May 19th, 2016 Edition

Chris Carter defends himself

By Chris King Of The St. Louis American

Former St. Louis cop charged with murder

MCU launches ‘Break the Pipeline’ campaign

By Chris King

St. Louis Alderman Chris Carter in his new home on Pamplin Avenue in the city’s 27th Ward.

Photo by Wiley Price

By Rebecca Rivas

Of The St. Louis American

St. Louis police officer Jason Stockley, 35, was arrested from his Houston home on Monday, May 16 and charged with first-degree murder for the shooting death of 24-year-old Anthony Lamar Smith following a car chase in December 2011.

Christina Wilson, fiancée of Anthony Lamar Smith

The East St. Louis Senior High School Marching Band performed art the Annie Malone Children and Family Service Center’s annual May Day Parade on Sunday, May 15. For a story about the parade, see page C1.

ESL brass on parade

Photo by Wiley Price

Keyshia Cole finds long lost father

A 34-year search came to an end on Friday when R&B singer Keyshia Cole discovered that her biological father is famed boxing trainer Virgil Hunter. Cole took to her Instagram account to share the news.

“While in NYC I was overwhelmed with emotion,” Cole wrote. “I explained while on stage at the Barclays, the situation I was faced with at that moment, which was, my father and I finding our way to each other, After 34 years. I knew at that time, a paternity test was in place, well the results are in, and this is my father! His name is Virgil Hunter, and at this present time, I’m in Oakland spending time, getting to know him! The story behind this is beyond me! God has his hands all in this! I’m so excited…so excited with taking this a day at a time!”

say about men, but I can tell my heart pumps his blood,” Cole said in another Instagram post about the reunion. “God knows I needed this! #TrulyBlessed and #TrulyThankful!”

Opposing political views gets Wendell Pierce pinched

Earlier this week, actor Wendell Pierce was arrested in Atlanta after getting into an altercation with a woman over politics at a midtown hotel.

According to TMZ.com, Pierce’s side of the story is he [and his girlfriend] followed the Bernie [Sanders and her friends to their room as they argued about [Hillary] Clinton and Sanders – but stayed outside the room. He claims they tried to pull him into the room as he tried to run away.

The alleged victim says when Pierce followed he stuck his arm in the door and tried to enter her hotel room.

Hunter is a nationally recognized boxing trainer, who has worked with top fighters such as Andre Ward and Amir Khan.

“Mom usually doesn’t have nice things to

She claims when they tried to push him out, Pierce grabbed her hoodie and ripped it so hard it came off.

Pierce canceled his commencement speech at

Rutgers University in the wake of the arrest.

Azealia Banks apologizes to Zayn Malik, still salty with Skai Jackson

Over the weekend, Harlem rapper Azealia Banks apologized to the entire world for attacking former One Direction’s Zayn Malik with racial slurs and trolling Disney tween star Skai Jackson. Banks apologized for the stream of racist and anti-Muslim remarks against Malik that led Twitter to When Jackson came to the defense of Malik, the 14-yearold actress and Banks engaged in a social media beef that had the world watching. Banks comments aimed at Malik resulted in her being removed from the lineup of the Rise FM Born and Bred Festival in London.

active.

“Employing racial/sexual slurs/stereotypes in attempts to make fun of or degrade another person or group is not fair or fun for anyone,” wrote Banks, who performed in Istanbul on Sunday.

But Banks doubled back on her apology to Jackson. She shared a fan’s comment condemning Jackson’s behavior on Instagram. She captioned the post “Yes. The child is a coon in training.”

Is Kimye coming to an end?

Insiders claim Kim Kardashian is fed up with Kanye West treating her like trash

“Kim loves Kanye and he’s the father of their kids – and they’re worth more money together than apart. But she’s sick of his temper,”

The rapper, who has long been notorious for provocative social media postings, offered her “sincerest apologies to the world” in a posting on Instagram, where her account remains

Azealia

Youth protestor serving eight years for arson

‘I’m going to continue to fight for other people’

By Mariah Stewart Of The St. Louis American

BONNE TERRE, Mo. — Josh Williams was one of the youngest Ferguson activists protesting the police shooting death of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown Jr. in 2014. He was arrested during the ensuing unrest over social justice issues that engulfed Ferguson. Now, he’s incarcerated in a prison that holds convicted killers awaiting execution.

“Inmate, where is your name badge?” hollers a guard at Williams, as he enters the prison’s visitor center with a smile on his face.

Instead of the neongreen sunglasses and American flag bandana he wore as he protested in and around Ferguson, he’s wearing a gray scrub suit with white tennis shoes. The 6-foot Williams towers over the guards and other prisoners in the room, as an officer gives him another nametag so he can tell The American about what the past five months have been like behind bars for a 20-year-old who had never been incarcerated before.

during the unrest. MSNBC and The New York Times wrote about him. He marched alongside the philosopher Cornel West and spoke at a rally in Washington, D.C., that the Rev. Al Sharpton organized. Then, just before Christmas 2014 and a few months after Brown’s death, a Berkeley cop fatally shot a teenager whom the officer said pulled a gun on him outside of a gas station in Berkeley, a town near Ferguson.

Protests erupted at the scene and there were clashes with police officers.

n Williams and his supporters believe that Judge John D. Warner Jr. sided with a prosecution request to “make an example” of him.

Many activists have moved onto larger platforms to stand against police brutality. Though Williams has more than 90 more months to serve, his passion for civil rights remains strong.

“Prior to everything, I had been working with youth and that’s still in my heart,” Williams told The American. “I’m going to continue to fight for other people in the world.”

His sense of humor and willingness to confront authorities made him stand out during the protests. He yelled at officials at public meetings and stood face-to-face with heavily armed police

People looted a nearby QuikTrip convenience store, and video footage showed Williams – in a signature hoodie he was often photographed wearing at protests – attempting to light a fire near the building’s entrance.

St. Louis County police arrested him on December 26, 2014. His bond amount was set at $30,000.

Many activists were in court to support Williams, as he pleaded guilty on December 10, 2015, to firstdegree arson, seconddegree burglary and a misdemeanor for stealing. His attorney told the judge Williams had never been in any major trouble before and that the medical evaluation had labeled his then-teenage client as “child-like.”

Yet Williams was sentenced to eight years in prison. That’s longer than other Missourians who committed similar crimes, including a 28-year-old man who started a fire that caused $1 million damage at the University of Missouri and Stephens College, who was sentenced to six and a half years.

Williams and his supporters believe that Judge John D. Warner Jr. sided with a prosecution request to “make an example” of him.

Activists sang “Justice for Josh Williams, justice for all of us” while the judge broke to review information in another room. “The protesters came to support me and he didn’t like that, so he gave me eight years,” Williams told The American Williams became well known in and around Ferguson during the protests for wearing neon-green sunglasses and an American flag bandana, as he gave passionate speeches during rallies.

Williams is now incarcerated in the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center, about an hour’s drive south of St. Louis in Bonne Terre, Missouri, set amid heavily wooded hills. The facility holds around 2,000 inmates, including those on death row. Missouri officials executed six people there last year – more than every other state save Texas – and 10 people in 2014. That same year, authorities charged three former corrections officers with inmate abuse.

Williams said he regrets what he did. Before the Ferguson protests, he

had a normal life. He grew up in St. Louis County, a region now notorious for using police departments to ticket mostly black residents in order to gain city revenues. Going to church every Sunday made him want to be a youth minister.

“It was peaceful,” he said. “I cut grass for most of my life, around my neighborhood. Helping my neighborhood out.”

During the Ferguson unrest, Williams spent nights with other protestors to avoid sleeping in parking lots. Williams said he ran away from home in order to be more embedded in the protests. Those who knew him best during that time say his relationship with his mother was strained. However, Williams said he now talks to her every day.

Tony Rice, a fellow Ferguson protestor, said he decided to welcome Williams into his home after seeing other demonstrators give the young man blankets and pillows for yet another night sleeping on the streets.

Williams had been staying with Rice for a few months before he was taken

Josh Williams – a popular young Ferguson protestor who was profiled by MSNBC and The New York Times – is now incarcerated in the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center in Bonne Terre, Missouri, after pleading guilty to first-degree arson, second-degree burglary and a misdemeanor for stealing during a protest in Berkeley.

by Mariah Stewart

into police custody.

“He would stay up all night on my iPad listening to gospel music and reading the Bible.” Rice told The American

“He was more comfortable around adults than people his own age. I think when he got around kids his own age he tried too hard.”

Before heading back to his cell, Williams’ asked if The American could rely the message to back to Rice, that he needs his address in order to schedule a visit.

Williams said he wants his protest family to continue to speak out against police killings. “Although I’m in here, I’m still fighting in here,” Williams said. “Keep strong with it, and I’ll be out soon.”

But first he must complete at least 85 percent of his eight-year sentence – more than six-and-a-half years. If he serves his full sentence, Williams would be released in 2023.

This story is published as part of a partnership between The American and The Huffington Post.

Photo

Editorial /CommEntary

Coming to Missouri: homegrown George Zimmermans

“The Negro-in-America is a form of insanity which overtakes white men,” James Baldwin wrote at a boiling point of frustration with ignorant and counter-productive conversations about “the race problem.”

To adapt his classic phrase, the Missouri Legislature is a form of insanity that is about to overtake St. Louis on a bloody rampage.

In the legislative session that just ended, the Legislature passed – with veto-proof majorities in both chambers – a broad version of a so-called a Stand Your Ground law. This dangerous bill would allow a law-abiding person to use deadly force in any public place, even if they are not under immediate threat of harm, and also allow gun owners to carry their firearms concealed, without a permit or training.

Combine those two provisions in an urban area like the city of St. Louis – which suffered 188 homicides last year and 61 already this year – and you get a recipe for a blood bath.

State Sen. Jason Holsman, D-Kansas City, who participated in a failed filibuster to kill the legislation, summed up what we can expect.

“We’re essentially authorizing a citizen without training to have a firearm,” Holsman was quoted by St. Louis Public Radio. “Then another citizen who is afraid that that citizen has a firearm can shoot and kill them, because they feel they’re in fear for their life because that untrained citizen has a firearm.”

Pretty much. The Legislator just passed firearm amateur hour meets “no retreat, no surrender.”

As St. Louis Public Radio noted, Missouri would become the first state to pass a Stand Your Ground measure since Trayvon Martin was killed in Florida in 2012. His killer, George Zimmerman, cited that state’s Stand Your Ground law in his successful defense. In so doing, many of us believe, he got away with murder because a teenager was winning a fistfight provoked by Zimmerman’s wildcat vigilante tactics.

Does Missouri want to spawn homegrown George Zimmermans? Yes, the Legislature has voted. Our state legislators do want homegrown George Zimmermans wandering our state – and who can doubt that our cities will see the worst results? – with licenses to kill.

State Rep. Rick Brattin, R-Harrisonville, explicitly stated that the law is intended to promote vigilante responses by citizens (who now won’t need training or permits to carry their firearms concealed). “You’re not to retreat,” Brattin was quoted by St. Louis Public Radio.

“You’re to go towards the threat.”

In our view, the real threat to our public safety are the legislators passing this dangerous, indeed veritably insane, legislation.

“What we’re doing is removing all logical restrictions for murder,’’ St. Louis Public Radio quoted state Rep. Brandon Ellington, D-Kansas City, chair of the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus.

The provision expands on the state’s Castle Doctrine, which allows people to use deadly force in their homes if they fear for their safety. Now every city street can pass as every gunman’s castle, his domain to legally defend with lethal force.

“This law would encourage violent conflict,” St. Louis Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce told us. We might add this is particularly unwise and dangerous at a moment of heightened racial tensions stoked by Donald Trump.

It is difficult to imagine that term-limited Gov. Jay Nixon – with his probable national ambitions as a Democrat – will sign this dangerous bill into law. It is even more difficult to imagine that enough legislators in the Republican-dominated Legislature would come to their senses and reverse their support of the bill if it comes before them in a veto session.

But all we can do is demand that Nixon veto the bill and urge people of good sense and conscience throughout the state to beg their state legislators not to unleash this bloodbath on our streets.

As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues

Justice for juveniles in St. Louis County

By Rev. Karen Anderson Guest columnist

Among the Masai of Kenya the standard greeting is “Kasserian ingera?” – “How are the children”? And the hoped-for reply is “All the children are well.” Not my children, or some, but all of the children are well. For them, society cannot be well unless all the children are well. So we ask, “How are the children?” Long before Michael Brown Jr. was killed in Ferguson, long before the Ferguson Commission was convened, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) opened an investigation into a court system in St. Louis County that has received very little public attention – the St. Louis County Family Court. This is the court in our county that handles juvenile delinquency prosecutions.

In November 2013, DOJ officials began observing local juvenile court proceedings, reviewing court files, gathering data and talking to impacted youth, families and stakeholders about their experience in the county juvenile court. The DOJ’s shocking findings were made public in July 2015 in a lengthy report that outlined massive conflicts of interest within the St. Louis County Family Court, a lack of adequate representation, due process deprivations, and overrepresentation of youth of color at nearly every decision point during the prosecution process. Yet, here we are nine months later. And not a single word has been said publicly about how – or even if – the St. Louis County Family Court plans to improve. There have been no news

conferences, press releases or periodic updates – like occurred in Ferguson – to let community members know the system is responding to the shocking findings by the federal government.

Guest Columnist Rev. Karen Anderson

In contrast, from the moment the DOJ released its March 2015 Ferguson Municipal Court findings, we heard from officials there – even if awkwardly, at times – that they were interested in addressing problems and would work with the DOJ to improve local court practices. And 10 months later a 100-page proposed agreement to correct constitutional violations was made public. This kind of prompt response to undertake reform is consistent with another recent DOJ investigation – of the Shelby County Juvenile Court in Memphis, Tennessee. There, too, the DOJ issued a report outlining a range of unconstitutional practices and violations involving court cases of children accused of crimes, like those handled in the St. Louis County Family court. Notably, when the Shelby County Juvenile Court report was released in April 2012, government officials quickly spoke out and agreed that it was time to change. Eight months later, in December 2012, they entered into an agreement with the DOJ to address the vast majority of legal violations. And today Shelby is well on its way to coming into constitutional compliance.

Again, this stands in stark

Donald Trump’s dangerous insecurity

Donald Trump’s opponents in the primaries were right to call him a con artist, a narcissist and a pathological liar. Just ask “John Miller.”

That’s one of the names Trump used with journalists to burnish his status as a boldfaced Manhattan celebrity; he also called himself “John Barron.” Both personae were supposedly publicists who just wanted to explain what a wonderful guy Mr. Trump was and how beautiful women seemed unable to resist his charms.

Last week, The Washington Post ran a story about the “Miller” and “Barron” ruses, which took place years ago, and posted a 1991 recording of “Miller” explaining why Trump was dumping Marla Maples. “He’s coming out of a marriage, and he’s starting to do tremendously well financially,” the imaginary publicist says to a reporter from People magazine. “Actresses just call to see if they can go out with him and things.” Madonna is ostentatiously name-dropped as someone who “wanted to go out with him.”

The voice is Trump’s. He denies it, for some reason, but the timbre, cadence and word choice on the recording are pure Trump.

The Post reported that “some reporters found the calls from Miller or Barron disturbing or even creepy; others thought they were just examples of Trump being playful.” Put me firmly in the “creepy” camp. I believe that Republican presidential contenders Marco Rubio (who called Trump a

con artist), Bobby Jindal (who called him a narcissist) and Ted Cruz (who called him a pathological liar) should feel vindicated. And I believe the nation should be deeply worried about what sort of person the GOP is about to nominate for president.

Does it really matter if Trump had a bit of fun at the expense of some reporters two or three decades ago? It wouldn’t if he were merely asking for another season of “The Apprentice.” He wants us to make him the most powerful man in the world, and the “Miller” and “Barron” episodes –along with the transparently untrue denials that they ever took place – betray a level of ambition and insecurity that voters should find deeply alarming.

In my experience, most successful people could be described as needy in some sense. Trump, however, takes neediness to a bizarre and frightening extreme.

He’s the son of a wealthy developer who expanded his father’s empire. In his younger days, he was a rich and wellconnected man about town. It is no surprise that he enjoyed the company of beautiful women. But that, apparently, wasn’t nearly enough for Trump. He had to be widely seen with such women on his arm, and he had

Letters to the editor

Attempt to steal future elections

contrast to the absolute lack of a response from St. Louis County officials we have experienced following the scathing findings about our own juvenile court system. We know the Juvenile Court is not the only problem facing youth of color in our community. But we refuse to believe the Juvenile Court can do nothing.

Perhaps this lack of response is because we have not seen the same kind of powerful public outcry, protest or truth-speaking on behalf of kids in our courts as occurred around Ferguson municipal court practices. Few have stood for or with impacted youth who face charges in the St. Louis County Juvenile Court – or rallied to call muchneeded attention to the issues so clearly and convincingly laid out by the DOJ.

Is this because, as a region, we have bought into a narrative that poor children of color that are in trouble are hopeless or less important than adults? Is this because we have a hard time balancing public safety and the profound value for every child in St. Louis region?

Yet many other states and cities around the nation have made changes that have ushered in equity and public safety at the same time. So we call on this community to truly put youth at the center, for the sake of our most vulnerable citizens – and most important asset. This community’s silence and sanction of inequity and unconstitutionality must end as well!

When will we agree that every child is a child of God – and that it is time for justice for the juveniles in St. Louis County? How are the children?

The children are not well!

Rev. Karen Anderson is president of Metropolitan Congregations United.

The battle to preserve the fundamental right to vote now moves to the ballot box, and House Democrats will vigorously continue the fight. Instead of protecting the integrity of our elections, this proposal would render them illegitimate by disenfranchising thousands of legal Missouri voters. We are confident Missourians will see HJR 53 for what it is – a blatant Republican attempt to steal future elections by excluding many opposition voters – and deliver it the crushing defeat in November that it deserves.

State Rep. Jake Hummel House Minority Leader St. Louis

Voter protections at

risk

We are profoundly sad that Missouri’s current strong voter protections are now at risk due to the passage of House Joint Resolution 53. Despite the lack of evidence that voter impersonation fraud is a problem in Missouri, voters will now decide whether to add voter photo IDs to the Missouri Constitution. Many fail to understand that persons with very low incomes frequently spend periods of time without photo IDs due to inability to afford renewal. The language of House Bill 1631, paired with HJR 53, does not truly protect those with low incomes. Many will still be unable to obtain or maintain a photo ID due to the difficulty of obtaining all documents needed to get an ID or afford renewal fees. This is a very sad day that dishonors the memory of many civil rights advocates who fought and died to secure the right to vote for themselves and their posterity.

Jeanette Mott Oxford, executive director Empower Missouri St. Louis

Keeping HBCUs strong I was delighted to hear of President Obama’s intent to appoint Wayne A. I. Frederick and Janice Bryant

to be both envied and admired. When he decided to trade a woman in for a newer model –I know that sounds crude, but this was his modus operandi – he used fake names to call reporters with his side of the story. Was he too cheap to hire a real publicist? Did he believe he was so much more clever than the journalists that they wouldn’t know it was really him? Was he obsessed with being portrayed in the gossip columns as “a good guy,” which is what “John Miller” calls him in the recording? And why deny it now, given the clear evidence of the tape? Why not just laugh it off as a youthful or perhaps middleaged indiscretion? Why not just say he was having a little fun at the media’s expense?

I’m taking this seriously because Trump is asking to be taken seriously – which means he wishes to be taken at his word.

He has built a remarkable career on bluster, branding and relentless self-promotion. Self-regard bordering on selfworship and a willingness to bend the truth may have been assets that helped his rise. Insecurity and a need to be loved could have given him motivation. For a vainglorious mogul who lives to plaster his name across the New York skyline – and whose most consequential decision is whether to use travertine marble or Carrara – these are useful traits.

For a president of the United States, they could be catastrophic.

Howroyd as members to the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. As president of Howard University, Frederick has distinguished himself as a well-known and respected leader. His innovative approach to leadership in the field of higher education is truly commendable. Bryant

Howroyd brings a wealth of experience and acumen to the Board of Advisors, including workforce development, business leadership, and organizational management. I look forward to the work they will undertake to ensure our Historically Black Colleges and Universities remain strong and continue their legacy of excellence as they educate the next generation of leaders.

U.S. Rep. G. K. Butterfield Congressional Black Caucus chairman, Washington, D.C.

Highlighting

school-based health

Special thanks to The St. Louis American for highlighting our school-based health center at Jennings High School in the article “SPOTon: Student health clinic at Jennings High School.” We believe this model has the chance to transform the health of wellbeing of Jennings students and would love to see the model sustained and expanded to other districts. This recommendation was supported by the Ferguson Commission and For the Sake of All.

We want to give special thanks to our partners in this endeavor—the Jennings School District led by Tiffany Anderson and the St. Louis County Children’s Services Fund led by Connie Cunningham. The County Children’s services fund in their Discovery grant process allowed us to engage with the school, parents, faculty, staff and other community partners to identify specific needs in the high school. Once those needs were identified and the community engaged we were able to address these needs through the implementation

Columnist

Eugene Robinson

New Missouri NAACP president

Info session for free coding classes

LaunchCode is offering free coding classes that will begin in St. Louis and St. Charles this June. Interested students may attend an information session 6-7 p.m. Monday, May 23 at the LaunchCode Mentor Center, 4811 Delmar Blvd. LaunchCode’s Education Director Zach Lou will be happy to answer any questions about “Summer of Code.” He can be reached at Zach@ launchcode.org. To learn more about Summer of Code, visit https://www. launchcode.org/summerofcode.

HealthFest for Older Americans Month

In honor of Older Americans Month, the “Bringing It Together” HealthFest will be held 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, May 27 at the Muny Opera Pavilion in Forest Park. Seniors are invited to take part in wellness activities and learn vital information to achieve good health and avoid risks of chronic disease, disability and injury. The awardees are Freeman Bosley Sr., St. Louis Ward 3 alderman (Political Savvy); Deanetta James (Community Activist); Samantha Toole Kendall (Award of Longevity); Donald M. Suggs, publisher, St. Louis American (Business Acumen); and Thomas Villa, St. Louis Ward 11 alderman, (Civic Leadership).

Hosts are Denny Reagan, president & CEO, The Muny; Ollie Stewart, executive director, Southside Senior Citizen Center; Evelyn Rice-Peebles, commissioner of recreation, City of St. Louis; and Greg Hayes, director, Parks, Recreation & Forestry, City of St. Louis. Entertainment includes Uvee Hayes, St. Louis Gateway Jazz Band and Monsanto YMCA Swinging Seniors.

Constitution Project open to high schools

The Supreme Court of Missouri’s Committee on Civic Education is seeking applicants for The Constitution Project, a statewide competition for high school students that will be held during the fall 2016 semester.

The Constitution Project gives students a mock crime scene to investigate, report about and eventually try in a mock trial, all under the mentorship of local professionals in the fields of crime scene investigation, journalism and trial advocacy.

Competitors are chosen based on merit and their interest in the three disciplines. To be chosen, each community must pledge commitments from the school, local judges, law enforcement, media and attorneys.

Winners are named at the team and individual level for each discipline, and the individual award winners receive $1,000 scholarships from sponsoring organizations.

To learn more about The Constitution Project, visit https://www.courts.mo.gov/civiceducation/ pages/const_proj_home.html. Interested schools should complete the Constitution Project competition application online at http://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=64557.

Preference will be given to applications received no later than May 30.

You are the sun

By Leyla Fern King Guest columnist

Black holes are formed when stars collapse in on themselves. Once they are formed, they suck in anything that gets too close. It is this way with some people too. They collapse in on themselves and bring down everyone around them.

I am running for 8th grade Justice because I don’t want anyone shrinking themselves.

I want to be a voice for my peers. I want to be the one to listen to their problems when they feel like no one else is listening. I want to be able to remind others that they may feel like Pluto, invalid and unheard, but Pluto has always been my favorite body in our solar system.

In order to be a black hole, you have to have been a star to begin with. In order to be broken, you have to have been whole to begin with. But as you got older, more pressure was applied to you; you had to make good friends, get good grades, go to a good college, get married, have children, have a paying job. And maybe you had been a star. But you sure didn’t feel like one anymore.

n You are not the moon. You are not only visible when the sun lights you up. You are the sun.

This struggle is especially prominent at John Burroughs School. We are made up of smart students who sometimes forget how intelligent they are. They get lost in the homework and the fact that their grades aren’t as good as they were before. And even if I don’t win, I am willing to be a person for you to vent to. I am willing to hear your fears and your dreams. I am willing to be there for you. It is my personal belief that humans are made out of stardust and that things from our universe must be treated fairly. So, as a member of the student court, I would make sure that each student gets a just punishment for their wrongdoings. I would make sure that everyone of us people of the universe are treated as they should be, and that the stardust inside of us doesn’t make us collapse inwards. Even if I don’t win, I want all of you to know one thing. You are not the moon. You are not only visible when the sun lights you up. You are the sun. You are the center of our lives. You are the center of our solar system. You do not need to shrink into yourself. You are right where you need to be.

This text was given as a campaign speech for student Justice for the 8th grade at John Burroughs School. She won the election.

Leyla Fern King

NAACP national board member John Gaskin, Anti-Defamation League Regional Direction Karen Aroesty, Brian

Leonard of Ameren Corp, and Nimrod Chapel Jr., the new state president of the Missouri NAACP, visited at a reception in Chapel’s honor at St. Louis Union Station on Friday, May 6.

Photo by Wiley Price

CARTER

Continued from A1

her during an argument at a home in the 4200 block of East Gulf Shore near Florissant, where her mother resides. However, Carter said she recanted her claims while he was locked up on May 10. He said he has never struck his wife or any other woman, and his wife will not press charges or testify against him.

His wife did not call The American, as requested.

The St. Louis County counselor told The American the office is still reviewing the matter and had no comment. No charges had been issued as of press time on Wednesday, May 18.

News of Carter’s arrest spurred a call on May 12 for his resignation by Pamela Boyd, a committeewoman in the 27th Ward and Carter’s

COP

Continued from A1

after all these years,” Wilson told The St. Louis American

On the morning Smith was killed, Wilson was on the phone with him, while he was waiting for his friend to get some food from Church’s Chicken at Riverview and Thekla at around 11 a.m.

“He told me he was going to wait to eat with me,” she said. “He didn’t like to go out to eat if it wasn’t together.”

All the sudden, it got quiet, she said, and then he told her the police shot the window out of his car.

According to the prosecutors’ probable cause statement, Stockley allegedly shot into Smith’s car, and then he and his partner, who was driving the SUV, chased Smith at speeds over 80 miles per hour. During the pursuit, Smith is heard on an internal police car video saying, “Going to kill this m/f, don’t you know it,”

former opponent for alderman. Her call was immediately seconded by U.S. Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay. Carter dismissed both calls, saying he has committed no crime and will face no charges. Clay’s release included a vague reference to claims that Carter also does not live in his ward or even the city. A spokesperson for Clay did not answer a question about Clay’s source for that claim. Carter said his residency was questioned on Twitter by PostDispatch reporter Nicholas J.C. Pistor. Carter also said he had seen Pistor repeatedly in City Hall, yet Pistor never asked him about the residency issue.

Carter invited The American to the home he is selling on North Pointe Boulevard and the home he is moving into on Pamplin Avenue, both in the 27th Ward.

Carter pointed out that his legal name is Willie Christopher Carter III. While

according to the statement.

As Smith’s car was slowing to a stop, Stockley is also heard telling the other officer to “hit him right now,” at which point the driver slammed the police SUV into the victim’s car. Stockley then approached Smith’s car on the driver’s side and shot five times into the car, striking Smith with each shot.

Wilson stayed on the phone and heard the OnStar in Smith’s rental car come on upon the crash.

“And I heard the shots,” she said, along with him begging for his life and moaning.

According to Joyce’s statement, a gun was recovered from the victim’s car, but was later determined by lab analysis to have only Stockley’s DNA on it. She said now she has the evidence she needs to prosecute the case.

Wilson’s attorney, Albert Watkins, represented their daughter, Autumn, in a 2013 federal wrongful-death

his grandfather and father, with very similar names, own property all over the state, Carter said, he has never owned property in St. Louis County and does not live there.

Carter said he and his wife have been separated for three months, but he has lived in the city the entire time. He accused Clay of manufacturing the residency claim in an attempt to hurt him politically when he was in the news for the arrest.

“Lacy wants to hurt me because I am the only one who will stand up to him,” Carter said. “I have no problem putting him in his place.”

Carter mentioned a dispute he and Clay had when Clay was stumping for Joshua Peters in the 27th Ward during Peter’s successful 2013 campaign for state representative in the area, Missouri’s 76th House District.

Carter’s grandmother, the late Paula J. Carter, served as committeewoman, state representative and state senator

lawsuit against Stockley and the police department. The Board of Police Commissioners agreed to a $900,000 settlement, contingent upon complete confidentiality –meaning Watkins had to shred all the evidence he gathered during the case.

During the civil case, he signed a global discovery request – which meant if there were DNA analysis completed for the gun, Watkins should have gotten it. But he never received any DNA lab analysis, he said.

The incident occurred under former St. Louis Police Chief Daniel Isom’s tenure. When Isom took over as chief of police, he told The American, the department formed a relationship with the FBI, and he appointed a sergeant of “corruption investigations” to work with the agency. When Smith was killed in 2001, “we immediately saw it as a problem,” he said. And he is glad it’s getting a second look today, he said.

“Why didn’t it happen

in the area. Carter himself served as state representative in the district before his uncle Gregory Carter, then 27th Ward alderman, died in a car crash in 2012. At that time, Chris Carter resigned from the House and won a special election as alderman. His father, Willie Christopher Carter II, also known as Chris Carter, lost to Peters in the special election to take the open House seat.

More recently, on March 19, Clay came to a 27th Ward meeting hosted by Carter, where state Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal was scheduled to speak.

Chappelle-Nadal is running against Clay in the August 2 Democratic primary. Carter said Clay left incensed when he was not put on the agenda to speak because he arrived unannounced.

Through a spokesperson, Clay merely said he stands by his claims.

almost four years ago?” Isom said.

Soon after the shooting, both the FBI and police were working on investigations simultaneously, Isom said, and they approached U.S. Attorney Richard Callahan.

“Within a month, information was being funneled to a federal grand jury,” Isom said.

That process lasted until October of 2012, he said, three months before he retired. At that time, he said, “We were notified that the U.S. Attorney would not prosecute.”

Soon after, representatives from the police department, U.S. Attorney’s Office and Joyce’s office sat down to give the evidence over to Joyce, Isom said.

Callahan has indicated that the DNA evidence was known as of February 2012, only three months after the incident occurred, Isom said. The police’s in-car audio was known the day of the incident. Watkins later presented the OnStar audio, which initially

MCU

Continued from A1

The group’s demands included mandatory annual explicit bias training for police, mandatory police reports on pedestrian stops and that area police chiefs work to pass the fair and impartial policing act a proposed law that would make individual officers and police departments subject to penalties for bias practices. The bill died in committee this past session.

Campaign organizers Metropolitan Congregations United and Students 4 Change point to an alarming July 2015 report on St. Louis County’s family court by the Department of Justice. The DOJ found that black minors are often stripped of their constitutional rights by not having legal representation in court and treated less fairly than white juveniles.

“We are here today to

was inaudible, he said. Isom initiated the enhancement of both the OnStar audio and the police video footage before Police Chief Sam Dotson took over, Isom said.

“What existed four years ago, all of it exists today,” Isom said. “All information was presented to the Circuit Attorney’s office (in October 2012), and they declined to file charges.”

Joyce told The American that the evidence summarized in the probable cause statement does not represent all of the evidence they have. Because the investigation is still ongoing, she cannot disclose details about the evidence.

“While we understand there is a lot of public interest in this case, we must focus our efforts on pursuing this case to the fullest extent of the law in the courts and not in the media,” she said. “We will not risk tainting the jury pool or having any piece of evidence thrown out by the courts because we discussed it in the media.”

Activist Anthony Shahid

make our voices heard for our children,” Margaret Davis said to the crowd. “We are awake and we will stay woke. We will not rest until we get what we want: a community where our children are nurtured, respected and protected.”

Clayton police monitored the event closely. Attendees held signs that read “schools not jails” and “educate not incarcerate” and chanted phrases about eliminating school suspensions Missouri has the nation’s highest suspension rate of black students in elementary school, according to a 2015 report by UCLA researchers. In Missouri, black students only make up 16 percent of the student population. However, they received 40 percent of the suspensions in 2015, according to the report. The report also found that Missouri holds the largest disparity between white and black students’ suspension rates.

said the public was crucial to reviving the case. On January 14, he said, he made a Sunshine Law request for information about the case. He said he pressured the authorities weekly to look at the case again.

On Wednesday, May 18, the Ethical Society of Police and the Firefighters Institute for Racial Equality (F.I.R.E.) held a press conference to say they are glad Joyce’s office has taken up case.

Heather Taylor, president of the society, said that the rumbling at the police department after the incident was, “This was murder.” Yet, she was disappointed that the department didn’t suspend Stockley after the incident. Stockley resigned on August 13, 2013.

“We are talking about murder,” Taylor said. “We allowed these two officers to remain on the force, yet we have minorities who have been suspended for years for minor infractions.”

FISHING

Continued from A1

fish she caught. Amy Wilsdorf from the Conservation Department held up the wriggling fish while Aniyah puckered up.

However, taking the hook out of the fish’s mouth and throwing it back into the pond at the Bellefontaine Conservation Area was too much for the tiny angler.

Conservation officials were teaching the youth to catch and release the fish. Meanwhile, up the hill, Chris Morrow – a protection supervisor for the St. Louis Region and one of three African-American Conservation officials at the event – had store-bought fish and chips in the fryer.

Some cops were learning to fish, too.

St. Louis County Police Officer Darrin Young, the only black cop at the Ferguson Fishing Fair, landed his first fish (at age 50) on Saturday, May 14.

“I learned fish got to eat too,” Young said. “Put the right

bait on there, and they will bite. We were here five minutes and the fish were jumping on the line.”

The Bellefontaine Conservation Area is located at the southeast corner of the intersection of I-270 and Missouri Route 367. Young, who is delegated to the County PD’s new Police Athletic League unit, said he has been driving past this spot on Route 367 all his life and never knew there was a fishing hole right there.

“I’ll look at this spot a little differently from now on,” he said.

It’s likely the youth, nearly all African-American, will look at police officers differently in the future as well. Except they must have had a difficult time identifying the cops. Many of the Conservation officers were armed and in uniform, but none of the cops were. Young was wearing his Police Athletic League jersey, but the other cops were in sweats and hoodies on this unseasonably chilly, blustery day.

Conservation agent Lexis Riter, who came up with this idea last year, was armed, in

uniform and all smiles.

“I taught him how to fish,” she said of one of the boys at the event. “He caught a fish and gave me a hug. It got me all in the feels.”

She came up with the idea last year in response to “all of the negativity in the area” stirred up by the Ferguson

Police killing of Michael Brown Jr. and subsequent unrest.

“I thought it would be a great opportunity to get kids out in nature and have a good time around law enforcement,” Riter said. “The kids get to see that law enforcement officers are regular people who like to

have a good time and fish.”

Her Conservation colleague Kevin Powell was critical in connecting with the community. Powell had coached wrestling and become friends with Albert Harrold, an African-American science teacher in the FergusonFlorissant School District and founding director of the Strength and Honor Mentoring and Tutoring program.

As a former wrestler, Harrold – who is Aniyah’s father – knows how to gut through a difficult task.

“Society says this is what’s needed, to give our youth opportunities and to improve the community’s relationship with law enforcement,” Harrold said. “As an ex-wrestler, I know there’s no point in talking about it. Just do it.”

Harrold teaches science to high schoolers and knows how to reach that group, but he thinks he can have a deeper impact if he reaches them younger, and so he is working with children in his mentoring and tutoring program.”

“Frederick Douglass said it is easier to build strong boys than to fix broken men,”

Harrold said. “I’d like to increase my odds of actually making a difference.” His children are along for the ride with Dad. His son Adrian pulled fish out of the pond one after another. Adrian shyly admitted that, following his sister’s lead, he also kissed one fish. How was it?

“Nasty.” Morrow, the black Conservation supervisor manning the fryer, was all sweetness and light as he shook up catfish nuggets in a box of batter.

“The goal is to get kids interacting with law enforcement in a positive light,” Morrow said. “A lot of time the community sees police in a reactive matter because they’re reacting to a crime that’s been committed.” He kept shaking batter onto nuggets and frying up catfish as kids, cops and Conservation staff cycled around for second helpings.

“Everybody had a good time today,” Morrow said with a sly smile. “I don’t think anybody felt threatened.”

Amy Wilsdorf of the Missouri Department of Conservation helped Aniyah Rose Harrold kiss a fish she caught at the Bellefontaine Conservation Area during the Ferguson Fishing Fair on May 14.

Photo by Chris King

Young Leader alums gather at Anheuser Busch

On May 12, Anheuser-Busch and The St. Louis American Foundation hosted the second annual Young Leaders Alumni reception. The event, held at Anheuser Busch’s Schoolhouse Museum, marked six years of The St. Louis American Foundation’s Salute to Young Leaders Networking Awards Reception. Each year’s class of awardees, and their guests, were invited to this special reception to network and reconnect.

Photos by Wiley Price

Pam Weston, Kaylan Holloway, Darcella Craven and Lashanda Barnes

Victoria Harris, Megan Banks, Christian Bonner, Alisha Burnett and Jasmine Davis

Kaylan Holloway, Dr. Kay Seals, Julio Suarez, Channie Cotton and Deatra McFarlin

Jimmie Howlett, Dana Townsend, Courtney Hinton and Eric Madkins

Kaylan Holloway, Anheuser-Busch’s Bill Bradley and Rebeccah Bennett

Julio Suarez of Anheuser-Busch and Dr. Dwaun Warmack of Harris-Stowe State University

Rebeccah Bennett, Charli Cooksey, River and Bill Fronczak

Andre Stevens, Antoinette Green and Michael Whitley

‘Serial child molester’ Hastert sentenced to 15 months

I often wonder if there’s something in the Illinois air or water that creates a seemingly endless supply of unethical, entitled and corrupt politicians. From the state house to local city government, the examples are endless.

So it came as no surprise when even the much respected former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert was recently sentenced to 15 months in prison for illegally structuring bank transactions and paying $1.7 million in hush money over a four and a half year period to conceal a perverted history of sexual abuse of boys during his days as a small-town Illinois wrestling coach.

Hastert, one of the longest-serving Republican House speakers, sat in a wheelchair in the courtroom of U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin, who referred to the former speaker as a “serial child molester” after a two-year investigation which revealed that Hastert had improper sexual contact with at least five boys over 16 years as a trusted coach and teacher.

“feels deep regret and remorse for his actions.” Team Hastert even used the typical excuses, alleging that Hastert is too old (74), frail and sick (suffering from a stroke and bloodinfection issues) and that he has already been publicly shamed.

Finally, Hastert’s defense argued that he should be spared because of his public service and contributions to society. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen that card played by defense attorneys over the years for myriad corrupt politicians.

The investigation spoke of sexual encounters between Hastert and boys in locker rooms and motels, with one of his victims describing Hastert as positioning a La-Z-Boytype recliner “in direct view of the shower stalls in the locker room where he sat while the boys showered.”

Yet, despite Hastert’s sick and predatory history, his attorneys had the audacity to ask for probation, based upon their assertion that Hastert

I expect defense attorneys to do their job, but I didn’t expect the prosecutors to cave to the extent of agreeing to a sentencing range of probation to six months in prison (the lowest possible sentence, according to federal guidelines) when the maximum sentence could have been as much as five years. So Hastert, in my opinion, got away with what amounted to a slap on the wrist. In exchange for his admission of guilt, an insincere, obligatory apology and a pitiful acting job, he got away (for now) with lying to the banks, the feds and summarily destroying the lives and psyches of trusting young men who looked to him for guidance.

Hastert violated their trust and no amount of apologizing and hush money can ameliorate that damage. But the good news is that I believe that there is a special place in hell reserved for sexual predators, and it’s called federal prison. Email: jtingram_1960@ yahoo.com; Twitter@ JamesTIngram.

Civic and community leader Thelma V. Cook passes at 77

American staff

Civic and community leader Thelma V. Cook succumbed to cancer May 16, 2016. She was 77.

Cook spent decades in the St. Louis region and elsewhere advocating for broadening educational opportunities and increasing access to cultural institutions. She came to St. Louis from Jefferson City in the mid-1980s to administer the national minority and public affairs programs of The Seven-Up Co. She moved from there to Anheuser-Busch Cos., serving as executive assistant to the vice president of corporate affairs and director of corporate community relations.

She continued her community service upon retirement, most recently serving as a member and immediate past chairman of the Metropolitan Zoological Park and Museum Districts, and was the immediate past chairwoman of the Board of Regents for Harris-Stowe State University.

She was an active member of Second Baptist Church in Jefferson City, having accepted the Lord as her personal Savior at an early age. At Second Baptist she served as a co-director of their youth program and as a deaconess, prior to accepting a position in St. Louis.

She was one of two girls born to the late Leonard R. and Thelma V. Upperman family in Bronx, New York. She graduated from North Carolina Central University with a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology and a minor in psychology, and earned a Master’s of Education degree in guidance and counseling from Lincoln University. Harris-Stowe State University honored her in May 2015 with an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters.

One of her first advocacy efforts occurred while at Oklahoma State University in the 1960s. Her husband, Nathan, was pursuing an advanced degree, and she served as assistant dean of Student Affairs for the University. She found herself mentoring students and helped to mediate discussions between the student body and university administration during turbulent civil rights demonstrations.

and community leader Thelma V. Cook succumbed to cancer May 16, 2016. She was 77.

When her husband secured a teaching position at Lincoln University, she became a counselor and later served as director of Placement and director of University Relations and Development. She established relationships between the university and major corporations to provide students with varied career opportunities. Her ability to forge those connections drew interest from management of Seven-Up, which recruited her to St. Louis. She had a deep interest in performance and visual arts, having studied ballet and African dance as a child. She believed that children, regardless of background or family income, should be exposed to the arts. She sought to ensure that St. Louis-

In memory of Leontine “Tina” Ingrum

Leontine Pulliam was born July 23, 1930 during the Great Depression to Lillian Virginia Pulliam (nee Hill) and James E. Pulliam in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she began her life. She was the oldest of two children. In 1951, she married Clister “Jack” Ingrum, whom she met while attending Howard University, her mother’s alma mater, where she earned her degree. She was fiercely committed to marriage and an intact family; they were married for 64 years.

To this union two children were born Adrienne and Eric. One of her hardest challenges was to relocate to St. Louis, Mo, but she was able to rise above that due to the loving welcome by the Ingrum family: mother-in-law Glossie “Big mother”; sisters –in-law Flossie, Naomi, Bernice and Margaret; brother-in-law Matt, along with their spouses and children.

Tina was known for her amazing gift of hospitality, displayed in her comfortable, immaculate home and later on the boat “Tranquility”. She always had a listening ear

to for everyone, the gift of laughter, good cooking. She provided a strong educational foundation to her children and those students she taught and nurtured in the St. Louis public school system along with those who she came in contact with.

Tina was a devout believer in God; she was a regular church goer, who lived by the principles of Jesus Christ in her life. She participated in many social organizations – The Carats, Prometheans Wives, The Gateway Boat Club and Howard University Alumni.

After being challenged despite a hearing handicap for much of her life, overcoming breast cancer the valiant woman to Alzheimer’s her son and daughter-in-law took care of her to the end.

At her 70th birthday celebration she stated “I feel victorious!” She departed this world on may 5, 2016.

She leaves to cherish her memory her children Adrienne, Eric (Lois), and grandchild Alexander Jacob Ingrum, who was her pride and joy, along with many other loved ones.

area children would experience the arts in various forms and became a board member of the St. Louis Art Museum, Dance St. Louis and the Missouri Arts Council. That concern for exposing area children to the arts can be traced to her experience as a mother to her daughters, Carlene and Erika. Helping to provide others opportunities similar to those she was able to provide for her children was important to her, her family said. She was a member of the board of Girls Inc. of St. Louis, the Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club, the YWCA of St. Louis, Monsanto YMCA and Women of Achievement, and Bennett College for Women in Greensboro, North Carolina. She received two presidential commendations for services to youth from the Department of Education; the first Outstanding Female Executive of the Year from Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; 100 Best and Brightest Black Women for the Year from Ebony Magazine; Induction into the Hall of Fame from the Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs; Outstanding Service Award from the National Alliance of Business; and Women of Achievement of St. Louis, Missouri.

At the time of her death, she was Central Area representative of Links, Inc., a women’s national volunteer organization; local president of the social organization, the Smart Set; and a Diamond Life Member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She is survived by her husband, Nathan, of Jefferson City and St. Louis; daughters, Carlene Cook of St. Louis and Erika Aaron (Carl) of Atlanta; sister, Carolyn Clark (Edwin) of Lexington, KY.; grandsons, Carl Jr. and Christian Aaron of Atlanta; and several nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, great grandnephew, and grand dogs.

The visitation will be Monday May 23, from 9:00 A.M. to 12 Noon at Second Baptist Church, 501 Monroe St., Jefferson City, MO 65101, to be followed immediately by the Home-Going service at 1 P.M.

In memory of Frank H. Williamson

Frank H. Williamson was born March 14, 1923 to the union of Julia Snipes and Dennis B. Williamson in Jackson, Tennessee.

Mr. Williamson graduated from high school joining the U.S. Army. He served in the 1226th Engineer Fire Fighters Platoon in 1943 in World War II, in Normandy France. He received two Bronze Stars, an EAME Theater, American Theater and Good Conduct Ribbons along with the Victory Medal.

After leaving the Army in 1946 Mr. Williamson moved to Chicago, Illinois where he met his wife, Thelma Naomi Hastings, in 1950. They later moved to St. Louis, Missouri and raised four children during their 66 years of holy matrimony: Robin, Frank Jr., Robert Michael and Rebecca were born.

Mr. Williamson was a gifted master carpenter. He worked for the Chrysler and Chevrolet Shell Companies.

Mr. Williamson was also a skilled mechanic where he co-owned a Sinclair Gas station with his brothers in the City of St. Louis.

Before moving his family to the West End of St. Louis,

Mr. Williamson was very active in local politics and the Civil Rights Movement in the late 1950s and 60s, along with William L. Clay.

After retiring Mr. Williamson was elected as State Rep. of the 59th District of the State of Missouri. He served as Committeeman for the 26 Ward for several years and was the chair for the Missouri Democratic Senatorial District 5 in 1997. While in the House he served on three committees: Fees and Salaries, Labor; Public Health and Safety.

Mr. Williamson worked with youth in the community organizing the “Lou Brock Baseball League” in the early 1960s keeping young boys busy with his sons in mind. He recruited youth who he found throwing rocks at windows, telling them to meet him at the baseball diamond in the park that evening. He had three teams playing for several years. Mr. Williamson departed this life on Tuesday, May 10, 2016. His wife Thelma preceded him four months ago to the day January 11, 2016. He was also preceded by his parents and 18 brothers and sisters.

Mr. Williamson was a part of organizing many marches and boycotts against retail businesses and banks for not hiring African Americans. His activities along with others, placed the irst black Congressman in ofice for the 1st District in St. Louis, Mo. (Clay) in 1968. Mr. Williamson served 18 Years as Chief Head Clerk of St. Louis Juvenile Division from 1973 through 1991.

James Ingram

Photo by Wiley Price

Civic

Dogtown mother files

first complaint with Civilian Oversight Board

Dogtown resident Clara Williams-Norise became the first person to file a complaint with St. Louis city’s Civilian Oversight Board on Thursday, May 12.

The seven-member board is responsible for independently reviewing concerns or complaints about the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Police raided her home after suspecting her family of drug dealing

“Although this may be newsworthy and although this may be historic, I must be honest and say that I do not like standing here at all,” Williams-Norise said at a press conference on Tuesday, May 17 held in front of the city municipal court building. “I do not like having to report and complain about people who are here to protect and serve my family and I.”

On May 5, Clara’s 20-yearold daughter, Chassity Norise, was sleeping in their family home in Dogtown. At the press conference, she said she heard a “big boom,” which she later realized was the police breaking down the door or throwing smoke bombs.

“I ran to my closet, thinking someone was trying to break-

in,” she said. “Then I felt bumping from the back side of my closet as if people were running down my basement stairs.”

The smoke alarms went off and she inhaled smoke, so at that point she thought the house was on fire. Chassity ran into the bathroom and then yelled, “I’m in here.” However, she was confused because she expected the fire department to check all the rooms.

“As I announce myself, several officers came towards me yelling at me to get down,” she said. “This is when I realized the men were police officers. I then realized as they got me up and cuffed me that it was the S.W.A.T. team in my home.”

She was wearing a small shirt that barely covered her “behind,” she said, and nothing underneath when police took her outside.

“It was embarrassing,” she said. “I felt violated.”

She asked for a female officer and to be able to put clothes on, but her requests were ignored for about 30 minutes, she said. They provided her with proof of a warrant about 45 minutes after she requested it, she said.

When they finally brought her back into the house, the police told her they were looking for narcotics that were supposedly being sold out of her house.

They questioned her about her brother, but she said her

that they had the wrong house. “My mom is home every morning alone if I’m not here, and she’s the most antagonistic toward things of that nature,” she said.

Early on, they asked for

n “I do not like having to report and complain about people who are here to protect and serve my family and I.”

– Clara Williams-Norise

me after they realized I had warrants was an abuse of authority. I think that forcing me to stand outside naked when I was not a threat was a form of sexual harassment as well as a way to humiliate me.

The officers were very rude and discourteous and denied my requests for proof of a warrant, for an opportunity to put on clothes and to be handled by a female officer.”

Clara said that she and her husband are thinking of moving out of Dogtown because they don’t feel safe anymore.

brother was seldom at home.

“Then they told me that undercover cops had been buying drugs from our house,” she said. “At that moment I knew that they had no reason and no real motive for being here. I know for sure I have a loud and outspoken family, but drug dealing is not something that we condone at all.”

She continued to tell them

Chassity’s name, birthday, and social security information and later brought up her three traffic warrants. They threatened to throw her in jail for her warrants if she didn’t cooperate.

“I think that the way the officers executed the warrant was an excessive use of force,” she said. “I think the way the officers tried to threaten

“You come in my home under false pretenses, you traumatize my daughter, you risk destroying our careers and our reputations. You deny my daughter her rights, and why?” she said.

But she is hopeful that the board will conduct a fair investigation, she said.

“This is the first time in St. Louis’ history where people like me, who have become the victims of excessive use of force and racial profiling have

Chassity Norise says the city police used excessive force when the S.W.A.T. team raided her home for no reason on May 5. She is lanked by her mother, Clara WilliamsNorise, who iled a complaint with the city’s newly formed Civilian Oversight Board, and local activists.

a safe place to turn,” Clara said.

Two organizations –Missourians Organizing for Reform and Empowerment (MORE) and the Coalition Against Police Crimes and Repression – held the press conference.

“This first case is the next major step in determining if this civilian oversight project gets off on the right or the wrong footing,” the two groups said in a statement. “The issues it raises are fundamental—the handling of warrants, respect for the dignity of those caught up in police operations, the over-use of no-knock tactics, and the militarization of police through the use of SWAT teams for routine drug investigations.”

The groups also urged the community to stay engaged and involved. One opportunity is to attend the board’s open house on Wednesday, May 25, at 1520 Market St., Room 4029, from 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Housing, racism and unrest

In my book “Ferguson is America: Roots of Rebellion,” I talk about the racist policies, laws and practices that concentrate poverty in the region. Where citizens are steered to live and work is a critical component of this reality.

One of the most powerful photos I’ve come across since writing the book is contained in the report by Richard Rothstein. It’s a 1916 propaganda piece with a photo of the 4300 block of West Bell Place which was part of a ballot initiative to preserve white neighborhoods. It was sponsored in part by the city’s real estate association. The campaign literature came with an ominous warning: “LOOK at these homes NOW! An entire blocked ruined by negro invasion. Every house marked ‘X’ now occupied by negroes. SAVE YOUR HOME! VOTE FOR SEGREGATION!” The ballot initiative passed.

What I underscore in my book is that housing patterns and housing discrimination in this region are not some serendipitous, disconnected plan. From the 1916 ballot initiative to the first “Negro removal” plan of Mill Creek to the failed PruittIgoe public housing project to the Team Four scheme, city planners (in cahoots with other stakeholders) have worked tirelessly for decades to contain black and poor people. The intentional disinvestment and planned abandonment of entire sections of neighborhoods has had devastating consequences. These racist patterns and their impact are no secret. There have been others

who have documented this phenomenon in much greater detail that I was able to do in “Ferguson is America.” These insights are included in books like Colin Gordon‘s “Mapping Decline” and Tracy Campbell’s “The Gateway Arch.” The failed housing policies have also been lifted up in reports like “Forward through Ferguson: A Path Toward Racial Equity,” and “Architecture of Segregation: Civil Unrest, the Concentration of Poverty, and Public Policy” by Paul Jargowsky, a fellow at The Century Foundation. The vitality of a city’s neighborhoods are based upon viable schools, strong businesses, a good racial and economic mix of home owners, and adequate delivery of city and social services, among other factors.

We are almost two years out from the Ferguson Uprising in which housing concentrations by race and economics has been cited as a contributing factor. Yet there has been no serious examination by elected officials in the region to address the issue with a new and different lens that reflect a basic understanding of the seriousness of the problem. The long and treacherous history of racism in housing is no secret. The good news is that we are in a couple of overlapping election cycles. Over the next year we will be electing state representatives and a new mayor for St. Louis. The issue of an equitable community development plan must be put to candidates. Any elected official wanting to hold public office must understand that in a post-Ferguson world, citizens are demanding a new vision for the region that includes racial and economic equity and, as a starter, guarantees citizens their fundamental right to a job with a liveable wage, decent housing, exemplary schools and public safety.

Photo by Wiley Price

Columnist Jamala Rogers

Bill passes allowing some criminal records to be sealed

American staff

Some previously convicted individuals are one step closer to having their criminal records sealed after completion of a sentence thanks to legislation drafted by the Missouri Bar Association that the Missouri Legislature passed on May 11.

The measure, SB 588, passed the House by a vote of 143-12 and the Senate voted 25-7 in favor, sending the bill to the governor for consideration. Supporters of the bill believe it will help reformed criminals get jobs.

“This bill works to improve the lives of Missouri citizens by helping those who’ve made mistakes get back on track,” said Erik Bergmanis of Camdenton, 2015-16 president of The Missouri Bar.

“It does so by allowing those previously convicted of nonviolent, low-level offenses to petition a judge to seal their criminal record in order to aid them in seeking and obtaining employment.”

A judge can grant a petition to seal the individual’s criminal records if the prosecutor does not object within 30 days, and the petitioner has an eligible offense, has not been found guilty of another offense, has no pending charges and has met all the conditions of his or her sentence.

Under the measure, a criminal record will be sealed

The measure protects public safety by ensuring the prosecutor is notified when petitions to seal criminal records are filed.

seven years after a felony conviction and three years after a misdemeanor offense, reducing the amount of time someone has to wait to petition from 20 years for felonies and 10 years for a misdemeanor.

The measure protects public safety by ensuring the prosecutor is notified when petitions to seal criminal records are filed. Additionally, it is only available to those convicted of nonviolent, lowlevel offenses who have not

reoffended. For example, some felonies, including Class A or dangerous felonies, registered sex offenders, offenses involving a death, felony assault, domestic assault and kidnapping, cannot be sealed under the change.

The measure was proposed by prosecutors, public defenders and the defense bar and was drafted by the state bar’s Criminal Law Drafting Subcommittee.

By Melanie Adams

Wanted: your high school memories

Teens Make History students making video oral histories

May 21 and 28

“It was the best of times; It was the worst of times.”

These opening lines to Charles’ Dicken’s A Tale of Two Cities could easily describe the high school experience. Some people loved high school and really found their niche, while others struggled every day going to place where they felt misunderstood or even worse, invisible. I would contend that neither of these descriptions fully define the completeness of the high school experience, but instead describe moments in time. The Missouri History Museum’s Teens Make History students are asking people to record their memories of high school on Saturday, May 21 and May 28 from 1-4 p.m. These video oral histories will be stored in the museum’s archives.

This request for stories of high school years prompted me to reach out to the Missouri History Museum staff and ask them for their memories of high school. Staff members shared stories of national events and theater mishaps. Below are just a few of these stories.

Sumner High School’s 1921 graduation. The Teens Make History Exhibitors are recording video oral histories of local high school experiences for the Missouri History Museum’s collection.

the story and so it ended abruptly, leaving the audience totally confused and the cast completely embarrassed.

High School Memory Sharing

Saturday, May 21 and May 28, 1-4 p.m.

Museum’s Lower Level

What was high school like for you? Share one of your high school memories with the Teens Make History Exhibitors in a video oral history interview for the Museum’s collection. Free, but 15-minute appointments must be made in advance via this link: http:// mohistory.org/hs-memorysharing. Walk-ups are welcome if you are unable to make an appointment.

My favorite high school memory was marching in the Macy’s Day Thanksgiving Day parade my senior year. We had to get up at 4 a.m. and get to New York by 6 a.m. to practice in front of the bandstand. After that we had breakfast at a nearby at hotel and lined up at 8 a.m. to begin the parade. I remember being happy it was not cold and praying I did not drop my baton on national television. Aside from the horrendous ‘80s hair, it was a great day and one I will always remember.

As a junior I had a part in a really bad high school play entitled The Frankensteins are Back in Town. It was terribly corny, but the whole thing became an even bigger disaster when one of the main actors delivered a series of lines which were meant to be in the final scene and cue the big final dance number. The cast was completely thrown off and the drama teacher in desperation ordered that we proceed with the final scene. This cut out most of the middle of

I attended Riverview Gardens High school from 1969-1972, my sophomore through senior years. The girls’ dress code did not allow for anything but dresses and skirts. In 1971 we decided to have a “sit-in” in protest of the dress code which barred girls from wearing pants or shorts. We gathered in one of the building’s common areas and when the bell rang to head to first period, everyone sat down, staying seated when the bell rang again for first period to begin. Our sit-in was not like other more epic sit-ins, but to us it was important. When we returned in the fall of 1971, the dress code had been amended to allow girls to wear pants and shorts. I think my most memorable high school experience was the day President Kennedy was shot. I was in my Sophomore English class when over the intercom our principal very calmly and softly said “President Kennedy has been shot. Please leave school very quietly and go home.” The most amazing thing to me was that in a school of 2,400 students we all walked out and hardly spoke a word to each other.

I took a Home Economics class as a prerequisite, not really thinking I would enjoy it. However, getting my hands into the fabric and constructing my first piece of clothing that I could actually wear, this gave me a desire to start sewing. I was so inspired that during my senior year I sewed and designed my senior assembly dress and graduation attire. I still enjoy creating and sewing today.

I went to Parkway North High School in the late 1970s when my school was just a few years old. It was an odd design which totally reflected the times. The design was just a series of open sections and partitions, no real walls, “open and free.” Because of this design, the building had a terrible leaking problem that couldn’t be solved. The Social Studies Department was tired of the problem and feeling unheard, so they protested by roping off a section of a classroom and growing grass from seedlings that only received water from the leaking roof/ceiling.

WEEK 18

ONE SMALL CHANGE is an ongoing series that challenges us to take very small steps toward being more environmentally-friendly. If we all participate then ONE SMALL CHANGE can make a big difference! participate, then ONE SMALL CHANGE can make a big difference!

GET JUNK OUT OF YOUR TRUNK

As we all know, gas is getting more and more expensive. Every summer we watch the prices climb right at the time we drive the most. In the long run we need to completely cut out our use of fossil fuels, but in the meantime we can make one small change to make our vehicles as energy efficient as possible.

One way to help, even if it seems small, is to clean out any unnecessary items from the car. All of that weight slows down the car and burns even more gas: for every 100 pounds removed from a car, the fuel economy is increased by 1-2 percent! That percentage is even higher for smaller cars and saves you at least $0.50 per gas station trip. That might sound like a tiny amount but over a year the average American will save around 10 gallons of gasoline by making this one small change.

Leaving the dregs behind

St. Louis water quality

Share your history

By Denise HooksAnderson,M.D.

Of The St. Louis American

On every new patient intake form, whether electronic or paper, past medical history and family medical history sections exist. This portion of the document seeks to obtain all types of important data, which may or may not impact the patient’s health. Having advanced notice of family history of diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, cancers and autoimmune diseases, for example, can help providers more accurately and efficiently interpret symptoms and laboratory abnormalities. However, minority families lag far behind in providing such critical health history. I liken this type of behavior to the patient’s reluctance in revealing remote histories of sexual abuse. I have patients that I have seen for years, yet they never shared with me their painful past experiences. Some of these patients have been holding on to such horrific memories for decades.

n My own personal journey with lupus illustrates what a lack of family history can do in affecting how a patient is treated or not treated in my case.

By Sandra Jordan

Of The St. Louis American

Located south of the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, St. Louis’ water treatment facility on Riverview Road, processes 240 million gallons of river water each day. Combined with 120 million gallons of water processed at a second site located west of the city, the Water Division handles more than 360 million gallons of water daily.

St. Louis has a reputation for clean and great tasting tap water, and one reason may be that has good water sources to begin with, said Director of Public Utilities Curtis Skouby.

n “It’s just a good source of water.”

– Curtis Skouby, director of Public Utilities City of St. Louis Water Division

“Even though this plant is on the Mississippi River and draws from it as a source, it still treats primarily Missouri River water, because the two rivers haven’t fully mixed by the time it goes back by the plant here,” Skouby said. “There’s a lot of sediment in it, but there’s probably less trace of contaminants in there, because you don’t have Chicago’s discharge coming down the Illinois River.”

He said the Mississippi and Missouri are clean rivers.

“It doesn’t have a lot of organics like maybe some parts of Florida, for example, that they have a lot of plant life in the waterway and stuff, so it can impart a taste or odor,” Skouby explained. “Sometimes, well water can have the iron or sulfa or rotten egg taste. It’s just a good source of water.”

Skouby oversees more than 300 employees at two treatment facilities. Murky river water goes through a rigorous filtering, softening, clarifying and treatment process that takes from three to seven days before it is flows through the finished water pumping station to customers.

“It flows from one basin to another and these basins, you are having the solids drop out and having contact time for the disinfectant to kill the harmful microbes,” Skouby said. At the intake site, there are six gigantic

settling basins where residual sediment falls to the bottom and the water stays at the top. The process is helped along chemically by ferric sulfate, which attracts sediment molecules.

“It’s an iron compound that has a positive electrical charge. The turbidity in the water, which is usually clay material – they have a negative charge. So like a magnet, the charges attract each other and allows the clay particles to form a heavy enough particle to fall out,” Skouby explained.

Your Health Matters is provided in partnership with

These same patients are also the ones who often suffer from chronic headaches, pain and struggle with interrupted sleep. Lacking all of the vital history essentially handicaps the provider and causes him or her to venture down multiple diagnostic paths when the cause of the problem is related to that past abuse.

Although, I am embarrassed to admit it, I am certain that I have contributed to healthcare waste by ordering unnecessary tests and procedures when I could not readily determine the cause of the patient’s myriad of symptoms. With appropriate history, that type of behavior could be curtailed. And I am certain that I am not the only physician for which this is true.

For instance, in honor of Lupus Awareness Month, let’s use this imposter disease as an example.

My own personal journey with lupus illustrates what a lack of family history can do in affecting how a patient is treated or not treated in my case.

Early in college, I noticed a reoccurring rash for which I was diagnosed as having eczema. I was prescribed a steroid cream, which seemed to help control the symptoms, but the rash and scarring never completely resolved. However, I was young and fairly

Denise HooksAnderson, MD

St. Louis Public Utilities Director Curtis Skouby said more than 360 gallons of river water is treated and processed into clean drinking water at the city’s two treatment facilities each day.

Photo by Wiley Price

Director of Public Utilities Curtis Skouby of the City of Saint Louis Water Division describes the process that converts murky river water into clean drinking water to St. Louis American reporter Sandra Jordan.

Videogame addiction linked to ADHD

Indicates an escape from ADHD and psychiatric disorder

“Video game addiction is more prevalent among younger men, and among those not in a current relationship, than others,” said, Dr. Cecilie Schou Andreassen, clinical psychologist specialist at Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen (UiB).

Schou Andreassen has carried out a study with more than 20 000 participants who answered questions related to videogame addiction. The study is published in the journal Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, of the American Psychological Association.

Escape from psychiatric disorders

The study showed that video game addiction appears to be associated with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and depression.

“Excessively engaging in gaming may function as an escape mechanism for, or coping with, underlying psychiatric disorders in attempt to alleviate unpleasant feelings, and to calm restless bodies,” Andreassen said.

According to Andreassen, the study shows some clear tendencies as to which people develop addictive use of social media.

“The study implies that younger with some of these characteristics could be targeted regarding preventing development of an unhealthy gaming pattern.”

Gender difference in addiction

The study also showed that addiction related to videogames and computer activities shows gender differences.

“Men seem generally more likely to become addicted to online gaming, gambling, and cyberpornography, while women to social media, texting, and online shopping,” Schou Andreassen said.

Seven Warning Signs

The study uses seven criteria to identify video game addiction (developed by Lemmens et al., 2009), where gaming experiences in the last six months are

scored on a scale from Never to Very often:

• You think about playing a game all day long

• You spend increasing amounts of time on games

• You play games to forget about real life

• Others have unsuccessfully tried to reduce your game use

• You feel bad when you are unable to play

• You have fights with others (e.g., family, friends) over your time spent on games

• You neglect other important activities (e.g., school, work, sports) to play games

Scoring high on at least four of the seven items may suggest that an addiction to video gaming associated with impaired health, work, school and/or social relations.

“However, most people have a relaxed relationship to video games and fairly good control,” Schou Andreassen reminded.

DOCTOR

Continued from A14

healthy. I exercised regularly, had normal blood pressure and to my doctor at the time, no further investigation or treatment was necessary.

WATER

Continued from A14

Manmade polymers aid in the coagulation process. The water becomes clearer as it moves through each basin.

Lime from Ste. Genevieve, Mo. is used as a water-softening agent, Skouby said, to elevate the pH and remove hardness from the water and makes a big difference on the other side of the tap.

“We soften the water, which does a couple of things. It removes excess calcium from the water; it helps with needing less soap in the water when you do your laundry or do your

What I lacked at that time was a thorough paternal history. After some considerable probing into my father’s background, I uncovered that several of his siblings had rheumatoid arthritis and I had a cousin who had died from lupus. If that significant history

dishes,” he described. “But it also helps out in the end for like corrosivity of the water, so that our water is a ‘depositing’ water. It deposits scale minerals on the inside of the pipe and actually forms a barrier between the water and the pipe wall.”

Skouby added the softening process is one reason why St. Louis would not have a water contamination tragedy like the one in Flint Michigan. “It helps prevent rust, it helps prevent corrosion of any lead service line the homeowner might own,” Skouby said. “That’s one difference that we do have than Flint, Michigan.” There are also layers of monitoring to make adjust-

A recent study showed that video game addiction appears to be associated with attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder, obsessivecompulsive disorder, and depression.

Home visits for patients with diabetes, hypertension

Mid-America Transplant Foundation awarded a $75,000 grant to Casa de Salud to fund a program that sends case managers, nurses, and dietitians to the homes of patients throughout the St. Louis metro area that are suffering from diabetes and/or hypertension.

Initial funding by MTF last year launched the program and the continued partnership.

Jorge Riopedre, president of Casa de Salud, said, “With so many patients diagnosed with diabetes and hypertension, not to mention those who are at elevated risk for these diseases, this program is an essential component of our overall wraparound services, especially since it eliminates severe barriers to access, like transportation.”

Last year, enrolled patients on average lost over seven pounds and dropped their A1c levels by more than two points. A1c is a key indicator

had been available, my obstetrician back in 1999 would have known the cause of my abnormal blood tests during pregnancy. But because she was unaware of my family history, lupus testing was not done at that time. So instead of being diagnosed with lupus in 1990 when I first showed

ments as needed and would indicate if there is a potential problem. The system can shut down sections that need maintenance without disturbing the rest of the treatment process.

Chlorine and ammonia is added to kill germs and contaminants.

“And then, we chlorinate the water to disinfect it. It isn’t sterile water, but we remove the disease-causing microbes,” Skouby explained. “And then, we add carbon to the water –powder activated carbon that absorbs many of the taste and odors that may be objectionable in the river.

“We also feed it for atrazine; that is an herbicide that farmers apply in the spring. It

signs of the skin manifestations of the disease in college, I was not diagnosed until 11 years later!

Systemic Lupus

of blood sugar levels, and each point dropped represents a 40 percent reduction in the risk of developing eye, nerve and kidney disease, according to data compiled by Advocate Health Care.

“The foundation is especially interested in supporting programs that have the potential to decrease the need for a possible organ transplant,” stated Kevin Lee, executive director, MTF. “By partnering with Casa de Salud, the foundation is supporting an innovative program which strives to improve people’s quality of life while decreasing the potential need for a kidney transplant through proactive management.”

Plans call for enrolling 50 patients, each receiving three home visits, with follow up phone calls between.

Erythematosus is an autoimmune disease where the body attacks itself. Every system of the body can be affected, including cardiovascular, respiratory, and renal. So you can see why doctors could be sent on a wild diagnostic extravaganza if crucial pieces of history were missing.

is one chemical that we see in quantities high enough that we measure, and then the carbon removes it from the water so that we stay in compliance with it.”

The water is also fluoridated to help prevent tooth decay.

Even if you live outside the city limits of St. Louis, some of your water may come from city, as it sells its excess capacity water to nearby localities.

Along with new and revisited regulations, Skouby said replacing aging infrastructure is an industry-wide issue.

“The pipes can be over a hundred years old, so when you do the investment, it’s for multiple lifespans. So we are benefitting from probably

The takeaway message is simple: past medical history, including family medical history is important! Precious

what our grandparents and great-grandparents paid for to install,” Skouby explained.

“As we move forward in years, you’ll have more pipes to replace and renovations at the plants that need to be done. It’s not cheap and it’s a disruption to the customers.”

The City of St. Louis won a taste-testing contest a few years ago with the US Conference of Mayors and earned a new accolade this year.

“Across the country we are No. 1 – best tasting water,” Skouby said. “Here recently this year, we won a competition of the Missouri section of American Water Works Association … it’s the first ever that they did this taste

resources and time are wasted when such information is withheld.

Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D. is assistant professor at SLUCare Family Medicine. Contact her at yourhealth matters@stlamerican.com

contest and we won that and we are quite happy.”

Regarding St. Louis’ urban legend that Anheuser Busch located here because of the good water in St. Louis, or that St. Louis has good water because of AB – who knows for certain?

The St. Louis Water Division became a publicly owned and operated water treatment facility in 1835 and the brewery that became Anheuser-Busch, now (AB InBev) began in 1852. “Well, it’s a very high quality water we have and its’ relatively free of taste and odor,” Skouby added. “It’s unlike many parts of the country, we’re very fortunate that we have that.”

Vicki Moran, RN, visits Carmen Pintor in her home.

Business

Free career program training at SLCC

Courses range

from truck driver to aircraft mechanic to patient care

American staff

St. Louis Community College offers free training programs in a wide variety of occupations – from truck driver to aircraft mechanic to patient care to electronics installation – in courses starting as soon as next week and as distant as October. Here are a few with links to learn more.

Commercial Truck Driving (next starts are May 23 and June 27). Five weeks of noncredit training prepares individuals to enter the commercial driving industry as an overthe-road truck driver. Visit http://STLCC.edu/ TruckDriving or call Diane Devine at 314-6449221.

Business Office Administrative Training (next starts June 6). Ten weeks of non-credit training prepares individuals with the practical skills necessary to compete in today’s workforce. Visit http://STLCC.edu/MET or contact Karin Fowler 314-746-0872 or kfowler@stlcc.edu.

Logistics, Warehouse & Distribution

Specialist (next starts June 6). Five weeks of non-credit training prepares individuals for frontline material handling and distribution positions across the supply chain-factory, warehousing, distribution, and transportation. Visit http:// STLCC.edu/logistics or call Diane Devine 314644-9221.

Customer Service Institute (next starts June 20). Eight weeks of non-credit training prepares individuals with training and certifications necessary to thrive in the customer service industry. Visit http://STLCC.edu/ MET or contact Loris Williams at 314-7460800 or lwilliams345@stlcc.edu.

Boeing Pre-Employment Training Assembly Mechanic (next starts July 25). Four weeks of non-credit training prepares individuals for aircraft assembly techniques focused on composites fabrication, assembly and repair. Visit http://STLCC.edu/boeing or contact Kelli Milos at 314-513-4811.

Boeing Pre-Employment Training Assembly Mechanic (next starts August 1). Ten weeks of non-credit training prepares individuals for an interview as an assembly mechanic position with Boeing. Some completers also obtained jobs with other aerospace companies. Visit http:// STLCC.edu/boeing or contact Kelli Milos at 314-513-4811.

Community Health Worker (next starts September). Non-credit training combining 108 classroom hours with 60 service learning hours prepares individuals to become trusted community members who assists individuals and communities to adopt healthy behaviors. Visit

programs in tandem with Boeing.

n Ten weeks of free, non-credit training prepares individuals for an interview as an assembly mechanic position with Boeing.

http://STLCC.edu/CHW or call Kevin Talbot at 314-539-5722.

Patient Care Technician (next starts September 19). Eight weeks of non-credit training prepares individuals for entry-level positions as patent care technicians in local hospitals. http://STLCC.edu/PCT or call Kevin Talbot at 314-539-5722.

Avionics, or Aviation Electronics (next

starts October 3). Nine weeks of non-credit training prepares individuals to assemble, install and maintain electronic systems for aircraft and satellites. Visit http://www.stlcc. edu/Workforce-Solutions/MRTDL/MRTDLPrograms.html or call Diane Devine 314-6449221.

The college also offers a number of feebased accelerated training programs. These include: Life Science Laboratory Assistant, IT Help Desk/End-User Support, Precision Machining Technology, Central Sterile Processing Technician, Nurse Assistant for Nursing Homes, Pharmacy Technician and Phlebotomy. Visit http://www.stlcc.edu/ Workforce-Solutions/Accelerated-Job-Training/ Index.html. Call the accelerated training hotline at 314-539-5310 or email Lesley Abram at labram@stlcc.edu.

Google bans payday and other predatory loan ads

By Charlene Crowell Columnist

For more than a decade, broad-based coalitions at both the state and federal levels have united consumer advocates, labor, clergy, civil rights champions and others in calling for an end to predatory lending. Although 16 states and the District of Columbia effectively ban payday lending, the majority of the nation is still subject to triple-digit interest rates applied to debt trap lending. Even in states that have interest-rate caps on payday loans, the small-dollar loan industry has tried a series of legislative maneuvers, or even attempts at voter updates through ballot initiatives to overturn laws. In other cases, lenders have moved to longer-term versions of

Charlene Crowell

the typical two-week payday loan as yet another financial vulture preying upon working class citizens.

This week a global corporate giant took decisive action against payday lenders and others that charge tripledigit interest rates. Google, the Internet’s leading search engine, announced that effective July 1 it will ban ads for payday loans and other loan products that require full repayment within 60 days. In the United States, Google will also ban ads for loans with an annual percentage rate of 36 percent or higher.

n Google, the Internet’s leading search engine, announced that effective July 1 it will ban ads for payday loans and other loan products that require full repayment within 60 days.

“This change is designed to protect our users from deceptive or harmful financial products,” noted Google in its corporate blog. David Graff, Google’s director of Global Product Policy went a step further adding,

Ronnie L. White II joined Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C. in its St. Louis office as an associate in the Litigation Practice Group with experience handling complex commercial litigation matters for businesses of all sizes. He received a J.D. from Florida Coastal School of Law in 2014 and is active with the Mound City Bar Association as its law student mentorship chair.

Andréa Purnell joined St. Louis ArtWorks as program manager. She oversees the operations of its arts apprenticeship programs for teens. She works with staff, teaching artists and partner organizations to develop and implement programming to prepare teen apprentices for post-secondary education and employment opportunities. She is an actress, writer, director, and stage manager.

Michael McMillan and the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis received the Community Advocate of the Year Award from the City of St. Louis Community Development Administration, the Unbreakable Vision Award from Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., and the Top 100 People to Know from St. Louis Small Business Monthly

Brittney (Banks) Lovett was selected for the Spring 2016 class of the FOCUS St. Louis Emerging Leaders Program. This program offers a selected group of young and talented adults the opportunity to receive training to develop leadership and management skills. is currently in a recruitment role in the Scientific and Healthcare Division at Aerotek Staffing and Recruiting Organization.

Michael C. Burns received the Open Doors Award from the Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing and Opportunity Council. He is the manager of Housing at St. Patrick Center and the owner of Credit Analysis and Retrieval Services, a tenant selection and background screening agency for property owners, employers and volunteer management organizations.

Tawanda Story published the book “Show Up Empty,” a guide to help others identify all of their gifts and talents while sharing personal mountain top and valley experiences. She is a geriatric nurse, senior advocate and entrepreneur. For more information, email showupempty@gmail.com or visit www.showupempty.com.

the move? Congratulations! Send your good professional news and a color headshot to cking@stlamerican. com

Ronnie L. White II

Michael McMillan

Brittney (Banks) Lovett

Michael C. Burns

Andrea Purnell

Tawanda Story

Photo by Richard Schumacher

St. Louis Community College offers two free Pre-Employment Training Assembly Mechanic

By Nathaniel Sillin

Today, our standard workday isn’t so standard anymore and we’re talking more about “gigs” – alternative work arrangements that often depend on the latest technology and a desire to set one’s own schedule and pay. However, the question is whether everyone plans for the reality of the work or the impact self-employment in any form can have on his or her long-term finances.

Gig workers – a broad spectrum that includes temporary help agency workers, on-call employees, contract company workers, independent contractors and freelancers – were measured as a startling and growing economic force in a March study by Harvard and Princeton researchers (https://krueger.princeton. edu/sites/default/files/ akrueger/files/katz_krueger_ cws_-_march_29_20165.

pdf). According to their measurements, this diverse group of earners that made up 10.1 percent of the workforce in February 2005 has grown to nearly 16 percent as of late 2015.

Anyone thinking about going into business in place of or in addition to their day job should consider a planning period with the help of a qualified financial or tax expert. Major issues to cover include:

GOOGLE

continued from page B1

“We have an extensive set of policies to keep bad ads out of our systems, and we take these policies very seriously. In particular, financial services is an area we look at very closely because we want to protect users from deceptive or harmful products.”

What Google termed a “policy change” triggered a jubilant refrain from academicians, civil rights and consumer advocates.

Personal Finance

Should you join the gig economy?

Consider qualified tax and financial advice. Switching to gig work – even if you find lucrative contract work in your field – can be an enormous shock to your finances. Cash flow can be irregular, disrupting budgets and longterm savings. It’s a good idea to get some qualified financial and tax advice so you understand the changes you might face and to keep major financial goals like retirement and college savings on track.

Setting up a business structure: While most gig economy participants settle on a sole proprietorship or some form of limited liability company (LLC) business structure, (https://www.sba. gov/starting-business/chooseyour-business-structure) the choice needs to be carefully considered based on your particular business activity, overall tax situation and other financial factors unique to you. This is probably one of the most important reasons to seek out qualified tax, legal or financial expertise – the level of personal or property risk inherent in your choice might call for a structure that offers additional protection against lawsuits or insurance claims.

Think carefully about your benefits… Unless you fit a particular group exempt (https://www.healthcare.gov/ health-coverage-exemptions/ exemptions-from-the-fee/)

From their collective views, the decision was a pivotal breakthrough in the fight for financial justice for all.

“Banning predatory payday loan ads shows that Google is willing to put people before profits,” said Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.

“This new policy addresses many of the long-standing concerns shared by the entire civil rights community about predatory payday lending… This ban puts payday loans in their rightful place alongside

from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or are insured by a spouse or partner, you’ll have to invest in healthcare insurance for yourself or consider the cost of being uninsured. This is a particularly important expense to plan in advance based on your health needs and the type of affordable coverage that’s available. Get referrals on qualified health insurance

explosives and tobacco as dangerous products that deserve the highest level of scrutiny from regulators and businesses alike.”

“Unscrupulous payday lenders prey on the most vulnerable, including millions in communities of color in neighborhoods across America,” noted Janet Murguia, president and CEO of the National Council of La Raza.

“This is a terrific example of how civil rights organizations and tech companies can come together to help protect the rights of all Americans online.”

agents to get a full range of choices. And most of all, make a plan to keep saving and investing your money for long-term goals. Walking away from a weekly check can make that process tougher – talk about it and plan for it. Track your spending and planning carefully. If you don’t budget or track your expenses now, it’s time to start.

“The Internet should not be a place that profits from your weaknesses,” said Alvaro Bedoya, executive director of the Center on Privacy & Technology at Georgetown Law. “If you’re broke and search the Internet for help, you should not be hit with ads for payday lenders charging 1,000 percent interest... For payday lenders, targeting the vulnerable is not an accident – it’s a business strategy. Today, the world’s most valuable company is saying: ‘We want no part in this.’”

Each year, over $3.4 billion in excessive fees are drained from the pockets of payday borrowers, according to the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL). Over 75 percent of these fees are

Being in business entitles you to certain deductions for home office expenses, equipment and other costs related to your work. So whether you use a specific software program or a computer spreadsheet or paper and pen to track your expenses, do so regularly to avoid missing items that could eventually save you money.

If you’re working with a tax professional or financial

n “Financial services is an area we look at very closely because we want to protect users from deceptive or harmful products.”

– David Graff, Google’s director of Global Product Policy

generated by borrowers trapped in 10 or more loans a year.

Other CRL research findings show that nearly one in four payday borrowers rely on retirement or public assistance as a means of income; the national average APR for payday loans is 364 percent, and often rates are much

planner, coordinate this recordkeeping with the work they’re doing for you. Also keep a constant discussion going about saving for the future, including retirement. Make sure you’re really right for this. With proper planning, the gig economy can be both enjoyable and challenging. You’ll not only learn whether you can support yourself, but also whether you’ll enjoy doing it longterm. Many of us dream of being our own boss, but reality can be very different, particularly when managing uneven earnings and cash flow common to many new companies. It’s not just about business; it’s about whether your lifestyle and personality traits (https://hbr. org/2010/02/should-you-bean-entrepreneur) make you right for operating a business in this economy – or any economy.

Bottom line: Plenty of people find themselves dealing either by choice or necessity with the brave new world of “gig” work. It’s important to approach it as a financial and lifestyle decision on par with starting a business.

Nathaniel Sillin directs Visa’s financial education programs. To follow Practical Money Skills on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ PracticalMoney.

higher; and payday borrowers are more likely to become delinquent on other bills, delay medical care, and, in the worst scenarios, file for bankruptcy.

“I think this action is as unprecedented as it is significant,” said Keith Corbett, a CRL executive vice president. “By removing ads that lure financially-strapped consumers into unaffordable, long-term and costly debt traps, Google is displaying what corporate citizenship looks like. CRL’s hope is that others will soon follow suit.”

Charlene Crowell is a communications manager with the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at Charlene.crowell@ responsiblelending.org.

n “Draymond is a rare breed in this day and age. He’s a competitor and he’s not afraid to show he’s a competitor.”

– Kobe Bryant, on Golden State’s Draymond Green

Track and Field noTebook

With Earl Austin Jr.

‘Playoff warrior’ Joel Ward seeks cup with sharks

~ See ‘Sports Eye’ page B4 ~

Cahokia defends title

Class 3A Metro East programs compete at Collinsville

The Cahokia Comanches will try to defend their Illinois Class 2A title at this week’s state track and field state championships in Charleston on the campus of Eastern Illinois University. The preliminary races will be held on Friday with the championship races set for Saturday afternoon.

n The top area individual competing in this weekend’s IHSA Class 3A state meet will be senior LaJarvia Brown of Alton.

The Comanches geared up for their state run by winning the Mascoutah Sectional championship last week. Cahokia was led by its dynamic duo of Mariya Hudson and Raynesha Lewis. Hudson won sectional championships in the 100-, 200- and 400meter dashes. Lewis finished first in the long jump, 100-meter high hurdles and second in the triple jump and fourth in the high jump. Cahokia also qualified its firstplace 4x100-, 4x200 and 4x400-meter relays teams, Takyra Buford and Jayla Crosby in the 300-meter low hurdles and LaQwasia Stepney in the 100-meter high hurdles. The top area individual competing in this weekend’s IHSA Class 3A state meet will be senior LaJarvia Brown of Alton. Brown won four individual events at last weekend’s Rock Island Sectional. Brown finished first in the long jump, triple jump, 100-meter high hurdles and 300-meter low hurdles. Brown is the defending state champion and state record holder in the triple jump. East St. Louis won the team sectional championship at Rock

See TRACK, B5

LeBron, Cavs put NBA on notice

to 9-0 start to the playoffs

The NBA’s Western Conference Playoffs have been like a Game of Thrones episode. No matter how ironclad the claim to the throne, fans out West know that their team could face a grizzly playoff death in any given series. Meanwhile, much less attention has been paid to the Eastern Conference and rightfully so. After all, it has been apparent for quite some time that it would be another coronation for LeBron James, the King of the East, and his Cleveland Cavaliers. Though they have always been the heavy favorite, we still must give credit to the Cavaliers team for its remarkable 9-0 start to the playoffs. The Cavs look like the Harlem Globetrotters versus the Detroit, Atlanta and Toronto

Ishmael H. Sistrunk

Generals. While sweeps of the Pistons and Hawks were no surprise, it was an eye opener when the Cavs broke the NBA record for most three-pointers in a game. The Cavs’ hot start put the Thunder and Warriors on notice that whoever wins the war out West will have a formidable opponent awaiting in the Finals. The Cavaliers embarrassed the Toronto Raptors in a 115-84 blowout in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Yes, it was the same Raptors team that finished just one game behind the Cavs in the regular season standings. They took a step forward this season as Kyle Lowry and Demar DeRozan blossomed together and are finally living up to lofty expectations up north. Still, the truth of the matter is that the Raptors

So how much stock should we put into the Cavs monster victory and the series shellacking that will likely follow? That’s the magic question. The

last season’s Atlanta Hawks, who came out of seemingly nowhere to become a major player in the East. Like the Hawks though, the Raptors have not reached true contend-

er status. Regardless of how many albums ‘Views’ sells, the Raptors will be viewing the

team is not elite. It’s not built for a championship. The team resembles Drake, its biggest celebrity fan, very talented, but not all that tough. The Raptors remind me of See CLUTCH, B5

Earl Austin Jr.

Photo by Wiley Price

Cara Johnson from MICDS won the 100-meter dash with a winning time of 12.51 as Clayton’s Karrington Green (left) inished second at 13.120 and Joanna Adams from McClure third at 13.25 during the Missouri

championships at Ladue High on Saturday.

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

‘Playoff warrior’ Joel Ward seeks cup with Sharks

As the St. Louis Blues and San Jose Sharks head west for games three and four of the NHL Western Conference finals, the Sharks’ Joel Ward is playing a major role.

Ward, one of the NHL’s black stars, had one of his most productive offensive seasons in his eight-year career with 21 goals and 22 assists. He has added a pair of goals and five assists during San Jose’s playoff run.

Called “a playoff warrior” by NHL.com, Ward has played in 67 postseason games with the Nashville Predators, Washington Capitals and Sharks.

Ward thought he had tied the series’ first game at 2-2. However, an inadvertent whistle cost him the goal.

Minnesota Wild of the NHL, he played a season with its minor-league Houston Aeros. He made his NHL debut during the 2006-7 season, playing in 11 games. In 2012, Ward scored the goal for the Capitals that eliminated the Boston Bruins from the playoffs. It was marred by racist taunts and insults on social media.

During the second period, Ward busted in on goalie Brian Elliott and fired a shot. It got under Elliott’s pads and slowly slid past the goal line.

But the whistle had blown prematurely. After play continued, officials admitted to the Sharks’ bench that it was a blown call.

“It is what it is,” Ward said. Born in the Toronto suburb of North York, Ontario, Ward is one of three sons born to the late Randal Ward and his mother Cecilia. Both were immigrants from Barbados.

After a stellar youth career, he attended the University of Prince Edward Island. He was a three-time team MVP and graduated with a degree in sociology.

After signing with the

“All I was trying to do is what, you know, everyone else is trying to do, just to score,” he said during a 2015 NPR interview. “And the fact that, you know, the color of my skin played a role into that and how people just were upset about it. And, I mean, people wanted me dead for scoring a goal, so it was definitely shocking for sure.”

He also said attitudes are changing because of the large number of minority players taking up the game of hockey.

“When I go back home to Toronto and see all the rinks and the kids filled up with all different races and ethnicities, it’s unbelievable,” he said. “It’s come a long way for sure.”

MLB hiring report card

The annual study by Richard Lapchick of the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University of Central Florida concluded MLB earned a C-plus in hiring managers

There were only three managers of color guiding one

of MLB’s 30 teams – and that number is already down to two since the study appeared. Dusty Baker of the Washington Nationals and Dave Roberts of the L.A.

Dodgers are black, and Fredi Gonzalez of the Atlanta Braves is Hispanic. Gonzalez was sacked on Tuesday. In 2009, there were 10 managers of color.

“Baseball needs to re-emphasize the importance of having a diverse ... (group of) people running the game,” Lapchick told the Associated Press.

There is a major difference between hiring at the league office and individual teams.

MLB earned an A-plus for racial hiring practices and B-minus for gender hiring practice.

Teams, however, earned an F for hiring female candidates overall, an F for hiring minority vice presidents, a C for senior team administration positions, and a C for professional administration.

If MLB made clubs include minority and female candidates in the interview process for all VP and senior administrative roles it “would dramatically change things,” according to Lapchick.

“From my point of view, if they can influence the clubs to have a mandatory, diverse pool of candidates for senior administrative positions,

that’s going to make a major difference,” he said.

As for black players – of which the St. Louis Cardinals have zero – 8.3 percent of players identified themselves as black or African-American on MLB Opening Day rosters.

This is the same percentage as a year ago.

There is some potential good news in the future. The study found that baseball’s 2015 amateur draft had the highest percentage of black players taken in the first round — nine of 36 players, or 25 percent — since 1992.

Rams to the rescue

Thieves recently got away with $7,000 to be used for some new football equipment at Cleveland High School in Reseda, California.

Samantha Koerner, a players’ mother, called on the new kids in town for assistance – and it worked!

“Somebody suggested I send an email to (Rams COO Kevin Demoff). I thought he wouldn’t read it,” she told the Orange County Register

“Within five minutes, he emailed me back and said, ‘The

Rams are on it. We’re going to do what we can to help,’” she said.

The Rams sent clothing, gloves, cleats and helmets. Defensive end Robert Quinn also showed up with the donation and met the team

“That shows you what the Rams, the team, is about,” Quinn told the L.A. Times By the way, you’ll be reading about the Rams in this column throughout the year. The childish attitudes on display by many fans and media members since the franchise’s departure are an embarrassment to this community.

You can hate on owner Stan Kroenke all you want, but don’t blame the players. Also, don’t excuse the civic leaders and politicians who buried their respective heads in the ground for almost a decade and built Kroenke’s highway to L.A.

Alvin A. Reid is a panelist on the Nine Network program, Donnybrook and appears on ABC’s The Allman Report and several sports radio shows. His Twitter handle is @ aareid1.

Alvin A. Reid

San Jose Sharks forward Joel Ward – seem here in playpoff action against the Blues on Sunday, May 15 – hopes the St. Louis Blues’ long wait for the Stanley Cup continues and his quest comes to an end.

Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

Cleveland contends for championship

By Earl Austin Jr.

Of The St. Louis American

The small schools take center stage this weekend at the Missouri State High School Activities Association Class 1-2 State Championships in Jefferson City.

The boys of Cleveland Naval Jr. ROTC are a contender for the Class 2 state championship while Sophie Rivera of Brentwood will conclude her stellar career as one of the best in the history of the state in the throwing events.

Cleveland Naval Jr. ROTC

CLUTCH

Continued from B5

Despite his ridiculous averages of 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds and 8.8 assists per game in last season’s Finals, it was apparent that carrying such a heavy load wore James down as the series went on. As long as Irving and Love can stay on the court (which is not a given considering their injury history), James should be energized and motivated. While Curry is the two-time reigning MVP and the rightful owner of the title: Best Player in the Game, James is still a certified problem. Cleveland’s best bet for title glory is to quickly take care of business against an overmatched Toronto team and hope the Warriors and Thunder beat each other into a bloody pulp. All bets are off if the Cavs face a tattered and worn down squad from the West. Either way, for those who have been ignoring the East, it’s time to start paying attention to Cleveland.

Time for Wilder vs Joshua Boxing promoters and networks have the bad habit of building up major fights by having popular fighters beat up on tomato cans until they can cultivate enough interest to make a major bout. It’s time for that trend to end. The heavyweight division has been a snoozefest for the past decade. Now that we can

TRACK

Continued from B3

Island. East Side had three individual sectional champions in Evangeline Harris in the shot put (42 feet 3 inches), Jazzmine Poole in the discus (140 feet 7 inches) and Shonjahnee Griggs in the 800-meter run. The Flyerettes also finished first in the 4x400-meter relay. Metro East boys’ schools will be participating in sectional competition on Friday. Cahokia will begin its quest for its sixth consecutive Class 2A state championship when it heads to Carterville. All of the Class 3A Metro East programs will be over at Collinsville on Friday afternoon. Defending state champion Edwardsville and East St. Louis will head the field of teams. The top qualifiers in each event will be headed to Charleston next weekend to compete in the IHSA State Championships at Eastern Illinois. In a preview of this week’s sectional meet, Edwardsville won the Southwestern Conference championship last week. The Tigers outlasted East St. Louis for the team championship. Junior A.J. Epenesa won the shot put and discus while Travis Anderson won the 110-meter high hurdles and 300-meter intermediate hurdles to lead the Tigers. East St. Louis was dominant in the sprints, winning the 4x100, 4x200 and 4x400. Marlow Moseby won the 100, Roosevelt Jones won the 200 and Deonte Anderson won the 400 for the Flyers. Kenny Roberson also took home a first-place medal in the high jump.

Sends athletes in six individual events

will take athletes in six individual events and three relays to Jefferson City this weekend. The Commanders are led by sophomore twins Jerald and James Allen. Jerald Allen finished first in the 800- and 1,600meter runs. James Allen finished first in the 400meter dash and second in the 800 to his twin brother. Antonio Norman was a two-time sectional champion, winning the 300-meter intermediate hurdles and

high jump. Kelsey Norman finished first in the triple jump. The Commanders also qualified in the 4x100, 4x400 and 4x800-meter relays. The Allen twins led ROTC to sectional titles in the 4x400 and 4x800.

Sophie Rivera will head to the state meet looking for a fourpeat in the shot put and discus. She is the prohibitive favorite to win both events. She won sectional championships in

both events at Troy with throws of 45 feet 3 inches in the shot put and 143 feet in the discus. Rivera will also compete in the javelin, which is an exhibition event in Jefferson City this weekend.

After the state meet, Rivera will be competing in a couple of high-profile meets around the country. She will be compete in the U.S. Junior Nationals and then she will head to Eugene, OR to compete in the U.S. Olympic Trials in the javelin.

Brentwood’s Kaylon Jenkins is the area’s only other boy qualifier. Jenkins won the

finally see the light at the end of the tunnel in the Wladimir Klitschko era, it’s time to make the best, most-exciting fights for the division. Klitschko is already set for a July rematch against Tyson Fury, who shocked the world by out-boxing the longtime

champion in November. The action in the ring probably won’t be too exciting (unless Klitschko comes out and blasts Fury early) but the anticipation to see whether Wlad’s reign is really over will make the match worthwhile. The other bout that needs to happen ASAP is WBC

champion Deontay Wilder

versus IBF champion Anthony Joshua Wilder was set to make a mandatory defense against Alexander Povetkin this weekend. However, the Russian fighter tested positive for a banned substance and

The ST. LouiS AmericAn PreP AThLeTeS of The Week

Cornelius Lee

McCluer North – Baseball

The senior outfielder is one of the leading hitters in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Lee entered this week with a .602 batting averaging with five home runs and 32 runs batted in to lead the Stars to a 15-11 record. He also has 12 stolen bases.

In a 17-7 victory over McCluer, Lee was had four hits with two doubles and two RBIs. In a 14-7 loss to Columbia Hickman, he had a double and two runs scored. In his next game against Helias, Lee had a three-run home run, a stolen base and two runs scored.

Zionn Pearson

MICDS – Girls Track

The sophomore standout won four events in leading the Rams to the Class 4, District 3 championship at Ladue.

Pearson’s individual victories came in the 100-meter high hurdles and the long jump. She also ran legs on the Rams’ first-place 4x100and 4x200-meter relay teams.

Peason posted a winning time of 14.9 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles and a winning leap of 18 feet 6 ½ inches in the long jump.

n Sophie Rivera of Brentwood will conclude her stellar career as one of the best in the history of the state in the throwing events.

sectional title in the 200meter dash and finished third in the 100. He will lead the Eagles’ 4x100 and 4x200 relays, which also qualified. Nature Williams-Harkin of Medical & Bio Science qualified in three events.

Williams-Harkin was second in the 100-meter high hurdles, and ran a leg on her school’s 4x100 and 4x200-meter relays teams that qualified. Sky Parker of McKinley Classical is headed to state after finishing second in the 100 and 200 while Addie Grapperhaus of Barat Academy finished second in the 400 and third in the 200.

the fight has been officially “postponed” by the WBC while an investigation takes place. Of course, we know that the WBC’s investigation simply means the organization will try to find out the most profitable move. The answer is simple: Wilder vs Joshua in a unification bout.

Both fighters have television agreements with Showtime, eliminating one of the common obstacles to making good fights. Though Joshua is not yet a big name in the US, he’s a superstar in England. His undefeated record (16-0-0, 16 KO) is an easy sell to US fight fans. Like Wilder (36-0-0, 35 KO) he has concussive power.

The two knockout artists are also both sloppy and vulnerable

enough that it’s plausible that either could take a nap in the center of the ring at any given moment.

Forget the build-up. Forget the bum of the month tour. Make it happen now. Wilder’s calendar has just opened up. Joshua has a bout on June 25 with undefeated, but unheralded Dominic Breazeale. Once Joshua hits the snooze button on Breazeale, he should mix it up with Wilder. While both fighters are flawed, they’re both exciting, which is something that has not been said about a heavyweight champion in quite a long time.

Follow Ishmael and In the Clutch on Twitter @ IshmaelSistrunk

Earl Austin Jr.

Wladimir Klitschko is already set for a July rematch against Tyson Fury.

‘Major” support for United Way

On Saturday, May 14, the United Way of Greater St. Louis accepted a $5,000 donation from Major Brands, Inc. and Beam Suntory to support local agencies focused on helping children in need. The donation, given during a tasting event at Randall’s Wines and Spirits in St. Louis, was presented by Todd Randall and Sue McCollum, chairman and CEO of Major Brands, to Josh Palacios, campaign director for the United Way of Greater St. Louis. In addition, 100 percent of the proceeds from ticket sales of the tasting event benefitted the United Way. “Sue McCollum is United Way’s most recent general campaign co-chair, raising more than $74 million to help people in our community”, said Orv Kimbrough, president and CEO of United Way of Greater St. Louis. “We appreciate the fact that she partners with us throughout the year because community needs never take a break.”

Business Brief

Summer youth jobs in St. Charles County

Applications now are being accepted to fill 20 summer youth jobs administered through the Missouri Job Center of St. Charles County. The jobs are for youth ages 16-24 from income-eligible families. Applicants must be residents of St. Charles County and pass a drug test.

Participants must be from families whose gross monthly income does not exceed 185 percent of the Federal Poverty guidelines. For example, income can be no more than $1,832 for a family of one, or no more than $4,385 for a family of four.

Jobs pay $8.50 an hour for a maximum of 240 hours. Weekly schedules can be full- or part-time, depending on the position.

Employers participating in this program include county and city parks departments, animal shelters, day care facilities, business offices, retail operations and other county businesses. Pre-registration for the Summer Job League is available online at summerjobs.mo.gov. For more information, contact the Missouri Job Center of St. Charles County at 636-255-6060, or visit 212 Turner Blvd. in St. Peters.

Financial Focus

By Andre Nelson

A ‘brilliant’ May Day parade

Black St. Louis treasure exposes tourists to city’s racial

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

It was clear that John and Carol Hampson had never seen anything like the Annie Malone Children and Family Service Center’s annual May Day Parade as it passed through downtown on Sunday, May 15.

Their eyes beamed with wonder as the British tourists used words like “brilliant” and “quite lovely” –and sometimes “quite brilliant” – to sum up their thoughts as the parade proceeded down Market Street.

“Oh, look at the wee one,” Carol

complexities

said, as one of the tiny members of the Diva Sweat Girls commenced to thrust with the force of her whole body as the beat dropped during their moment in the spotlight. It was a “lovely bit of fate” that allowed them to be amongst the festivities.

Carol had always wanted to see the Mississippi River, so the couple took two days out of their “holiday” for a quick jaunt to St. Louis after leaving New York on their way to Las Vegas.

Dun’

In the “Da-Dum-Dun” event this Friday, May 20, the Eugene B. Redmond Writers Club will celebrate the lives of Katherine Dunham, Miles Davis and Henry Dumas. Redmond Writers Club to honor trio of East St. Louis cultural giants

By Kenya Vaughn

Of The St. Louis American

East St. Louis Poet Laureate, scholar and educator Eugene B. Redmond has been as committed to celebrating those who sprung from or poured into the well of creative greatness of his beloved hometown as he has his love affair with words.

Much of the time he merges the two passions – which is the case with “Da-Dum-Dun” event this Friday, May 20, when the Eugene B. Redmond Writers Club will celebrate the lives of Miles Davis, Henry Dumas and Katherine Dunham.

The three artistic giants who greatly impacted this city and world will be honored on the Higher Education Campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville at 601 J.R. Thompson Dr. in East St. Louis. Through their respective work in the fields of music, literature and dance, the world has been given insight into the greatness that can be found within the city limits of 62201.

n The 2016 edition of “Da-Dum-Dun” coincides with two milestones: the 90th birthday of Miles Davis on May 26 and the EBR Writers Club’s 30th anniversary.

“Da-Dum-Dun” is an annual reminder of what the city is capable of producing.

Born in Alton, Illinois, Miles Davis was raised in East St. Louis, graduating from Lincoln Senior High School in 1944. That same year he joined Lincoln classmate/pianist Eugene Haynes at New York’s Julliard School of Music.

As a trumpeter, composer and true original, he was revered across the globe as a leader and re-shaper of musical directions, tastes and styles. Drumvoices Revue, a multicultural journal co-published by SIUE and the Writers Club and edited by Redmond, often honors Davis. Henry Dumas was born in Arkansas and raised in New York’s Harlem from the age of 10. He taught at SIUE-ESL’s Experiment in

created timeless music for the likes of Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men and Usher. “We’ve been a big part of people’s lives,” Ricky Kinchen, bassist for Mint Condition, told The American back in 2011. “It’s still going, things are still happening, and we are still grateful.”

See PARADE, C4

Photos by Wiley Price

How to place a calendar listing

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

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

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

concerts

Thur., May 19, 7:30 p.m., Lerok Mabrak presents The Drum Live Performance The Stage at KDHX, 3524 Washington Ave., 63103

Fri., May 20, 7:30 p.m., St. Louis Symphony presents the Music of Michael Jackson

718 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, call (314) 533-2500 or visit www. stlsymphony.org.

Fri., May 20, 8 p.m. doors, Mo Investment Ent presents Keith Sweat and Avant, The Ambassador, 9800 Halls Ferry. For more information, visit www.metrotix.com

Fri., May 27, 6 p.m., OLD SCHOOL 95.5 District Rhythm Series Presented by E.I. EXTREME INSTITUTE BY NELLY welcomes Mint Condition. Midwest Live at Ballpark Village. For tickets visit https://www.ticketfly.com/ purchase/event/1144721?utm_ medium=bks

Sat., May 28, 8 p.m., The Pageant presents Tech N9ne 6161 Delmar Blvd., 63112. For more information, call (314) 726-6161 or visit www. thepageant.com.

Mon., May 30, 7 p.m., Community Music School of Webster University presents Cellofest 2016: Bach to Hip Hop. Featuring CMS student and alumni cellists in ensembles ranging from one cello to as many as 25 cellos.

535 Garden Ave., 63119. For more information, call (314) 968-5939 or visit www. webster.edu/community-musicschool

local gigs

Fri., May 20, 8 p.m., Kansas City Jazz Tribute featuring the Jazz Edge Orchestra with Bobby Watson & Angela Hagenbach. Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center, UMSL, One University Blvd., 63121. For more information, call (314) 5164949 or visit www.touhill.org.

May 20 – 21, Jazz at the Bistro presents Founding Fathers: Celebrating Joe Sample & George Duke feat. Good 4 the Soul with Reggie Thomas. 3536 Washington Ave., 63103. For more information, call (314) 5716000 or visit www.jazzstl.org.

Tues., May 24, 6 p.m., Missouri History Museum presents Twilight Tuesday: A Tribute to Babyface by the Gerald Warren Unit feat. Will Robinson. 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112. For more information, call (314) 7464599 or visit www.mohistory. org.

special events

Thur., May 19, 5 p.m., 12th Annual Back to School with Joe Buck Celebrity Event: Celebrity Feud Edition Play along with the celebrity

Calendar

The Pageant presents Tech N9ne. For more information, see CONCERTS.

Featured Event

May 28 – 30, St. Louis African Arts Festival. Activities include: cultural demonstrations, cultural foods, African arts & crafts, films, children’s activities, an African marketplace and more. World’s Fair Pavilion, Forest Park. For more information, visit www.stlafricanartsfest. com

teams as they compete in a “Survey Says” competition to be crowned “2016 Joe Buck Celebrity Champion.” Proceeds assist KidSmart in their effort to equip 90,000 local students with essential school supplies for back to school success. Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, 14141 Riverport Dr., 63043. For more information, call (314) 291-4211 or visit www. back2schoolwithjoebuck. kidsmartstl.org.

Sat., May 21, 8 a.m., Haven House City of Refuge presents a Bazaar, BBQ and Car Wash. Join us for food, vendors, music, and of course a good time. 11115 New Halls Ferry Rd., 63033. For more information, call (314) 3811118.

delivery of their stories of transition. Come and network with other like-minded individuals all striving to reach another level of success in business. There will be vendors on site and lunch will be served. 50 Gay Ave., 63105. For more information, visit www.eventbrite.com.

Sat., May 21, 12 p.m., 8th Annual Taste of Maplewood. The Festival brings together foodies, shoppers, and music lovers to enjoy the bites, sights, and sounds of the city. Sutton Blvd. in Maplewood. For more information, visit maplewood-chamber.com/ taste-2016.

presentation given by Alive and Well STL on mental health awareness. There will also tips on fashion style, make-up and a swap activity. Urb Arts, 2600 N. 14th St., 63106. For more information, call (314) 884-8753 or visit www.eventbrite.com.

Sat., May 21, 1 p.m., Made Beautiful presents International Natural Hair Meetup Day. We encourage all those in love with hair or makeup to attend. Herbert Hoover Club, 2901 N Grand Ave., 63104. For more information call (314) 372-5920 or visit www. inhmdstl2016.eventbee.com.

Sat., May 21, 8 p.m., Afriky Lolo presents Dance Is Where We Dream. The 13th annual African Dance Celebration explores and reflects the relationship between hip hop and West African dance. COCA, 524 Trinity Ave., 63130. For more information, visit www.afrikylolo.com.

Sat., May 21, 10 a.m., Women of Success Conference. You will be inspired empowered, supported, encouraged and motivated by awesome speakers. They will be transparent in their with candidates for Circuit Attorney, Sheriff, Treasurer, and Committeepersons for Wards 1, 21, & 22. Omega Center, 3900 Goodfellow Blvd., 63120. For more information, call (314) 4388005 or (314) 458-8346.

Sat., May 21, 1 p.m., Fusion Fantasy Events presents Sistah’s Soiree Expo 2016: The Empower You Edition. A showcase of local entrepreneurs, artists and social awareness content. Local St. Louis vendors will be on-site selling their products and services; rising artists will be gracing the stage with their talents; plus we have a special

May 26 – 31, St. Louis Senior Olympics. Athletes must be at least 50 years old, but there is no maximum age. For more information, call (314) 442-3216 or visit www. stlouisseniorolympics.org.

May 27 – 30, MidAmerican Chevy Dealers St. Louis RibFest 2016. 3801 Mueller Rd., 63301. For more information, call (314) 625-3998 or visit www. thestlouisribfest.com.

Sun., June 5, 7 p.m., 5th Annual Loosecannon Celebrity Basketball Game. Promoter LooseCannon S.L.I.M. and Team LooseCannon versus the boxing icon, Floyd Mayweather and The Money Team. Chaifetz Arena, 1 S. Compton Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www. ticketmaster.com.

June 3 – June 5, Helium Comedy Club St. Louis welcomes Lil Duval, Helium Comedy Club, 1151 St. Louis Galleria St. For more information, call (314) 7271260 or visit http://st-louis. heliumcomedy.com/ June 16-June 18, Helium Comedy Club St. Louis welcomes Sinbad, Helium Comedy Club, 1151 St. Louis Galleria St. For more information, call (314)

or

heliumcomedy.com/

Thur.,

Me

Sun., May 22, 2 p.m., Project Power to the People presents Town Hall Meeting – Meet the Candidates. Meet

p.m.,

, author of Five Presidents: My Extraordinary Journey with Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford. Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112. For more information, visit www.meetmestlouis.org. Tues., May 24, 7 p.m., Buzz Westfall Favorite Author Series hosts author Sidney Blumenthal, author of A Self-Made Man: The Political Life of Abraham Lincoln, 1809-1849. St. Louis County Library, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd., 63131. For more information, call (314) 9943300 or visit www.slcl.org.

Mon., June 6, 7 p.m., Left Bank Books hosts authors Rob Rains, author of Taking Flight: The St. Louis Cardinals and the Building of Baseball’s Best Franchise, and Dan O’Neill, author of The St. Louis Cardinals’ Fans Bucket List. 399 N. Euclid Ave., 63108. For more information, call (314) 367-6731 or visit www.left-bank.com.

theatre

Fri., May 20, 7:30 p.m., Gitana Productions presents Black and Blue. The play is based on a compilation of interviews with police officers and members of the African American community about the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson and the events that followed. Emerson Performance Center, Harris Stowe, 3026 Laclede Ave., 63103. For more information, call (314) 721-6556 or visit www.gitana-inc.org.

arts

May 19 – June 2, Good Journey Development Foundation presents the Art in Our World Exhibition Exodus Gallery, 5075 Delmar Blvd., 63108. For more information, call (314) 229-9079 or visit www. goodjourney.org.

May 28 – 30, St. Louis African Arts Festival. World’s Fair Pavilion, Forest Park. For more information, visit www.stlafricanartsfest. com.

Through May 31, 1900 Park Gallery presents John Blair’s Dream Interpretation. This show is an artistic exploration of the subjective meaning of unconscious experience. There will be an opening reception on May 6 at 6 p.m. 1900 Park Ave., 63104. For more information, call (314) 5201211 or visit www.1900park. com.

Through June 1, H.C. Porter’s Blues @ Home: Mississippi’s Living Legends. The exhibit features 31

paintings of Mississippibased blues artists and has paired them with oral histories from each subject. National Blues Museum, 615 Washington Ave., 63101. For more information, call (314) 925-0016 or visit www. nationalbluesmuseum.org.

The Griot Museum of Black History presents Lady Leaders and Legends. Artist Daniel Hodges will 20 outstanding St. Louis women including Maya Angelou, Katherine Dunham, Frankie M. Freeman, Ida Woolfolk, and others. 2505 St. Louis Ave., 63110. For more information, call (314) 241-7057 or visit www.thegriotmuseum.org.

lectures

Mon., May 30, 3 p.m., Thomas Dunn Learning Center presents Money

Monday: Basic Household Budgeting. A casual safe way to discuss money issues. Develop budgeting skills, increase your credit score, and learn more about how to grow and find money. 3113 Gasconade, 63118. For more information, call (314) 3533050 or visit www.tdunn.org.

Tues., June 7, 7 p.m., Made in STL: A Conversation with Local Fashion Designers Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112. For more information, call (314) 746-4599 or visit www. mohistory.org.

health

Fri., May 20, 8 a.m., American Lung Association presents the Lung Force Expo. This event is designed for people with lung disease, caregivers and healthcare

providers to learn more about the latest resources, research and developments related to lung cancer, COPD, asthma and other lung diseases. For more information, visit www. lungforce.org/expo.

Sat., May 21, 10 a.m., The American Red Cross and the Sarah Allen Women’s Missionary Society of Christ Our Redeemer AME Church annual Dr. Charles Drew Blood Drive. 13820 Old Jamestown Rd. Black Jack, MO. Call 314-368-8952 to make an appointment.

Wed., May 25, 2 p.m., Seniors Home Care presents Family Caregiver Training This free training opportunity provides tools to use when caring for a parent or loved one in multiple settings. Topics include monitoring and handling medications, home

safety, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia awareness, handling care giver stress and much more. The class is taught by a Seniors Home Care registered nurse. For more information or to reserve a spot, call (314) 962-2666 or visit www.seniorshomecare. com.

Sat., May 28, 7 a.m., CDM presents Mind & Body 2016. A health and wellness event with a 5K race, fitness challenge, health and wellness vendors, a seminar on health alternatives, yoga, music and more. Cardinal Ritter College Prep High School, 701 North Spring Ave., 63108. For more information, call (877) 515-7462 or visit www. cdmmindandbody.org.

Sat., May 28, 10 a.m., The Program for the Elimination

of Cancer Disparities presents the 4th Annual Smart Health Cancer Community Education Day. William L. Clay Childhood Center, HarrisStowe, 3026 Laclede Ave., 63103. For more information, call 9314) 747-4611 or visit www.publichealthsciences. wustl.edu.

Thur., June 2, 6:30 p.m, The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, St. Louis Chapter presents the ABC’s of Asthma and Exercise. Maplewood Public Library,7550 Lohmeyer Ave., 63143. For more information, call (314) 781-2174 or visit www.maplewood.lib.mo.us.

Fri., June 30, 4:30 p.m., American Heart Association and American Stroke Association present the Most Powerful Voices Concert and Health Fair. Greater Grace Church, 3690 Pershall Rd., 63135. For more information or to register, call (314) 6925600 or visit www.heart.org/ empoweringstl.

Thur., May 19, 6:30 p.m., Breath of Life Christian Fellowship Church invites you to our Blue and White Appreciation and Awards Program. Join with us as we say “Thank You” to those men and women that serve our community in the law enforcement industry. We honor them for their service and lift each one of them up in prayer for their safety, wisdom, and wise decisions as they perform their duties. 716 N. Compton Ave., 63103. For more information, call (314) 583-2469.

May 20, Healing & Mending Ministry presents their 7th Annual Fresh Anointing Women’s Retreat. Guest Speakers: Pastor Jackie Allen, Minister Jeanne Vogt & Dr. Laurette Pickett. Deposit is due of $50.00 ASAP. Contact: Pastor McCoy-Email: healingm2@gmail.com http:// www.healmending.org

5th Annual Loosecannon Celebrity Basketball Game. Promoter LooseCannon S.L.I.M. and Team

LooseCannon versus the boxing icon, Floyd Mayweather and The Money Team. For more information, see SPECIAL EVENTS.

Higher Education in 196768. In a tragic twist of irony, Dumas was killed in 1968 by a New York City Transit police officer. The situation was much like what he wrote about in the short story “Riot or Revolt” –and a tragedy that mirrored the deaths of blacks at the hands of law enforcement that have been the catalyst of protests in recent years.

“Circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear,” Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison wrote, according to NPR, in an invitation for a posthumous book launch party she held for him. “Before that happened, however, he had written some of the most beautiful, moving and profound poetry and fiction that I have ever in my life read.”

While in East St. Louis,

It’s been 25 years since the Minneapolis soul band made their national debut with their top-five R&B/top 10 pop hit “Breakin’ My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes).”

“There are a lot of people that started out with us that aren’t here right now,” Kinchen said.

“And some of them have sold 30 million records,” lead singer Stokley Williams chimed in.

Mint Condition always manages to strike a chord with vivid and relatable lyrics, including “What Kind of Man Would I Be,” “You Send Me Swingin’” and “Nothing Left to Say.” And all it takes is one experience of their live performances to earn the

Dumas was a colleague of Redmond – who has been Dumas’ literary executor for more than 40 years. Christened “Patron Saint of the Writers Club,” Dumas’ writings and photographs appear in multiple issues of Drumvoices Revue A Chicago-area native, Katherine Dunham spent several decades studying, performing and teaching in more than 60 countries. She became an East St. Louis resident in 1967, when she started teaching in the Experiment in Higher Education and founded the Performing Arts Training Center and namesake Katherine Dunham Dynamic Museum and Children’s Workshop. The 2016 edition of “Da-Dum-Dun” coincides with two milestones. The first is the 90th birthday of Miles Davis on May 26. The EBR Writers Club is also celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Current and former trustees of the club, founded in 1986, include Maya

respect of music lovers and get listeners locked in for life as a fan.

Lead singer Williams is reminiscent of Prince in how he sings, dances and plays multiple instruments over the course of the performance. The rest of the band rises to meet Williams’ seemingly unmatchable energy, and the result is R&B magic.

Their records do no justice to their concerts – and as featured performers they often upstage headliners.

Mint Condition is a crew of musical Renaissance men. Most play more than one instrument, and many contribute to the songwriting and production within the group. Sometimes a game of musical chairs gets underway as they shift from one to the next – Williams showing off on drums usually gets the most reaction.

When they started out, Mint Condition was a band made up of high-school students playing original music among a scene

Angelou, Amiri Baraka, Quincy Troupe, Barbara Teer, Haki

R. Madhubuti, Jerry Ward, Jr., Walter Mosley, Margaret Walker Alexander, Raymond Patterson, Avery Brooks and Dr. Lena Weathers.

Performers will include the Writers Club’s Soular Systems Ensemble, with Roscoe “Ros” Crenshaw and Charlois Lumpkin (Mali Newman), led by Roy; St. Louis Poet Laureate (and translator) Michael Castro; and poets/educators DuEwa Frazier and Treasure Shields Redmond.

“Da-Dum-Dun” will take place at 7 p.m. Friday, May 20 in the Multipurpose Room of Building D on the Higher Education Campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, 601 J.R. Thompson Dr., East St. Louis (62201). For information, call SIUE English at 618 650-3991, write the Club at P.O. Box 6165, East St. Louis, Illinois 62201 or email eredmon@siue. edu.

of adult cover bands. The quality of their sound separated them from the pack. Their music got the attention of the pros – namely Jam and Lewis.

Thirty-two years later, they’re still in the game. While they haven’t had the commercial success they deserve, they consider themselves blessed with the staying power and support they’ve enjoyed over the years.

“Sharing and making feel people feel some kind of way with our music has been lifechanging, to say the least,” Kinchen said. “Many thanks to the fans for keeping us here and keeping us inspired.”

Mint Condition will kick off the Old School 95.5 FM District Rhythm Series presented by E’I Extreme Institute by Nelly on Friday, May 27 on the outdoor Busch II Infield Stage at Ballpark Village. Doors open at 6 p.m. For more information, visit www.stlballparkvillage.com.

PARADE

Continued from C1

Before they headed for the mighty Mississippi they decided to see what all the commotion was before they made their rounds on a downtown tourist walk. Three hours later they still stood near 14th and Market, too delightfully fixated on another celebrated St. Louis feature to even consider leaving.

They asked a nearby police officer about the “nature of the parade.” He told them that it happens around this time every year. The look on their faces hinted at dissatisfaction with his answer. Anyone who has experienced being the lone representative in a sea of “other” would have easily picked up on what they were feeling.

“It’s a historically black parade,” I leaned in to tell them.

“Oh my,” Carol said. “Should we leave? We don’t want to be offensive if this is a sacred experience.”

“It’s not like that at all,” I reassured her. “It’s just something that was created and maintained by black people, but everyone is welcome to attend.”

They both breathed a sigh of relief. Then a new sort of confusion set in.

“Well, where are all of the white people?” John whispered.

“It’s complicated,” I replied. “But the short answer is that we do a lot of things amongst ourselves in St. Louis.”

They both looked shocked.

“We thought that sort of thing was over a long time ago,” John blurted out. “So is it the white people that don’t want to be here, or is it the other way around?”

They never uttered the word “black.” They said that saying “black” in reference to a person’s ethnicity would get you instantly branded a racist in the U.K.

“I can’t speak for white people – but have you felt unwelcomed at all?” I asked.

“No, quite the opposite,” Carol chimed in.

They asked about why they saw white people in the parade – but not at the parade. They inquired about the political messages and campaign efforts they saw. “Are there separate governments?” John asked.

“No, but they, I mean, we, typically vote the same way,” I said. “And the black vote is an important one to have –especially when it comes to local politics.”

The questions shot out from them almost at the same pace as the groups that marched down the long stretch.

“Is it like this at schools? Do you shop together? How do people feel about living like this?”

“We must sound a bit silly, but this is all so fascinating,” Carol said.

Their enjoyment brought more observations about how talented the children were and how much stamina it must take for them to dance their way down so many blocks.

I watched the Hampsons

n I was proud of the memory of St. Louis the May Day Parade must have given them – even if it exposed the poorly kept secret about our city’s segregation.

soak in every moment of something we have come to take for granted over the years with the May Day Parade. Through them it felt like I was seeing it for the first time.

We watched together as the Normandy High School Band made the streets shake with the thunder of their drumline –and as Carr Lane VPA Middle School’s full-scale band, drumline, color guard and dancers clocked nearly every performance.

“Those tiny ones are quite good,” Carol said of Carr Lane and Diva Sweat Girls – a group of toddlers and young girls who could hold their own against just about any HBCU dance line.

As the Hampsons and I parted ways, I left feeling proud of the memory of St. Louis the May Day Parade must have given them and the stories they will share – even if it exposed the poorly kept secret about our city’s segregation.

But as far as the parade itself goes, it was all “quite brilliant” – every bit of it.

Photo by Wiley Price

Celebrations

Birthdays

Reunions

Beaumont High Class of 1968 48-year reunion will be June 10--12, 2016. Friday: Bowling Kick-Off, Saturday: Black n’ White Speak Easy Party and Sunday: Family n’ Friends Picnic. Meetings will be at Florissant Valley Library Branch, 195 New Florissant Rd., Florissant, MO 63031 on Saturday March 26, April 23 and May 28 from 1-4 p.m. For more information call (314) 869-8312.

Beaumont High Class of 1971 is planning its 45-year reunion for July 22-24, 2016. The reunion dinner dance is Saturday, July 23, 2016 at the Renaissance Airport Hotel, 9801 Natural Bridge Road. Please send your contact information (address and phone number) to Gladys Smith at beaumont1971alumni@aol. com.

Beaumont High Class of 1976 will have its 40-year reunion September 23-25, 2016. For more detailed information please email bhs1976@swbell. net or Facebook: Beaumont High class of 76.

Beaumont High Class of 1984 can stay updated via our Facebook page “Beaumont Class of 1984”. We meet the last Friday of every month. Contact Rochelle Williams at rochellewilliams001@yahoo. com.

Cole School Alumni & Neighborhood Friends age

50 and older reunion weekend will be held May 12-15, 2016. For more info call Andrea at 314-369-3052 or check our Facebook page at coleschoolstlouis.

East St. Louis Lincoln High School Classes of 1966 will celebrate its 50-year reunion August 19-21, 2016 at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel in Fairview Hts., Ill. The cost is $100 for classmates and $50 for guests. A late fee of $25 pp will be assessed after May 31. Please contact John Cunningham for details and reservations at: 618-692-6610.

Harrison School All-Class Reunion, Saturday September 10, 2016, 6:30-10:30 pm at Ambruster Great Hall, 6633 Clayton Rd, St. Louis, MO 63117. Tickets are $60 per person. For more info Contact: Judy Darris 314-443-6741, Yolanda beck 314-346-8103 or Làshell Tolliver 314-420-3566.

Soldan High Class of 1965 presents: “On the Road Again” to Washington, DC. Cost: $479 per-person, double occupancy, 6-Days and 5-Nights, Thurs. June 2- Tues. June 7, 2016. First payment due now $75 each person. For more information and reservations contact: Corinne Stuckes (636)-294-4373, Brenda Yancey (314)-8301334 or Isaiah Hair, Jr. (314)387-7592 email: cstukes@ charter.net.

Soldan High Class of 1966 has planned its 50-year reunion for September 9-10, 2016 at Christian Hospital Atrium, 1111 Dunn Road St. Louis, Mo 63136. For more information, please contact: Meredith Wayne Farrow, 314.521-8540, Robert Collins, 908.313-5002 or Marilyn Edwards Simpson, 341.837-7746. Facebook, soldan class of 1966 or email: stlsoldan1966@yahoo.com.

Soldan Class of 1971 is planning its 45th year reunion for: June 17-19, 2016 at the Ameristar Casino Resort & Spa, One Ameristar Boulevard, St. Charles, Mo 63301.

Soldan High Class of 1976 40-year reunion will be held the weekend of June 10-12, 2016 at the Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel. Contact Monica A Stewart at 314-420-9373 or email: soldanclassof1976@yahoo.com for information and/or with your complete mailing address and telephone number. Also you can join us on Facebook, Soldan High School Class of 1976.

Sumner Alumni Association will host its 8th Annual Scholarship Awards & Luncheon June 4, 2016, Noon - 4 p.m. at Marriott St. Louis Airport Hotel. Cost $50 with a cash bar, free parking, attendance prizes and more. For more info, contact B. Louis at 314-385-9843.

Sumner High Class of 1956 will celebrate its 60-year reunion July 15-17,2016, at the Sheraton Westport Plaza Hotel. For more information, please contact Gloria at 314-438-7339 with your contact information (address, phone number, e-mail).

Sumner High Class of 1964 70th Birthday Gala will be held Sat. Aug 13. 2016 at the Norwood Hills Country Club at 6:30 pm. Please contact Joyce Camp for additional information 314-423-8821 or Yvette Allen 314-997-2214 or Fannie Clark Rogers 314-3554337 your Gala Committee.

Sumner High School Class of 1966 is planning their 50th Class Reunion. Please contact Ella Scott at 314-436-1696, Els2188@sbcglobal.net with your name, address and email or join the Sumner Class of

Anniversaries

To Mr. Michael Swanson: Loving me in a special way; supporting me all the way; you will always be my prince charming and I wish to have a happy ending. Happy 20th Anniversary, sweetheart (May 18)! Your wife, Mrs. Dorothea Swanson

Marvin Peebles Sr. and Gladys Brown Peebles are giving God praise for 50 years of marriage on May 22! They are the proud parents of five children and 11 grandchildren. A renewing of vows will be held on Saturday, May 21 at 2:30 pm at Memorial Tabernacle Christian Life Center with church members, family and friends.

1966 Facebook Group page.

Sumner High Class of 1971 is planning its 45th year reunion for August 12-14, 2016 at the Holiday Inn Earth City. Contact: Rita Shields at 314-868-7989 or email ritashields@att.net, Al Wilhite 314-302-3448 or email 27alhouse@sbcglobal. net for more information.

Sumner Class of 1976 will celebrate its 40th Reunion July 15 - 17, 2016 at the Holiday Inn Earth City and Shalom Church City of Peace. Contact B. Louis at 314.385.9843 or email: sumnerclassof76@ yahoo.com for info and/or with your complete mailing address and telephone number(s) or

join our Facebook page Sumner Class of 76.

University City High School Class of 1976 is planning its Fabulous 40th year class reunion for June 24-25, 2016. We need your contact information. Please email your information to: weareuc76@gmail.com or call the UCHS Class of 76 voicemail at 314-301-9597.

Vashon Class of 1986 will be celebrating its fabulous 30th Class Reunion in beautiful Las Vegas Nevada, July 21-23, 2016. For more information contact, Claudette at 314 368-1502 or cctreze@att.net.

FREE OF

Do you have a celebration you’re proud of? If so we would like to share your good news with our readers. Whether it’s a birth, wedding, engagement announcement, anniversary, retirement or birthday, send your photos and a brief announcement (50 words or less) to us and we may include it in our paper and website – AT NO COST – as space is available Photos will not be returned. Send your announcements to: kdaniel@stlamerican. com or mail to: St. Louis American Celebrations c/o Kate Daniel 2315 Pine St. St.

Reunion notices are free of charge and based on space availability. We prefer that notices be emailed to us! However, notices may also be sent by mail to: Kate Daniel, 2315 Pine St., St. Louis, MO 63103

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

Happy 1st Birthday to our handsome man, Evan “Yum

Yum” A. Clemons, on May 21. We love you son!

Swag Snap of the week

Fellowshipping with Young Leaders. Thursday night I kicked my weekend off at the Second Annual (invitation only) Young Leader Alumni Reception mixer at the A-B Biergarten. And I must tell y’all that after a night of stimulating conversation and professional panache kicking it I must assure y’all that the Young Leader selection process is on point. Everybody in the place had style and grace – and business cards, and suits, and careers and that “it factor” as far as the capacity to leave a lasting impression on this region with their leadership and service. Some of the folks in the building included: Kira Van Niel, Kenya Leonard, Pam Weston, Dana Townsend, Deatra McFarlin, Reagan Johnson, Darcella Craven, Megan Banks, Bill and River Fronczak, Jimmie Howlett, Stan Williams Jr., Kaylan Holloway, Courtney Hinton, Christina Bonner, Michael Whitley. Oh and Christian, please let your girl know what you’re doing as far as health and fitness. I’m looking to wow and stun at the Salute gala this year – and you have clearly found the secret to success.

Thursday night at the Ballpark (Village). The folks didn’t seem the least bit bothered that it was a work night and rolled up in Ballpark Village like they didn’t have a care or a clock to punch in the world. Mo Spoon and BFree put on quite a cute event with Premium that included a nice set of movers and shakers in the place to be. I ran into DJ Nune (a.k.a. Lamar Harris), Shadzilla, Mocha Latte, Phil Assets, Aye Eye, Princess Stormm of Hot 104.1 FM and a whole bunch of other folks I’m accidentally leaving off. I really liked the vibe and the view of the Busch Stadium field. It was like a day party, but at nighttime. Which it is crazy, because I was just telling somebody “if the folks could capture the energy and swag of the day party at night, they would be really on to something.” Turns out I was absolutely right!

Big ups to the Mayday Parade battles. Just like every year I trotted down to the Annie Malone May Day Parade to mix amongst my folks. I hate to say it, but aside from those Diva Sweat Girls (who slayed the whole parade), Normandy and Carr Lane, it felt like everybody else’s heart wasn’t in the march. Diva Sweat slayed so tough that I just might get my salute gown made in the likeness of their uniforms –yes…hot pink sequins and silver tassels for days! The blah of the main drag doesn’t mean I didn’t have the time of my life in 2016. Just when I had settled into being quietly underwhelmed, the side battles gave me more life than when the folks gyrate, play, and stomp until their feet bleed. Baby, those battles should be incorporated into the main programming! I don’t know the names of the folks (because they didn’t have their banners up) but there was one battle where the girl commenced to about twenty six-o-clock kicks in a row when going up against another majorette. If I had been on the other end of that particular battle, I would’ve just lied down on the concrete with my arms folded across my chest like I was in an open casket.

The Day Party to beat. I know it’s still early –and a month before summer officially pops off – but the folks of the Day Party STL crew set the bar especially high Sunday afternoon at Cantina Laredo. It was so lit and fly that I got over the fact that I was being worked to death on a Sunday right the moment I walked through the door. Everybody who was anybody came through – so much so that I would need to use this entire entry to properly name drop. Charlie Chan Soprano had it set all the way off with the sounds. And I saw Kimmy Nu on deck too. If Chan took a breather I’m sure she would’ve had his back – because she is NICE. It was the swaggiest of affairs…yes, swaggiest. And if it’s any hint of how the 2016 day party season will shape up, I probably won’t fuss as much about devoting my Sunday afternoons to watching y’all in the midst of an afternoon turn up.

Throwbacks of Hip-hop. My Sunday night overload continued at The Pageant with RockHouse Ent.’s Icons has-beens of Hip-Hop Show. I had a good enough time there too. To me, the best part of the night was the DJ battle between DJ Lonnie B and DJ Who. Who looked like he belonged behind the counter at Starbucks making lattes, but he was mixing and blending something vicious on that wax. I must tip my “Formation” hat to the RockHouse folks for sticking to the start time, though the show lagged in the transitions. In all fairness, aside from the artists formerly known as Whodini (I’ll get to that in a bit), nobody else had enough songs to fill up a whole set – so a bit of stalling was necessary. I did catch life from Dana Dane’s energy. Can somebody tell me why Slick Rick performed his biggest hit “Children’s Story” like the track was stuck in fast forward? Start to finish that it only took him 45 seconds to do the whole record. It seems like the DJ of Whodini owned the name and he took it with him! Either way their portion of the show was pretty regular. The new DJ was nice. But I want to make sure I let y’all know how hype the crowd was. They were on 13 out of 10. Watching the folks get their life from all of the throwback jams was more fun as the main attractions. Oh and based on the artists and the audience, white pants are the new double OG male’s wardrobe essential.

Lined up for Lucci. Liquid Assets might have the folks at Lux resetting the foundation of the building by the way they had the folks packed in to see YFN Lucci for my final stop Sunday night. The crazy thing is that most of the folks reading this have probably never heard of him, but he was neck and neck with Diddy as far as having that venue to the gills. Listen, the traffic around Jefferson, Washington and Locust looked like Times Square because of Lucci. I made my way in and saw all of the power players on the soulful end of the urban nightlife scene. It was a monster win.

Meghan, Jackie and Steph spent their Saturday with the stylish crowd @ Mood

Host Corey and Dre’co had Upper Echelon on lock Saturday night @ Hiro

Niya and Tia came through @ The Day Party STL Sunday @ Cantina Laredo

DJ and Zoe slayed with their stylish bomber jackets Thursday night @ Ballpark Village

Shanai, Deairra, Matika and Lewam were just a small group of the lovely ladies who made their way to Premium Thursday night @ Ballpark Village

Romney, Michelle and Nick repped for the Deltas and the Alphas as they partied @ The Airport’s Concourse B Saturday night

Mikeal, Dr. Rebakkah Johnson and Dr. Dainielle Fox celebrated their new degrees @ Ballpark Village for Premium Thursday

Crystal and Keisha kept it cute with their spring dresses Thursday night @ Ballpark

Blonde bombshells Dede and Princess Stormm @ the inaugural Beauty Meets Fashion Show Sunday night @ The Lux

Winnie, Jerika, and Shia stopped by Style Code Saturday @Mood to celebrate Winnie’s graduation

The Rockhouse Ent. Team with rap trailblazers Slick Rick, Dana Dane and Jhalil and Ecstasy (of Whodini fame) chopped it up before the Icons of Hip-hop show Sunday night at The Pageant. Photo by Lawrence Bryant

Photos by Lawrence Bryant & John Scott

The Message

Eden Seminary confers honorary degree on Tiffany Anderson Obedience!

Honored for addressing equity, justice and the underserved

By Chris King Of The St. Louis American

Tiffany Anderson, superintendent of Jennings School District, received an honorary Doctorate from Eden Seminary as a result of her commitment to addressing equity, justice and the underserved.

She was recognized at Eden Seminary’s 2016 Commencement Service 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 13 at Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ, 826 Union Blvd. in St. Louis.

Anderson’s parents are pastors, and her mother attended Eden Seminary for part of her doctoral training in theology.

Anderson has said that schools are the hands and feet of Christ and her work has demonstrated that belief in action.

“Serving children and families in Jennings has been one of the greatest blessings,” Anderson said, “and it is humbling and a tremendous honor to be recognized for the work by Eden Seminary.”

Under her leadership in Jennings, a school district serving almost 3,00 children has gained full accreditation and has opened the area’s largest school-based food bank, schoolbased clinic, and school homeless shelter and foster home.

In 2012, the Jennings School District opened a food pantry, in partnership with the St. Louis Food Bank, to provide 8,000 pounds of food to district families monthly. Any family in need of groceries uses the school system as their source for free groceries. The food bank focuses on produce and vegetables that are often the first items removed from the diet in a high poverty household.

In the midst of the unrest in neighboring Ferguson, she led district students on a protest march to the Jennings Police precinct before school to negotiate with St. Louis County Police leadership.

In the July 2015 Diversity edition of The St. Louis American, Anderson published a long essay, “Improving communities by improving schools: Fighting the cycle of oppression and intergenerational poverty in Jennings,” that sets forth her program for school reform in detail.

“Schools are the center of the community and when schools are transformed in positive ways, communities are transformed. The continued rise of poverty is not surprising when policies and practices that could contribute to eliminating poverty are not addressed well. The foundation of systematic oppression is rooted in practices that contribute to a system becoming selfperpetuating because the conditions are institutionalized and habits are formed that are not interrupted,” she wrote.

“However, if habits are changed and practices that previously contributed to maintaining impoverished communities are replaced with practices that remove barriers instead of creating them, many more schools nationally would be transformed. This would ultimately give an opportunity for a new system to be created. By creating new systems of success in school districts, we can begin to break the cycle of oppression and

poverty.”

Jennings Superintendent Tiffany Anderson talked with Mi’El Golden, a student at Jennings Junior High School, and Patricia Golden, a student at Jennings Senior High School, before school on Wednesday, January 27.

Photo by Wiley Price

She made a connection between school reform, public health and her own family experience.

“As a wife of one of the decreasing number of OBGYNs who still accepts Medicaid and the parent of an amazing daughter who is majoring in public health at Saint Louis University, I often see the clear correlation between the investment in people and successful schools. The investment in teachers contributes to their efficacy and ultimately their positive outlook for students for the future,” she wrote.

“The impact of the investment in mental, physical and social public health care for families in high-poverty schools has a direct impact on parental school involvement and student performance. Health care for the poor is too often the emergency room and if schools are going to improve, they must invest fully in all aspects that contribute to the whole child and family developing.”

In July, Anderson will begin leading Topeka Public Schools, which is where the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education took place, which ended legal segregation in schools.

I was reminded about this on Mother’s Day and will think of it again on Father’s Day. Obedience!

From a parental point of view, you’d love to have your children obey you out of the relationship you’ve developed over the years, where they value your advice and do what you tell them to do out of respect and love rather than simple discipline and consequence. If a wholesome relationship does indeed exist, then the child will want to comply out of the recognition of the parent’s love. Mom or Dad is telling me this because they’ve got my back. If all one does is obey the rules because of the consequences of the punishment associated with disobeying the rules, then the rules are generally thrown out the window when the rule-maker is no longer around. When grounded in love, people respond favorably according to the wishes and will of the person who is the object of that love. By our very nature, we want to look good in the eyes of the people we’re trying to impress.

Columnist James Washington

Jesus says, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching.” John 14:23.

Examine this use of the term “obey.”

What Christ is saying is the same thing that many a mother and father want to believe about their kids. We all know the things that would upset Mom and Dad. We know this because they spent a lifetime (yours) instilling their values and integrity into your character. You might still do things they wouldn’t condone, but you certainly know the difference between the right and wrong of it because of your upbringing. That upbringing, if nurtured in the spirit of love, reveals to all of us the source and nature of the consequences and the resulting discipline. It’s still all about love. Y’all know that “this is going to hurt me more than it’s going to hurt you” thing.

Christ is merely reminding us that if you love Him, then obeying His rules, His teachings, which were given to us out of love of the Father, should come from the heart out of our Christian experience. Our desire to please should override our mere compliance to the rules. Throughout scripture, Jesus constantly refers to the love of the Father. How many of you do what your mother would expect of you and your mother has been dead for years? How many of you try to pass those same expectations along to your kids? Why?

I submit that you do this because of the relationship you have or had with your mother. That’s why I am convinced the key to understanding obedience to God is establishing or reestablishing a relationship with the Almighty. This is achieved by emulating as best you can the life of Christ.