hutson wins national award

demands resonated with Cowsette. Then, eight months after he started, the unimaginable happened.

An EF-3 tornado hit Amazon’s Edwardsville facility tearing off the roof, collapsing exterior walls and killing six people. The tragedy brought attention to codes that govern the con-

struction and use of large, delicately engineered storm shelters in warehouses and employee safety. Just weeks after the calamity, Congresswoman Cori Bush and more than a dozen fellow Democrats, including Sen.

When his fellow coworkers started talking about organizing a union, the See AMAZON, B2

William Hutson, and epidemiology and biostatistics MPH student at Washington University, has been selected as the Student National Medical Association of Premedical Students (MAPS) National Member of the Year, alongside Malar Muthukumar. Hutson served as chapter president. The organization seeks to foster a supportive and empowering community of premedical students of color while also making an impact on the St. Louis community.

See CLARK, B2

Juanita Logan

Gloria CarterHicks

Employees with Amazon rehearse for the upcoming production with Stacey Cowsette (2nd from left) at an employee union hall in Westport Plaza Thursday, May 11.

Monica Perry, Ed.D

William

William Hutson

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Amazon

Continued from B1

Elisabeth Warren and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, penned a letter demanding answers from Amazon.

In a Tweet, Bush bluntly said the company’s greed killed the workers at the warehouse. Addressing what she defined as Amazon’s “anti-worker policies,” Bush publicly stated: “People are worth more than profits and Amazon’s profits should never come at the cost of people’s lives, their safety, or their health.”

Echoing the intent of the letter signed by her Democratic colleagues, Bush added: “Amazon’s got to unionize.”

Almost a year later in Nov. 2022, Cowsette joined the two dozen or so Amazon workers who walked out of its St. Peters facility. They were joined by another 100 people from multiple local unions. Together, they called for higher wages and better working conditions.

Cowsette was interviewed by a couple of local TV news stations.

“We needed to walk out a long time ago because we’re individuals, we’re people, we’re not machines,” he said in response to a KMOV news reporter’s question.

The timing of the walkout was not accidental.

In recent years, Black Friday hours start as early as Thanksgiving evening. Amazon workers, according to the St. Louis PostDispatch, had to sign mandatory 50-hour work week requirements. Not only are they expected to work mandatory overtime, but workers also said they are expected to sacrifice their own time with their families during the holidays.

The Missouri Workers Center, a self-described

group “comprised of lowwage workers dedicated to fighting racism and winning economic justice for workers” organized the walk-out. The organizing committee of Amazon St. Peters Fulfillment Center #8 call themselves “STL8.”

The STL8 protestors delivered a petition to management with demands including a $10 per hour raise, safer working conditions, accommodations for workplace injuries and the right to form a union without retaliation.

More than 3,000 people work at the 855,000-square-foot facility in St. Peters. Speaking to the Post-Dispatch, Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel defined the walk-out as a “small protest,” adding that more than 95% of the facility’s employees continued to work.

Stefano Perego, vice president of customer fulfilment, and global ops services for North America and Europe at Amazon told CNBC the company is “not concerned” with union efforts in America and overseas.

“As long as we offer competitive pay invaluable benefits, we don’t think that our people will choose to be represented, but this is their choice,” Perego said.

Cowsette, as part of the STL8 Amazon Workers Organizing Committee, hopes to lure more employees and the public into its unionization efforts. To that end, they are taking part in an unusual unionizing event.

On May 19 and 20, Cowsette will be one of the Amazon performers participating in the “2023 Workers’ Opera: Blue Light Special.” It’s presented by the nonprofit Bread and Roses. in solidarity with the Missouri Workers Center and the

STL8 Amazon Workers Organizing Committee. Emily Kohring, director of Bread and Roses, said the organization has a long history of using art and culture “to elevate the stories of working-class people and the struggles of the labor movement.”

She said the term “opera” is used loosely. The play, written by playwright and former Amazon worker, Mariah Richardson, includes spoken word, comedy, gospel, theater and music. All these elements, Kohring said, come out of the tradition of the labor movement.

Summarizing the opera, Kohring said the story follows a group of Amazon workers and organizers who are trying to get the workers to join the fight to form a union. A major character in the play is resistant to the idea. For various reasons, including getting fired and losing her health benefits, she doesn’t want to unionize…at first. Slowly but surely, through a series of unfortunate realities, the protagonist comes to realize that the fight for unionization is well worth it.

There are basic outcomes, Kohring said she expects from the opera.

“We want to raise awareness about what workers are facing not just at Amazon but many different workplaces like Starbucks where billionaires are trying to convince everyone that they’re a big family that treats workers well when they have legitimate issues around safety and compensation.

“We all should be paying attention, whether we’re in a union or not,” Kohring said, adding: “I hope people leave (the opera) with a new understanding of why the struggle is important and find ways to support the workers.”

Clark

Continued from B1 as low income. The apartments have full amenities including a swimming pool, fitness center and dog park. There are one and two bedrooms still available.

The St. Louis American: What are some of the problems being worked on there - and any evidence of solutions?

Maxine Clark: Our tenants are made up of social service agencies that work in education, health, mental health and community development. Proximity is important. We are having major “collisions” of people now working together to solve some of our issues, though we know that takes time to achieve. We want to make progress every day.

One of our tenants, Turn the Page STL, is working with Ready Readers, which is one of their partner organizations, on a major literacy improvement effort in the West End with our neighborhood group, We Collab. These are not only tenants but also part of our village to connect and act.

Another tenant, EyeThrive, which travels to school districts and libraries, is working with

other health care tenants in the building to reach more children.

Blueprint4.com is working with Unleashing Potential and other tenant organizations to bring more summer camps to the West End and will host four camps at Delmar DivINe in our community space.

Greater Health Pharmacy and Wellness has partnered with SSM Health to create an Express Urgent Care clinic, which is already serving the community where there was no urgent care anywhere near. The pharmacy, led by local Black entrepreneur Marcus Howard, has forged partnerships with the City of St. Louis Health Department, the St. Louis County Health Department, Missouri Foundation For Health (MFH) and another tenant, Seed STL, to help provide healthier food options to families in need through a delivery program.

The St. Louis Community Credit Union was our first signed tenant. This majority-Black-owned credit union is a partner with BJC HealthCare and MFH, and they opened an office in our building to serve the neighborhood. They are already doing car loans, home improvement loans and small business loans in

the neighborhood. There are other partnerships brewing that come from our internal gatherings and better understanding of what each tenant can provide so we can create more equity in St. Louis faster.

The St: Louis American: The name seems to pun on ‘the Delmar Divide.’ Is this an effort to bridge that divide? If so, how is that going?

Maxine Clark: The name “Delmar DivINe” came from my total distaste for the word “divide.” If we continue to call Delmar “the Divide,” we will never make progress towards connecting our neighborhoods. I really just changed the “D” to an “N” to form the word “IN” for investment, innovation and inclusion. At first, it was a working name, but the neighborhood began to use it in daily conversation, and so it stuck. As we developed our strategy to inform the community, the more we used “Delmar DivINe” the less people were using “the Divide.” We are changing the divide day by day, and now when people talk about Delmar it is about the DivINe! For more information, visit https://delmardivine. com

Marcus Howard, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, GreaterHealth Pharmacy & Wellness, was joined by Delmar DivINe founder Maxine Clark and other dignitaries as he cut the ribbon on his pharmacy in the new Delmar DivINe building at Delmar and Belt Avenue Tuesday, Feb. 28.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

n “You can just write in: “He didn’t need Aaron Rodgers.”

– Davante Adams discussing his All-Pro 2023 season without former Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Sports

InSIdE SportS

By Earl Austin Jr.

Zoom meetings

Track and field stars dashing to state championships

By Earl Austin Jr.

The St. Louis American

The small school track and field standouts take center stage in the state capitol this weekend at the Missouri Class 1-2 State Championships at Jefferson City High School.

The action begins on Friday with field events beginning at 9:30 a.m. and the running events beginning at 11 a.m. The schedule will be the same on Saturday with the championship running events beginning at 11 a.m.

On the girls’ side, Lutheran North qualified athletes in seven events from last weekend’s Class 2 sectional meet at New Haven.

Sprinter Genesis Garner won the 200-meter dash and finished second in the 400-meter dash. The Crusaders also won sectional championships in the 4x200- and 4x400-meter relays.

On the boys’ side, Christian High has qualified athletes in six events, a pair of sectional championship performances from Austin Ball in the 110-meter-high hurdles and 300-meter intermediate hurdles. Middle distance standout Ronan Hardwick also qualified in the 800 and 1,600-meter runs.

Sectional Track Meets on Tap

St. Louis University High School hosted the Class 5 District 1 Track and Field meet Sat. May 13, 2023. The Oakville Boys (right) would disqualify themselves after dropping the baton in the Boys 4x100 meter relay with Popular Buff (left) finishing second with a time of 43.30 and St. Louis U. High (center) finishing first with a winning time of 43.07.

competing in Class 3 and 4 sectionals at Hillsboro and Mexico. Area athletes in Class 5 will head to Poplar Bluff and Columbia for sectional competition. The top four finishers in each event will advance to the State Championships in Jefferson City on May 26-27.

Dominant district performances

Senior Ahrmad Branch of Festus won the long jump and triple jump at the Class 4, District 1 meet at Cape Girardeau Notre Dame. Branch is a Purdue football recruit.

• Senior Chavi Flowers of Incarnate Word Academy won the 100and 200-meter dashes and ran legs on the first place 4x100-meter relay team at the Class 3, District 3 meet at Timberland.

• Junior Skyye Lee of Parkway Central finished first in the 100, 200 and the 110-meter-high hurdles at the Class 4, District 3 meet at Parkway Central

District 3 meet at Parkway Central.

• Sophomore Alyssa Anderson of North Point finished first in the 100, 200 and anchored the 4x100 to a first-place finish at the Class 4, District 4 meet at North Point.

400 at the Class 5, District 2 meet at Parkway Central

• Senior Maya Anderson of MICDS finished first in the triple jump and 100-meter-high hurdles at the Class 5, District 2 meet at Parkway Central

• Sophomore Grant Stevener of Kirkwood won the 800 and 1,600 at the Class 5, District 1 meet at SLUH.

• Junior Aniyah Brown of Cardinal Ritter won the 100 and finished second in the 200 at the Class 5, District 2 meet at Parkway Central

• Junior Jacob Oliphant of SLUH won the 110-meter-high hurdles and 300-meter intermediate hurdles at the Class 5, District 1 meet at SLUH

• Junior Xander Dewitt of Fort Zumwalt South finished first in the 110-meter-high hurdles and 300-meter intermediate hurdles at the Class 5, District 3 meet at Timberland.

• Junior Josie Baker of Kirkwood won the 800 and 1,600-meter runs at the Class 5, District 1 meet at SLUH.

• Senior Noah Holland of Hillsboro won the 100, 200 and 400 at the Class 4, District 1 meet at Cape Girardeau Notre Dame

• Senior Melvin Sledge of Hazelwood East won the 100 and 200 and ran legs on the first place 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams at the Class 3,

• Junior Ryan Wingo of SLUH won the 100, finished second in the 200 and anchored the 4x100 relay to a first-place finish at the Class 5, District 1 meet at SLUH.

• Senior Caleb CodyJackson of Marquette finished first in the 200 and

SportS EyE

With Alvin A.

Reid

• Senior Joseph Anderson of Westminster Christian finished first in the 110-meter-high hurdles, triple jump and second in the long jump at the Class 5, District 2 meet at Parkway Central.

• Junior A’laji Bradley of Pattonville finished first in the 200 and 400 and second in the 100 at the Class 5, District 2 at Parkway Central.

• Senior Amari Foluke of Metro won the high jump and triple jump and finished third in the long jump at the Class 3, District 2 meet at Herculaneum.

• Junior Leah MaconFord of Metro finished first in the 100, 200 and ran a leg on the first place 4x200 relay at the Class 3, District 2 meet at Herculaneum.

More Ja Morant mayhem is mind blowing

The National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis broke ground on Tuesday May 16, 2023, for its Legacy Building and Founders Park renovations. Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated at the hotel on April 4, 1968, while standing with others on a balcony outside his second-floor room. If you’ve never been to the museum, get there. It’s memorable. For many of us, Memphis is hallowed ground because of what occurred there, even if we are not from there.

Unfortunately, this news comes just as Ja Morant is back in the headlines. I sounded the alarm on Memphis Grizzlies star Morant quicker than most. I wrote he should have been suspended after a menacing postgame incident involving the visiting Indiana Pacers. No harm, no foul said most Morant

The track athletes in Classes 3,4 and 5 will be participating in Sectional competition this weekend around the state. St. Louis area athletes will be and NBA fans. Then there was the shirtless brandishing of the gun at a strip club in Denver in March. The NBA suspended him for eight games for his “reckless conduct [considered] detrimental to the league.” During his sabbatical, Morant announced he was going to a rehabilitation center to deal with some issues. He returned a new man, one who didn’t realize “how much I have to lose.” I lost patience with this guy long ago. Morant is again suspended by the Grizzlies following the posting of a video on social media. The clip shows Morant riding in a vehicle with his friend Davonte Pack and briefly includes Morant holding an alleged firearm. It was posted to Pack’s account on Saturday (May 13.) As of Tuesday, where it happened and when it happened had not been disclosed.

“We are aware of the social media video involving Ja Morant,” the Grizzlies said in a statement. “He is suspended from all team activities pending a League review. We have no further comment at this time.”

“The NBA is in the process of gathering more information,” an NBA spokesperson said.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was probably too steamed to comment on Morant’s latest escapade.

Here’s what Silver said following Morant’s first suspension:

Ja Morant is again suspended by the Memphis Grizzlies following the posting of a video on social media that shows Morant holding an alleged firearm.

“Ja has also made it clear to me that he has learned from this incident and that he understands his obligations and responsibility to the Memphis Grizzlies and the broader NBA community that extend well beyond his play on the court.” Silver must feel like a first-class fool. I’m sure if it comes to a suspension, he’ll leave Morant with full understanding of how badly he is messing up. He’s messing up for Memphis, the NBA, and – as ESPN NBA analyst Mike Wilbon thundered –the oh-so-vital sponsors of

the league. He challenged companies that use NBA players to endorse products to hold higher standards. He said he was doing that in his household.

“What’s going to happen now? Nike gonna pull that shoe? Is Powerade gonna pull that drink?” he said.

“I know in my house, I told [my son] you can’t have the shoe… Our money as a family is not going toward that.”

Wilbon, like I, are in our 60s. Who cares what dinosaurs like us think

A couple of rap artists have offered comments on the Morant situation. The first is a witness for the defense. The second, for the prosecution.

Rapper BlocBoy JB (who I’ve never heard of)“Guns are not illegal. If he turnt in his car with his gun dats in his name in his yard and somebody recorded him dat ain’t on him. Free Ja.”

Fat Joe (who I’ve heard of) –

The Reid Roundup

The best chance of a Black player hoisting the Stanley Cup this year is with the Florida Panthers. Anthony Duclair, an influential member of the Hockey Diversity Alliance whose mission is “eradicating racism and intolerance.”, is a key contributor at left wing. Young right winger Giavani Smith is also the roster…Cedric Mullins became the 7th Baltimore Oriole to hit for the cycle in a win over Pittsburgh on May 12. His three-run eight-inning home run was the game winner, and the hit he needed to go with a single, double, and triple…

“That man is trying hard to go play for Turkey or China or Serbia [and] Montenegro. He’s trying hard to get kicked out the NBA. This is a problem we have with our community. Becoming famous. Becoming celebrities. Case closed. Lengthy suspension.

Earl Austin Jr.

Alvin A. Reid

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Small business owners – Catalysts for economic growth

Almost half of all U.S. employees work for small businesses, defined as companies with fewer than 500 employees, and a staggering 99 percent of all U.S. companies fall under the “small business” designation, according to the Small Business Association.

Entrepreneurship can be a stepping stone to wealth generation. In recent years, however, small business owners have faced many challenges, and that’s particularly true for those in majority Black, Hispanic and Latino communities. Fortunately, data is showing a strong trend toward improvement and normalization.

Many small businesses have more cash than they did before the pandemic, notably the smallest businesses with less than $100,000 in annual revenue. With more than two-thirds of small businesses expecting increased revenue and sales this year, they’re planning to put that money back into their workforce, to hire and retain employees by increasing wages and offering upskilling and training opportunities, according to JPMorgan Chase’s Business Leaders Outlook survey.

Black, Hispanic and Latino small business owners in particular say they’re optimistic about the year ahead, and the number of new businesses formed in cities like St.

Louis is at an all-time high – in St. Louis, new business formation is up 45% over the last three years.

“Minority-owned businesses are fueling the U.S. economy – driving growth, innovation and job creation,” said Mikal Quarles, head of Chase Business Banking Racial Equity Strategies. “It’s important that we provide them with tools, resources and network capital to help them take their business to the next level and create and sustain wealth long-term.”

Citing access to capital as one of the top barriers for small businesses, banks play a critical role as catalyst in small business success. Over the last few years, JPMorgan Chase has doubled-down on its commitment to help minority-owned business succeed, including through its $30 billion Racial Equity Commitment that seeks to help close the racial wealth gap, such as through new mentorship programs, events, and expanded access to credit for business owners.

Small business owners have a plethora of resources and information available to help them at any stage of their business. Whether it’s looking for guidance on how to start or grow a small business, or access financial tools, here are some important steps to consider:

• Starting a business: Prospective owners can

In recent years, however, small business owners have faced many challenges, and that’s particularly true for those in majority Black, Hispanic and Latino communities. Fortunately, data is showing a strong trend toward improvement and normalization.

consider a few important foundational pieces, including writing a business plan, establishing a business bank account and applying for and filing the right permits and licenses. Also, prospective business owners should think through their business structure – will they be a sole proprietor, operate an LLC or choose another structure? Gathering funds and deciding where to do business are two more key steps to take before finally

launching a company.

• Growing a business: As business owners continue to generate revenue, they can shift their focus to growing and scaling their business. Future financing plans could include applying for additional loans, grants or investor funding. Business banking accounts can be leveraged to help meet the goals of a business owner.

Forging ahead: If

a business owner has a few years of success under their belt, they can discover new ways to optimize their business and streamline operations. That includes keeping cash flow healthy, continuing to build their customer base, and looking for digital tools to help simplify processes like invoicing and payments.

Small business owners can also access new tools designed to help lower the barrier to entry to

accessing capital and the tools needed to set them up for success. Last year, JPMorgan Chase introduced a Special Purpose Credit Program to help expand credit access in majority Black, Hispanic and Latino communities for business owners who otherwise might not be approved or receive it on less favorable terms.

JPMorgan Chase also expanded its free one-onone coaching program to 45 trained senior business consultants in 21 U.S. cities, where they’re providing mentoring and advice to Hispanic, Latino and Black business owners within the community on everything from boosting creditworthiness to managing cash flow to effective marketing.

“We’re changing the lens of how we define business success by integrating new practices and products that drive more equitable outcomes,” said Carolina Jannicelli, head of JPMorgan Chase’s Community Impact division, which facilitates the firm’s Racial Equity Commitment.

“Our commitment is simply a starting point that is transforming our overall work as a company, driving business and more inclusive economic growth,” Jannecelli said. For more tips to help you launch or grow your small business, check out chase.com/business/knowledge-center/start.

Johnson part of group to purchase Washington Commanders

Deal would give Johnson part ownership of pro teams in four different sports

three-quarters of NFL owners and other closing conditions. Johnson also owns a minority stake in the MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers, and also has ownership of the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks and Los Angeles Football Club (soccer).

During an interview on Today, Johnson noted “I’ve got a ring in every sport but I need a Super Bowl ring. So I’m kind of excited about it…and another African-American owner.”

Living It

Black girl magic

April Showers, owner of Afro Unicorn, joined the members of Girls Inc. of St. Louis in a read-aloud of her book ‘A Magical Day’ and an interactive motivational speech tailored to inspire young girls to follow their dreams.

Girls Inc. hangout with April Showers of Afro

By Ashley Winters

The St. Louis American

Girls Inc. of St. Louis welcomed April Showers, owner of Afro Unicorn, to join them on May 10, 2023 in a read-aloud of her book ‘A Magical Day’ and an interactive motivational speech tailored to inspire young girls to follow their dreams.

Cheryl Jones, president, and CEO of the local chapter said having role models like Showers visit Girls Inc, gives the girls an image of who they can become.

“April Showers is a person like us, she comes from a community very similar to some of our girls. She had a vision and a dream and she made it into a reality,” said Jones.

“Black girl magic is who she is.”

Jones hopes the girls are inspired to start putting their goals and dreams into action and hopefully one day they can be like the national entrepreneur.

Showers graced the organization making her debut dancing down the red carpet to Beyonce’s hit single ‘Crazy In Love’. Parents and kids cheered her on and some even danced a bit with excitement while sitting in their chairs.

The gym was decorated with Afro Unicorn decor—balloons, tablecloths, and napkins had the brown unicorn on them with the Afro puffs celebrating Black girl magic.

“Black girls have to see it to believe it, they have to know that someone that looks like them can accomplish their goals too,” said April Showers. “This is why I show up for events like this.”

She wants to help motivate them to go beyond what their normal is, and organizations like Girls Inc. do just

Understanding the assignment

Composer Damien Sneed’s divine destiny with ‘Treemonisha’

By Kenya Vaughn The St. Louis American

When Damien Sneed was a freshman at Howard University, a woman he had never seen before approached him. She shared a brief message and handed him a folder. He never saw her again. The Augusta, Georgia native went about his studies at the famed HBCU. While searching through archived videos of operas at the campus library, he stumbled upon footage of Howard University’s music department voice chair, the late Carmen Balthrop in the Houston Grand Opera’s production of Treemonisha. Sneed instantly connected with the music and story. In an unrelated mundane chore of an end of semester dormitory move out, he found the folder shared with him by the anonymous woman during a paper purge. By that time, he had all but forgotten about the exchange. He opened the folder and was stopped in his tracks. She had given him the sheet music for Treemonisha. He instantly recalled the brief, but hauntingly prophetic message she said to him as she handed

Photo courtesy of damiensneed.com

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis will present the world-premiere of a reimagination of Scott Joplin’s ‘Treemonisha’ as part of its 2023 festival season, which features the work of renowned composer and musician Damien Sneed (above.) The production runs May 20 – June 24 at The Loretto-Hilton.

him the folder – which went through him like a bolt of lightning.

“You are going to complete this,” the woman said, according to Sneed. “I tried and never could, but you must finish it.” In that moment, he understood that his relationship with the opera was divinely ordered. Twenty-seven years after the pur-

Pulitzer winning prose

Poet Carl Phillips wins coveted award for ‘Then the War’

By Alvin A. Reid

The St. Louis American

Carl Phillips had been out with his partner having a margarita last Monday, returned home and was about to walk his dog when his Twitter and email accounts suddenly had a flurry of activity.

“Why is everybody trying to contact me?” wondered Phillips, a professor in the Washington University English department.

He soon learned that he has been named recipient of a 2023 Pulitzer Prize for poetry. The poet was awarded the prize for “Then the War: And Selected Poems, 2007-2020.”

“I still have yet to hear from them,” Phillips said with a laugh on Tuesday.

“I contacted my publisher to find out if it’s real. It’s real.”

Phillips said he began writing poems as a youth “for fun.”

“I never thought I would be a poet,” he said. He continued authoring poems, and while serving as a high school teacher in Massachusetts, he entered a poetry contest. One firstplace prize later, Phillips was on the way to being a published author of poems and a Pulitzer Prize winner.

n “I came to Washington University for a part-time job. I was just going to be in St. Louis for three years. Three years turned into 30 years.”

- Carl Phillips

“The new poems, written in a time of rising racial conflict in the United States, with its attendant violence and uncertainty, find Phillips entering deeper into the landscape he has made his own: a forest of intimacy, queerness, and moral inquiry, where the farther we go, the more difficult it is to remember why or where we started,” the Pulitzer Prize announcement said of the collection.

“Then the War includes a generous selection of Phillips’s work from the previous 13 years, as well as his recent lyric prose memoir, “Among the Trees,” and his chapbook, Star Map with Action Figures.

pose shifting exchange that he almost dismissed altogether, Sneed is an award-winning composer preparing for the world to see his adaptation of Joplin’s Pulitzer Prize winning opera for the first time when it premieres this

“Ultimately, Phillips refuses pessimism, arguing for tenderness and human connection as profound forces for revolution and conjuring a spell against indifference and the easy escapes of nostalgia. Then the War is luminous testimony to the power of self-reckoning and to Carl Phillips as an ever-changing, necessary voice in contemporary poetry.” The prize includes $15,000 and is

Photo By Reston Allen

Carl Phillips, recipient of the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for poetry, began writing poems as a youth and has become one of the nation’s most recognized authors of prose.

See Magic, C8

Photo courtesy of Girls Inc. of St. Louis

Persevering through adversity: Spring class of 2023 graduation

Harris-Stowe State University’s Spring class of 2023 is a group of trailblazers who exhibited perseverance and power all the way to the finish line of graduation!

On May 6, 2023, 136 scholars moved their tassels from the right to the left and became graduates of Harris-Stowe State University (HSSU). The graduation took place in the Emerson Performance Center’s Board of Regents Gymnasium.

In HSSU President Dr. LaTonia Collins Smith’s welcoming remarks, she reflected on the journey that many of the students took to graduate.

“The powerful thing is that we have a vested interest in ensuring that our students persevere against all odds and become stronger for it,” Dr. Collins Smith said. “Graduates, for many of you, your journey has not been easy, but you have shown resilience and determination in the face of adversity.”

She highlighted the following students as examples of the Power of Harris-Stowe:

• Finance major Brice Dean received recognition as one of the top 86 students selected as a White House Initiative on HBCUs scholar and will begin his career with the number one and largest professional services company in the world at Deloitte. Dean will be joined at Deloitte by Bahamas native Richea Haygood, and Senior Class President Nathan Tatum.

• Biology Pre-Med major Amara Fisher began dual enrollment at the age of 13 and completed her degree in three years, with plans to attend medical school. In the meantime, she will work for Millipore Sigma.

• Mathematics major Reid Chunn was the first HSSU White House HBCU Competitiveness Scholar. He also received his Bachelor’s of Science from St. Louis University (SLU)

through a Mechanical Engineering partnership between SLU and HSSU. He will continue to work as a Production Engineer for Boeing.

• Biology major Chelsie Hogans was the first Purina scholar to graduate with a certificate in Veterinary Science from the University of Missouri.

• Criminal Justice major Waiel Turner was the first student to graduate from the HSSU Police Cadet Program that is in partnership with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

Dr. Collins Smith also highlighted students who completed their degree programs in three years. Those students included Biology majors Cameron Lowery and Shamari Long, Sociology major JaMya Duren, Information Sciences and Computer Technology major Ryan Jones, and Business Administration major Darlene Fenderson.

Fenderson also won the 2023 Demetrious Johnson Community Service Award, presented by two of his children, Jalen and Sidney Allen. The award serves as a tribute to Johnson’s legacy as one of HSSU’s community advocates and supporters with his contributions to providing community service opportunities for students.

Valedictorian and Biology major Annika Fischer delivered her speech about overcoming adversity. She discussed what it was to have a growth mindset and gave an example of that when she discussed the tribulations that she and her teammates of the HSSU women’s soccer team went through.

“Each of us have been through countless moments of adversity,” Fischer said. “Going through those moments together has made us family. In those moments of struggle and defeat, in those moments of growth and success, our family has been there to guide us.”

Tatum then introduced keynote speaker, Harry E. Johnson, Sr., president and CEO of the Memorial Foundation, Inc. Johnson encouraged the graduates to chase their dreams and pursue their goals. He used examples from his task of fundraising to build the Martin Luther King, Jr. Monument.

“You never know where God is going to take you, but you best be prepared when he sends you,” Johnson said. “Don’t let success be the only thing you strive for. You will not fail, but if you do fail, it’s okay. The sin is not the failure; it’s in not trying.” Families, friends, faculty, and more

celebrated the students as the time came for them to receive their diplomas. These students showed up and completed the task, whether in three or 13 years.

“Today marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another,” Dr. Collins Smith said. “You have worked tirelessly to earn your degree, and now it is time to take the next step in your journey. Your potential is limitless. Remember that you have the power to make a difference in the world. Explore your possibilities and harness your power.”

Congratulations, Spring 2023 graduates, let the power of HSSU shine through you in this next chapter!

HSSU President LaTonia Collins Smith posed with Commencement Speaker, Harry E. Johnson, Sr. President and CEO of The Memorial Foundation Inc.

136 Graduating seniors marked this day as the close of one chapter and the beginning of a new one.

Members of the 1973 Harris-Stowe State University Class received recognition as they celebrated their 50th class anniversary.

Biology major Chelsie Hogans waved to the audience as she was recognized by Dr. LaTonia Collins Smith for being the first Purina scholar to graduate with a certificate in Veterinary Science from the University of Missouri!

Valedictorian Annika Fisher and other classmates smiled after receiving their diplomas.

Student-athlete and Biology major Shamari Long smiled brightly, as she was recognized for finishing her degree in three years!

From the top of her class to the top of the world: Valedictorian Annika Fischer carried the hopes and dreams of HSSU staff and faculty as she graduated with honors.

Equipped with financial savvy and a world-class education, Finance Major Brice Dean graduated from HSSU ready to make an impact in the financial industry.

Kori Mitchell, who received her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, took a selfie with her diploma

From the classroom to the boardroom, Gloryanna Christian, a confident Business Administration graduate is ready to take on the world!

Three-year grad and Biology major Darlene Fenderson posed with Dr. LaTonia Collins Smith and the late Demetrious Johnson’s children, Sidney and Jalen Allen, after winning the 2023 Demetrious Johnson Community Service Award.

Leading with passion and purpose, Senior Class President Nathan Tatum inspired fellow graduates at HSSU’s commencement ceremony with empowering words of wisdom.

HSSU baseball team members Davie Pound, Austin Palacios, and Ben Kurkowski smiled as they prepared to walk the stage.

Political Science major Gabriel Shellenbarger showed off her grad cap in celebration of the big day.

Criminal Justice major Waiel Turner stood with pride as Dr. LaTonia Collins Smith recognized him for graduating from the HSSU Police Cadet Program!

Religion

Pastor Mike, Tye Tribbett

top Stellar Awards nominee list

Celebration in Las Vegas July 15

American staff

The 2023 Stellar Gospel Music Awards will shine in Las Vegas on July 15, 2023.

The longest-running African American awards program on TV will be hosted by Jonathan McReynolds and Tasha Cobbs Leonard at the Orleans Arena.

Pastor Mike, Jr. and Tye Tribbett are the leading nominees, with 10 and nine nods, respectively.

Pastor Mike, Jr. is an 11-time Stellar Award winner.

Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin received six nominations for their collaborative album Kingdom Book One. Tasha CobbsLeonard, Zacardi Cortez and DOE each received five nominations. Tamela Mann is nominated in four categories for her album Overcomer Deluxe.

This year’s James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award will honor Reverend Milton Biggham, pastor of the Mt. Vernon Baptist Church in Newark, N.J. and founder of several mass choirs –The Miami Mass Choir,

The Mississippi Mass Choir, the Dallas Fort Worth Mass Choir, and the Georgia Mass Choir.

The Stellar Awards also announced nominees for the gospel radio of the year awards in six categories, including gospel announcer of the year. Those nominees include multiple Stellar Award winner Erica Campbell, host of the nationally syndicated morning show, Get Up! Mornings With Erica Campbell; Darlene McCoy Jackson, host of The Nightly Spirit With Darlene on WPZE Praise 102.5FM in Atlanta, GA; Charles Johnson, from KOKA 980 AM in Shreveport, LA; and Melanie Pratt, host of Melanie In The Midday on WPZS Praise in Charlotte, N.C.

Major category nominees for the 2023 Stellar Gospel Music Awards include:

Artist of the year – Doe; Clarity; Life Room Label/RCA Inspiration – Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin; Kingdom Book One; Tribl Records / Fo Yo Soul Recordings / RCA Inspiration – Pastor Mike Jr.;

Winning; Blacksmoke

Music Worldwide

– Tasha Cobbs Leonard; Hymns; TeeLee Records/ Motown Gospel – Tye Tribbett; All Things New; Motown Gospel

Song of the year

– “Impossible”; Pastor Mike Jr., James Fortune & JeVon Hill; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide – “Kingdom” (feat. Naomi Raine & Chandler Moore); Kirk Franklin, Chandler Moore, Jonathan Jay & Jacob Poole; Tribl Records

/ Fo Yo Soul Recordings / RCA Inspiration – “New”; Tye Tribbett; Motown Gospel – “Positive”; Erica Campbell, Warryn Campbell & Juan Winans; My Block Inc.

– “When I Pray”; Dominique Jones & Dewitt Jones; Label ~ Life Room Label/RCA Inspiration

Male artist of the year

– Brian Courtney Wilson; Transitions; Motown Gospel

– JJ Hairston; Believe Again; Jamestown Music/ Tribl Records, LLC – Pastor Mike Jr.; Winning; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide – Tye Tribbett; All Things New; Motown Gospel – Zacardi Cortez; Imprint; Blacksmoke Music Worldwide

Albertina Walker female artist of the year

– CeCe Winans; Believe For it – Deluxe Edition; Pure Springs, Fair Trade, Red Alliance Media

– DOE; Clarity; Life Room Label/RCA Inspiration

– Maranda Curtis; Die to Live; Butterfly Works /Red Alliance Media – Tamela Mann; Overcomer Deluxe; Tillymann Music Group – Tasha Cobbs Leonard; Hymns; TeeLee Records/Motown Gospel

Duo/Chorus group of the year

– Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin; Kingdom Book One; Tribl Records / Fo Yo Soul Recordings / RCA Inspiration

– The Group Fire; Heal the Land; Jet Records North/East

– Tim Bowman Jr. & Faith City Music; Welcome to Faith City; Faith City Music/Tribl Records, LLC

– Travis Greene & Forward City; Tent

Pastor Mike Jr.

SLDC IS EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

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

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

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

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

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

ASSTISTANT COOK POSITION

Greenwood Restaurant & Bar 1000 Sutter Ave University City Mo 63130

Asst: Cook Position Pay $10 per hour 314-333-1222

OUTREACH PROGRAM MANAGER

We are a non profit community-based organization dedicated to neighborhood safety and advancement, contributing to the common good. We are looking to hire an outreach program manager to oversee services for those experiencing homelessness, mental health issues and addiction. For full job description please visit our website at cwensi.com

PRODUCT MANAGER

In the role of Product Manager, you will be leading a team of full stack developers. You will be at the forefront of agile transformation. You will Supervise, Manage, lead, and serves as a mentor for others within Development.

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

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE (DV) COURT SPECIALLY APPOINTED CONTEMPT ATTORNEY

The Family Court of St. Louis County is seeking a DV Court Specially Appointed Contempt Attorney. This position requires attendance at two Friday afternoon DV Court Order of Protection (OP) contempt dockets per month, and attendance at contempt trial special settings as needed; participation in OP violation contempt trials; and collaboration with court-appointed DV Court Defense Counsel or private counsel representing Respondents. The position additionally includes conducting independent research and other necessary court/trial preparation; reviewing documents and evidence submitted by Petitioners and Respondents or their attorneys; preparing memos, pleadings and other court documents as needed; and assisting with the on-boarding of new volunteer Specially Appointed Contempt Attorneys. This position also works closely and collaborates with DV Court program staff and other court personnel. This position can reimburse for up to 15 hours of work per month, at the rate of $75.00/hour.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Graduation from an accredited law school, possession of a current license to practice law in the State of Missouri, at least three (3) years of trial experience, preferably in juvenile, family, or criminal law, and experience working with survivors of domestic or sexual violence (Note: This position is subject to continued availability of funding).

To apply, please send a current resume, along with a cover letter, to the following address (application materials must be postmarked by June 9, 2023: Attn: Human Resources Department, Family Court of St. Louis County, 105 S. Central Ave., Clayton, MO 63105. OR Email same to SLCCourtJobs@courts.mo.gov. EOE.

Please contact the Human Resources Department at 615-4471 (voice) or RelayMo 711 or 800-735-2966 if you need any accommodations in the application process, or if you would like this posting in an alternative form.

EDI DATA INTAKE ANALYST I

In the role of EDI Data Intake Analyst you will be part of EDI Intake Team. You will work closely with Operations Team and Business Users. Your contributions of collaborating with external data providers to ensure the quality of incoming data, as well as resolving data issues while strategically trying to drive continuous improvement efforts to eliminate root causes. To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational.com/ careers-page/

MANAGERINSURANCE OPERATIONS

In the role of Insurance Operations Manager you will be part of one of the fastest growing lines of business at Safety National. You will work closely with our team of Public Entity Underwriters and your contributions of helping this team grow will be felt throughout Safety National.

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

DISABILITY DETERMINATIONS COUNSELORS

Disability Determinations Counselor-The state of Missouri is accepting applications for a Disability Determinations Counselors in our St Louis office. Application deadline is May 29, 2023. Starting salary is $47,664-$50,016. View job description and application instructions at https://mocareers.mo.gov/ hiretrue/ce3/job-board/ 5effe9b2-4b89-494b-ac76c45e25190768/38908fc4544f-4f3d-8791-bcfd07394a58?jb=true or visit mocareers.mo.gov and use keyword “counselor”.

ASSISTANT

ATHLETICS AND FACILITIES SUPERVISOR, MECHANIC AND MORE

The City of Clayton is hiring for: Assistant Athletics and Facilities Supervisor, Mechanic and more PT and FT positions. Apply at www.claytonmo.gov EOE

BUILDING DEPARTMENT MANAGER

The City of Jennings is accepting applications for a Building Department Manager. Duties include administrative & professional work in planning, organizing, directing, facilitating, and supervising of the building department, including code enforcement; new construction of residential and commercial structures; building plan review; environmental, public health, and safety programs for all buildings. Bachelor’s degree in planning or related field or seven years equivalency in the field. ICC certified. Starting annual salary $61,340 (GS25). More detail description and applications available at Jennings City Hall, 2120 Hord Ave. or at www.cityofjennings.org. NO RESUMES ACCEPTED WITHOUT A COMPLETED APPLICATION. Completed applications may be mailed, emailed to jobs@cityofjennings.org or faxed to 314-388-3999. Applications accepted until the position is filled.

The Coordinator – Account Services – Premium Audit will work both collaboratively and independently to meet corporate objectives and goals related to the accurate and timely completion of primary premium audits. The Coordinator will conduct audit processes for applicable large casualty and primary accounts, substantiating the accuracy of policy classifications, exposure base, exposure information, inclusions / exclusions, status of subcontractors, etc. To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational. com/careers-page/

DEVELOPMENT POSITION

The Gateway Arch Park Foundation is seeking to fill the following open, full-time position. Manager, Corporate Sponsorships: Opportunity to work with a diverse, collaborative team in fundraising. Position requires a bachelor’s degree and 3+ years of relevant experience. View full job description and application process at www.archpark.org/foundation/careers

St. LouiS american Bids & Public Notices St. LouiS

Request for Proposal

Attention:

Food Service Management Companies

City Garden Montessori School is seeking bids for food service management services. The Food Service Management Company would provide services according to the requirements of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and the Missouri Department of Secondary and Elementary Education.

To obtain a copy of the Request for Proposals, contact: Mary Swofford at (314)664-7646 x118

Food Service Management Companies may submit proposals to: City Garden Montessori School Attn: Mary Swofford 1618 Tower Grove Ave. St. Louis MO 63110

All proposals should be delivered in a sealed envelope marked Food Service Management Proposal.

Interested bidders must meet to review the specifications, to clarity any questions, and for a walk-through of the facilities with school officials on June 16 at 10 AM, at 1618 Tower Grove Ave. and 4209 Folsom Ave. City Garden Montessori School. Attendance is required.

ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

St. Louis Community College will receive separate sealed bids for CONTRACT NO. F23 504, New Construction of Advanced Manufacturing Building at Florissant Valley Campus for STLCC Transformed, until 2:00 p.m. local time on Tuesday, June 20th, 2023. 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. Drawings, Specifications and bid forms and other related contract information may be obtained from Cross Rhodes’ Plan room at 2731 S. Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63118 (https://www.x-rhodesplanroom.com).

Electronic bid sets are also available in Bonfire at https://stlcc.bonfirehub.com and may be printed by the plan holders.

Questions regarding the scope of work should be directed to the Construction Manager (NAVIGATE Building Solutions), Nick Fiehler, nick@NAVIGATEBuildingSolutions.com and Kevin McGinnis, kevin@NAVIGATEBuildingSolutions.com . A pre-bid meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 31st, 2023 at 10am CST at the Florissant Valley Campus – Communications Building Room C 104. A walkthrough of the project will follow the meeting. You may schedule additional site visits by contacting Nathan Gluesenkamp at ngluesenkamp@stlcc.edu

The College has the proposed minority goals MBE 15% and WBE 12%.

Individuals with special needs as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act may contact: 314-9847673

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING

Remedy for the Hanley Area of the Former St. Louis Ordnance Plant, St. Louis, Missouri

Public Comment Period May 15 through June 15, 2023

Public Meeting May 31, 2023

The Army is seeking public input on a Decision Document Amendment at Operable Unit 1 to address contamination at the Hanley Area of the former St. Louis Ordnance Plant in St. Louis, Missouri. The Hanley Area lies approximately three miles west of the Mississippi River and 0.25 miles south of the intersection of I-70 and Goodfellow Boulevard. Between 1941 and 1979, historic waste handling, generation, and disposal practices resulted in soil and groundwater contamination consisting primarily of metals and volatile organic compounds. The Hanley Area is a Department of Defense property and is eligible for environmental cleanup activities.

All interested members of the public are invited to review and comment on the Decision Document Amendment, which presents the proposed changes to the existing selected remedy at the site to be protective of human health and the environment. A public comment period will be held from May 15 through June 15, 2023.

A public meeting to discuss the Decision Document Amendment will be held on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, at 6:00 PM at the Julia Davis Branch Library at 4415 Natural Bridge Avenue in St. Louis. Comments received at the public meeting and during the public comment period (postmarked by June 16) will be thoroughly reviewed and considered prior to selecting a final cleanup alternative.

The Decision Document Amendment is part of the Former Hanley Area Administrative Record, which is located at:

St. Louis Central Public Library 1301 Olive Street St. Louis, Missouri 63103

Phone: (314) 241-2288

A copy of the Decision Document Amendment is also available at the Julia Davis Branch Public Library. The Decision Document Amendment is also available online at https://dnr.mo.gov/document-search/ revised-draft-decision-document-amendment-operable-unit-1-st-louis-ordnance-plant-former-hanley-area-october-25-2022.

To submit written comments on the report, contact: Ms. Josephine Newton-Lund CENWK-PME-R

USACE-Kansas City District 601 East 12th Street Kansas City, MO 64106

Phone: (816) 392-7936 Josephine.M.Newton-lund@usace.army.mil

ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

St. Louis Community College will receive Letter of Intent to Bid and Qualifications for CONTRACT NO. F23 607, Transformed Projects at the Meramec Campus for CET and FSEC, until 2:00 p.m. local time on Tuesday May 30, 2023. Letter of Intent to Bid and Qualifications will be received at the office of the Manager of Engineering and Design, 5464 Highland Park, St. Louis, MO 63110-1314. Drawings, Specifications and bid forms and other related contract information may be obtained from S. M. Wilson’s Building Connected website using the link below: https://app.buildingconnected.com/ public/5913928fce945d0a00d28943 Documents available in Bonfire at https://stlcc.bonfirehub.com

Questions regarding the scope of work should be directed to Jere Sheehan, jere.sheehan@smwilson.com. A pre-bid meeting will be held on June 6th, 2023 at the Meramec Campus (location and time to be determined). A walk-through of the project will follow the meeting. You may schedule site visits by contacting Nathan Webb at nwebb18@stlcc.edu The College has the proposed minority goals MBE 15% and WBE 12%

Individuals with special needs as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act may contact: 314-984-7673

ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

St. Louis Community College will receive separate sealed bids for CONTRACT NO. F23-302B, Design-Build Fire Sprinklers, Design-Assist Plumbing, Design-Assist HVAC, Design-Assist Electrical, Bids with Company Qualifications, Fee Proposals and a Guaranteed Maximum Price Documents. For the new building at St Louis Community College, Wildwood Campus, 2645 Generations Drive, Wildwood Mo. Bids closing electronically at www. bids@bsistl.com until 2:00 p.m. local time May 31, 2023. Documents available through the construction manager representing St Louis Community College for this project. Construction managers Kwame Building Group Inc project manager Ernie Keller, ekeller@kwamebuildinggroup.com

The College has the proposed minority goals MBE 15% and WBE 12%

The College also proposes their subcontractors employ apprentices in each of the building trades involved in this project.

Individuals with special needs as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act may contact: 314-644-9039

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

RFP NO:LU22032 DAWSON HALL RENOVATION CONTRACTED ABATEMENT OF HAZARDOUS MATERIAL

Lincoln University-Missouri is requesting proposals from qualified and certified Contractors to perform abatement of Asbestos remediation or encapsulation from Dawson Hall, built in 1969. Typical work to be performed consists of asbestos removal, transportation, and disposal. Although there are aspects for performance that require specialized training and certification. The awarded firm (Contractor) will be required to follow abatement and/ or industrial waste specifications, and local, State, and Federal regulations when handling these materials. Contractor will develop asbestos specification plan for the abatement. Contractor will be responsible for hiring reputable third-party environmental monitoring firm to certify contractor’s plan, monitor, test and record all work that is done according to all applicable laws and regulations; and certify that the building is free of hazardous material prior to renovation.

Please visit: https://www.lincolnu.edu/about-lincoln/ vice-president-of-administration-and-finance/ facilities-and-planning.html for the complete RFP documents and drawings.

The University will be accepting bids until 2:00 p.m., May 31, 2023. To be considered, bids must be received by the date and time to:

Lincoln University Facilities and Planning

309 Young Hall Jefferson City, MO 65101

A pre-bid walkthrough will be conducted at 1:30 p.m. May 24, 2023. Contractors will meet at Dawson Hall located at 711 Lee Drive, Jefferson City, MO 65101. General, Process or Technical Questions concerning this solicitation should be directed to lufacilitiesplanning@lincolnu.edu

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

# 57823131,

AUDITING SERVICES

Harris-Stowe State University (HSSU) is requesting proposals for Auditing Services. If interested, a copy of the request can be obtained by emailing Barbara A. Morrow at email address: morrowb@hssu.edu

Proposals must be emailed no later than 10:00 a.m. on Monday, June 5, 2023 (there will not be a public opening), and must be emailed to: morrowb@hssu.edu

The University reserves the right to accept or reject any or all responses received, or to cancel this request in part or in its entirety if it is in the best interest of the University to do so.

HERPETARIUM SOLARIUM & HVAC UPGRADES RFP 2023

The Saint Louis Zoo seeks bids from qualified firms to submit proposals for Herpetarium Solarium & HVAC Upgrades RFP 2023. Bid documents are available as of 5/17/23 on the Saint Louis Zoo website: stlzoo.org/vendor.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The Dome at America’s Center is seeking bids from qualified companies to provide water treatment for chillers, boilers, and cooling towers. Interested bidders must attend a pre-bid on-site walk-thru of project on May 26th, 2023 at 10am. Contact bsmith@explorestlouis. com for scope. Quotes due, June 9th, 2023. The facility reserves the right to reject any and all proposals.

EOE

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

# 57823136,

PRINTING SERVICES

Harris-Stowe State University (HSSU) is requesting proposals for Printing Services. If interested, a copy of the request can be obtained by emailing Barbara A. Morrow at email address: morrowb@hssu.edu

Proposals must be emailed no later than 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 13, 2023 (there will not be a public opening), and must be emailed to: morrowb@hssu.edu

The University reserves the right to accept or reject any or all responses received, or to cancel this request in part or in its entirety if it is in the best interest of the University to do so.

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Field Maintenance Shop (FMS) Bay Addition at Fort Leonard Wood Readiness Center, Project No. T2126-01, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, June 8, 2023, via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. Project information available at: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS OUTPATIENT/AMBULATORY MEDICAL CARE

The City of St. Louis Department of Health seeks proposals from organizations that can demonstrate expertise and capacity to provide and/or facilitate access to Outpatient/ Ambulatory Medical Care. These funds are available through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009, Part A.

Request for Proposals may be obtained

beginning Monday, May 8, 2023, by downloading from the City of St. Louis website at https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/ procurement/index.cfm. Contact: Sylvia JacksonBell for questions @ DOHGA @ stlouis-mo.gov, or (314) 657-1581 (email preferred).

The deadline for submitting proposals is June 16, 2023, by 4:00 pm via email at DOHGA @stlouis-mo.gov. The Department of Health reserves the right to reject any and all responses with or without cause.

St. LouiS american Bids &

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

ORAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES

The City of St. Louis Department of Health seeks proposals from organizations that can demonstrate expertise and capacity to provide and/or facilitate access to Oral Health Services Care. These funds are available through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009, Part A. Request for Proposals may be obtained beginning Monday, May 8, 2023, by downloading from the City of St. Louis website at https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/ government/procurement/index.cfm

Contact: Sylvia JacksonBell for questions @ DOHGA @stlouis-mo.gov, or (314) 6571581 (email preferred).

The deadline for submitting proposals is June 23, 2023, by 4:00 pm via email at DOHGA @stlouis-mo.gov. The Department of Health reserves the right to reject any and all responses with or without cause.

PUBLIC NOTICE

SECOND FIVE-YEAR REVIEW FORMER CHARLES MELVIN PRICE SUPPORT CENTER PARCELS A AND E

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District, and U.S. Army Environmental Command, in coordination with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, are initiating the second Five-Year Review of environmental remedies implemented at the former Charles Melvin Price Support Center, Parcels A and E, in Granite City, Illinois.

Five-Year Reviews are required by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), commonly known as Superfund, and the National Contingency Plan or NCP. The purpose of a Five-Year Review is to evaluate the implementation and performance of a remedy in order to determine if the remedy is or will be protective of human health and the environment. Five-Year Reviews also identify issues and provide recommendations to address them.

The second Five-Year Review includes the evaluation of two sites:

The former Charles Melvin Price Support Center was used by the U.S. Army as a supply depot and for various support services before its closure in 1999. The remedies for Parcels A and E consist of long-term groundwater monitoring and land use controls which prohibit residential use and restrict groundwater use. The remedies are enforced via regular groundwater sampling events and inspections.

The Second Five-Year Review Report is scheduled for completion by August 21, 2023. Upon completion, a notice will be published to announce its availability for public review at the following location:

Six Mile Regional Library District Niedringhaus Building 2001 Delmar Avenue Granite City, Illinois 62040 (618) 452-6238

If members of the community have questions or comments about the former Charles Melvin Price Support Center Five-Year Review or are interested in additional information, please contact: Charles Delano

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District 600 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Place Louisville, Kentucky 40202 Phone: (502) 315-6769 charles.w.delano@usace.army.mil

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE:

PUBLIC NOTICE

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

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

BIDS

Kadean Construction is accepting vendor bids for CP211941 - MU Research Reactor - West Building Addition at University of Missouri – Columbia. Bids are due at 12:30 p.m., C.T., June 01, 2023. Call 636.305.0099 to request Bid Documents

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Six New Full Service Cabins Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park Middle Brooke, MO Project No. X2206-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, June 22, 2023. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http:// oa.mo.gov/ facilities

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Solar Array, Interior LED and Vehicle Exhaust System Marshall Field Maintenance Shop, Marshall, MO Project No. T2044-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, June 22, 2023. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

BID REQUEST FOR TRESTLE REPAIRS

Great Rivers Greenway is seeking bid request for Trestle Repairs in St. Louis, Missouri. Go to www.greatriversgreenway. org/jobs-bids to apply by June 20, 2023.

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

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

# 57823137, SNACK VENDING MACHINES AND SERVICES

Harris-Stowe State University (HSSU) is requesting proposals for Snack Vending Machines and Services. If interested, a copy of the request can be obtained by emailing Barbara A. Morrow at email address: morrowb@hssu.edu

Proposals must be emailed no later than 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 14, 2023 (there will not be a public opening), and must be emailed to: morrowb@hssu.edu

The University reserves the right to accept or reject any or all responses received, or to cancel this request in part or in its entirety if it is in the best interest of the University to do so.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING

A virtual public meeting for the Woodson Road Resurfacing project, St. Louis County Project No. AR-1828, Federal Project No. STP-9901(660) will be held online on Monday, June 12th from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. The goal of this meeting is to inform the public and local stakeholders of St. Louis County’s plans for this corridor, with an additional focus on the revisions to the intersection at Brown Road.

The online virtual meeting link can be found on the St. Louis County Web Site (www.stlouiscountymo.gov). The following QR code can also be used to link to the online virtual meeting:

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Confluence Academies is seeking bids for copy machine lease and services beginning May 17, 2023. Interested companies should visit our website, www.confluenceacademy.org for more information and proposal requirements.

ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

St. Louis Community College will receive separate sealed bids for CONTRACT NO. F23 502, New Construction of Health Sciences Building at Florissant Valley Campus for STLCC Transformed, until 2:00 p.m. local time on Thursday, May 18, 2023. 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. Drawings, Specifications and bid forms and other related contract information may be obtained from Cross Rhodes’ Plan room at 2731 S. Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63118 (https://www.x-rhodesplanroom.com). Electronic bid sets are also available in Bonfire at https://stlcc.bonfirehub.com and may be printed by the plan holders.

Questions regarding the scope of work should be directed to the Construction Manager (NAVIGATE Building Solutions), Nick Fiehler, nick@ NAVIGATEBuildingSolutions.com. A pre-bid meeting will be held on May 9th, 2023 at 10am CST at the Florissant Valley Campus – Communications Building Room C 109 A walk-through of the project will follow the meeting. You may schedule additional site visits by contacting Nathan Gluesenkamp at ngluesenkamp@stlcc.edu

This project is supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number SLFRP4542 awarded to State of Missouri by the U.S. Department of the Treasury The College has the proposed minority goals MBE 15% and WBE 12%.

Individuals with special needs as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act may contact: 314-984-7673 ST. LOUIS COUNTY PORT AUTHORITY LEGAL NOTICE

St. Louis County Port Authority will accept bids from qualified firms for demolition and site restoration services at the Former Jamestown Mall (the “Project”) located at 175 Jamestown Mall, Florissant, MO. Interested firms or joint ventures should submit one (1) original and two (2) copies of their fully completed and signed Bid Proposal, along with all required documentation, in a sealed envelope marked “CONFIDENTIAL: Proposal for Former Jamestown Mall Demolition Project” to the offices of Sandberg, Phoenix & von Gontard, P.C., 120 S. Central Ave., Suite 1600, Clayton, MO 63105, Attn: Andrew C. Ruben, by June 20, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. (CST) at which time the bids will be opened and read aloud. There will be two (2) pre-bid meetings and site visits (attendance at least one pre-bid meeting is mandatory). The first pre-bid meeting and site visit shall be on May 16, 2023, at 9:00 a.m., and the second pre-bid meeting and site visit shall be on May 23, 2023, at 9:00 a.m., both at the Project site. The Project Request for Proposals may be obtained from the Port Authority’s web site at www.stlpartnership.com/rfp-rfq/. Copies of all documents may be viewed or purchased at County Blue Reprographics, 811 Hanley Industrial Ct., St. Louis, MO 63144 (http://www. countyblue.com) or at Cross Rhodes Print & Technologies, 2731 S. Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63118. All questions shall be submitted via email to Elizabeth Noonan at bnoonan@ced-solutions. com, no later than June 13, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. The Port Authority actively encourages submission of proposals from disadvantaged business enterprises and companies owned by minorities, women, immigrants and veterans. The Port Authority does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, national origin, disability or veteran status in consideration of this award. Equal Opportunity Employer.

Composer

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Saturday as part of the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis 2023 season at the Loretto-Hilton.

“This is an assignment for me. This is my calling,” Sneed said. “When we are obedient to the assignment, nothing can stop it – nothing can stop us. Nothing can abort it. Nothing can impede it.”

Rajendra Maharaj directs this new adaptation of Treemonisha that stars Justin Austin, Brandie Inez Sutton, Tichina Vaughn, Phillip Bullock, Norman Garrett, and Amani ColeFelder to name a few.

Sneed’s experience with this work, including other attempts that never happened, make him even more grateful that the stranger was true to her purpose of putting him on the path to see Joplin’s vision through. “That was Joplin’s plight – he never had a chance to see the opera completed before he died,” Sneed said. “He died very sad that he couldn’t complete the opera – and we incorporated that into the opera.”

Sneed calls this latest version, “an opera within an opera” as they infused Joplin’s real-life race against time and tragedy to see the work to completion with the original storyline.

“It’s rare that you see Black love and Black joy in opera,” Sneed said of Treemonisha, which Joplin wrote in 1911, but never lived to see a fully staged production. “It’s a timeless piece.”

The updated 2023 staging is the second time Opera Theatre of Saint Louis has presented Treemonisha – the first being in the 2000 season. Sneed is grateful that after several attempts, it is Opera Theatre of Saint Louis that will see his divine assignment through to completion when the production opens this weekend.

“They have presented some of the greatest new works in the whole canon of opera,” Sneed said. “I’m honored that they

n

selected me and gave me an opportunity.”

In the quarter-century or so since Treemonisha found him, Sneed has developed a stellar reputation as an award-winning musician, singer, songwriter, composer, and music educator who seamlessly weaves through musical genres. He played with Aretha Franklin during her final years. He worked with the legendary Clark Sisters. He sang behind Diana Ross. He counts Wynton Marsalis and the late opera diva Jessye Norman (who was also his godmother) as mentors and has an international reputation as an artist and performer in his own right. He has also composed four operas.

“My education, the people I have met, the musical experiences that I have had have helped to inform my composition skills and my writing for Treemonisha,” Sneed said. “It gives me a wider palette from which to paint from.”

Among those connections include Treemonisha librettist Karen Chilton, who also worked with Sneed on The Tongue & The Lash that highlights the genius of author and cultural critic James Baldwin.

One of the biggest lessons he learned in bringing Treemonisha to the stage was that operating in one’s

-

purpose does not guarantee that the work will be easy.

After dissecting the music of Treemonisha for the sake of updating the opera, Sneed knows all too well the musical ingenuity that went into Joplin’s work.

“The difficulty was making sure that as I composed that people couldn’t say, ‘Oh, that’s Damien’s writing and that’s Joplin’s,’” Sneed said. “I had to try to blend – just like in a choir when our voices blend – I had to learn how to blend my voice with his so that it was one composed work and not just little pieces thrown together. To make sure that there is one thread that goes through the entire work.”

He calls this upcoming production an “epic moment for Black opera.”

“It is surreal to me that I am the one that has had a hand in it, and what we were able to create,” Sneed said. “It hasn’t quite hit home yet – maybe it will on opening night.”

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ production of Treemonisha will run May 20-June 24 at the Loretto Hilton on the campus of Webster University. For tickets and or additional information, visit https:// opera-stl.org/

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awarded annually for a “distinguished volume of original verse by an American author.”

Phillips’ other awards include the 2001 Pushcart Prize for “To the Tune of a Small, Repeatable, and Passing Kindness,” the 2002 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Prize for “The Tether” and the 2021 Jackson Poetry Prize.

Phillips has been a professor in the Department of English and the African and Afro-American Studies Program since 2000 and was previously the director of the university’s writing program.

“I came to Washington University for a part-time job. I was just going to be in St. Louis for three years. Three years turned into 30 years,” he said.

According to the university’s website, Phillips is the fifth faculty member to win a Pulitzer Prize, including four for poetry or poetry letters.

Phillips’ first book, In the Blood, won the 1992 Samuel French Morse Poetry Prize and was heralded as the work of “an outstanding newcomer in the field of contemporary poetry.”

He is the author of 15 books, including Wild Is the Wind (FSG, 2018), and The Tether.

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Showers wants to help mentor them too and help normalize success in the communities they come from while honoring Black beauty.

Karen Morrow’s 7th grader has been a part of the program since she was 5 years old. She said having motivational speakers like Showers Visit Girls Inc. has helped boost her daughter’s self-confidence.

“Girls Inc. exposes so many opportunities to her,” said Morrow.

Showers gave away Afro Unicorn gifts—notebooks, rings, lip gloss, etc. to the girls.

“I hope they know how important it is to believe in yourself, that’s the first step to accomplishing

His prose books are The Art of Daring: Risk, Restlessness, Imagination (2014) and Coin of the Realm: Essays on the Life and Art of Poetry (2004), and he has translated Sophocles’s Philoctetes (2004).

A finalist for both the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award, his other honors include the Lambda Literary Award, an Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters,

the Theodore Roethke Memorial Foundation Poetry Award, the Thom Gunn Award for Gay Male Poetry, and fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the Library of Congress, and the Academy of American Poets, for which he served as Chancellor from 20062012. His academic interests include classical philology, translation, and the history of prosody in English.

- April Showers.

whatever it is they plan to do in their life,” said Showers.

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

Photo courtesy of damiensneed.com

Photo courtesy of Carl Phillips

Carl Phillips, a professor in the Washington University English department, also has academic interests include classical philology, translation, and the history of prosody in English.

Photo courtesy of afrounicorn.com