May 4th, 2023 edition

The St. LouiS AmericAn

Dr. Ward named Lifetime Achiever in Health Care

Will be honored June 22

By Chris King For The St. Louis American

Dr. Michael Ward’s remarkable career

merits not one but two awards for Lifetime Achievement in Health Care: for his work in radiology and nursing education.

He recently retired after 48 years of service with BJC HealthCare. Twenty-three of those years were devoted to the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, and the last 25 years were dedicated to BarnesJewish College in various leadership roles - most notably, as the Vice Dean for Student

See WARD, A7

Remembering Robert Ray

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and its IN UNISON Chorus paid tribute to the life and legacy of Dr. Robert Ray in a free community concert at Powell Hall on Monday, May 1, 2023. Ray was the founding director of the IN UNISON Chorus, a resident SLSO chorus that specializes in the performance and preservation of music from the African diaspora. He passed away in December 2022 at age 76. The concert featured the IN UNISON Chorus, SLSO musicians, vocalists Jennifer Kelley, in performance here, Jermaine Smith, and singers from ensembles impacted by Ray’s signature musicianship. Chorus director Kevin McBeth and guest conductor Dr. Brandon Boyd led the concert.

Dr. Michael Ward at the Goldfarb School of Nursing on the campus of Barnes -

Hospital Wed. May 3, 2023.

Table for 4 raises $150,000

By Danielle Brown St. Louis American

The event raised $150,000 and Flint W. Fowler, president and CEO said the luncheon “is always energizing because it allows us to connect with so many friends who are committed to the growth and development of girls and young women.”

“Your support means that our members will have access to programs and services that will help them develop the capacities they need to succeed.”

CityPark’s location was once a thriving Black community called

Mill Creek Valley. It was cleared under a city “urban renewal” plan.

Vivian Gibson, a former resident of Mill Creek Valley and author of the memoir, “The Last Children of Mill Creek,” was the event’s keynote speaker.

She spoke about her experiences growing up as a young girl in Mill Creek Valley with eight siblings, and detailed a program she inspired called BGCSTL’s SMART Girls Program. “It offers a curriculum that helps to

Gardner’s woes continue to mount

will proceed for her removal

By Alvin A. Reid The St. Louis American

St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner continues to vow that she will not voluntarily leave office and continue to fight Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s attempt to remove her from office.

However, she received troubling news on two fronts this week and the legal wrangling continued the way to a proposed September trial date.

On April 27, 2023, Judge Michael Nobel ruled for “indirect criminal contempt” proceedings for St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner after she did not show up at a scheduled contempt of court hearing. The hearing has been set for 9:30 a.m. on May 30. Noble, who was infuriated that Gardner did not attend two contempt of court hearings, said the circuit attorney’s office appears to be a “rudderless ship of chaos” and that she has shown “complete indifference and conscious disregard for the judicial process.” He has also requested the presence of her deputy Chris Desilets at that hearing.

In regard to the contempt cases, the 22nd Judicial Circuit announced

See GARDNER, A7

Judge halts genderaffirming health care restrictions

By Sylvester Brown Jr.

The St. Louis American

“Every single American -- gay, straight, lesbian, bisexual, transgender -- every single American deserves to be treated equally in the eyes of the law and in the eyes of our society. It’s a pretty simple proposition.” – President Barack Obama, October 1, 2011

To be transgender is to be misunderstood, maligned and occasionally murdered.

For many who decide to declare who they really are, it is to be ostracized, discriminated against or harassed. To be trans is to be a target in a political culture war that seeks to erase your existence or See JUDGE, A6

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Jewish

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Kim Gardner

Fans call Brian McKnight a deadbeat father for allegedly disowning his biological children

Brian McKnight is under fire. Several fans and supporters are calling him a deadbeat father for allegedly disowning his biological children. He has four children from former relationships Brian Jr., Briana, Niko and Clyde Twitter users have noticed that McKnight often praises his stepchildren in Instagram posts while not acknowl edging his biological children in any posts.

The backlash comes after a resurfaced Instagram post from 2020 was recently posted where McKnight wrote he was happy for his stepdaughter making him a girl dad.

“Jules I became a girl dad because of YOU and I couldn’t have asked for a better daughter,” McKnight wrote on the caption. “Visiting you on campus and seeing how happy you are liv ing in this beach house with all your friends for your senior year remind ed us both of how proud we are of the woman you have become and the incredible student you

continue to be. Here’s to you Jules, the perfect daughter I always wanted.”

It has also been pointed out how McKnight’s Instagram bio says he’s the father of Julia Jack Kekoa Matteo and Brian Kainoa Makoa. The bio blatantly disregards his four biological children.

McKnight and his four biological children have been estranged for years. In 2019, he addressed their distant relationship in a video.

“I’ve never missed a day of child support,” he said in the video. “I’ve never done anything adverse to my children whatsoever. I’ve always been there. I’ve always been there with advice, whether they took it or not. I have always been the sounding board and I’ve always been the one who had to help them achieve whatever dreams that they were wanting to reach out

Brian Jr. seemed to have different versions of the truth. Brian Jr. talked about him and his father’s relationship on Facebook in 2019.

“I don’t think there is any situation that merits the way my father has chosen to treat my brother, my sisters, and his grandchildren,” he said. To have absolutely no empathy for the type of life be [sic] introduced us to, only to come to resent us for that life catching up with us. It breaks my heart, but not for myself, specifically for my siblings, and my children. They don’t deserve this at

McKnight was married to songwriter

Julie McKnight from 1990 to 2003.

From that union Brian and Niko were born. He had Briana with his former partner, Patricia Driver. Clyde’s mother’s identity is unknown. McKnight and Leilani Mendoza married in 2017.

Christian author and poet, Jackie Hill Perry shades Beyoncé and Kehlani in viral witchcraft sermon

Folks aren’t happy about a viral sermon circulating online. Jackie Hill Perry, an author, poet, bible teacher, and hip-hop artist is catching flack for expressing her views against African spirituality.

“I don’t know who told us you gotta be a witch to be Black,” Perry said in the clip posted on YouTube and her Instagram page. “You are not more Black by engaging in witchcraft. That is still propagating a white supremacist lie that Black people in Africa didn’t know Jesus.”

“Saying Christianity existed in Africa is not the big joker on the forehead people think it is. Especially when they provide no analysis of the fundamental differences between Coptic, Orthodox and Western Christianity…or how colonialism impacted Christianity on the continent,” Twitter user CandiceBenbow wrote.

Beyoncé and Kehlani both collectively caught random strays in Perry’s intense message about spirituality.

“I am angry with the powers that be in social media, and in culture and in music and in Beyonce’s music and

in Kehlani’s music,” Perry said. “I’m angry that they are really trying to convince us that all spiritualism is the same.”

Perry finished her message by saying people want to have all these freedoms but they are entertaining demons and they wonder why they’re depressed and anxious. She warned people who have witchcraft related items in their homes to throw them away.

Serena Williams announces baby number two at Met Gala red carpet

Serena Williams and her husband Alexis Ohanian are expecting baby number two.

The tennis superstar revealed her growing baby bump on the red carpet of the 2023 Met Gala on Monday, May 11. Williams wore a plunging Gucci dress with sheer sleeves, a white tulle skirt, and a layered pearl necklace with a matching headband.

“I’m feeling good. I can breathe. I can stop not hiding,” Williams said while on her way inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Before walking the red carpet she announced her pregnancy to her Instagram followers.

“Was so excited when Anna Wintour invited the 3 of us to the Met Gala,” she captioned the photo while holding her stomach.

Williams and Ohanian married in November 2017 and they had their first child Oympia September 2017.

Sources: Twitter, YouTube, Page Six, Essence

Brian McKnight

“You cannot sell Black folks Big Macs and give us little justice.”

- Rev. Al Sharpton on discriminations lawsuit filed against McDonald’s

Summer reading helps students store needed knowledge

Local authors share advice

By Ashley Winters

The St. Louis American

The school year will soon fade into summer, which means family vacations, sleeping in, and staying up late.

St. Louis Public Library has a summer challenge book reading program to encourage all St. Louisans to read a combined 40,000 books June 1 through August 15. To sign up visit any SLPL or visit online at slpl.beanstack.org

According to the American Library Association, summer reading encourages youths to develop a lifelong habit of reading. It also helps those who are reluctant to read books become more interested through activities over the summer. Students that have a summer book reading plan in place are at a lower risk of losing reading skills from the previous school year.

Scholastic research shows that summer reading helps youths foster social-emotional development. 83% of educators say reading helps students understand people that are different from them, 81% say reading helps students develop empathy, and 81% say reading helps students see themselves in characters and stories.

The St. Louis American interviewed Chandria Taylor, Rebecca Clark, and Tracie McGhee local children’s book

authors, they discussed what their book is about and the benefits of summer reading.

The ABC’s To Black Boy Joy

Written by Chandria Taylor, a kindergarten teacher in the metro-east, the book encourages self-confidence in young Black and brown boys ages 6 to 10 years old. For example, ‘B’ is for Black is King, celebrating African royalty.

“It hurts my heart when my kindergartner leaves my class reading all their sight words, and when they get to first grade their teacher complains to me about how behind my former student is in reading,” said Taylor. Taylor advises families to make reading fun. They can have their young readers read the signs of restaurants and local attractions. She also recommends online sites including pbskids. org and Starfall.com

Taylor’s books can be found on Amazon.

Witty Kids: I Dream To Be

Author Rebecca Clark, Clark is a mother of two— a high schooler and a second grader. Her book teaches young minds to explore a world of endless

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Have you personally been impacted or injured due to a violent crime or incident?

possibilities through a variety of careers - such as a veterinarian, astronaut, or engineer. Clark’s book encourages kids to dream beyond their imagination, and to see themselves in careers they thought they would never be in. Her book is for readers between first and fourth grade.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Clark’s youngest daughter was entering kindergarten and witnessed the struggles her daughter was facing learning through a computer screen. She says that her young learner missed learning to read the traditional way, and not having that one-on-one time with her teacher caused her to fall a little behind in reading.

“Summer reading gives students that extra push to be avid readers,” said Clark.

“I encourage my daughter to take a book with her wherever she goes, even if it’s to the park,” said Clark as smiled with

pride. Clark’s books can be found at www.wittykidsclub.com.

The Red Book

Written by Tracie BerryMcGhee, a therapist who focuses on the mental development of pre-teen through young adult girls, “The Red Book” features letters and poems written by women from St. Louis. She calls her books “teen girls’ advice for the soul.”

Berry-McGhee noticed during the pandemic more teens were turning to TikTok than picking up a book. From her point of view, teens lose interest in reading because many books don’t speak to them.

She recommends parents should start a book club within the family— the choice of the teen. This creates bonding and gives them something to do

If you answered

besides staring at a screen. She also recommends books that have short stories and recommends that teens start a book club within their friend circle.

“Teens having books to read that spark their interest helps keep them out of trouble,” said the therapist.

Berry-McGhee says that as a community we must push literacy, enjoy reading, and not make it a chore. She said, “Our children have nothing to do, but do something they will regret.”

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

“It hurts my heart when my kindergartner leaves my class reading all their sight words, and when they get to first grade their teacher complains to me about how behind my

Photo by Wiley Price I St. Louis American

Therapist and childrens book author Tracie Berry-McGhee in her north county offices.

Editorial/Commentary

Guest Editorial Mistrust is ripping America apart

For decades, there has been concern about young people being disengaged and turned off by politics and the political process. They are more susceptible to being lost to the undertow of growing cynicism.

Supreme Court needs code of ethics

By Marc Morial

Justice Thomas has betrayed a fundamental duty of high office: the duty of transparency. This disgraceful lawbreaking is precisely the sort of thing Congress has charged the attorney general with responsibility for addressing. It would be an absolute dereliction of duty if the Department of Justice were to fail to investigate these omissions.” -- The Project On Government Oversight

There can be no question that Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch engaged in willful deceit of the American people when they omitted key details from financial disclosures.

By Janice Ellis

On an almost daily basis, we are confronted with the choice of continuing to believe in the role, value and integrity of our government or conclude that it is irretrievably broken.

At a minimum we must seriously ask: Are we at risk of succumbing to what appears to be inherent and intransigent dishonesty and hypocrisy practiced in the institutions and by leaders we have come to rely on?

The recent revelations that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas accepted expensive gifts, lavish vacations and a property purchase and that Neil Gorsuch had a real estate transaction with entities that have issues appearing before the court — and that they failed to report them — do not bolster our confidence.

Do you think that issues you care deeply about will get a fair hearing when brought before the Supreme Court? How confident are you that the court we consider to be the ultimate arbiter will uphold and be governed by the rule of law?

The public’s trust of the Supreme Court is at an all-time low.

As you know, a rip current — generally unnoticed — does not pull people under the water. It pulls people away from the shore. A drowning death occurs when the person no longer has the energy to continue to fight to get back to shore.

us, the public, for our continual tolerance through our silence and lack of demonstrative steps that would clearly convey our outrage?

How can it be okay for Supreme Court

Justices to accept expensive gifts, take lavish trips, enter into real estate deals and not be held accountable by the reporting requirements and ethical standards governing the behavior of an officer of the court?

How can any citizen — including a past president of the United States — not be required to abide by the laws of the land?

How can a member of Congress whose entire resume is a compilation of lies and misrepresentations, and whose behavior remains one bold face untruth after the other, still be allowed to serve?

One can look at what is going on in their state, city and county and find similar instances of threats to the integrity and foundation of our governing entities.

Are faithful, seasoned and concerned citizens growing tired and weary of trying to fight against those who are undermining the very fabric of our democratic republic?

Oceanographers will tell you that an undertow is most dangerous to children or inexperienced swimmers. Whereas, a rip current can exhaust and kill the most experienced swimmer when they have to constantly swim against the flow.

For decades, there has been concern about young people being disengaged and turned off by politics and the political process. They are more susceptible to being lost to the undertow of growing cynicism. Today, unfortunately, this undercurrent of cynicism is not just among young people. Evidence abounds that it transcends age, sex, race, ethnicity and economic class.

But something more dangerous and more deadly is lurking: The rip current of total disregard.

We have seen it from the White House to the statehouse. From the county seat to the city council. From an appointed board to an elected board.

Does the blame lie solely with the perpetrators? Or must the blame be shared by

There are so many questions to grapple with when we see our elected or appointed officials consumed, and often dethroned, by scandal. How much of it is contrived by political enemies or opposing factions? How much is due to a character flaw, a lack of a moral center and strong ethical values, personal agendas and financial greed? It is little wonder that public trust and confidence in our government and its leaders are at an all-time low at almost every level. How could anyone possibly expect citizens to stay engaged, and not succumb to the undertow of cynicism, or fall victim to the rip current of total disregard?

An experienced and knowledgeable swimmer knows that the rip current can be deadly; and it is wise to stay attentive during the swim, remaining close to the beach or near the shore.

But, like the good swimmer, we as concerned citizens must remain watchful and stay connected to the institutional government that defines us and our way of life.

We must be vigilant and fight to reclaim and preserve our system of government as we navigate and work on the imperfections.

The political undertow of apathy and cynicism claims another every time someone tunes out our democratic process.

But the rip current of total disregard, if it claims too many, can lead us to a point of no return.

Janice Ellis has lived and worked in Missouri for more than three decades, analyzing educational, political, social and economic issues across race, ethnicity, age and socio-economic status.

Congress must not only act immediately to implement bipartisan legislation that would require the Supreme Court to implement a code of conduct, but also make it clear that transgressions such as these will not be tolerated.

The head of a major law firm with dozens of cases before the Court purchased a $1.8 million property partially owned by Gorsuch. Gorsuch did not disclose the name of the purchaser.

A politically active billionaire, who also had business before the court, lavished Thomas over 20 years with cruises on his yacht, excursions on his private jet, and vacations at his private resort. Thomas disclosed none of the gifts. Nor did Thomas disclose his sale of three properties to the billionaire, including the home where his mother still lives, rentfree, or the tens of thousands of dollars the billionaire spent on improvements to the home.

However, the most severe punishment for these deceptions under the Ethics in Government Act is a monetary penalty. Thomas’ misconduct, especially, cries out for a stronger remedy.

The code-of-conduct legislation Senators Angus King and Lisa Murkowski have introduced is an absolutely necessary first step. But we have come to a low point in our history if Supreme Court Justices, of all people, are confused about what constitutes ethical conduct. Federal law already requires judges to disqualify themselves from cases if the justice “or his spouse” has “an interest that could be substantially affected by the outcome of the proceeding.” A congressional subcommittee clarified in 1970 that the law applies to Supreme Court Justices. Yet Thomas refused to recuse himself from multiple cases related to the 2020 presidential election despite the revelation that his wife, Ginny Thomas, an election denial activist, bombarded the former White House chief of staff with text messages pleading with him to continue fighting to overturn the election results.

In the nation’s history, Congress has impeached 15 federal judges, removing eight from office. The only Supreme Court Justice to be impeached, Samuel Chase in 1805, was acquitted by the Senate.

Gorsuch has offered no public explanation for his deception. Thomas’ defense was both feeble and untruthful. Not only did Thomas falsely claim he had no obligation to report gifts from individuals “who did not have business before the Court,” the billionaire did, in fact, have business before the court.

These deceptions are not mere ethical lapses. They are violations of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, which requires that transportation gifts, and most real estate sales above $1,000, must be disclosed. Thomas has tried to characterize the trips as “personal hospitality,” but the law clearly requires that gifts of transportation be disclosed. Thomas appears to have understood that requirement when he reported the gift of a private jet flight in 1997. He stopped reporting them after the disclosure attracted media scrutiny.

One Supreme Court Justice, Abe Fortas, averted impeachment proceedings by resigning amid allegations of misconduct far less serious than those facing Thomas. In 1966, Fortas had accepted a retainer of $20,000 – just under $166,000 in today’s dollars – from a Wall Street financier who was under investigation for securities violations. Fortas returned the money when the financier was indicted, and recused himself when the financier’s case came before the Court. But when the arrangement came to light in 1969, Democrats in Congress joined Republicans in calling for Fortas’ resignation – even though Republican President Richard Nixon was sure to appoint a conservative Justice to replace Fortas and flip the Court’s majority.

In calling for his resignation, Fortas’ primary backer in the Senate said, “The confidence of our citizenry in the federal judiciary must be preserved.” This is no less true in 2023 than it was in 1969.

Marc Morial is National Urban League President and CEO

Time to fight censorship

By Svante Myrick

Every year, the American Library Association unveils its list of the top ten most-challenged books for the previous year. And this year, Number One is the same as last year’s Number One: the book “Gender Queer,” by Maia Kobabe. Other books that achieved this distinction were Toni Morrison’s classic “The Bluest Eye,” “All Boys Aren’t Blue” by George M. Johnson, and other titles dealing with race, gender identity, sexuality and coming of age – in other words, real life.

This year’s list also follows the Association’s announcement that demands to censor library books reached 1,269 last year – nearly doubling demands from the previous year. That’s a record high in all the years since ALA began compiling data more than 20 years ago. And because censorship demands now often include numerous books, a record-high number of individual titles made the list of targeted books last year: 2,571. The ALA says of those, the vast majority were written by or about people of color or the LGBTQ community.

This is a tragedy for students, and not just students who come from the communities the censors want to silence. Those students lose the sometimes life-saving experience of seeing themselves in a story and knowing they are neither abnormal nor alone. Meanwhile all students grow up knowing less about the world. Censorship stunts their intellectual growth.

Art Spiegelman is the creator of “Maus,” a Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel that depicts his family’s experience of the Holocaust – and is frequently targeted by censors. His experience as a target of censors has made him a leading activist against book banning, and he believes the answer to the book-banning craze is to get involved in local politics –

including school board elections, where the battles over censorship are waged. Spiegelman made it clear in a recent CBS News interview that he recognizes the right of a parent to say their own child can or can’t read a book, but to make that decision for other parents’ kids is “suppression and authoritarianism.” Spiegelman’s position seems entirely reasonable to me. We can honor the rights of individual parents to make decisions about their kids’ exposure to books, art and other cultural materials without mandating decisions for everybody else. That seems like rational ground we should all be able to occupy. But rationality left the room a while ago when it comes to the Far Right’s attacks on the freedom to learn. The main group leading the charge on banning books, Moms for Liberty, has become something akin to a terrorist organization. Reports now abound of group members carrying out harassment campaigns in their communities, calling for librarians to be shot and making unfounded public accusations of child abuse and pedophilia against their perceived “enemies.” The group has also become a significant force in Republican politics. And it’s growing. What we need now are not just brave and principled people on school boards, but also bigger, more powerful organizations that are willing to support them. The organization I lead, People For the American Way, has a cadre of school board members in our Young Elected Officials network. We are engaged in outreach to these folks, especially in states that are hotbeds for book banning like Florida and Virginia. We owe it to the next generation not to stand on the sidelines.

Svante Myrick is President of People For the American Way.

Columnist Janice Ellis

Columnist Marc H. Morial

Columnist Svante Myrick

From left: Pastor Andre Alexander, of the Tabernacle Community Development Corp., and Maureen McCuen, of the St. Joseph Housing Initiative, took part in an announcement of funding with Rev. Thurman Williams and Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski during a press conference for Hearts, Hands & Homes, an ecumenical Christian housing collaborative, Wednesday, April 19, 2023, at The Hub –Tabernacle Church in St. Louis, Missouri.

Oikos gives foundational donation to Hearts Hands & Home

St. Louis American staff

Hearts Hands & Home, an ecumenical Christian housing collaborative, is partnering with The Carver Project to present “Housing in St. Louis: Building a Hopeful Future,” at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 11 at One Family Church, 4265 Shaw Blvd.

Nine local faith leaders, called the Oikos Group, recently presented $1.785 million to Hearts Hands & Homes during a ceremony at The Hub – Tabernacle Church, 3000 Prairie Ave.

The donation will help the organization continue to provide services to disenfranchised families in the region through affordable rental units, wraparound social services to support stable housing, and first-time homeownership programs.

Oikos members began meeting in September 2021 and share a mission “to unite hearts and hands to rebuild St. Louis, in the hope that their partnership would be an ecumenical witness to Christian faith, love of neighbors and a model for collaboration across dividing lines.”

The group set a 2023 goal to help raise $3 to $6 million for Hearts Hands & Homes. Oikos members and their affiliated churches have committed the first $1.785 million.

The Hearts Hands & Homes agencies

include Catholic Charities – Pathways to Progress; FT Holdings; Lutheran Development Group; Tabernacle Community Development Corp.; The FAM; and St. Joseph Housing Initiative.

Oikos consist of: Pastor Darren Casper, St. Louis Metro; Rev. Jeff Cloeter, Christ Memorial Lutheran Church; Pastor Greg Holder, The Crossing Church; Bishop Michael Jones, Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church; Pastor Brent Roam, One Family Church; Rev. Mitchell Rozanski, Archbishop of St. Louis; Rev. Dr. Clay Smith, Central Presbyterian Church; Rev. Dr. Thurman Williams, Covenant Seminary, New City Fellowship; Bishop Lawrence Wooten, Second Assistant Presiding Bishop of The Church of God in Christ and Williams Temple Church of God in Christ pastor.

Gifts to Hearts, Hands, & Home can be made through any of the Oikos Group member churches or through a dedicated online giving portal administered by the Archdiocese of St. Louis (https://giving.archstl.org/ Product/office-of ecumenical-and-interreligious-affairs/hearts-hands-homes-oikosgroup-project).

The May 11 event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Please visit https://sendmestlouis.org/events/buildingahopefulfuture/

Attacks on Black people cause lasting trauma

By Julianne Malveaux

All Ralph Yarl was trying to do was pick up his siblings in Kansas City. He went to a home on 115 Street instead of 115 Terrace, an understandable mistake that could have been easily rectified had the homeowner, who opened the door with a gun instead, said “wrong address” and provided directions to the right one.

Instead, the rabid white man shot the 16-year-old in the head and the arm. Blessedly, Yarl is alive, hospitalized, and in stable condition. The shooter has been released pending charges. I suppose “stand your ground” means shoot ’em up. Would the homeowner have shot a white youth? Would a Black homeowner shooting have been released so quickly?

As concerned as I am with Ralph Yarl, an exceptional student by all accounts, I am more concerned with how this shooting may affect other Black youth’s mental health and stability.

Every signal our society sends to young Black people is a signal that they are not valued. Running unarmed through the wrong neighborhood can get you shot and killed. Driving unarmed and safely in the face of white police irrationality can get you killed.

Looking “menacing” can get you killed. Sitting in a classroom can get you killed. Going to a birthday party can get you killed. Too often, Black youth are killed by rabid and irrational whites.

Equally often, folks with more guns than sense kill them in classrooms and streets. And then, sometimes, they are killed by each other. How are they processing the threats to their safety and survival?

In her book “Lynching and Spectacle,” Amy Louise Wood wrote, “Even one lynching reverberated, traveling with sinister force, down city streets, and through rural farms, across roads and rivers. … One mob’s yell could sound like ‘a hundred mobs yelling,’ and the specter of the violence continued to smolder long after it was over.”

These all-too-regular shootings of Black youth have a similar effect. What does any young Black man think of the shooting of Ralph Yarl? Does it make him feel more endangered? More cautious? Angrier? Does it affect his mental health?

To be sure, since the murder of George Floyd, a few murderers, like putrid Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, have experienced consequences. At the same time, too many get away with these public shootings, killings, and lynchings. Ralph Yarl’s survival is a blessing.

His community’s advocacy for him is a tremendous support. As always, Attorney Ben Crump and his team should be applauded for being on the case. Who will minister to those who are impacted by this horrible shooting? The Black community must turn this pain into power and purpose. The National Rifle Association, now promoting “junior” versions of assault weapons, must be checked.

Every time a mass shooting occurs, they should be sued, and, more importantly (but not the same thing), if they send legal reinforcements to defend the heinous attacker of Ralph Yarl, they should be countered with fierce opposition.

The right to bear arms does not mean the right to shoot innocent people on sight. Simple civility suggests that the erroneous ringing of a doorbell should not turn into a savage act by a homeowner. But the media machine that portrays Black people as frightening and threatening is at least partly responsible for the deep-seated fear and hate that some whites have toward us.

Too many of us have been anesthetized by our trauma. It hurts, but it doesn’t hurt. It’s abnormal, but its attacks on Black people have been so frequent that they have become routine. We pray for Ralph Yarl, cry for him, and contribute to the GoFundMe appeal that his aunt put out. Yet these passive acts are not enough. It is time for the kind of action that disarms fools and protects young Black people.

Malveaux is an economist, author and dean of the College of Ethnic Studies at California State University, Los Angeles.

Photo by Jacob Wiegand / St. Louis Review

Julianne Malveaux

deny you medical care and much-needed counseling.

Republicans nationwide have been focused on passing new restrictions on the LGBTQ+ community.

At least 385 bills targeting LGBTQ rights and queer life have been introduced around the country, according to data compiled by the American Civil Liberties Union.

In Missouri, Attorney General Andrew Bailey, a Republican, filed emergency rules aimed at restricting gender-affirming health care for Missourians of all ages.

On Monday, St. Louis County Circuit Judge Ellen Ribaudo issued a temporary restraining order against implementation of the restrictions, after issuing a stay last month. The suit to stop the emergency rules was filed by the ACLU of Missouri and Lambda Legal, an LGBTQ legal organization.

Gillian Wilcox, Deputy Director of Litigation for the ACLU of Missouri, declared Ribaudo’s decision a victory for the LGBTQ+ community.

“Today’s ruling marks a win for transgender Missourians over an unprecedented attempt by the Attorney General to unilaterally legislate and harm their right to self-expression, bodily autonomy, and access to lifesaving health care,” Wilcox said.

Kaliyah Knowles, 30, proudly adheres to the self-proclaimed definition

Boys & Girls

Continued from A1

develop healthy attitudes and healthy lifestyles mastering social, emotional, and physical challenges of growing up for young girls,” she said.

Gibson said her “S” would stand for sisters because she had four older sisters, who she received hand me down clothes and lots of sound advice from.

of a “Black, transgender woman, and drag queen.” She performs as a hip-hop drag queen at several local venues under the stage name “KFoxx Mazarit.”

Knowles takes issue with any politician who meddles in the lives of trans people.

“People who don’t know these people or their families or their loved ones have no right to determine their livelihoods,” Knowles said.

“They’re always trying to find ways to tell us what our lives should be like.”

Bailey’s guidelines weren’t passed by the legislature or signed by the governor. The attorney general simply used his powers of office to enforce laws around what he defined as “consumer protection.”

Placing barriers to gender-affirming care for minors and adults, Bailey argued, will keep parents of transgender youth and transgender adults more informed and provide them with “all the information necessary to make good decisions.”

The World Health Organization defines “gender-affirming care” as a range of social, psychological, behavioral, and medical interventions “designed to support and affirm an individual’s gender identity” when it conflicts with the gender they were assigned at birth.

Transgender health care includes the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of physical and mental health conditions, as well as sex reassignment therapies, for transgender individuals.

Her “M” stood for her mother who was a stay-athome mother and ensured she and her siblings were set up for success.

Her “A” stood for art because her mother was an artist and she encouraged them to be creative and make their own creations.

Her “R” stood for recreation because she played outside a lot and learned the value of self- directed play.

Her “T” stood for teamwork as she and her

Photo courtesy of the AP

Kaliyah Knowles, 30, proudly adheres to the self-proclaimed definition of a “Black, transgender woman, and drag queen.” She performs as a hip-hop drag queen at several local venues under the stage name “KFoxx Mazarit.”

Claiming such medical treatments are “experimental” and provided without adequate mental health care, Bailey’s new rules require three years of medically documented “gender dysphoria,” 15 therapy sessions over the course of at least 18 months, the treatment and resolution of all mental health conditions and more.

In early March, President Biden-who didn’t specify which rules he found offensive-defined efforts to restrict the rights of trans individuals as “cruel.”

Born a biological male, Knowles claimed her female identity at the age of 14 and received support from her siblings

siblings worked together and learned the art of negotiating, planning, and compromising.

“My experiences and relationships helped to shape and different modes of community followed me,” Gibson said.

2023 Youth of the Year Zhariah Davis told the audience she aspires to become a biomedical engineer and enjoys the SMART Girls Program because it helped boost her self confidence.

bullying or intimidation from youngsters or adults. She maintains that attitude today as it relates to attempts from politicians who want to deny transgender people their rights.

“We’re not a project, we’re not an experiment,” Knowles insisted, adding: “They shouldn’t be able to tell anybody who they are or when they should or shouldn’t become a woman or man.”

Knowles is an outreach specialist and an ambassador for The Community Wellness Project’s “TWIST” (Transgender Women Involved in Strategies for Transformation) job skills, intervention, counseling and prevention program for adult, transgender women. As in her younger years, Knowles is equally adamant about the need for gender-affirming care.

and peers. She launched a petition while at Vashon High School demanding the right to wear the same cheerleading uniforms as the girls. She said the effort garnered a lot of praise from students and faculty members alike.

Raised on St. Louis’ westside on Page Avenue, Knowles said she wasn’t picked on at school.

“Maybe it was because I was of larger descent (6 ft’ tall) and stocky and I knew how to fight. Oh, I was in a lot of fights, but not because I was a trans girl but because I had a smart mouth.”

Having 18 brothers and sisters on her mother and father’s side, Knowles said she tolerated no

“I love being a part of the Boys and Girls Club,” Davis said.

“Interacting and getting to know kids of different backgrounds and ages played a big role increasing my confidence and better developing my social skills.”

Ismail Botchway and Jiyu Zhang, members of the club’s St. Louis Internship Program, were each presented $1,000 scholarships for their award winning essays.

Botchway was awarded with the Dr. Flint W. & June McAllister Fowler Award for volunteerism & leadership. His winning essay discussed how he used the skills he gained from the program in helping himself and his peers feel safe after the tragic Central Visual Performing Arts School shooting on Oct. 24, 2022.

“After the tragic shooting at my high school [Central Visual Performing Arts School], I used my leadership and team-building skills to help students feel safe during this tragic time,” Botchway said in his essay.

“I was able to use my voice to reach out and sup-

“It’s necessary because of our mental health… we need our meds, we need counseling…it’s all important because of the high risk of suicides.” Knowles stressed. “When people talk to you or say things that’s harmful-if you don’t have thick skinit can become very hurtful that’s why we have people who kill themselves.”

Knowles is not alone among those concerned about the rising suicide rates among transgender people. According to a report released in February by the Trevor Project, a national LGBTQ youth suicide prevention organization, a quarter of Black transgender and nonbinary youth attempted suicide last year. Another study

port not only my friends but any student in my school to let them know I was there for them.”

Zhang was awarded with the Dr. Joan Silber Award for volunteerism & leadership. Her essay detailed her experience of immigrating to America at the age of six.

“My journey to achieving English fluency was a strenuous one that involved self-driven studying with resources from public libraries and guidance from various support groups,” Zhang said in her essay.

2023 Table for 3 Guest of Honor, Carolyn Kindle, St. Louis City SC CEO and president and her family have been associated with BGCSTL for three generations. Her affiliation with the club started when she was in high school.

“[It was] one of the best experiences I ever had,” Kindle said.

“Thank you to the Boys and Girls Club for allowing a senior in high school who thought she knew everything to come spend a month learning about all the great things inside and out that the Boys and Girls club does.”

released last year by the same group noted that more than 50% of transgender and non-binary youth in states across the US seriously considered suicide in that year.

Knowles is not surprised that the LGBTQ+ community is the target of political attacks.

“We’ve always been a political target, they’re always trying to make it hard for us to get surgeries and that type of thing,” Knowles said. It’s like our fight for same sex marriage. They’re always trying to make it hard for us.”

Knowles thought things were getting better under the Obama Administration.

Repealing the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” Act, extending the federal Hate Crimes Prevention Act to include attacks based on the victim’s actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity; Ensuring hospital visitation rights and expanding access to health coverage for LGBT patients and their loved ones were just a few accomplishments under Obama for the LGBTQ+ community.

When interviewed by the American a few weeks ago, Knowles was confident that Bailey’s attempts to invoke new emergency rules aimed at restricting gender-affirming health care would be thwarted by community activism and Missouri courts. She may be right.

“They’re making it like we’re criminals when we’re people just like everybody else,” Knowles said.

LaVicki Hart and Karen Middleton of BGCSTL’s Women’s Leadership Circle encouraged other women in the room to donate $1,000 and secure membership. Women’s Leadership connects women business and community leaders to BCGSTL’s mission in changing the lives of youth, especially young girls.

“As a member, you can connect with dynamic women to support and mentor girls at the club,” Hart said. “A lot of young girls [like our special young girls with us today] that need us. When women come together and lift each other up great things happen.”

“We are proud of our heritage in the field of youth development,” Fowler said.

“Our focus on academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles help to ensure our members graduate from high school with a plan for their life with the credentials needed to embark upon their post-secondary interests.”

Affairs and Diversity & Professor for Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College.

Though a lifer at BJC, which is affiliated with Washington University, he was educated at two other local universities. He received his bachelor’s degree in radiologic science from St. Louis University, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude. He also holds a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from the University of Missouri – St. Louis and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Higher Education Administration from Saint Louis University.

The St. Louis American spoke with Dr. Ward about his illustrious careers, his voluminous board commitments, his educational arc, his home city’s treasures, and troubles, and what he plans to do with his wellearned retirement.

The St. Louis American: As Vice Dean for Student Affairs and Diversity & Professor at Goldfarb School of Nursing, what programs or systems did you put in place to diversify faculty and students?

Dr. Michael Ward: The Vice Dean for Student Affairs and Diversity placed me on the Executive Cabinet of the college. In this position, it was important to concentrate on the needs of the students as the focal point. Most of them have entered nursing pursuing a dream to help others and to serve the community. A significant percentage of those students are first generation and have put their family lives

Gardner

Continued from A1

on Wednesday it has appointed Allison Schreiber Lee as the special prosecuting attorney.

Lee, who currently practices family law, is a former assistant circuit attorney in St. Louis and a former assistant state’s attorney for Miami-Dade County, Florida. She also served as a special prosecuting attorney for the indirect criminal contempt docket in St. Louis County.

On Monday May 1, Joel Currier, Chief Communications Officer of the 22nd Judicial Circuit, released a statement voicing judges’ concerns with turnover in Gardner’s office.

and income on hold while going to college to complete their nursing degree. The Student Affairs departments and team members worked to support the needs of students by creating scholarship programs that were aimed at supporting diverse students (based on financial need, minority status, males, since nursing is predominantly female) and merit based with clear and unbiased criteria. We created a Mentor program that paired entering undergraduate and graduate students with seasoned staff nurses or nurse leaders who could guide them through the early stages of their program of study. These relationships provided a means of connecting with someone who was working in the field and could share common experiences that reinforced their common passion for nursing. I worked very

when considering all of the allegations in each of these counts together, and in combination with the allegations that the examples are part of a pattern and practice of conduct, gives rise to a reasonable inference that [Gardner] has intentionally failed to act contrary to a known duty,” Torbitzky wrote.

“The facts alleged in the petition also permit the reasonable inference that [Gardner] was aware of occurrences in her office and yet took no action.” Bailey spokesperson Madeline Sieren told St. Louis Public Radio he was “extremely pleased with the judge’s order.”

n “The facts alleged in the petition also permit the reasonable inference that [Gardner] was aware of occurrences in her office and yet took no action.”

– Judge John Torbitzky

“More recent departures from the Circuit Attorney’s Office -leaving fewer attorneys to prosecute hundreds of serious cases on the trial docket -- are deeply concerning to the judges of the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court,” said the statement.

“We will continue to make reasonable accommodations amid the CAO’s current staffing crisis while always balancing the rights of defendants, crime victims and their families to ensure the fair and efficient administration of justice.”

On Tuesday, Judge John Torbitzky denied Gardner’s motion to dismiss Bailey’s quo warranto case to remove her from office.

“The number of alleged incidents and cases impacted, particularly

Strategic Plan Committee, participate in updates to the Board of Trustees of the college and the Alumni Advisory Council.

The St. Louis American: Your education was from SLU and UMSL, but your professional affiliations were with WashU/BJC. Why is that?

Wed. May 3, 2023.

Among Bailey’s accusations is the claim that Gardner’s mismanagement of her office often led to cases being delayed or dismissed.

“There is also a reasonable inference that [Gardner’s] subordinates were acting at her direction or in accordance with her policies,” Torbitzky wrote.

“Whether any alleged failure of one of those subordinates could subject [Gardner] to ouster need not be answered at this time because the breadth of the allegations give rise to reasonable inference that [Gardner] has refused to perform her duties as circuit attorney.”

There was some positive news in Trobitzky’s ruling. He dismissed the allegations that Gardner failed or refused to timely move for the disposal of property, refused to comply with the state’s open records laws and mismanaged her

closely with the creation and promotion of the Emergency Compassion Fund, in collaboration with the BJH Foundation, to financially support students who had financial emergencies (loss of job - especially during the 2.5 years of COVID) and family emergencies (house flooding, fires, illness, etc.) that would impact the student’s ability to either attend school or could have sidetracked their progression. These emergency funds were there to see the student over that hurdle to continue attending school. While at the college, I was pleased that we provided over $400,000 worth of financial support for students in need and beamed with pride when seeing them cross the stage at graduation, knowing the struggles that they were able to overcome.

The college also

office’s finances.

He said Bailey’s allegations “do not suggest willful neglect of office or any other basis for removal.”

However, Torbitzky

implemented a Strategic Plan called the “Path to Distinction” where I strongly pushed and supported the needs of students and the focus on diversity, equity and inclusion as a foundation and thread across the entire strategic plan.

The St. Louis American: What progress can you show?

Dr. Michael Ward: New positions were created within the Student Affairs division that were designed to support student advisement, career opportunities, student engagement, financial aid literacy and mentoring programs. We partnered with external partners (high school counselors, science teachers, Girls Inc., Boys Hope/Girls Hope and other agencies) to expose more individuals to the vast opportunities available in the nursing

also denied most of Gardner’s efforts to limit a vast number of being provided to Bailey. Subpoenas to Marvin Teer, a former employee, and Christopher Hinkley,

field. This aided the college to expand the numbers of minority students (including males) entering the undergraduate and graduate programs.

Once students applied, they were paired with an Admissions Advisor and Financial Aid Counselor who became their central point of contact and guided them through the admission and financial aid application processes. Once enrolled, every student was assigned an Academic & Student Support Advisor who supported them through their academic progression. There was additional progress demonstrated through student-focused policies, student support organizations that provided ways to engage with other students and the community, along with opportunities to serve on college faculty and staff committees, serve as members of the

a current employee, would apply “only to personal devices and only to documents and communications with members of the CAO.” “We are pushing

Dr. Michael Ward: Straight out of high school, I entered the Radiologic Technology program offered by Washington University through Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology. After completing this two-year, hospital-based program, I successfully passed my board exam and continued working for the Department of Radiology for 23 years (serving in various teaching and leadership positions), while completing my higher education on a parttime basis.

I achieved my BS degree from Saint Louis University in Radiologic Sciences (with a minor in education), completed a Master in Education degree program majoring in Educational Administration and finally went back to SLU to complete a PhD in Higher Education Administration. Once I completed my PhD, I made a career shift into a higher-education administration role at what eventually became BarnesJewish College, where I had worked for the next 25 years of my career prior to retiring at the end of 2022.

Tickets to The St. Louis American Foundation’s 23rd Annual Salute to Excellence in Health Care Awards Reception June 22 at the Frontenac Hilton, are $75 each, which includes beverages and hors d’oeuvres, are available for purchase online at stlamerican.com.

forward with our efforts to remove Ms. Gardner from office to protect the people of St. Louis,” Sieren of Bailey’s office said.

Dr. Michael Ward at the Goldfarb School of Nursing on the campus of Barnes - Jewish Hospital

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Salute to Excellence in Health Care

You Gotta Believe Judge dismisses

The St. Louis Black Authors of Children’s Literature recently opened its ninth Believe Projects Literacy Lab at Barbara C. Jordan Elementary School in University City. From left are Rosalind Johnson, BuildA-Bear Foundation director; Julien Kaufman, Build-A-Bear Foundation senior cause specialist; Maxine Clark, Build-A-Bear founder; Chris Hurt, Build-A-Bear Foundation president; Sharonica Hardin, University Schools superintendent; Dorlita Adams, Jordan Elementary School principal; and Julius B. Anthony, St. Louis Black Authors of Children’s Literature.

ESOP hiring lawsuit

American staff

The Ethical Society of Police, which supports a state takeover of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Force, learned Tuesday a discrimination lawsuit against the city filed in 2017 by three Black St. Louis police sergeants had been dismissed. The lawsuit alleged that white officers were favored for promotions to lieutenant in 2014. It also alleged they were excluded from 16 promotions in July 2014, and that only one of the 16 officers promoted was Black. Judge Michael Stelzer wrote in his judgment that the plaintiffs cannot claim unintentional discrimination under the Missouri Human Rights Act. The lawsuit can be filed in federal court.

“We are disappointed this case wasn’t heard as we continue to have strong concerns about SLMPD’s promotional process. The judge in this case states that unintentional discrimination claims can only be made in federal court. We are in support of these officers should they decide to continue this fight. We cannot ignore the impact of policies that facilitate bias, unintentional or intentional,” ESOP said in a statement

“The SLMPD promotions process is marked by a lack of transparency that leaves it vulnerable to imbalance. Thus far, we have not been able to come to common ground with the Department of Personnel to ensure transparency is added.

“As an example, other agencies record aspects of the testing as proof of how a candidate did. Since SLMPD does not, candidates can’t as easily challenge the scores and ranking. We have seen officers earn very high and even the highest scores but be passed over multiple times, yet we aren’t provided the reason. Safeguards need to be put in place to ensure a balanced process free of discrimination for all candidates.”

Charting new course

St. Louis seeks members for Charter Commission

St. Louis American staff

The City of St. Louis has opened the application portal for the new St. Louis Charter Commission, which could empower St. Louisans to modernize and streamline city government.

“Our city charter was drafted in the horse-andbuggy era before women even had the right to vote,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones.

“It’s time we take a hard look at what worked in the 20th century but doesn’t in the 21st. I’m ready to work alongside the commission to make city government more efficient, more responsive, and more inclusive for generations to come.”

Board of Aldermen

President Megan Green said a regular review “guarantees that our charter remains relevant as times change.”

“Moreover, I think centering residents in the process goes a long way toward building a stronger working relationship between the public and their local government.”

Among some of the antiquated portions of the St. Louis City Charter include:

• Requirement to print city updates in only English and German

• Grants city right to levy taxes on steamboat lines, steamships, and merry-gorounds

• Allows city to issue bonds for the construction and maintenance of “orphan asylums,” “insane asylums,” as well as “telephone and telegraph systems”

• Referring to all elected officials as men, outdated for an era in which the top city elected officials are

women “I’m incredibly proud of St. Louis voters for saying yes to this opportunity for community-engaged, repeating work on our charter,” said 8th Ward Alderperson Annie Rice.

“Passing was step one, now comes the request for folks to get involvedeither by applying to serve on the commission or getting ready with ideas and suggestions for changes that will help move our city forward. This process will only be as good as we make it, and I’m grateful we’ve added this tool to St. Louis’s governmental toolbox.”

Per the measure, the application portal will remain open until June 6,

2023, 50 days after posting per the proposition. Applicants must be a registered voter in the City of St. Louis for at least two consecutive years, and they must be free of conflicts of interest, meaning an applicant, or their first-degree relative, cannot have been a lobbyist representing clients with interests in front of City government or has financial or service contracts with the City.

Each member of the Board will ultimately be confirmed by the Board of Aldermen. The commission will become active on August 15, 2023 with its first public meeting held on September 10.

A closer look at some of this week’s political rumors

Swirling rumors have captured the EYE’s attention this week, starting with the horrid whispers that State Senator Steve Roberts, Jr., and his family have been lobbying behind the scenes for Roberts to be appointed if Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner is either removed or decides to leave her office. It’s no secret that Roberts’ mother, Dr. Eva Frazer, is a member of the un-elected committee that nominates the panel of judges in St. Louis City for Governor Mike Parson to consider for his selection. She has developed a relationship with Parson over the years and our sources say she has been working hard to place her son’s name in the running as a potential replacement.

Roberts previously worked in the Circuit Attorney’s Office until, while working as an assistant city prosecutor, he allegedly sexually assaulted a law student and eventually settled that conflict out of court. Roberts apparently was put on administrative leave, and if you believe him, he was fired by former circuit attorney Jennifer Joyce because he was considering a run for city prosecutor. If you believe everyone else in the office, however, Roberts was forced out due to inappropriate sexual misconduct toward his co-workers that made his employment there untenable. This was also prior to the charge of sexual assault of a legislative colleague, the late Cora Faith Walker, shortly after Roberts was

initially elected to office.

We simply cannot imagine how a person apparently forced out of a job for repeated deplorable behavior could somehow end up back in that office - and leading it, to boot.

Considering the nature of his departure from that office, we hope that Gov. Parson will consider other appointees, should Circuit Attorney Gardner decide to leave office prior to the end of her current term.

Despite rumors of a possible resignation, Gardner has indicated that she will run for re-election in 2024. This would afford an opportunity for St. Louis voters to decide whether or not she stays in office. That is the democratic way. But if the state powers-that-be who have continually attacked Gardner get their way, the Governor could appoint yet another unelected official to wield power over our city. There are now two announced candidates challenging Gardner next year, with former alderman Michael Gras joining fellow candidate and defense attorney David Mueller in the race for Circuit Attorney. Despite her increasing difficulties, neither candidate’s funding, at this point, comes close to Gardner’s reported $440,000 war chest.

•

Another barely-kept political rumor -- Alderwoman Cara Spencer (Ward 8) is seriously considering another run for mayor in 2025.

Even before she won re-election to the Board of Aldermen in April, Spencer was publicly teasing with the idea of a citywide office and her campaign utilized a lot of regional rhetoric in her ward-level race.

Spencer hasn’t gotten over her resentment since losing to Mayor Tishaura Jones in April 2021, and has gone out of her way to attack Mayor Jones on social media and silently “liked” comments asking her to run again. Spencer has blamed Mayor Jones for getting involved in her 8th Ward race when Mayor Jones endorsed community activist Shredrick Kelley. Spencer sought to blame the administration for ward-level issues and constituent services for which the alderwoman is responsible.

But looking at Spencer’s legislative

record since her 2021 loss, we see that a significant number of her sponsored board bills are largely beneficial to her campaign donors, including her recent sponsorship of a 10-year, 75% tax abatement. Since her mayoral loss, the majority of board bills Spencer has sponsored have been related to development incentives.

The next-to-final bill filed last legislative session was a request for the placement of speed humps within her ward - the first bill to benefit directly her own ward (versus a developer or donor) since December 2020, when she sponsored a lead removal grant.

We can’t look past Spencer’s ongoing, glaring conflict of interest as an alderperson: her full-time employment as a senior vice president at Saint Louis Bank, where she oversees their “community

SSM Health has partnered with GreaterHealth Pharmacy & Wellness to serve the community. Open in the Delmar Divine complex, the SSM Health Express Clinic is staffed by a nurse practitioner who works closely with the GreaterHealth Pharmacy team providing care for all with a focus on communities of color and the LGBTQ+ population.

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for needed systemic rule changes at the first meeting raises questions about whose interests Spencer primarily serves. The first rule change brought before the full board democratized power and revised the process of how committee leadership was selected, which allows new members to take leadership roles. After Resolution 1 was introduced by Alderman Shane Cohn (Ward 3) and the Board voted to pass it, Spencer asked President Megan Green if she could “recall” her previous vote of “aye,” effectively revoking her support of four new colleagues, the majority of whom are people of color.

development.” While we wish Spencer the best as an alderwoman for her expanded larger ward, we shudder to recall the last time she faced Mayor Jones and the ugliness that came from that race - namely, Spencer’s dog whistles and explicit racist comments

Her campaign initially launched a racist ad targeting opponent and former aldermanic president Lewis Reed, and then she turned her attention to Mayor Jones and used her whiteness against her former ally. And that racist turn alone should disqualify her as a citywide leader in St. Louis, which is substantially Black.

Throughout her campaign, we watched Spencer seek to leverage her status as a white woman against her Black opponents and she leaned heavily into hateful pandering. In this era of “anti-woke” being pushed by Republicans, Spencer should learn that she might want to temper her behavior as it will be difficult for her to sustain her past racist strategy as people do move and things change.

St. Louis deserves leadership that not only acknowledges the city’s racist past but acknowledges those truths and actively works to redress historic and ongoing wrongs. This type of leadership can and should be seen across any race or ethnicity - city officials of all backgrounds who support some level of recompense for Black St. Louisans.

Spencer may acknowledge some of the city’s racist history - hopefully including the role of her other employer - but she doesn’t seem interested in advancing more equitable forward-thinking policies as much as she is in benefitting her benefactors. Even Spencer’s behavior during the Board’s vote

Let us not forget Spencer’s earlier claim to KMOX that her worst fear was that St. Louis would become like East St. Louis, while wholly disregarding how the plight of our neighbor across the river came to be. Racist policies like institutional divestment and systemic neglect were implemented helping to lead East St. Louis to suffer violent, deadly race riots – in the wake of which white residents were able to move away, typically further east into Illinois or into the West and South County suburbs. Black residents with no way out were left behind to rebuild, even though a major shift in the economy and practices like redlining and blockbusting continued to decimate the community. Nevertheless, Spencer was quick to claim her mother’s East St. Louis heritage, but failed to share her reasons for her family’s move to St. Louis County.

Spencer may be lauded for her constituent services, but her racist actions obfuscate her ability to lead a substantially Black city, just as Roberts’ trail of alleged past abusive behavior disqualifies him to serve as Circuit Attorney.

Update:

The Riverfront Times wrote on Wednesday that “Kim Gardner is currently enrolled in an advanced nursing program at St. Louis University, the school’s registrar’s office has confirmed… Under Missouri law, circuit attorneys (as well as their assistants) must devote their entire time and energy to the discharge of their official duties.”

Cara Spencer, Aldwerwoman 8th Ward, senior vice president of community and economic development for St. Louis Bank

Kimberly Gardner City of St. Louis Circuit Attorney

Patrick Henry Academy wins prized Green Ribbon designation

1st urban school to be honored

St. Louis American staff

The Patrick Henry Downtown Academy is one of a kind in being named a recipient of the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School award.

Patrick Henry is the first urban school to receive the distinction and just the 19th school in Missouri.

“We are extremely grateful for this recognition. This is a huge honor, and it was years in the making and required collaboration from community partners and colleagues across several district departments,” said Principal Deborah Rogers.

Rogers, who hails from a family of educators and understands the importance of planning, said the Patrick Henry school community made a long-term commitment to healthy schools, sustainability, and environmentalism.

“About four years ago, we embarked on a Missouri Foundation for Health’s, “Healthy Schools and Healthy Communities,” grant. From there, we started considering green improvements,” she said.

116-year-old building is to make it function more like a modern Leed Certified school.

The school has a garden and students plant the food, harvest, and cook it to share with other classrooms.

“It’s a true community garden, as our neighbors, including those in a senior residence, are free to take and even plant -- what they need,” Rogers said.

“We have been honored previously for our healthy schools initiatives, but sustainability was introduced through the work of our district building and grounds teams who continue to implement new and incredible, green-friendly practices inside and outside of our school.”

“After receiving the Missouri state nomination, we submitted an extensive application highlighting our achievements in sustainability, environmental excellence, and health initiatives (both physical and mental) for students, staff, and community.

Her next goal for the

“Our energy efficiency is on track with modern facilities thanks to upgrades in the heating and cooling system, re-lamping and efforts to improve air quality districtwide. Every single one of those upgrades counts toward creating a sustainable building with a more favorable environmental footprint,” she said.

According to U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, the global pandemic served to focus the spotlight on the need for change.

“The challenges posed both by the pandemic and by climate change have driven home the importance of modernizing school facilities, embrac-

ing sustainability, prioritizing health and wellness, and improving learning conditions for students, especially in underserved communities,” he said.

“I want to congratulate the educators, school leaders, students, families, and advocates engaged in this work for showing the nation that any school in any community can strive to be a green school, and in doing so, empower the next generation to build a healthier, more equitable, and more sustainable nation.”

Rogers said proudly,

“At Patrick Henry, we are building the next generation of environmental geniuses that know how to leave their mark on society and how to better the community they live in which, is pretty incredible.”

Photo courtesy of SLPS

Patrick Henry Downtown Academy has a community garden and students plant the food, harvest, and cook it to share with other classrooms.

‘Taking Care of You’

SLU’s TJ Hargrove takes on mental health challenge like a champion

‘Let people help’ he tells students

Hargrove speaks with a Lincoln Middle School

April 24, 2023. Hargrove shared his story of dealing

tance if they feel it is needed.

By Alvin A. Reid

St. Louis American

St. Louis University men’s basketball player Terrence “TJ” Hargrove Jr. led East St. Louis to its first state championship in 2019 and he now also leads a campaign for youth mental health.

Hargrove, who bravely shares his struggles with depression, spoke with students at Lincoln Middle School in East St. Louis on Monday, April 24th as part of National Every Kid Healthy Week. Mental Health Awareness Month, which has been observed since 1949, began on May 1.

Speaking on “Mindfulness Monday,” Hargrove said, “Everybody

n Terrence Hargrove, who bravely shares his struggles with depression, spoke with students at Lincoln Middle School in East St. Louis on Monday, April 24th as part of National Every Kid Healthy Week.

goes through things.”

Hargrove was recently named a recipient of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) 2023 Perry Wallace Most Courageous Award because he is using his platform as a high-performing student athlete to draw attention to help remove societal

stigmas associated with mental health challenges.

He spoke of coping with depression and strategies which helped him “walk through tougher times.”

“To get through the dark days, surround yourself with a great group of people,” Hargrove said, adding that his mother and father have been important to his mental health improvements.

“Let people help. I promise that will make it so much better.”

Hargrove was recently named a recipient of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) 2023 Perry Wallace Most Courageous Award for using his platform as student athlete to help remove societal stigmas associated with mental health challenges.

By Bethany Johnson-Javois

When you love who you are becoming, what you do and where you work can be both weighty and joyful. But for too many people, work is labor that takes a toll on the body, mind, and spirit. I’ve seen and come from generations of Black women who are ALL-IN. The demand imposed upon us is to withhold nothing – do whatever it takes even if it means giving ourselves away to the cause, the job, the church, or the relationship. Younger generations of sisters are calling into question: is the price we pay worth it? The television character, Olivia Pope, resonates deeply with many Black women – being the fixer of messes we didn’t make but are expected (and uniquely equipped) to clean up, which is exhausting.

Some who have financial, emotional, and spiritual reservoirs are blessed to be able to resign outright. Others are setting boundaries where they are, seeking balance by stepping back.

To the leaders of systemic and generational change, it’s time to pause and pay attention.

n “Quiet quitting” is when a person fulfills their primary responsibilities but is less willing to stay late, come in early or go beyond their delegated responsibilities.

“Quiet quitting” is when a person fulfills their primary responsibilities but is less willing to stay late, come in early or go beyond their delegated responsibilities. It flies in the face of the Midwest work ethic that hard work and perseverance pay off eventually. This phenomenon emerges from a collective recognition that for the underprivileged, hard work results in even harder work with little-to-no payoff. Long-term benefits of hard work are often cut short by disease, distress, shortened years and diminished quality of life. I view quiet quitting as a form of resistance, self-protection, and

Homer G. Phillips Nurses Alumni lawsuit set for trial

Paul McKee headed to court in January 2024

By JoAnn Weaver

The St. Louis American

The Homer G. Phillips Nurses Alumni lawsuit against developer Paul McKee for copyright infringement in 2022 is making its way to a St. Louis courtroom.

As previously reported, McKee built a private three-bed medical facility near Downtown St. Louis and called it Homer G. Phillips Hospital. He refused to meet with or seek the approval of the Homer G. Phillips Nurses Alumni organization to use the copyrighted name. What’s at stake, say the former nurses, is the commercialization for the private gain of the legacy of African Americans.

The Change the Name Coalition supports the Homer G. Phillips Nurses Alumni and the lawsuit to protect the copyright and removal of the name of Homer G. Phillips from the 3-bed privately-owned facility. A GoFundMe account has been established to support this lawsuit.

Jobyna Foster, who served as Homer G. Phillips Nurses Alumni president from 2018 to 2021, said the legal battle came after trying to work with McKee on a substitute name.

“We suggested that another name be used on the three-bed facility, like ‘Northside Health Center’ be used. The next thing we knew the name of ‘Homer G. Phillips’ was put on there and no one had mentioned it to our organization,” Foster said.

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TJ

student during National Every kid Health Week on

with depression and advised youths to seek assis-

Photo courtesy of East St. Louis District 189

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Bethany JohnsonJavois

Yvonne Jones, Homer G. Phillips Nursing Association president, announced in July 2022 the organization is suing developer Paul McKee for copyright infringement for the use of the name Homer G. Phillips on a medical facility near Jefferson and Cass. From left are attorney Richard Voytas Jr., Jones, Zenobia Thompson, and Jobyna Foster. Both Thompson and Foster are former presidents of the association.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

By Sarah Fentem St. Louis Public Radio

As the coronavirus pandemic wore on, life expectancy in Missouri fell to the lowest it’s been in four decades, according to the most recent data from the state Department of Health and Senior Services.

In Missouri, the average person born in 2021 could expect to live to be 74.6 years old, a whole three years younger than the average age 10 years ago. The state’s drop is part of a nationwide decline, though the life expectancy in Missouri is lower than the United States average.

Life expectancy, like infant mortality, is one of the major indicators of a population’s overall health, said Lynelle

Hargrove

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“It is not uncommon for teens and young adults to feel overwhelmed dealing with school and life responsibilities,” said Tiffany Gholson, East St. Louis School District 189 Parent and Student Support Services director.

“Student athletes may have added stressors like performance anxiety and societal expectations. Seeking help and support can make all the difference.”

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIH), young adults aged 18-25 years had the highest prevalence of any mental illness, at a rate of 33.7%. A study conducted by Boston University reports that the suicide rate among Black youth has been increasing faster than any other racial/ethnic group since

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“They can use some other name or go back to the name that they had originally used on that facility, as they were doing business with the Alderwoman Sharon Tyus.”

According to Foster and Walle Amusa of the Change the Name Coalition, McKee has not answered any of requests to meet in person, by phone, or by email.

“You cannot just take any information or any

Javois

Continued from A12 commitment to personal health and well-being. I appreciate the clap back to our capitalist society that leaves people feeling undervalued, unappreciated, and unsatisfied by a construct that values profit over purpose.

What can we do to live in the fullness of a life that values purpose over profit?

First, recognize quiet quitting cues. This often looks like a lack of excitement and motivation among individuals. The

‘Taking

Care of You’

Missouri life expectancy sinks to four-decade low

Phillips, vice president of the Missouri Public Health Association. When the number goes down, it’s a sign that people are sicker and aren’t getting the health care they need.

“Looking at life expectancy is generally a first step,” Phillips said. “But you want to drill deeper down into any health disparity issues, causes of death. How many of these deaths are preventable? How much of it has to do with health care access, living circumstances and poverty and everything that goes into quality of life?”

Officials from the health department point to COVID-19, an increase in homicides, and overdose deaths as reasons for the continued drop. Deaths also outpaced births for the

the year 2000. The pandemic significantly increased Black youth’s reports of anxiety and depression.

Arthur C. Evans, American Psychological Association CEO, recently joined White House Domestic Policy Advisor Susan Rice and U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy for a roundtable discussion on addressing the mental health crisis among Black youths –especially males.

“When I became a psychologist 30 years ago, we didn’t hear young people in general, and certainly not young Black men, talking about mental health issues so openly,” Evans said.

He said a key to improving Black youth mental health is by focusing on prevention efforts.

“We can try to treat all of the kids once they develop problems, or we can create psychologically healthy school environ-

article or whatever out of a community without consulting with the members of the community,” Foster said.

“For instance, you cannot go over on The Hill or any other community and take anything out of those communities without consulting with the residents or the organizations of those communities.

Foster said the name seems to be trademarked on the sign next to the three-bed facility, but that only the Alumni organization holds the copyright to the “Homer G. Phillips” name.

“It’s not registered with

antidote: purpose-driven organizations foster purpose-driven people. Second, respond to the cues from a values-driven, not fear-driven approach. This comes in the form of the commitment to share power through shared decision-making that includes an abundance of communicating, active listening, acknowledging, responding to address issues (don’t let them fester), and celebrating. A leader must be secure enough to not take alternative points of view personally when they surface. Instead of ask-

second time in more than a century of data collection.

Cancer and heart disease were the most common causes of death. COVID-19 took the thirdplace spot and unintentional injuries –which include drug overdose deaths –was fourth.

In 2020, the first year of the pandemic, many of the people who died from COVID-19 were elderly people in their 70s, 80s and older, state health officials said in a September report. In 2021, the number of people younger than 65 who died from COVID19 doubled, which contributed to bringing the state’s average expectancy down.

For most of the 20th Century, life expectancy grew as vaccines, prevention and treatment for polio, cholera and other

infectious diseases became common, said Dr. Kate Lichtenberg, a family medicine physician in St. Louis. But the coronavirus pandemic brought infectious disease deaths roaring back.

“As we got through the 1900s, and into the 2000s, it’s become more chronic illnesses [that’s killing people],” she said. “And so heart disease, cancer, all of those types of things. And what’s been interesting is we’ve had infectious disease thrown back in again over the last few years with COVID, on top of already having the chronic illness. “ People are also developing high blood pressure, heart disease and other chronic health conditions earlier in life, Lichtenberg said. The younger a patient

ments where kids are less likely to develop problems, or if they do develop, they are identified much earlier and sent for care faster,” Evans said.

“These kinds of upstream strategies help ensure that the workforce isn’t limited to people with a license and degree, but instead, teachers and managers are working to create psychologically healthy environments.

the state and certainly our attorney would have indicated that [to us] before she issued our trademark or filed for our trademark.”

Amusa said, “The Homer G. Phillips Nurses Alumni Incorporated have the copyright that Mr. Paul McKee has basically violated in his attempt to commercialize a part of African American history.”

The Homer G. Phillips Nurses Alumni first served the hospital and now the community for almost 100 years. Its precursor organization, the Black Nurse Association, was

ing, “What’s wrong with my colleague?” replace with the question, “What is it about our structure, culture, practices, processes, or management style that produce this unwanted behavior in our team?” Initiate conversation with someone showing signs of quiet quitting and listen. Resist the temptation to rush into solutions right away. Instead, lead with curiosity over judgment or assumptions. Ask open-ended questions to seek to understand what happened. This will help get to the root cause of why a wound or breakdown exists.

Arthur C. Evans Jr., American Psychological Association CEO, says a key to improving Black youth mental health is to “create psychologically healthy school environments where kids are less likely to develop problems.”

That’s how we have a better shot at reducing demand for our services.”

Rice said, “We’re building a system with enough capacity and the right competencies to treat everyone.”

“We’re connecting people to culturally competent and trauma-informed services that they need by tackling high costs and other barriers.”

The suicide rate among

created in 1921, according to Amusa.

“At the segregated City Hospital in St. Louis, the Black Nurses Association changed its name to Homer G. Phillips Nurses Alumni Association after Homer G. Phillips Hospital was built. They have a copyright on the name, “Homer G. Phillips,” and Mr. Paul McKee has refused to meet with people in the community,” Amusa said.

“He has basically stolen the name, [put it] on the three-bed clinic that is located on Jefferson Avenue and Cass Avenue.”

The next step is acknowledgment. Own mistakes as necessary and acknowledge breaches in trust that exist. We are human first, and leaders make mistakes. Ask for forgiveness and co-create short-, middle- and long-term structural solutions. The design for how to mend the problem will present itself during authentic conversation.

Finally, celebrate small wins which build momentum toward big wins. Collectively decide to turn to a new way of being and working in the future that values people over profit.

At Deaconess

is when they develop heart disease, the more time there is to wear down their body.

The average life expectancy in Missouri has been in a general downward trend for a decade. Even before the pandemic, fatal drug overdoses increased in working-age adults as the potent synthetic opioid fentanyl became ubiquitous.

Missouri has a low-funded public health system, said Dr. Dalen Duitsman, the Director of the Ozarks Public Health Institute at Missouri State University.

That contributes to the state’s low national ranking in life expectancy. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the state is ranked in

Black people between 2018 and 2021 increased by 19.2%, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The quickest rise happened among those ages 10 to 24 with the suicide rate among Black youth rising by 36.6%.

Murthy, the first surgeon general of Indian descent, said he struggled with his mental health as a child “when I realized my skin and culture were different from those around me.”

“So much was different in my life that it made me feel like I didn’t quite fit in,” he said.

“I also didn’t tell anybody about it because I felt a sense of shame. A shame that too many people feel when it comes to their mental health and wellbeing.”

He would later learn that one of his uncles had taken his own life, and that his family didn’t

The Nurses Alumni hired two copyright lawyers to represent their case in federal court; Change the Name Coalition is supporting the efforts of the organization to remove the historic name from the medical facility.

“The Coalition is completing some fundraising strictly to support the lawsuit that the Nurses Alumni filed against Paul McKee and his organizations,” Amusa said.

the bottom fourth of the nation.

“We simply do not have the resources of other states to implement and support programs that would help improve life expectancy,” he said. Until more political will is directed toward making people healthier, the life expectancy will likely continue to decrease, Phillips said.

“We have the lowest public health funding in the entire country,” Phillips said. “So that has shown to definitely affect issues like life expectancy and infant mortality when you don›t have that emphasis on prevention and primary care and creating circumstances where people can thrive and be healthy.”

know how to address the issue.

“It’s taken us a long time to recognize as a country that mental health is no less important than our physical health. And it’s something we should be able to talk about as openly and as honestly as we would talk about a broken ankle or sprained wrist,” he said Hargrove knows the importance of openly addressing mental health issues, and he told the Lincoln students it is not a weakness to ask for help when they are feeling down.

He advised students “In whatever you do, give it 120%.

Saying a key to his success is the fact “I ain’t got time for trouble,” he added that “school must be first” for athletes and non-athletes.

“I encourage [you] students to learn time management for future success,” he said.

“The Alumni is suing to basically ask for Mr. Paul McKee to change the name because they did not ask for permission from the association before, they used the name, and since they have a copyright there now, Paul McKee is now in violation of using it without permission, legally without permission.” According to Amusa, a trial has been set for January 8, 2024.

Foundation, our team is currently reading Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey The essential ingredient to building a movement and continuing the good work is rest along the way.

That’s rest for all, not some. There is purpose even in taking a pause.

A GoFundMe account has been established to support this lawsuit. Please visit Fundraiser by The Change The Name Coalition : WE NEED YOUR HELP IN SAVING OUR NAME (gofundme. com)

The work we are doing to change systems is not the type of work that checks off a box on a daily task list; It’s a marathon. Individuals doing this purpose-driven work daily are deeply invested and invaluable. We cannot achieve the purpose without the people Certainly, this work can be exhausting; we need all of us to stay fueled for the purpose. Rather than quit quietly, rest for the weighty and joyful journey ahead. Rest is restorative and healing; it is resistance to the capitalistic culture of profit over people.

Rev. Bethany Johnson-Javois, MSW, is Deaconess Foundation president and CEO, pastor of Monument of Faith Church, and a commissioner with the St. Louis Regional Health Commission.

Photo courtesy of APA

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

Questions or comments? Contact Cathy Sewell csewell@stlamerican.com or 618-910-9551

CLASSROOM SPOTLIGHT

Fourth-grade students Knico Turner, Arion Hall, and Ra’Mya Hardy, in Ms. Rhonda Stovall’s class at Gateway Elementary School, are classifying volcanoes by the bubbles found inside of lava.

by Rhonda Stovall

SCIENCE CORNER

What to Include In A Mobile First Aid Kit

Everyone has had an accident—a fall, a bike wreck, etc. There may be times you get hurt and your parents are not with you, so you need to be prepared. For just a few dollars, you can create a kit that you can take with you to be sure you have everything you need. Start with a small bag. You many have one at home. If not, you can get durable bags at the dollar store. Important things to add: Neosporin to treat wounds, eye droppers can be used not only to get debris from your eyes, but also to flush debris out of a wound. Tweezers are effective in removing splinters or dirt from a wound. A safety pin can be used in different ways and Band-aids are a

SCIENCE INVESTIGATION

In this experiment, you will make your own quicksand.

Materials Needed:

• 1 Cup of Maize Corn Flour • Half a Cup of Water • A Large Plastic Container •

always important that you keep your cell phone charged if you have one. This will allow you to keep in contact with your parents and emergency officials. Bottled water is also important to keep on hand. To learn more about first aid kits, check out the links below.

The following website gives tips for a first aid kit for home or the car: http://kidshealth.org/ en/parents/firstaid-kit.html. For more information, visit: https://www.redcross.org/kit.

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

Make Quicksand

e What happens when you stir the mix quickly?

Analyze: When you stir quickly, there is less water between the grains

African American Analytical Chemist Raychelle Burks

Dr. Raychelle Burks refers to herself as a magical unicorn because women like her are rare. She is an African-American female with a doctorate degree in analytical chemistry. She is very popular in social media circles with a blog (called thirtyseven), YouTube videos, and Twitter @DrRubidium. Her initials, Rb, are the same as rubidium, the 37th element on the periodic table. She uses this connection in her blog title and Twitter handle. Burks’ passion is the chemistry of pop culture, specifically zombies, crime shows, and Game of Thrones. Her interests are more than her hobbies, they are scientifically based. Burks earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Northern Iowa University in 2001. Seven years later, she earned her master’s degree in Forensic Science from Nebraska Wesleyan University. Burks earned her PhD in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Nebraska in 2011. She completed post-doctoral research at the University of Nebraska’s Department of Chemistry. In May 2016, she joined St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, as an assistant professor. She also assists law enforcement officers to detect explosives. Burks is often seen at Geek Girl Con; she started the DIYscizone there. She is the co-founder of National Science and Technology News Service, which connects AfricanAmerican STEM professionals with journalists. Burks is a member of the Curly Hair Mafia, an informal group of African Americans who review horror, sci-fi, and fantasy TV shows and movies. She created an idea for a zombie repellent cologne, which caught the attention of several news outlets. Her idea was featured on Perez Hilton’s website, NBC news Weird Science, and Saturday Night Live. Burks is an excellent example of combining your interests and passions with STEM.

To see some of Burks’ sites, visit: http:// thirtyseven. scientopia.org/, https://twitter. com/DIYscizone. Learning Standards: I can read about an African American who has contributed to the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering,

Social media has changed the way people interact and learn. Listed at the right are Twitter accounts, YouTube, and TED talk links to further your STEM knowledge.

@SciGirls: This Twitter feed is from the PBS show, designed to get more women involved in STEM activities. cityMayorsays progressforeseesduring StateofCity address

@ProjectStepUP: This Twitter feed is designed to help underrepresented populations in STEM.

In this YouTube video, Mae Jemison talks about minorities in STEM: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=rWLn79cS-cw.

In this TED talk video, they discuss diversity in STEM: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=-v8aDo4dV3Q.

Find three news articles about facts you have studied in school this year. Underline facts you studied in class and underline new facts.

A new president of the United States has been sworn into office this year.

Acrostic Poem: Choose a news article to read. Select one word from the headline and use that word to create an acrostic poem about the article you read.

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to select information. I can make textto-self connections.

Photo

MAY 4 – 10, 2023

A Main attraction

The Wine Cafe serves stylish cuisine in St. Charles

By Danielle Brown St. Louis American

Vibrant orange walls, affirmations in stylish cursive lettering including ‘Have Courage and Be Kind,’ colorful balloons greet you upon entering The Wine Cafe in St. Charles on Main St.

If you have a hankering for creative dishes and a refreshing glass of wine or other beverage, the cafe has an assortment of menu items to appeal to every palette. Charcuterie boards, salads, flatbread pizzas, desserts and more than 40 choices of wine are among the

diverse options. The husband-and-wife-owned restaurant operated by Tiara and Terrence Curry celebrated its first anniversary March 9, 2023.

“Business is amazing, it really exceeded my expectations,” Tiara said.

Terrence’s background in the food industry, coupled with Tiara’s love for wine, led to the restaurant’s creation.

“I have a background in restaurants and grew up in it with my dad,” Terrence said.

“My wife had an idea about doing something with a wine prototype thing.

Around COVID, we were at home thinking of a master plan. Tiara came up with the idea to make a wine restaurant. We settled on [The Wine Cafe,]. We put the wine in because we offer regular liquor, specialty drinks, and we have a lot of wine - over 45 wines.”

Although her background is in the fashion and healthcare industries, Tiara dreamed of becoming an entrepreneur. When COVID hit she was working from home and received an email about a company layoff affecting about 300 people.

Biden praises Black Press during White House Correspondents’ Dinner

Also honored the late Gwen Ifill

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire

President Joe Biden proved likely as funny and prescient in his White House Correspondents Dinner remarks as hired comedian and Daily Show correspondent Roy Wood Jr.

But the Commander in Chief struck a rather serious and forceful tone during his 22-minute speech when he declared how vital the Black Press remains after 196 years of speaking truth to power.

“During Black History Month this year, I hosted the screening of the movie Till, the president stated, after such quips like “MSNBC is owned by NBC Universal and Fox News is owned by Dominion Voting Systems.”

“The story of Emmett Till and his mother is a story of a family’s promise and loss and a nation’s reckoning with hate, violence, and the abuse of power,” Biden recounted as he started his championing of the Black Press.

“It’s a story that was seared into our memory and our conscience – the nation’s conscience – when Mrs. Till

insisted that an open casket for her murdered and maimed 14-year-old son be the means by which he was transported. She said, ‘Let the people see what I’ve seen.’”

The president continued:

“The

PeoPle on the Move

Marr named to Insider’s list of HR Innovators

Ann Marr, Executive Vice President of Global Human Resources of World Wide Technology has been named on Insider’s HR Innovators list. Marr oversees all human resources functions, which include talent management, policy development, benefits administration, training, leadership development and employee relations as well as managing the company’s supplier diversity program. Marr has been with WWT since 1997, and has held positions with Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Anheuser-Busch Companies.

Downing promoted at Edward Jones

Irasa Downing has been promoted to the position of principal, business human capital-branch development at Edward Jones, where she has worked since 2012. A native of Winfield, Mo., Downing attended the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg earning her Bachelor of Science Degree. She also holds the professional designation of Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR). Downing is a member of many area boards including: Covenant House Missouri, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Focus St. Louis and Boys Hope Girls Hope of St. Louis.

Flowers honored by Missouri S&T

Lloyd Flowers, project director for McCarthy Building Companies, was inducted into the Missouri S&T Academy of Civil Engineers. Flowers earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Missouri S&T in 1988. He began his career as an engineer at the Illinois Department of Transportation, then joined McCarthy Building Companies as project engineer in 1991. Flowers became McCarthy’s first Black superintendent in 1998 and its first Black project manager in 2001.

Erica Williams awarded for equity efforts

Erica Williams, executive director and founder of A Red Circle and president of North County Community Betterment, is the recipient of Community Builders Network of Metro St. Louis’ 2023 Growing in Equity & Antiracism Award. The Growing in Equity & Antiracism Award recognizes a person who: demonstrates a deep and honest commitment to transforming work being done in the St. Louis region so that it is more equitable, just and antiracist; “walks the talk” going beyond verbal commitments to ask hard questions, embrace and push through discomfort, work to rectify inequities where they exist, and dismantle systems of oppression.

Promotion, board appointment, new hire, award... please submit your People on the Move item (including photo) to kjones@stlamerican.com

Tiara and Terrence Curry’s restaurant The Wine Cafe is located in St. Charles on Main Street. The quaint dining spot offers wines from around the globe and its menu includes sandwiches, pizzas, and more

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Ann Marr

See BIDEN, B2

reason the world saw what she saw was because of another hero in this story: the Black Press. That’s a fact Jet magazine, the Chicago Defender,

Erica Williams

Roy Wood Jr. shakes hands with President Joe Biden during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington, DC. Biden broke from the humor of the evening to give thanks to America’s Black Press.

Irasa Downing

Lloyd

Lloyd Flowers

Photo courtesy of the Currys

Photo courtesy of the AP

Amtrak St. Louis-Chicago route will be quicker

St. Louis American staff

Amtrak and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) have received federal approval for maximum speeds up to 110 mph for most of the Chicago-St. Louis corridor, primarily between the Amtrak stations in Joliet and Alton.

Biden

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and other Black radio and newspapers were unflinching and brave in making sure America saw what she saw. And I mean it.”

He quoted Ida B. Wells, who exclaimed that “The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon the wrongs.”

“That’s the sacred view, in my view,” Biden asserted.

“That’s the sacred charge of a free press. And I mean that.”

Earlier the White House Correspondents Association honored the late PBS journalist Gwen Ifill, and Biden took notice.

“That’s what someone we still miss so much, who you honored posthumously, stood for. Gwen Ifill,” he said.

“She moderated my first debate for vice president and was a trusted voice for millions of Americans. Gwen understood that the louder the noise, the more it’s on all of us to cut through the noise to the truth. The

This will help establish shorter schedules for the four Amtrak Lincoln Service round-trips and the Texas Eagle There are no timetable changes at this time for the 10 daily Amtrak trains on the route.

“Trains will continue to operate at 110 mph for several weeks without a change in schedule to

truth matters.”

National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., who sat nearby as the president spoke, offered praise to Biden.

“The NNPA thanks President Joe Biden for highlighting the strategic importance and ongoing value of the Black Press of America,” Chavis stated.

“Biden’s speech to the 2023 White House Correspondents Dinner in Washington, D.C., was another historic tribute to the Black Press as the NNPA reaffirms being the trusted voice of Black America.”

Following the president’s speech, Wood jumped in.

“Real quick, Mr. President, I think you left some of your classified documents up here,” Woods quipped. “I’ll put them in a safe place, he don’t know where to keep them.”

While that led to hearty chuckles, Wood went on to deliver belly-aching laughter when he zeroed in on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, former Fox host Tucker

ensure everything on the system is running properly and to monitor the actual travel time between stations,” said John Oimoen, IDOT Deputy Director, Rails.

Until now, 90 mph has been the maximum authorized speed on the tracks owned by Union Pacific Railroad.

Carlson, former CNN host Don Lemon, and others.

“Ron, everybody knows how to do politics. This is America,” Wood said in addressing DeSantis.

“We don’t pass laws. You make a promise to voters. And then you don’t do it. That’s what the great leaders in this room understand.”

“Ask any Republican [to] try to explain CRT, they sound like a Democrat trying to explain the charges against Trump.”

He continued:

“You are trying to erase Black people and a lot of Black people wouldn’t mind some of that erasure as long as that Black person is Clarence Thomas.”

And while Trump, and so many others proved targets, Wood didn’t spare Biden.

“When the retirement age went up two years to 64 [in France] they rioted because they didn’t want to work till 64,” Wood said.

“Meanwhile in America, we have an 80-year-old man begging us for four more years of work.”

Wine Cafe

Continued from B1

She took the news as a sign to open her own business.

“I like to go to the wineries, but we have nothing close,” she said. “My best friend and I went to Grafton, Ill., and we were like, ‘I can do this, I can do it better.’”

The Currys didn’t know much about wine prior to opening. They just knew they enjoyed drinking it. Terrence said once they got into the business, they learned quickly.

“Not just from a numbers standpoint, but from the quality of our products. We taste a lot of wine,” he said.

“We have to make sure what we put out is acceptable and that people like it.”

The process of acquiring the St. Charles’ location took about a year. The Currys were intentional about the square footage, location, and the cost that went into purchasing and renovating the former Indian jewelry store.

The restaurant has a 900 square feet interior and a 1,500 square feet patio.

“You’re gonna pay for what you don’t know,” Terrence said.

“We utilized minority-owned contractors we know, which cut costs significantly. We worked with a plumber looking to get his business off the ground and we were able

to reach a good negotiation price.

“My father owned restaurants in the past, so I’ve learned from him how to negotiate with the landlord and finance a budget plan through him.”

The Wine Cafe is in St. Charles Historic District at 703 S Main St. It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and opens noon - 6 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays; noon - 8 p.m. on Fridays; 11 a.m.8 p.m. on Saturdays; and 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Sundays. Happy Hour is 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. on Wednesdays and brunch is on Sundays. For more information about The Wine Cafe, visit https:// thewinecafe.biz/.

The Wine Cafe was festive last fall, and it now features a new patio area just in time for warmer weather.

Photo courtesy of The Wine Cafe

n “I have to earn the respect of the locker room first. What I’ve done in the past doesn’t entitle me to anything.”

– Bryce Young, who was picked first in the NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers

InSIdE SportS

By Earl Austin Jr.

Asinga sprints to record

St. Louisan runs 200-meter dash in 19.97

It was only a year ago that Missouri high school track and field fans were watching the exploits of star sprinter Issam Asinga of The Principia School.

As a sophomore in 2021, Asigna dominated the sprints at the Class 2 state meet in Jefferson City with state championship performances in the 100, 200- and 400-meter dashes. He followed up as a junior last season by leading Principia to the Class 1 state championship with another battery of state-record performances in the sprints.

Asinga has since moved to Florida, where he is currently spending his senior year at Montverde Academy, where he has emerged as one of the top young sprinters in the country. At 18 years old, he has been nothing short of sensational at Montverde as he has been routinely competing against college-age and professional athletes and more than holding his own. At last weekend’s Corky-Crofoot Shootout at Texas Tech, Asigna sprinted his way into the record-books as he finished the 200-meter dash in a time of 19.97 seconds. The mark was

previously held by current 200-meter world champion Noah Lyles.

Asigna has also gone under 10-seconds in three different 100meter dash events this season, including in last Saturday’s meet in Lubbock, when he posted a wind-aided time of 9.89 seconds to win the event. He also posted windaided times of 9.86 and 9.83 seconds in a meet in Clermont, FL. He defeated Lyles in winning the 100meter race in Florida.

Dale Collier Invitational highlights

The Dale Collier Invitational at Kirkwood is annually one of the top track and field meets of the

season. The invitational attracts top athletes and teams from the St. Louis area as well as MidMissouri and Kansas City.

Junior Jacob Oliphant of SLUH had a busy day last Saturday as he won the 200-meter dash in 22.2 seconds. He also finished first in the 110-meter-high hurdles and third in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles. Oliphant’s SLUH teammate Ryan Wingo won the 100-meter dash in a winning time of 10.72 seconds.

In the field events, senior Amel Abdul-Mumin of Hazelwood West finished first in the long jump, second in the triple jump and second in the high jump. His winning effort in the long jump was

21 feet 11 1/2 inches.

Senior Joe Anderson of Westminster also took home three medals as he finished first in the triple jump, second in the long jump and third in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles. His winning effort in the triple jump was 45 feet 4 inches.

A pair of other field event standouts at the meet were Brandon Johnson of McCluer and Andy Thomason of Timberland. Johnson won the high jump with a leap of 6 feet 7 inches. Thomason won the pole vault by clearing 14 feet 11 1/4 inches.

On the girls’ side, junior A’laji Pattonville was the top individual standout in the sprints as

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

Mike Shannon and I had at least three things in common.

First, we grew up St. Louis Cardinals fans and stayed Cardinals fans. Sure, he would play for the Cardinals for almost a decade, win two World Series titles, and then broadcast for 50 years. But first and foremost, he remained a fan.

Second, he was a fan of the Nine Network program “Donnybrook,” on which I serve as a weekly panelist. In July 2020, the panel had the honor of interviewing Shannon for a way-too-fun 30 minutes. Donnybrook | July 23, 2020 (ninepbs.org)

As a sophomore in 2021, Issam Asinga dominated the sprints at the Class 2 state meet in Jefferson City with state championship performances in the 100, 200and 400-meter dashes. Asinga has moved to Florida, where he competes for Montverde Academy and set a 200-meter record.

she was a double winner in the 100 and 400. Her winning time in the 100 was 12.03 seconds and the winning time was 54.56 seconds in the 400.

Senior Sydney Burdine of Westminster won the 200 in a winning time of 24.86. Blue Springs came down from the Kansas City area and dominated the relay events with victories in the 4x400meter relay in 3 minutes 52.85 seconds and the 4x800 in 9:47.03. Cardinal Ritter sprinted to victory in the 4x200 in an impressive time of 1:40.2 seconds.

District competition begins

The road to the state track and field cham-

Mike Shannon befriended Black players, remained loyal

front office personnel were concerned, you were either inviting to Black players or not. Shannon was. Throughout his career, and life after baseball, he shared his respect and admiration for iconic trailblazing teammates Bill White, Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, and Curt Flood.

Flood challenged baseball’s reserve clause in 1970 and refused to report to the Philadelphia Phillies after he was traded. His lawsuit would reach the US Supreme Court, where he lost.

Third, he and I shared a passion for ponies. I was at Fairmount Park on a Martin Luther King Day afternoon when I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was Shannon. “Hey, I just wanted to tell you how much I like that show.” It was Jan. 21, 2008. I remember because Mayor Francis Slay Jr. had been booed off the stage at the Old Courthouse earlier that day. Shannon became a Cardinal in 1962. As far as Major League Baseball players, managers, and

Baseball then turned its back on Flood. Shannon refused to do so. In a 2015 discussion with the late Tim McCarver, Shannon called Flood “one of the greatest thinkers in this business.”

“If you look at list of people eligible for the Cardinals Hall of Fame, Curt Flood was among the best.”

KMOX Broadcaster and Missouri Sports hall of Fame member Mike Claiborne credits Shannon with his getting a shot to be a Cardinals broadcaster. “Teammate. Best friend. Caring. I mean all the good things you would hope to be in a person, he

summed up everything. ... You know, Mike Shannon never met a stranger, and I think that’s what makes him so special,” Claiborne wrote on Twitter.

Other condolences included:

Ozzie Smith: “The Cardinals have lost another legend. Mike Shannon was a Cardinal mainstay and unmistakable voice of Cardinal Nation. There will never be another Mike Shannon. May he Rest

In Peace as he joins these other amazing men in Cardinal heaven.”

Rene Knott: “The news of Mike Shannon’s passing breaks my heart. No one was nicer and more genuine with me than Mike. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family. I just know that laugh and “Big Boy” are echoing in heaven right now. Joe Buck: “I learned broadcasting from my

father (Hall of Fame announcer Jack Buck) but I learned baseball from Mike. He was a loyal and great man. I didn’t know anyone who had more fun.”

Earl Austin, Jr.: “We say goodbye to a St Louis legend today. Thanks to my friend Mike Claiborne, I had the honor of being a guest on his Friday night postgame show “Live at Mike Shannon’s” from his restaurant. The first

pionships will begin this weekend for small schools with Class 1 and 2 district meets scheduled for this weekend in the state of Missouri. St. Louis area teams will be competing in Class 2, District 1 in Scott City and District 2 at New Haven.

Area football players sign as free agents

The National Football League held its annual draft last weekend in Kansas City and several former St. Louis area prep standouts have already signed with new teams as undrafted free agents. Former Parkway Central standout Art Green has signed with the Denver Broncos. Green was a standout cornerback at the University of Houston. Former CBC standout MJ Anderson has signed with the Denver Broncos. Anderson was an excellent defensive end at Iowa State.

Former Belleville Althoff standout CJ Coldon has signed with the Seattle Seahawks. Coldon is coming off an excellent senior season at Oklahoma as a starting safety with the Sooners. Former CBC standout Cam Brown has signed with the Los Angeles Chargers. Brown was a starting cornerback at Ohio State University.

hour, we talked about one of my book projects. The second hour we just sat back and listened to [Shannon] free style with one great story after another. It was funny and captivating. I’ll never forget that night. He was priceless.”

The Reid Roundup After Sunday’s loss to the L.A. Dodgers, the Cardinals were 1-5 after sending rookie Jordan Walker down to Triple-A Memphis. Walker’s hitting woes have continued. He was hitting just .188 [3-for-16] at Memphis with a home run… Rumors persist that running back Ezekiel Elliott could return to the Dallas Cowboys in 2023 – even after the Cowboys drafted former Kansas State star Deuce Vaughn in the sixth round…Vaughn’s father Chris Vaughn Cowboys’ assistant director of college scouting, was in Dallas’ draft room and called his son to notify him of the selection. Dad was moved to tears as he hugged everyone in the room…My American League team is the Chicago White Sox, and I can tell you things could be a lot worse in St. Louis.

Earl Austin Jr.

Photo by Bill Greenblatt / St. Louis American

Alvin A. Reid

The late St. Louis Cardinals broadcaster Mike Shannon chats with broadcast partner Mike Claiborne on July 31, 2013.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Lincoln University wins grant to train a diverse STEM workforce

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently awarded an $800,000 grant to a Lincoln University of Missouri professor to fund efforts to develop a more diverse STEM workforce over the next four years.

Sean Zeiger, an assistant professor of forest hydrology and watershed management at Lincoln, leads the project to train a diverse workforce to measure and model energy, water and carbon budgets. A partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee and collaboration with the University of Missouri offers enhanced training and research opportunities for LU students selected for the program.

“The need to recruit and retain underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is a national security issue

impacting U.S. governmental agencies of the 21st century,” Zeiger says.

“The Department of Energy and other federal agencies are making historic investments in diversity and inclusion with Lincoln University and other historically Black colleges and universities.”

Funded by the DOE Office of Science Biological and Environmental Research Program, the grant is part of an initiative called Reaching a New Energy Sciences Workforce (RENEW). The RENEW program seeks to build a foundation for research with training opportunities for students, researchers and faculty at academic institutions not currently well represented in U.S. science and technology. At Lincoln, Zeiger and his team will mentor undergraduate and graduate students in research

studies at MOFLUX, the University of Missouri’s AmeriFlux Missouri Ozark site near Ashland that examines the impacts of extreme weather and climate on forest-level carbon

dioxide uptake and release. Students will maintain an existing network of six MOFLUX weather stations and analyze and synthesize the data they collect there. Students will spend

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

time at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in an immersive short course on measuring and modeling ecosystem processes.

While at Oak Ridge, they will undergo training in

the theory and practice of ecosystem monitoring and modeling to develop a range of skills. As a capstone experience, graduate students will attend the Fluxcourse at the University of Colorado Mountain Research Station at Niwot Ridge near Boulder. Lincoln students will reap numerous benefits from this grant, Zeiger says. “Graduate research assistantships and undergraduate student employment, tuition support, hands-on student training in Mark Twain National Forest,” he notes, as well as opportunities to present scientific research at internationally and nationally renowned science conferences, a journal club and travel to Oak Ridge National Laboratory for tours, scientific panels and hands-on activities.

Five St. Louis’ based companies make Forbes’ Diversity list

Five companies with headquarters in St. Louis recently made Forbes’ 2023 list of America’s Best Companies for Diversity: BJC Health Care (number 75), Edward Jones (86), World Wide Technology (156), Centene Corporation (182) and Washington University in St. Louis (294).

According to its website, Forbes partnered with market research firm Statista to create the sixth annual list of America’s Best Employers for Diversity. To determine the rankings, Statista surveyed

more than 45,000 Americans working for businesses with at least 1,000 employees. Participants were asked to anonymously rate their organizations based on criteria such as age, gender, ethnicity, disability and LGBTQ+ equality, as well as general

diversity.

Respondents belonging to underrepresented groups were also asked to recommend businesses other than their own. In addition, each company’s diversity-related best practices—such as the presence of employee resource

groups, the publication of diversity data and the percentage of women in board and executive roles—were reviewed and incorporated into the rankings. The top 500 companies made the final list.

Forbes stated the global DEI market was estimated at $7.5 billion in 2020, and is expected to reach $17.2 billion by 2027, according to a recent report published by Global Industry Analysts. The U.S. accounted for nearly half of DEI spending ($3.4 billion) and is targeted to reach $8 billion in 2027.

STLCC, PepsiCo celebrate first year of scholarship program

St. Louis Community College and PepsiCo Foundation recently celebrated the successful first year of the PepsiCo Foundation Uplift Scholarship Program.

The initiative provides Black and Hispanic stu-

dents studying accounting, business administration, transportation, advanced manufacturing, or informational technology $2,000 per academic year. Under certain circumstances, PepsiCo Foundation scholars also have access to a

$500 emergency grant.

“The PepsiCo Foundation started the Uplift Scholarship program to tackle the inequalities facing Black and Hispanic communities,” said Paul Thompson, sales manager for Pepsi St. Louis. “It is

amazing to see the success of the program firsthand at STLCC.”

Through intensive marketing and outreach to students the program has grown from three students in Summer 2022 to 123 students earning

the scholarship during the 2022-2023 academic year. To be considered for the scholarship, students must be enrolled either full- or part-time at STLCC. Also, they must: • have a cumulative 2.50 GPA and be in good

standing. • have demonstrated unmet financial need under the standard federal needs analysis formula. • be currently pursuing a two-year associate degree or workforce certificate.

Living It

Janet Jackson’s STL return sets new tone

Ludacris joins her for sold-out concert

By Danielle Brown

St. Louis American

Janet Jackson may be 56 but she’s still got it with her signature dance moves and sex appeal.

Her performance before a sold-out Enterprise Center crowd on Sunday April 30, 2023 was spectacular and included different stage themes.

The first change was a large black platform in the center of the stage for Jackson and four male background dancers.

She graced the stage in a purple floorlength hooded cape, then tossed it off

Love in the key of Lizzo

‘Special’ tour delivers pitch-perfect ode to acceptance and inclusion

Dawn Suggs The St. Louis American

At the very opening of the St. Louis stop of her Special tour, pop star Lizzo made it clear that she is using her platform to promote self-love, positivity and inclusivity.

“These are songs about love, whether it’s self-love, love for your family, love

and displayed a gold shoulder-padded jumpsuit with a purple waistband belt, and gold thigh-high Christian Louboutin boots.

Her long weave ponytail flowed effortlessly as she danced in the crispest, cleanest, dance numbers for movement-driven classics spanning from the 80s to today.

Known for her delicate, softer vocals compared to fellow women entertainers of the same era, she displayed that “sometimes less is more” and singing doesn’t always mean yelling.

She sounded as great, if not better, than she did 30 years ago when she

debuted her game changing album, “Control.”

This show included several of Janet’s lesser known songs, making this trek more of a tour for true Janet fans who’ve been there in every chapter of her career.

There were other dynamic stage arrangements including a set up with four blocks on each side of the stage, and another featuring a large sphere on center stage. Janet made three costume changes,

See Janet, C6

Lizzo was radiant and reflected the love she felt from the audience at the Enterprise Center in downtown St. Louis, during her “Special” show, Tuesday, April 25, 2023.

Hana Sharif takes bow, salutes

The Rep on her exit

Taking a new role in Washington D.C.

By St. Louis American Staff

Hana Sharif, who led The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (The Rep) as its Augustin Family Artistic Director for five years, is leaving the company to become Artistic Director of Arena Stage in Washington, D.C.

“It has been one of the great honors of my life to lead The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and to build upon the incredible legacy of artistic excellence over the last five years,” Sharif said.

n Sharif said “the move isn’t a decision she takes lightly but it is a once in a lifetime opportunity she couldn’t pass up.”

“I have forged deeply meaningful friendships, collaborations, and artistic partnerships in this beautiful community, and will miss the indomitable spirit of St. Louis.” Sharif guided the organization through a cultural transition following the retirement of long-time artistic director Steven Woolf.

“Under Hana’s leadership The Rep has made significant strides to ensure that we remain a vital, twenty-first century arts organization that serves all St. Louisans by increasing access to the best emerging and established voices in the American theater and building bridges across the region,” said Danny Williams, The Rep’s Managing Director.

for your friends, love for your significant other,” she said – with a whispered voice – in the hushed darkness of Enterprise Center on April 25. As she spoke, flashes of light illuminated the band on the stage through billows of smoke.

From the jump, Lizzo gave props to the members of the band, background singers, dancers, the “big girls” and the

“lesbians in the pit.” She amplified the team that is a part of her onstage ecosystem. You heard her voice first before a large crescent shaped screen emerged. She sashayed on stage and began the show with “The Sign.” “I keep on writing these songs, ‘cause he keeps on

See Lizzo, C6

Sharif extended the The Rep’s dedication to staging world premieres every season, including Somi Kakoma’s Dreaming Zenzile, Kirsten Greenidge’s Feeding Beatrice, Steph Del Rosso’s The Gradient, and Madhuri Shekar’s House of Joy Her other credits include diversifying The Rep’s programming, and she established the company’s first all-female design team for Steph Del Rosso’s The Gradient

“Over the past five years Hana has

See Sharif, C6

Donielle Elizabeth CEO of Elizabeth Donielle PR & Media Agency

Janet Jackson performing at her “Together Again” tour stop in St. Louis on April 30 at Enterprise Center.

Photo by Chesire Isaacs

Hana Sharif, who led The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (The Rep) as its Augustin Family Artistic Director for five years is leaving the company to become Artistic Director of Arena Stage in Washington, D.C.

Photo by Dawn Suggs The St. Louis American

Black protestants experiencing positive ‘bounce’ in church attendance

St. Louis American staff

According to a Pew Research study released last week, Black Protestants have experienced a substantial bounce in physical attendance in church, from a low of 14% in July 2020 to 41% in the recent survey.

But Black Americans also have suffered a disproportionately high share of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths relative to White Americans, and Black Protestants remain the U.S. religious group most likely to be viewing services virtually.

In the most recent survey, about half of Black Protestants (54%) say they participated in services online or on TV in the last month, compared with 46% of White evangelical Protestants and smaller shares of Catholics (20%), White non-evangelical Protestants (19%) and Jews (16%).

Pew Research Center has conducted five surveys since the summer of 2020 in which we asked U.S. adults whether they attended religious services in person in the prior month and, separately, whether they took part virtually (by streaming online or watching on TV). The latest was in November 2022.

n The share of Black Protestants who say they generally attend religious services at least once a

Black Protestants stand out as being particularly likely to say they attend in-person services less often than they did before the pandemic (35%), although an identical share say they now watch religious services online or on TV more often than they used to – a number that is also higher than in other U.S. religious groups.

The report could not analyze the attendance patterns of Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and other smaller non-Christian religious groups due to sample size limitations.

The share of Black Protestants who say they generally attend religious services at least once a month is now 15 points lower than in 2019 (46% vs. 61% then). No other religious group has registered a decline of this magnitude.

Overall, 15% of U.S. adults say they now watch religious services online or on TV more often than they did before the pandemic, compared with just 5% who report doing this less often. About eight-in-10 say their participation in virtual worship is little changed, including 59% who say they did not do this at any time.

Older Americans tend to be more religious than young adults, and despite being at greater risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19, Americans ages 65 and older have generally been somewhat more inclined than young adults (ages 18 to 29) to go to religious services in person. Older

Black protestants are returning to in-person

in comparison to levels in 2019.

Americans also report participating in religious services virtually at higher rates than the youngest adults. Republicans and Republicanleaning independents have been much more likely than Democrats and Democraticleaning independents to attend religious services in person – as well as somewhat more likely to participate virtually – throughout the pandemic.

at

The November 2022 survey shows how much things have changed: About two-thirds of U.S. adults who said they typically went to church or other religious services at least monthly prior to the pandemic (67%) say in the new survey that they actually attended in person in the last month, while 46% watched virtually (including 31% who did both). But, in total, the share who took part in reli-

gious services either in person or virtually (81%) is nearly identical to what it was in July 2020. While half of pre-pandemic regular attenders said in July 2020 that they only watched religious services virtually, this percentage dropped to 15% in November 2022. Meanwhile, the share who attended only in person has risen from 9% in July 2020 to 36% in November 2022.

Photo courtesy of Family Worship Centre, New York

services

a steady pace. However, atten-

VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION COUNSELOR

Vocational Rehabilitation-The state of Missouri is accepting applications for a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor in our St Louis West office. Application deadline is May 11, 2023. Starting salary is $47,664-$50,016. View job description and application instructions at https://mocareers.mo.gov/ hiretrue/ce3/job-board/ 5effe9b2-4b89-494b-ac76c45e25190768/29062316-d43f4b85-a6c4-0fbf8d1a9db1?jb= true or visit mocareers.mo.gov and use keyword “counselor”.

HR MANAGER, MECHANIC FOREMAN, MECHANIC AND MORE PT AND FT ROLES

The City of Clayton is now hiring for HR Manager, Mechanic Foreman, Mechanic and more PT and FT roles. Apply at www.claytonmo.gov

EOE

REINSURANCE

In the role of Vice President-Treaty Reinsurance you will be part of collaborative and goal oriented team. You will work closely with Senior Leadership in Treaty re, Claims and Actuarial as well as Executive Management. Your contributions of production, selection, underwriting, processing, retention, profitability and other analysis of the Treaty Reinsurance (TRe) portfolio will be felt throughout Safety National. To apply, please visit: https:// www.safetynational.com/ careers-page/

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, an international congregation of women religious based in St. Louis, are seeking an individual who will focus primarily on reaching and expanding our external audience through our social media and website. To apply, please visit csjcarondelet.org/ employment.

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

RECEPTIONIST/ ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

The Public School Retirement System of the City of St. Louis (PSRSSTL) seeks a Receptionist/ Administrative Assistant with proven customer service skills to work M-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Responsibilities include serving as the receptionist & general administrative duties, including the processing of mail, data-entry,

ASSTISTANT COOK POSITION

Greenwood Restaurant & Bar 1000 Sutter Ave University City Mo 63130

PRICING ACTUARY

POLICE OFFICER

The City of Richmond Heights is accepting applications for the position of Police Officer $62,791 - 67,368 DOQ. To apply go to https://richmondheights.applicantpro.com/jobs/

SEALED BIDS

LETTING #8758

CONCRETE & BRICK REMOVAL/ REPLACEMENT AND COMPLETE SIDEWALK INSTALLATION, PROJECT #SP-116 ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

The Board of Public Service will receive proposals online on Bid Express at https://www. bidexpress.com/businesses20618/home. Proposals must be submitted before 1:45 PM, St. Louis Time, on June 6, 2023. The proposals will then be publicly opened and read via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83445052494?pwd=eHZvQIRESxmxBREhJWjZFLzVBcitSUT09

Meeting ID: 834 4505 2494

Passcode: 621348

One tap mobile: +1 312.626.6799

Plans, Specifications, and the Agreement may be examined online through bid express at: https://www.bidexpress.com/businesses20618/ home and may be downloaded for free.

The bidder must pay $40 to submit a bid through the Bid Express service. Monthly subscriptions are available.

A mandatory pre-bid conference for all contractors bidding on this project will be held in Room 305 City Hall, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, Mo 63103 at 10:00 am on May 16, 2023. All bidders are required to attend the pre-bid meeting in order to be eligible to bid on the project.

Bidders shall comply with all applicable City, State, and Federal laws (including MBE/WBE policies.)

Bids for Replace Roofs, Multiple Assets, Ozark Correctional Center, Project No. C2004-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, June 1, 2023 For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http:// oa.mo.gov/ facilities

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Replace Floor and Equipment Food Service Building Ozark Correctional Center, Project No. C2237-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, June 1, 2023. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

Responsible for providing Pricing Analyses and Technical Support for Treaty Reinsurance with a focus on casualty lines including Workers’ Compensation, Commercial Umbrella, and Professional Liability.

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

In the role of Specialist –Reinsurance and Claims Maintenance, you will be part of a team who provides claim notifications and updates to our reinsurers. You will work closely with all claims’ lines of business as well as our Ceded Reinsurance department. Your contributions of satisfying our reporting requirements with our reinsurance carriers safeguards our reputation and benefits all throughout Safety National. To apply, please visit: https://www. safetynational.com/careers-page/

The City of St. Louis Port Authority will receive Sealed Proposals on 5/15/2023.For more info. Visit https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/ sldc/procurement/index.cfm

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The St. Louis Economic Development Partnership (“SLEPD”) solicits proposals from certified public accounting firms to conduct an annual independent audit and related Single Audit Report for multiple entities, for up to a three-year contract period. The services shall include SLEDP and affiliate entities, including the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority, St. Louis County Port Authority, Industrial Development Authority, STL Partnership CDC, STLVentureWorks, World Trade Center, Gateway to the Midwest Investment Center, and Midwest Cargo Hub Commission. A copy of the full RFP is available at https://stlpartnership.com/ rfp-rfq/. A five percent bid preference may be available to certified MBE firms. Submissions should be received no later than 3:00 PM CST on Monday, May 22, 2023.

St. Louis Economic Development Partnership Equal Opportunity Employer

PUBLIC NOTICE

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

CITY OF ST. LOUIS BOARD OF PUBLIC SERVICE

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS for PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR ON-CALL BRIDGE DESIGN AND MISCELLANEOUS CIVIL ENGINEERING PROJECTS, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI. Statements of Qualifications due by 5:00 P.M. CT, MAY 19, 2023 through the Bid Express online portal at https://www.bidexpress. com/businesses/20618/home? agency=true RFQ may be obtained from BPS website https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/ government/departments/publicservice/, under BPS RFQ and RFP Announcement, or call Board of Public Service at 314-622-3439. 25%

and

and

substantiating the

of policy classifications, exposure base, exposure information, inclusions / exclusions, status of subcontractors, etc. To apply, please visit: https://www. safetynational.com/careers-page/

Sealed bids for the Baxter Road (South) ARS Resurfacing project, St. Louis County Project No. AR-1555, Federal Project No. STP-5548(606), will be received electronically thru the County’s Vendor Self Service portal at https://stlouiscountymovendors. munisselfservice.com/Vendors/ default.aspx, until 2:00 PM on May 24, 2023

Plans and specifications will be available on April 10, 2023 from the St. Louis County Web Site (www.stlouiscountymo.gov) or by contacting Cross Rhodes Print & Technologies, 2731 South Jefferson Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63118 (314) 678-0087.

DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES ST. LOUIS, COUNTY

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Atlas Public School is accepting proposals for contracting out the Food Service Program with a Fixed Price contract for the 2023-2024 school year. A mandatory preproposal meeting will be Friday, May 12, 2023 at 9:00 am. Request for Proposals are due on or before June 5, 2023, 5:00 pm local time. For questions and bid specifications, please contact Jeff Hood at email jeff.hood@atlaspublic.org, phone number = 314-437-4898. The Atlas Public School reserves the right to reject any or all bids.

PUBLIC NOTICE

The St. Louis Housing Authority (SLHA) is submitting to HUD the Annual Submission of the FY 2023 Agency Plan. The Plans outlines the goals and objectives to accomplish its vision over the next five years. SLHA has posted the “Draft” FY 2023 Agency Plan for public review on its website at https://www.slha.org/ document-center/

Additionally, the Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP), a component of the Agency Plan, and a revised Utility Allowance Schedule and the Flat Rent Schedule are simultaneously being made available for public review and comment. The link to the webpage is: https://www.slha.org/document-center/

Also, the Capital Fund Program Five-Year Action Plan (FY2023FY2027) is simultaneously being made available for public review and comment.

SLHA will hold a Virtual Public Hearing on Wednesday, June 14, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. to accept comments on its Agency Plan, ACOP, Utility Allowance, Flat Rent Schedules and Capital Fund Program. Due to the COVID precautions, this year’s public hearing will not be held in person. Instructions to join the virtual public hearing are posted on the website. Comments and suggestions received will become part of the public record. Additionally, written comments may be submitted on the plan. All written comments must be received by June 14, 2023. Please address comments to Fran Bruce at fbruce@slha.org

For additional information or questions, contact Fran Bruce, Planning and Procurement Manager, by email at fbruce@slha.org or by telephone at (314) 286-4365 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

CITY OF ST. LOUIS ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Solicitation For Bids (SFB)

Service: Specialized Airport Maintenance Emergency Repair Services

Pre-Bid Meeting Date: May 18, 2023 11:00AM Meeting will be held via Zoom. See SFB for details.

Question Due Date: May 22, 2023

Bid Due Date: June 1, 2023

M/WBE Goals & Incentives:

MBE goals: 21% -

WBE goal: 11%.

A five percent (5%) Bid discount shall be applied to construction, goods,and other services prime contracts on contracts

$300,000 or less to prime African American, Hispanic American, Asian American, Native American and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Bidders.

Point of Contact: Gigi Glasper – gxglasper@flystl.com

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

Robert Salarano Airport Properties Division Manager

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Sealed bids for the Kehrs Mill Road Retaining Wall Replacement project, St. Louis County Project No. AR-1836 will be received electronically thru the County’s Vendor Self Service portal at https://stlouiscountymovendors. munisselfservice.com/Vendors/ default.aspx, until 2:00 PM on May 31, 2023

Plans and specifications will be available on May 1, 2023 from the St. Louis County Web Site (www.stlouiscountymo.gov) or by contacting Cross Rhodes Print & Technologies, 2731 South Jefferson Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63118 (314) 678-0087.

DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES ST. LOUIS, COUNTY

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Multipurpose Building Renovation at New Madrid State Office Building, Project No. O2233-01, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, May 25, 2023, via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. Project information available at: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Install Solar Array, LED Lighting and Roof Replacement at Springfield Field Maintenance Shop, Project No. T2035-01, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, May 25, 2023, via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. Project information available at: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

The City of St. Louis Department of Health has posted a request for proposals (RFP) to provide STI testing and treatment. The RFP has been entered into the City Journal and can be found at https://www.stlouis-mo. gov/government/departments/ health/documents/fiscal-documents/sexually-transmitted-infection-sti-treatment-rfp.cfm

All questions can be addressed to Suzanne Alexander, Bureau Chief for Communicable Diseases, at alexandersu@stlouis-mo.gov

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FOR BIDS UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT ST. LOUIS THOMAS JEFFERSON AND MERCANTILE LIBRARY

Interface Construction Corp is bidding major renovations to the UMSL Libraries noted above. We are seeking proposals from qualified diverse firms. Bids are due on May 10, 2023 by end of day. Plans, specifications and bid documents are available online at our Building Connected site. If you did not receive an invitation please contact jimq@interfacestl.com and we will forward it to you.

Request for Proposal

Attention:

Food Service Management Companies

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

To obtain a copy of the Request for Proposals, contact: Mary Swofford at (314)664-7646 x118 Food Service Management Companies may submit proposals to: City Garden Montessori School Attn: Mary Swofford 1618 Tower Grove Ave. St. Louis MO 63110

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

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

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

FY 2024 – 2ND RELEASE OLDER ADULT PROGRAMS

Aging Ahead invites proposals for: In-Home Homemaker, In-Home Personal Care, Visiting (Respite), and Adult Day Care within the counties of St. Louis, St. Charles, Jefferson, and Franklin.

Awards to be made are governed by Titles III of OAA regulations and specifications of U.S. Dept. of HHS, MO Div. of Senior and Disability Services and Aging Ahead Agency reserves the right to award multiple contracts within each program.

The total cost for all IIIB programs mentioned above is $350,587; the total cost for all IIIE programs is $320,000; 85% ($297,999) of IIIB and 75% ($240,000) of IIIE is funded through Contract # ERS10521008 from MO Dept. of Health & Senior Services and U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services, Administration on Community Living. The remaining 15% ($52,588) IIIB and 25% ($80,000) IIIE is funded through non-Federal resources as a match requirement for the contractor.

Contract period is July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024. Contracts may be extended two additional fiscal years. Specifications and proposal packets may be obtained at Aging Ahead office beginning noon, May 8, 2023; 14535 Manchester Road, Manchester, MO, 63011; 636-207-0847; or online at https://www.agingahead.org/ who-we-are/financials/. Closing date for receipt of electronic proposals is June 9, 2023 at 4:00pm. Agency reserves right to accept or reject any or all proposals.

St. LouiS american Bids & Public Notices St.

REQUEST FOR BIDS

Color Art Construction, a general contractor is seeking subcontractor bids for the demolition of the Sassin and Post office buildings located on the campus of the University of Missouri St. Louis. The scope of work consists of:

• Demolition of the entire buildings designated Sassin and Old Post Office.

• Remove all paving and curbs within site boundaries

• Remove concrete slabs on grade within boundaries

• Remove manholes and manhole covers, curb inlets and catch basins

• Remove fences and gates

• Remove creosote-treated wood utility poles

• Remove other items indicated, for relocation or recycling

• Fill excavations, open pits, and holes in ground areas generated as a result of removals, using specified fill, compact fill as specified in Section 312200

The project scope includes demolition, site clearing, earth moving, and turf/grasses.

The bid walk is scheduled for Friday, May 5th @ 10:00am beginning at the Old Post Office site 8230 Florissant Road 63121. Bid details will be posted on Building Connected. Questions regarding the project are due back by 5:00pm May 12th. Bids are due Wednesday, May 17th by 12:00pm. Please email bids or questions to: bidrequestsCAC@color-art.com

The project has a goal of subcontracting twenty percent (20%) combined Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Women Owned Enterprise (WBE), Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and Veteran Supplier Diversity participation; and, (3%) Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business (SDVE) participation.

LETTING #8757

THE FOREST PARK WATERWAY PROJECT

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

Electronically sealed bids for the hereinafter mentioned project will be received online by the Board of Public Service through Bid Express at https://www.bidexpress.com/businesses/20618/ home. Proposals must be submitted before 1:45 pm, St. Louis time, on Tuesday, June 6, 2023 The proposals will then be publicly opened and read.

Plans, Specifications, and the Agreement may be examined online through bid express at: https://www.bidexpress.com/businesses20618/ home and may be downloaded for free.

The bidder must pay $40 to submit a bid through the Bid Express service. Monthly subscriptions are available.

An optional pre-bid conference for all contractors bidding on this project will be held in front of the Marc C. Steinberg Memorial Skating Rink and Recreational Building located at 400 Jefferson Drive in Forest Park, St. Louis, Mo 63110 on May 9th, 2023 at 10:30 am. All bidders are strongly encouraged to attend the pre-bid meeting. Attendance at the pre-bid meeting is considered an important element of a contractor’s good faith effort to maximize the utilization of M/WBE if M/WBE participation goals cannot be met.

Bidders shall comply with all applicable City, State, and Federal laws (including MBE/WBE policies.)

NOTICE TO SMALL (SBE), DISADVANTAGED (DBE), MINORITY (MBE), & WOMEN’S (WBE), SERVICE DISABLED VETERAN OWNED (SDVOB) & VETERAN OWNED (VOB) BUSINESSES ADVERTISEMENT RIVER CITY CONSTRUCTION, L.L.C., 6640 AMERICAN SETTER DRIVE, ASHLAND, MISSOURI 65010, (573) 657-7380 (PHONE) (573) 657-7381 (FAX) IS SEEKING QUALIFIED SMALL, DISADVATANGED, MINORITY, & WOMEN’S BUSINESSES FOR THE NEW CONSTRUCTION OF HEALTH SCIENCES BUILDING AT FLORISSANT VALLEY CAMPUS FOR STLCC TRANSFORMED FOR THE SUBCONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: CONCRETE, MASONRY, METALS, WOOD, PLASTICS, AND COMPOSITES, THERMAL AND MOISTURE PROTECTION, OPENINGS, FINISHES, SPECIALTIES, EQUIPMENT, FURNISHINGS, SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION, CONVEYING EQUIPMENT, MECHANICAL, FIRE SUPPRESSION, PLUMBING, HVAC, ELECTRICAL, COMMUNICATIONS, ELECTRONIC SAFETY AND SECURITY, EARTHWORK, EXTERIOR IMPROVEMENTS, AND UTILITIES. ALL INTERESTED AND QUALIFIED SMALL, DISADVANTAGED, MINORITY AND WOMEN’S BUSINESSES SHOULD CONTACT, IN WRITING, (CERTIFIED LETTER, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED) TIM PEC, TO DISCUSS THE SUBCONTRACTING

RUSSELL CONTRACTING SEEKS BIDS FOR UMSL LIBRARY RENOVATIONS

Russell Contracting will be bidding the Thomas Jefferson and Mercantile Library Renovation at UMSL:

Renovations scopes of work include, concrete, Sheet Metal, Storefront, Doors & Hardware, Drywall, Acoustical Ceilings, Flooring, Painting, Fire Sprinklers, Plumbing, HVAC and Electrical.

This is a prevailing wage project and it is tax exempt. The project goals include 25% MBE, 3% DBE and 10% WBE participation. Bids are due May 10, 2023 at 4:30 p.m. Plans are available electronically.

All questions should be submitted via email to:

Jacqueline

True

Director

of Preconstruction estimatingstl@russellco.com

ST. LOUIS COUNTY PORT AUTHORITY LEGAL NOTICE

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

St. Louis County Port Authority (the “Port Authority”) will accept bids from qualified firms to perform the following services for the Port Authority’s retaining wall located at the Former Jamestown Mall (the “Project”) located at 175 Jamestown Mall, Florissant, MO: (1) site preparation; (2) block placement and reinforcement; (3) wall backfill; (4) wall drainage; and (5) subsequent protections of wall and fence installation. Interested firms or joint ventures should submit one (1) original and two (2) copies of their fully completed and signed Bid Proposal, along with all required documentation, in a sealed envelope marked “CONFIDENTIAL: Proposal for Former Jamestown Mall Retaining Wall Project” to the offices of Sandberg, Phoenix & von Gontard, P.C., 120 S. Central Ave., Suite 1600, Clayton, MO 63105, Attn: Andrew C. Ruben, by June 5, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. (CST) at which time the bids will be opened and read aloud. The Project Request for Proposals may be obtained from the Port Authority’s web site at www.stlpartnership.com/rfp-rfq/. All questions shall be submitted via email to Elizabeth Noonan at bnoonan@ced-solutions.com, no later than May 29, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. The Port Authority actively encourages submission of proposals from disadvantaged business enterprises and companies owned by minorities, women, immigrants and veterans. The Port Authority does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, national origin, disability or veteran status in consideration of this award. Equal Opportunity Employer.

ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

St. Louis Community College will receive separate sealed bids for CONTRACT NO. F23 502, New Construction of Health Sciences Building at Florissant Valley Campus for STLCC Transformed, until 2:00 p.m. local time on Thursday, May 18, 2023. Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud at the office of the Manager of Engineering and Design, 5464 Highland Park, St. Louis, MO 63110-1314. Drawings, Specifications and bid forms and other related contract information may be obtained from Cross Rhodes’ Plan room at 2731 S. Jefferson, St. Louis, MO 63118 (https://www.x-rhodesplanroom.com). Electronic bid sets are also available in Bonfire at https://stlcc.bonfirehub.com and may be printed by the plan holders.

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

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

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

ST. LOUIS COUNTY PORT AUTHORITY LEGAL NOTICE

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

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

much fewer than past shows. A black and white striped top with black slacks was her second outfit, and she wore a crop top during her performance of “Rhythm Nation” with the song’s name imprinted on it. She kept it simple and minimal, and simplicity underscored her elegance and beauty.

She performed 40 hits including “Pleasure Principle,” “Control,” “All for You,” “Anytime, Any Place,” “I Get So Lonely,” and more.

As the title of the tour suggests, she closed her St. Louis performance with “Together Again.” Ludacris joined Janet Jackson as a special guest on the 33-city tour across North American arenas and amphitheaters. 23 years ago, Ludacris

Sharif

Continued from C1

brought forth a strong vision for The Rep that showed us what a top regional theater’s role could and should be within the community, producing and directing critically-acclaimed new works and classics; reaffirming the organization’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion; and boldly navigating us through the

Lizzo

Continued from C1

doing me wrong,” Lizzo sang. “My girls keep singing along. I guess that I’m not alone…” Her girls were all of us

burst onto the rap scene with his studio debut album “Incognegro,” which spun the explicit steamy single, “What’s Your Fantasy,” going in depth about sexual desires

challenges of the pandemic,” said Gwen Middeke, president of the board of directors of The Rep. Sharif launched a new annual holiday tradition in 2021 with the magical warm holiday extravaganza “A Christmas Carol’’ by Charles Dickens, which was adapted by Michael Wilson. It will continue in 2023 as part of The Rep’s season. She also rose to the challenge of creating new programming during the COVID-19 pandemic, including a drive-through

in the crowd that night, women young and old, some adoring men, and a huge LGBTQ+ presence. The show was a much-needed celebration of inclusivity. The vibe was a lovefest between Lizzo and her fans. The continuous call and response have been a con-

and needs with Shawna assisting as a featured artist.

The Champaign, Illinois-born, Atlantaraised former DJ turned rapper is now a record

illuminated puppet experience called “The Snowy Day: A Glowy Snowy Experience” based on the book “The Snowy Day” by Ezra Jack Keats; and “Cooking, Carols, and Cocktails,” a virtual theatrical series that joined local chefs, mixologists, local bands and media personalities together.

To give back to the community, she launched REPresent STL, a conversation series centered on the issues that area residents say they care most about. She led cultural and

Janet Jackson’s performance before a sold-out Enterprise Center crowd on Sunday April 30, 2023 was spectacular and included different stage themes.

Photo by Donielle Elizabeth CEO of Elizabeth Donielle PR & Media Agency

label executive, the founder and CEO of Disturbing Tha Peace (DT) where St. Louis’ own Chingy was once signed. He’s also an actor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.

When the tour was announced last December, several writers questioned why Ludacris was chosen for the opening act. Sunday, he showed that he was the right fit.

Dressed in black, looking very chiseled and cut, he wore a tank top, leather shorts and tights, and donned a more tamed version of the afro displayed

civic partnerships related to themes in the performance seasons including collaborations with Dr. St. Louis Health Director Mati Hlatshwayo Davis for AIDS and HIV awareness, and the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition to creatively share new voter regulations with St. Louisans.

She also partnered with other regional arts administrators from Baltimore Center Stage, Long Wharf Theater, Woolly Mammoth Theater Company, and the Public Theater in New

on his sophomore album, “Word of Mouf.” Original DTP member and rapper Lil Fate joined Ludacris on stage as his hype man during a pumped up and very lit set of Luda’s classic Southern hits and pop chart singles.

“All my ladies if you feel sexy tonight, if you came here tonight and you know damn well you gon sweat yo weave out I need y’all to sing this [expletive] quickly,” Luda demanded while transitioning to “Splash Waterfalls.”

Surprisingly, he didn’t incorporate the Raaphel Saadiq remix into the song.

He tapped into the crunk era with “Lovers and Friends,” which Lil Jon also performed at his recent show in St. Louis on Thursday, April 27, at The Armory. He showed the ladies lots of love with “Pimpin All Over The World,” shouted out all the independent women in the building with his feature on Fergie’s “Glamorous,”

York to commission short plays from writers having financial crises during the global shutdown. The collective developed Play at Home, a website that offered theaters new plays of 10 minutes or less, planned to be performed at home, over video conferencing platforms.

Sharif said “the move isn’t a decision she takes lightly but it is a once in a lifetime opportunity she couldn’t pass up.”

Her and Middeke both agreed the future of The Rep is in good hands

and praised all the bad chicks in Da Lou with “My Chick Bad.” Of course it wouldn’t be a Ludacris set without twerk favorites “How Low,” and “Moneymaker.” When his DJ felt the crowd was lacking energy he jokingly shaded, there weren’t any real Luda fans in the house. To prove they were there, Ludacris dug out “What’s Your Fantasy,” and everyone in the arena went crazy.

But the real golden moments of his set were when he walked around in ridiculously large Nike Air Force 1s he wore in the “Stand Up,” video and snapped on his enormous fake bicep from the “Get Back,” video. It was cool to see Luda snap into that era when he was not only playful with his wordplay and metaphors, but he was animated and larger than life in his music videos. Something he, Missy Elliot, and Busta Rhymes have each mastered.

under Williams’ direction.

“We are so grateful to Hana for the immense contributions she has made to The Rep and feel confident that her close collaborator and our brilliant managing director [Danny Williams] will continue to expertly steer the organization forward during this time of transition while we undertake a national search for a new creative partner who will enrich and inspire our community,” Middeke said.

Sharif will leave her role at The Rep in June.

stant element of her shows since before the Grammy winner exploded onto the mainstream music scene in 2019, thanks to a series of phenomenal awards show live performances.

The stages have grown enormously in scale, but the fans’ connection with the lyrics of her epic, soulful raps, pop-infused melodies, and grooves tinged with the blues provided an element of intimacy.

Black Panther In

At the end of her mantra about love, a big screen projection of Lizzo, her alter ego emerged from the stage and began to narrate the show and asked, “Did you miss me?”

The audience began singing with her in unison until basically the end of the act when Lizzo exits the stage and her big screen alter-ego reappears and lets the audience know, “It’s time to go home [b-word expletive]!”

Near the end of the show, she performed her breakthrough hit “Truth Hurts.”

Her voice might have been drowned out at some point by the audience rapping along with this anthem, but she held up the mic and let them do some of the work. She wrapped things up with “About Damn Time.”

Her high-concept show with layered, kaleidoscopic live-action footage of her alter ego speaking directly to the audience was a fun well-orchestrated motif.

The format helped with transitions and gave Lizzo time for several costume changes. Even more fluid perhaps was her banter with the crowd – which flowed easily and spontaneously.

Lizzo took us on a journey of self-reflection and the vicissitudes of love, always encouraging us to keep our heads high, despite the rejection one might face from people who don’t value you as a person, a woman, a Black woman, a big woman, or as LGBTQIA. Her set also included the let’s get pumped jam “Where My Girls At” and the delightfully defiant, “All The Rumors Are True” –which included a big video screen guest appearance by Cardi-B. Lizzo faded a bit into the background and let Cardi-B have the light during this cameo.

While fans enjoyed seeing a pop-up video of Cardi-B, they were clearly all about Lizzo that night and the adoration and applause grew as Lizzo voice cascaded and gained power as she brought the hit over the finishing line.

Music enthusiasts of all genres look forward to her playing the flute, and she did not disappoint. Her show included a couple of flute solos – even twerking in her sparkling gold bodysuit, while holding some of those fluttering long high notes.

Lizzo is not simply a great entertainer, who just happens to be a “Big girl,” she’s loud and proud about being a big girl – and is unequivocally blessed with star presence. In a moment of transparency, Lizzo admitted she is not inoculated from pain and distress – despite the adulation that comes with superstardom. “Not everyone can handle all of this,” she quietly con-

fessed to the diverse crowd while she gestured to her body from top to bottom with perfectly manicured hands. These words didn’t sound rhetorical. It was an admission that not everybody is going to accept her – even as a superstar – but this reality won’t deter her from being herself fully and enjoying who she is on the inside and out. Opening act Latto also underscored a theme of self-empowerment. Signs that read, “My body,” my choice” flashed during the climax of her set – which closed with her hit “Big Energy.”

Lizzo also made it poignantly clear that she is unapologetically aligned with the LBGTQ+ community. “Gender affirming care is lifesaving,” Lizzo said with authority and a sense of urgency.

She also made a point to acknowledge the deadly violence and heightened vitriol against the LGTQ+ community, drag queens and trans folk in particular.

“You have a safe space here,” Lizzo said. “I want to protect you.” Her opening whispered lines and their meaning continued to resonate and be reciprocated -even for Lizzo herself. She was genuinely and visibly overwhelmed by how enthusiastically St. Louis audiences received the Special tour.

“It’s been a while since I’ve gotten this much love,” Lizzo said.

Focusing in on Your Heart Health

Mom’s calm, quick actions saves daughter with CPR

Garon Patrick Mosby remembers pulling out his suitcase and packing for a work conference. It would be his first time to be away from his wife and daughter Blaire, since she was born. When he pulled out the suitcase, he noticed the CPR kit in the closet.

As the Fire Captain for the St. Louis Fire Department, he felt the urge to stress the importance of knowing CPR to his wife, Leann. He wanted her to be prepared, in case anything happened while he was away.

“He walked me through the kit, through all the steps and all the processes,” said Leann. “The one thing that stands out the most was him saying, no matter what happens, you cannot panic! I remember it so clearly. You cannot panic.”

If you’re called on to do CPR, you will likely be saving the life of someone you love.

In 1961, the American Heart Association funded researchers who combined mouth-to-mouth breathing with chest compressions to create cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the lifesaving actions we now call CPR.

“Blaire sings to her to her food while she’s eating, it’s just this cute little sing-song that she does,” said Leann. “I could hear that while I was in the kitchen preparing her breakfast. And then all of a sudden, the song stops. Why can’t I hear her?”

Remembering what Garon told her, she waited to see if Blaire was singing softly. Don’t panic.

Whatever you do, you cannot panic.

“Why can’t I hear her? I can’t tell you what it was, but something just didn’t feel right in just that matter of seconds,” said Leann.

She found Blaire slumped over in her highchair, and immediately called 911. While Leann waited for the call to connect she turned Blaire over and immediately started doing the back thrust on her.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department operator walked Leann through the steps of CPR.

Garon, being a member of the St. Louis City Fire Department for more than 20 years knows it’s fortunate, the depart-

ment and our EMS dispatchers are CRP certified and could help his wife and so many others who need instructions in a critical situation.

Currently, there is no national or regional standard for dispatcher CPR.

The AHA hopes to work with St. Louis lawmakers to make sure that all dispatchers in our region are trained in giving CPR

instructions over the phone.

And then finally, Blaire started to spit up a little bit, and she just took this little, tiny gasp of air. “I remember hearing her breath, it was the best sound that I had heard since the day she was born,” said Leann.

It’s been over four years since our traumatic incident, and today, Blaire has

grown into this amazing six-year-old spunky little girl. “She’s kind, she’s sweet, she’s inquisitive, she’s energetic,” said Garon.

The Mosby family along with the American Heart Association encourages you to learn CPR to help save lives.

To learn the two steps to help save lives visit Heart.org/CPR.

Garon Patrick Mosby with his wife, Leann, and daughter, Blaire.

Check it out: blood pressure cuffs available at St. Louis County Libraries

Do you know what a healthy blood pressure reading should be? Did that question alone raise your blood pressure?

Take a deep breath, because your local St. Louis County Library can help you figure it all out.

Libraries are a source of all types of information, and they can play a critical role in addressing health in our community.

Monitoring your blood pressure at home just got a little easier with the help of the American Heart Association’s Libraries with Heart initiative, sponsored locally by Edward Jones.

“St. Louis County Library is thrilled to partner with the American Heart Association to bring blood pressure cuffs to our circulating collection,” said Kristen Sorth, St. Louis County Library Director & CEO.

You can now check out digital blood pressure cuffs and educational materials to help improve your health.

The materials will offer a variety of resources:

• Tips on how to manage your blood pressure

• Steps on how to get an accurate reading of your blood pressure

• What the numbers mean and logs to help track your readings

• Tips to successfully manage and control your blood pressure

Nearly half of American adults have high blood pressure, many don’t even know they have it. There often aren’t obvious symptoms, and unfortunately, African-Americans tend to develop high blood pressure more often than people of any other racial background. Some medications are less effective in treating HBP in blacks.

The best way to know if you have high blood pressure is to have it checked often.

The American Heart Association strongly encourages you to communicate regularly with your primary doctor in order to control your blood pressure and take the necessary steps for your healthiest life.

“At Edward Jones, we believe pervasive health issues such as heart disease stand in the way of people building, maintaining and enjoying wealth in life,”

said Tim Rea, Chief Experience, Brand and Marketing Officer at Edward Jones.

“That’s why we work to promote the financial and emotional well-being of those impacted by health issues, so more people can live enriching lives.”

“The life-saving work of the American Heart Association is personal. I lost my father at a young age to heart disease and today serve on the American Heart Association’s Metropolitan St. Louis Board of Directors” said Rea. “Our firm’s support of the Association is another way we put our purpose into action, making a positive impact in the lives of our clients, colleagues and the communities we serve.”

“Working with community partners allows us to develop creative ways to support our community. The partnership will increase access to health care information for our patrons,” said Sorth.

By providing access to these resources and tools to help the community manage its’ health, the American Heart Association’s commitment to this community is

not only helping individuals live longer, healthier lives but also making progress on heart and brain health.

Local barbers are cutting the pressure by offering blood pressure education

Good conversation, with a side of camaraderie and a fresh cut, aren’t the only thing local barbershops are offering, they’re also helping monitor your blood pressure while you’re there.

Cutting the Pressure is a collaboration between the American Heart Association, Cigna Foundation and RGA, dedicated to creating a culture of health in the greater St. Louis area by providing access to preventive resources for our community.

This initiative will train local barbershops to have important conversations with their clients about blood pressure.

High blood pressure is often known as the silent killer because symptoms can go undiagnosed until it’s too late.

“It makes me feel good to know I’m helping people, beyond just a haircut,” said the owner of Cutt’n Headz, Charron Hodges. “I know of at least 10 people who didn’t know they had high blood pressure, and being able to give them a heads up, and to visit their doctor feels good.”

Hodges has owned his barbershop for 10 years and understands the importance as he suffers from high blood pressure himself, and it runs in his family.

“Both sides of my family have high blood pressure, and to know I can help others while they’re in my chair feels good,” said Hodges.

If your parents or a close blood relative has high blood pressure, there’s an increased chance that you’ll get it too. Knowing your family history is so important.

Nearly half of American adults have high blood pressure, but many don’t even know they have it.

In Greater St. Louis more than 315,000 people currently suffer from high blood pressure. That’s enough to fill Busch Stadium six times.

“Heart health is a critical concern not just in St. Louis but around the globe, and as a life and health reinsurer, we recognize the importance of the American Heart Association’s work to increase cardiovascular health education and research for our community,” said Matt Blakely, Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility & Sustainability at RGA. “At RGA, our work to promote longer,

healthier lives makes us proud to support the American Heart Association year after year, especially through programs like this one.”

We know that barbershops play an important role in the lives of African American men, and this program provides training, tools and support to barbers to be health champions in their communities.

Prevention and early intervention can make a big difference, as someone with hypertension at age 30 is nearly 20% more likely to develop heart disease or stroke.

“We talk about all the things, the local events, we talk about sports, we talk about relationships – like a therapist, it was a no-brainer to add blood pressure into the conversation,” said Hodges

Local barbershop owner Charron Hodges of Cutt’n Headz helps a customer take his blood pressure. Hodges said, “It makes me feel good to know I’m helping people, beyond just a haircut.”

One of Hodges’s client’s blood pressure numbers were really high, and he went to the doctor a week after having his haircut and is now on medication to help control his high blood pressure.

“I haven’t had one person turn it down,” said Hodges. “It’s important for me to help the community out.”

EmPOWERED to Serve Church Challenge

Everyone deserves the opportunity to enjoy longer, healthier lives. But that doesn’t always happen equitably. Some communities face health disparities simply because of factors like where they live, learn, work, play and worship.

The American Heart Association’s EmPOWERED to Serve platform inspires passionate individuals and organizations to overcome barriers to health equity. Together with Ameren the Association is helping local churches expand upon their spiritual health to include a culture of physical health and wellness too.

“Ameren is really focused on longterm, positive changes for our communities, and we understand that the tactics and resources deployed need to vary based on what communities need,” said Sarah Kramer, Director Corporate Philanthropy and Community Impact with Ameren. “The EmPOWERED to Serve Church Challenge is an excellent example of a program that responds cleverly to health disparity by zeroing in on a coalition of the willing, reaching individuals in a faith setting and supporting them in a health journey that will ideally cascade beyond the church walls.”

Through the EmPOWERED to Serve health lessons in faith-based settings tools and resources are shared to help fight heart disease and stroke.

An example of the tools includes creating a culture of health that embraces Life’s Essential 8®, a checklist for ideal health, it includes:

1. Get active

2. Control cholesterol

3. Eat better

4. Manage blood pressure

5. Lose weight

6. Reduce blood sugar

7. Stop smoking

8. Get better sleep

When managed these are eight key measures for improving and maintaining ideal cardiovascular health.

“We’ve seen when people can make adjustments to their lifestyles and habits, even addressing one or two of Life’s Essential 8, it can be a game changer in the long run,” said Dr. Angela Brown, a

hypertension specialist with Washington University in St. Louis and an American Heart Association volunteer. “I’ve been involved with the AHA for a long time and have seen the value in this work, they’re changing lives, and it’s exciting to see how the community of faith can play a part in it.”

Connecting faith-based community organizations with the tools and resources they need to support their members with their spiritual and physical health helps fight heart disease and stroke, and ensures the community is living longer and healthier lives.

“There’s real value in meeting the

community where they are, and bringing in health messages to a church setting will help generations for years to come,” said Dr. Brown.

For more information or to join the challenge with your congregation, email Benson Adeyemi, Community Impact Director at benson.adeyemi@heart.org.

Healthy hearts start with healthy diets

No one should go hungry. But the reality is people in our community often do go hungry.

The American Heart Association believes in the right to healthy food for all people to live their best lives. Nutrition security is a priority. We only achieve heart and brain health with healthy foods.

“When people struggle with making their food dollar stretch further, they may have to sacrifice quality nutrition, or even skip meals to make ends meet,” said Rachelle Bartnick, Senior Community Impact Director with the American Heart Association. “This is why the Association has awarded several mini-grants to lift up the work of St. Louis organizations and community-led solutions for nutrition security. Our goal is to be a resource for organizations and improve the availability of healthy foods in our region.”

Food security means having enough

food and not having to choose between food and other basic needs. Nutrition security builds on that. It means getting enough healthy food consistently and putting the food to best use – not only when to eat, but where to find it and how to prepare it.

“We are excited to help several community organizations build nutrition security in St. Louis,” said Bartnick. “They have demonstrated how financial capacity will increase access to healthy foods for our community.”

As part of a larger initiative, The Fresh Food Capacity Expansion Project, Operation Food Search will use its funds to add walk-in freezer space. It’s a critical element when distributing food to the 27 Missouri and Illinois counties they serve.

The new walk-in freezer will extend the shelf life for the healthy food they provide to the community.

“We are grateful to the American Heart Association for investing in our work to heal hunger and enabling us to expand our ability to store nutritious food,” said Operation Food Search President and CEO Kristen Wild. “Making the connection between food and health has a long-lasting impact on the people we serve.”

Centennial Christian Church in the city of St. Louis is in a food desert, an area lacking access to healthy and fresh foods, will use its grant to expand the food pantry, and it will offer healthy eating lessons too.

“We have built our Hunger to Wholeness initiative from the ground up in an under-resourced, high-need environment,” said Patricia Penelton, Food Ministry Team Member and Moderator of Centennial Christian Church. “Added funding affords us the opportunity to enhance and expand our current food and health pro-

grams. We hope with these additions we can ease the hesitation and mistrust our clients often feel.”

This church has already embraced health initiatives, for example, it offers blood pressure screenings, and approaches heart and brain health in a variety of ways.

To support its goal of nutrition security and healthy eating, Centennial Christian Church will improve its kitchen safety, efficiency and capacity for cooking classes.

Both grantees are helping build sustainable changes for those who need it most.

We know healthy diets make healthy hearts, and everyone deserves it.

The American Heart Association is committed to equitable health for all by fighting alongside trusted community organizations so that everyone can eat healthy no matter where they live or the circumstances they’re in.

Zippy Southwest Chicken Fajita Salad

Ingredients

Servings 4

Pico de Gallo

2 tomatoes (chopped)

1/2 small onion (diced)

1 chopped jalapeño (seeds can be removed to be milder), (optional)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

2 teaspoon lime or lemon juice

Zippy Southest Chicken Fajita Salad

2 1/2 cups chopped chicken from leftover Salmon or Chicken Kabobs (refer to related recipes)

16 ounces packaged, frozen bell pepper and onion stir-fry (thawed)

15.5 ounces canned, no-salt-added, or, low-sodium black beans (drained, rinsed)

3/4 teaspoon salt-free chili powder

1 chopped head lettuce (green leaf, red leaf or romaine)

2 whole-wheat tortillas (halved, optional)

Directions

Pico de Gallo

In a small bowl, add tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, cilantro and lime juice and combine.

Zippy Southest Chicken Fajita Salad

In a heatproof bowl, add chicken, vegetables, beans, and chili powder. Stir and heat in microwave until warmed.

Pile lettuce onto plates. Top with chicken mixture and pico de gallo. Serve with tortilla halves, if desired.

Quick Tips

Cooking Tip: If you like spicy food, use 2 jalapeños in the pico de gallo and also keep the seeds in the jalapenos. Also, homemade pico de gallo is easy to make and much tastier than canned.

Keep it Healthy: Any other vegetables on sale can be used like avocado, cucumber, scallions, or canned green chiles. Tip: If you can’t find frozen onions and bell peppers, substitute with low-sodium canned or frozen corn.

Nutrition Facts

Explaining cardiovascular risk disparities among young people with Type 1 diabetes

By Laura Williamson American Heart Association News

Black and Hispanic children with Type 1 diabetes are more likely than their white peers to develop stiffened arteries – a precursor to heart disease and stroke – during the first decade of their diabetes diagnosis, new research finds.

All of the higher risk for Hispanic children – and onefourth of it for Black children – can be explained by socioeconomic and cardiovascular risk factors that could potentially be reduced, according to the study, published recently in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

“That gives us hope that there are things we can try to modify, things we can try to improve,” said lead study

though it can occur at any age.

People who have Type 1 diabetes are about 10 times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than those who don’t have it. Yet research into the prevention of cardiovascular disease in people with Type 1 diabetes has been limited, and what little there is has focused largely on white people. Meanwhile, the incidence of Type 1 diabetes in the U.S., which has been rising about 2% each year since at least the early 2000s, is growing at an even faster rate among Hispanic and Black populations.

n All of the higher risk for Hispanic children –and one-fourth of it for Black children – can be explained by socioeconomic and cardiovascular risk factors that could potentially be reduced, according to the study, published recently in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

author Katherine Sauder, an associate professor and deputy director of the Life Course Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center at the University of Colorado School of Public Health in Aurora.

Blood flows much faster along stiff arteries. The increased flow and pressure of blood can negatively affect organs such as the heart. Artery stiffness typically develops in older adults but can also occur in people with Type 1 diabetes, a disease characterized by the body’s inability to produce enough insulin. This type of diabetes is most often diagnosed during childhood,

In the new study, researchers analyzed data for a racially diverse group of 1,162 children and young adults in the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth study, which recruited participants from South Carolina, Ohio, Colorado, Washington and southern California.

The children were an average 9 years old at the time they were diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and enrolled in the study. Carotid femoral pulse wave velocity, considered the gold standard measurement of arterial stiffness, was taken after an average 11 years of follow-up.

The analysis found higher levels of artery stiffness in Black and Hispanic young people, with the biggest gap between Black and white participants. Black participants had 10% higher rates of artery stiffness than white participants.

“That sounds small, but these people are in their 20s,” said Sauder, who noted that cardiovascular disease typically doesn’t appear until a person’s 50s. “The

concern is that this gap is going to continue growing. If we can figure out why this difference is, perhaps we can intervene now and maybe there’s a chance to reverse the differences that have built up in the first 10 years of their disease.”

While there also was a gap in the rates of artery stiffness between Hispanic and white young adults with Type 1 diabetes, that disparity largely disappeared when the researchers controlled for cardiovascular and socioeconomic risk factors. One of the biggest modifiable factors was access to diabetes medications. Another was being overweight.

“If we could get Hispanic participants to have the same cardiovascular risk profile as their white peers, blood flow would slow down by 15%,” Sauder said. “If we could get them to have the same economic profile, it would slow down by 27%.”

sor at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Wolf was not involved in the study.

Understanding what’s driving these disparities could help target critical interventions, she said.

“The more you can engage people in care early on, by increasing access to care, adherence to medications and more consistent follow-up care, the more we may be able to prevent poor cardiovascular outcomes later in life,” Wolf said.

n “The more you can engage people in care early on, by increasing access to care, adherence to medications and more consistent follow-up care, the more we may be able to prevent poor cardiovascular outcomes later in life.”

– Dr. Risa Wolf

Controlling for these factors, however, did not erase the disparities between Black and white participants.

“No matter what factors we looked at, we could only get the difference to decrease about 21%,” Sauder said. “That tells us there are other things going on beyond A1C and BMI and being able to pay for your medications. There are other things driving this.”

The new research “offers insight into what might be changing in cardiovascular health in the earlier decades of life for people with Type 1 diabetes,” said Dr. Risa Wolf, director of the Pediatric Diabetes Center and an associate profes-

One thing the new study did not investigate was how structural racism and the stress it can cause might impact health, Sauder said.

Another factor that could be important is the use of advanced diabetes technologies, such as continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps, to manage blood glucose levels, Wolf said. When blood glucose levels are not properly managed, the risk for cardiovascular disease increases. Recent studies, including one Wolf was involved with, have found significant racial disparities in the prescription and use of these devices among children and adults.

But Sauder said even when advanced diabetes technologies are used, some racial disparities in blood glucose control remain. “It would be great if there was an easy answer, but it’s more complicated than that,” she said.