November 17th, 2022 edition

SThet. LouiS AmericAn

Martin Mathews never stopped working for youths

His impact is enduring and will last forever

Special to the American

Martin L. Mathews, co-founder of the Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club and for more than 60 years a force for racial harmony in the region, died Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022 in hospice care at Evelyn’s House in Creve Coeur, Mo. He was 97 years old. Mathews will be remembered during a service at Graham Chapel on the Washington University campus at 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022.

Mr. Mathews (and all who knew him always called him mister) built comity and community through his work with the club. He started in 1960 with Hubert “Dickey” Ballentine (members always called him “Mr. Dickey”) when the two met under a shade trade in Handy Park, a few blocks east of

n Mr. Mathews and Mr. Dickey, both talented former semi-pro baseball players, believed education and character development were the paths to success.

Kingshighway and south of Natural Bridge. In 2021 with Mr. Mathews then serving in an emeritus role, the club merged with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis. Under terms of the partnership, Mathews-Dickey retained its name, location and youth sports programs.

Mr. Mathews and Mr. Dickey, both talented former semi-pro baseball players, believed

education and character development were the paths to success. Mr. Mathews said he used baseball, and later football, basketball and swimming as bait, a way of engaging young people to learn teamwork and discipline that could carry over to the classroom, then on to college and careers.

Their teams known, as the Knights in baseball and the Bulldogs in football, were wildly successful, and turned out dozens of athletes who would become All-Americans in college, compete in the Olympics and join the professional ranks. But many more became doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers, social workers and captains of industry.

For their work, Mr. Mathews and Mr. Dickey were hailed by presidents, Democrat

Johnson appeal rejected by STL County judge

By Sylvester Brown Jr.

The St. Louis

American On Tuesday, Kevin Johnson’s daughter Khorry Ramey pleaded for her father’s death sentence to be vacated during a press conference in Jefferson City. She was 2 when her father shot and killed a Kirkwood police officer in 2005, and was later sentenced to death.

Ramey recalled how her imprisoned father recently had the opportunity to meet and hold his 2-month-old grandson.

“It was the most beautiful moment in my life. My dad was so happy,” said Ramey, “He’s not a bad person. He just made a terrible mistake.”

Young Black, Latino voters turn back predicted ‘red

Their votes help Dems hold Senate

By Ariana Figueroa

By Rebecca Rivas and Clara Bates

Missouri Independent

Standing on the Missouri Capitol steps moments after being released from prison, Bobby Bostic said the first place he planned to visit was his mother’s grave in St. Louis — a city he’d last freely walked in 1995.

“I’m a free man all because of you all who supported me,” Bostic, 43, said on Nov. 9, 2022 while surrounded by friends and family donning

matching sweatshirts that read “Bobby Bostic is Free.”

“While I cannot change what happened so many years ago,” he said, “I will mentor and teach young people to take a different path than I did when I was a young child myself.”

Bostic was imprisoned in 1995 for a crime he committed when he was 16, when he was an accomplice in two armed robberies in St. Louis.

Now-retired St. Louis judge Evelyn Baker sentenced Bostic to 241 years, with the first chance at parole being when Bostic turned 112. Baker sentenced him to die in prison without giving him an official life sentence.

“Your mandatory date to go in front of the parole board will be the year 2201,” Baker told Bostic at his sentencing date in 1997.

See BOSTIC, A6

Young Black and Latino voters were critical in holding off the Republican “red wave” in several battleground states for U.S. Senate seats and in tight U.S. House races in the midterm elections, according to analyses by researchers and grassroot organizations.

Young, diverse voters between the ages of 18 and 29 had the second-highest youth voter turnout in almost three decades, with youth voter turnout at 31% in the nine battleground states of Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, according to estimates by the Center for Information and See VOTERS, A7

Democratic nominee for U.S Senate Sen. Raphael Warnock embraces a supporter during a campaign stop on the campus of Morehouse College Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, in Atlanta.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

The community turned out to say goodbye to Martin Mathews the co-founder of Mathews-Dickey Boys & Girls Club in the city’s Penrose neighborhood Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2022.

Photo by John Bazemore / AP

ALS robs Roberta Flack of her voice, but she will not be silent

Unfortunately, fans will no longer hear Roberta Flack sing. Her representative announced on Monday (Nov. 15) that she has ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) and can no longer sing.

Flack’s manager Suzannae Koga released a statement saying the disease “has made it impossible for her to sing and it’s difficult for her to speak.” Koga continued and said “it will take a lot more than ALS to silence this icon.”

Flack is popular for her hits including “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” and “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” which propelled her into fame after Clint Eastwood used it during a love scene in his 1971 film, “Play Misty for Me.”

The statement also says, Flack, now 85 “plans to stay active in her musical and creative pursuits” through her foundation and other ventures.

Flack suffered a stroke in 2016.

21 Savage retracts ‘Nas is irrelevant’ comments

21 Savage is backpedaling from a Clubhouse debate that surfaced online with him saying Nas is irrelevant.

“I would never disrespect Nas or any legend who paved the way for me y’all be tryna take stuff and run with it,” [face palm emoji] Savage tweeted yesterday (Nov.14).

In the original conversation, Savage said Nas wasn’t relevant and that he just has a loyal fan base.

“No, he’s not relevant. He just has a loyal a** fan base. He just has a loyal fan base and he still makes good a** music. What’s y’all definition of relevant, bro?” Savage said. Fans, and hip-hop culture enthusiasts didn’t take Savage’s comments lightly. Many, including HOT 97’s Ebro Darden, accused Savage of not being real hip-hop.

“21 should be given a list of demands to rejoin hip-hop,” Darden said. While Rob Markman took a peaceful stance on the debate.

“I just think relevance isn’t the right word… Nas isn’t in that white hot space in terms of how current success is measured in rap and that’s fine. The whole thing is really overblown

honestly,” Markman said.

Nas hasn’t commented on the subject.

Tyson, Holyfield team up with edible products

Former boxing champs Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield are turning a notorious moment in sports history into a partnership.

On November 14, Tyson, who’s become an entrepreneur and cannabis advocate in his own right, announced that he and four-time heavyweight boxing champion Holyfield partnered up to establish Carma Holdings. Under the new brand, the boxing champs will launch and distribute TYSON 2.0 “Holy Ears” THC and Delta 8 cannabis-infused edibles this month. Holyfield is also set to release his own brand of cannabis products in 2023.

About the collaboration, Tyson said, “From Mike Bites to Holy Ears, now cannabis fans around the world can experience the same wellness benefits that plant-based products have brought me. It’s a privilege to reunite with my former opponent and now long-time friend and turn years of fights and knockouts into a partnership that can make a positive impact and heal people.”

The collaboration comes after their infamous rivalry. The rift between the two men culminated when Tyson bit a piece of Holyfield’s ear off during a rematch in June 1997.

“Holy Ears” are all-natural, vegan and gluten-free; and will be offered in THC, Delta

8 and other hemp-cannabinoid varieties.

The “Holy Ears” THC edibles can be purchased at Verano stores in Arizona, Illinois, Nevada and New Jersey and online through TYSON 2.0 global online marketplace TYSON20Global.com.

Jenifer Lewis is sick of Kanye West’s antics

Jenifer Lewis has had it with Kanye West’s antics and his recent anti-semitism remarks. She expressed her disappointment for the rapper during an appearance on The Pascal Show “I was sick of him before he did all of this mess.” she said. “I don’t care what he’s dealing with, shut your [expletive] mouth. You go sit down somewhere, all those kids who look up to his [expletive]. My name is Jennifer Lewis, I’m famous too, not as famous as you but that does not excuse you from doing what you should be doing. Go get help baby your children are looking at you. You hush now.” Dave Chappelle is another celebrity who recently disagreed with West’s comments during his opening monologue on Saturday Night Live this past weekend (Nov. 12). “I denounce antisemitism in all its forms. I stand with my friends in the Jewish community. And that… Kanye… is how you buy yourself some time,” Chappelle said.

Sources: Associated Press, BET, REVOLT

“We are the state of Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman and Thurgood Marshall.”

- Wes Moore, after being elected Maryland’s first Black governor, and just the third in US history

St. Louis native Jasmine Crockett headed to The House

Texas

US Rep. will

join Cori Bush in Congress

Isaiah Peters

The St. Louis American

St. Louis native Jasmine Crockett survived a crowded Democratic Primary in August, then easily prevailed on Nov. 8, 2022, to win the 30th District House of Representatives seat, which includes Dallas.

Crockett, 41, handily took 77% of the vote in her race against Republican James Rodgers, who took only 20%. Independent Zachariah Manning garnered 2% of the vote.

“I’m most concerned about what has set us back, the rolling back of Roe v. Wade, looking again at how marriage is defined,” Crockett said following her victory.

“I’m looking at the Voting Rights Act and how it hasn’t been reauthorized, and these gerrymandered lines, without support on the federal level, and we’re lacking courage in the Supreme Court.”

of the House’s youngest members, replacing retiring 86-year-old Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson Crockett also promised to address the issue of Black home ownership.

“I want to make sure that there’s fair lending practices when it comes to those that are in need of getting housing,” Crockett said. “I’m gonna be focused on making sure that we can bring people out of poverty.”

n “I’m looking at the Voting Rights Act and how it hasn’t been reauthorized, and these gerrymandered lines, without support on the federal level, and we’re lacking courage in the Supreme Court.”

- Jasmine Crockett

Before Crockett became the sole Black freshman member of the Texas House. She’s served as a Texas state representative since July 2020. In January, she will become one

Jared Boyd, chief of staff to St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones, voiced support for Crocket’s campaign platform on affordable housing and small business support.

“Crockett has a passion for protecting the rights our forefathers provided us,” Boyd said. “Her service and her heart for service speak for themselves and are forged out of dealing with real people in St. Louis.”

The dream of becoming an anesthesiologist faded when she found anti-Black hate crimes occurring at her university being normalized. She said she needed an advocate when someone left racist hate mail in her campus mailbox and her

Black friends had their cars keyed on campus. Her anger turned into drive.

Johnson endorsed Crockett saying she is “Just the person we need in Congress at this critical time.”

“I’m delighted,” Johnson said at Crockett’s election party. “I have said over and over, I’ve looked at everyone who came to me and I know I made the right choice to endorse.”

Previously, Crockett worked as a civil rights attorney dealing with police brutality cases such as Jordan Edwards’ and Jacqueline Craig’s. During the George Floyd protests, she established her firm and took pro bono Black Lives Matter activists’ cases.

Those words rang heavy and Crokett became the front-runner following Johnson’s endorsement. As she builds her national profile, Crockett said she would eagerly join the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which endorsed her along with presidential candidates Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.

Crockett competed against eight other Democratic candidates and won 49% of the vote to Hamilton’s 17% in the primary. In the runoff last May, she earned 60% of the vote in the predominantly Black 30th Congressional District. She does not mince words when

explaining the urgency of addressing fundamental issues from gun control to women’s rights in a polarized country and an even more polarized state.

Even if she can’t proclaim her progressive agenda as bluntly in her district as ‘Squad members’ to theirs, she is ranked among the most progressive people in the Texas House.

“I can’t say, ‘Green New Deal, Medicare for All.’ They don’t work,” Crockett said. “But when I talk about policy and say, “Don’t you agree everyone should have access to health care?” They agree.”

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Photo by Lola Gomez | Dallas Morning News

St. Louis native Jasmine Crockett wins Dallas district, and will serve as the 30th district congresswom-

an in January.

Editorial/Commentary

Commentary Guest Editorial

Seven important takeaways from this year’s midterm elections

By Ben Jealous

As the dust settles on the midterm elections and the warnings of a “Red Wave” evaporate, it’s time to take a deep breath and take stock of what we’ve learned. There are many takeaways from the elections this year – and here are a few that top the list for me.

If there’s one thing that’s clear by now, it’s that elections don’t end on Election Night. With more mail-in ballots to count and plenty of close races, it’s normal to wait a few days for final results. So don’t listen to folks who say there’s something suspicious about vote counts that take a while. There isn’t. We must be patient and make sure every vote is counted.

Another development is that early voting is here to stay. One day before the election, nearly 41 million Americans had cast early ballots. Georgia broke its record for early votes. Again, there have been some fearmongers out there throwing shade on early voting, as if it’s somehow not the norm. Ignore them too. Early voting is legitimate and a great idea. Do it if you can. By now we’ve all seen the attempts by far-right activists in Arizona to scare people away from early voting, by camping out fully armed near drop boxes. We must recognize that the Right may become more aggressive in its efforts to suppress the vote. The Justice Department stepped in this time to protect the vote and it will have a role to play in protecting it in the future; we should expect and welcome that. These are all aspects of the

new normal in our election process. But what about the issues? What are the takeaways there?

There’s no question that Americans came out in force to support reproductive freedom. In state after state where measures on abortion rights were on the ballot, people voted to uphold those rights. In California, Michigan, Vermont, Montana, and even deep-red Kentucky, voters came out for the freedom to control their own bodies.

Abortion rights were also among the top issues motivating voters to go to the polls.

Exit polls show inflation topped the list with abortion second – and way ahead of crime, which the Far Right had hoped to use as a winning issue against progressives. Of course, the Right’s spin – that progressives’ only answer is to “defund” police – was never accurate anyway, and we shouldn’t ever let that argument about public safety stand. Progressives have plenty of alternatives to offer when it comes to public safety and ending police violence. We need to be more clear and more forceful in making that case. As for election deniers on the ballot, it comes as a relief that some of the loudest and potentially most dangerous ones were defeated. Yes, it’s true that a substantial number

of them won or kept seats in Congress and lower offices, and that’s deeply disturbing. But Doug Mastriano will not be governor of Pennsylvania, Tim Michels will not be governor of Wisconsin, and Tudor Dixon will not be governor of Michigan. Lee Zeldin will not govern New York, and Derek Schmidt will not govern Kansas. Election-denying candidates lost secretary of state races in Michigan, New Mexico, and Minnesota. I’ll go out on a limb and say I hope the Right is learning that election denialism is not a ticket to victory.

I’ve saved one of the biggest takeaways for last, and it’s one that’s close to my heart. It’s the importance of downballot races like sheriff, state representative, or city council person. These candidates don’t get all the attention and the big rallies like folks at the top of the ticket.

But these are critical positions where a small amount of support can make a dramatic difference. They’re also the races where you’ll find rising stars: people like Malcolm Kenyatta in the Pennsylvania House, Anna Eskamani in the Florida House, and Darrin Camilleri and Sarah Anthony in the Michigan Senate – part of a wave that flipped the state’s senate this year. We need to pay attention to these races, and we need to support these young people who are our future. Thanks for voting – this time and every time.

Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way

How expected red wave crashed on rocks of insurrection

By John A. Tures

When pro-Trump extremists stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, they probably weren’t thinking about the next election. But maybe they should have. Because the long shadow of former President Donald Trump, and the behavior of the rioters, may have helped contribute to a relatively good night for the Democrats. Historically, the party in power would rather skip the first midterm election. That’s because the president’s incumbent party tends to be hammered in the House, Senate and even gubernatorial contests. Remember President Barack Obama’s crushing losses in 2010, costing the party the House of Representatives, and Bill Clinton’s Democratic Party Waterloo in 1994, where the party lost the House and Senate, and many governor’s races? Or Trump in the 2018 midterms?

Giving credit where credit is due

By Congressman Jim Clyburn

Democrats have retained control of the US Senate and could pick up a seat if Raphael Warnock defeats Republican Herschel Walker in a Dec. 6, 2022, runoff election.

While Republicans were poised to clinch control of the House of Representative, the majority will be small. The predicted “red wave” never reached American shores.

We are all “recovering” from the election. In reality, America has been recovering for the past two years.

One definition of recovery is, “a return to a normal state of health, mind, or strength.”

Another is, “the action or process of regaining possession or control of something stolen or lost.”

I can’t think of any more appropriate descriptions of the first 20 months of President Joe Biden’s Administration.

History records President Franklin Delano Roosevelt as the creator of the New Deal, President Harry S. Truman as the initiator of the Fair Deal, and President Lyndon Johnson as the mastermind of the Great Society.

I believe historians will one day recognize President Joseph R. Biden as the engineer of the Great Recovery.

When President Biden took office on January 20, 2021, the country was in the grip of a global pandemic that was killing more than 3,000 people per day. Businesses were shuttering, schools were closing, and the nation’s unemployment rate was 6.4%. The American people were losing faith in their government and its elected officials.

The bombastic style of the previous Administration was wearing thin on the American public. In short, our Democracy was at peril.

President Biden and Congressional Democrats are engineering a Great Recovery of, for and by the American People. From day one, we have focused on shoring up the shaky foundation left by the previous Administration.

On March 11, 2021, less than two months after he took office, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan (ARP) putting in place the first pillar of the foundation upon which he would jumpstart a great recovery. The ARP put money in people’s pockets, got children back in school and lifted nearly half of those children living in poverty out of poverty. We reopened businesses, kept workers on their jobs, and stemmed the deadly rampage of COVID-19 by expanding testing and access to vaccines.

The second pillar of Biden’s foundation came on November 15, 2021, when he signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Joe Biden’s historic investment in our crumbling and outdated infrastructure, is putting people to work repairing roads and bridges, expanding high-speed broadband, cleaning our drinking water, and creating a resilient electric grid.

Letter to the editor

Voting brings people together

Voting is like going to church. And it was only fitting that I realized this while working the polls at Christ’s Southern Missionary Baptist Church. As a student election worker, I was able to witness Americans coming together for a civic and moral purpose, but also just to be together.

The third pillar of President Biden’s “Great Recovery” platform, the CHIPS and Science Act, was signed into law on August 9. It restores America’s standing as a global science and technology leader by providing the resources and tools to make more products like semiconductor chips here at home. It will create better-paying jobs, build a more diverse workforce, and bolster our supply chains. The fourth pillar of the Biden platform, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), passed the Congress with every Democrat voting for it, and every Republican voting against it. This new law is making historical investments in climate change and health care. Medicare recipients will see insulin capped at $35 per month, their out-of-pocket prescription drugs capped at $2,000 annually, allows Medicare costs to be negotiated, and extends Affordable Care Act subsidies to 13 million Americans.

President Biden recently announced up to $10,000 in student loan debt relief for those earning less than $125,000 and reduced future monthly payments for borrowers from 10% to 5% of their discretionary income. Unfortunately, a federal judge in Texas has halted the process. America is emerging from a very dark time in our history. President Biden is providing the strong, steady leadership needed to build a solid foundation upon which to launch a Great Recovery.

Jim Clyburn, D-South Carolina, serves as House Majority Whip

To send a Letter to the Editor to The St. Louis American, visit stlamerican.com or send your letter to editor@stlamerican.com As I See It

In fact, we actually remember the exceptions, like FDR in 1934, JFK in 1962, and George W. Bush in 2002, where their parties make some gains.

Among these, Biden will likely be closer to Ronald Reagan in 1982, when the Republicans lost House Seats, but held the Senate, even gaining an ally or two that year, despite inflation and recession fears. Sound familiar?

Of course, Joe Biden is no Reagan. But the fact on the eve of the election he had a 45% approval rating (higher than Reagan at the time) is bad news for the GOP, if they actually recognize the danger. As of the writing of this col-

umn, the Democratic Party has secured control of the Senate, and was likely to lose a fraction of the House seats they were projected [even after gerrymandering.] Maryland elected its first Black governor, and the number of Democratic governors grew by two. While some conservatives are crowing about any GOP electoral success, others in the party are becoming aware of the precarious position they are now in. And what’s likely to have contributed to converting the red wave into little more than a ripple was Jan. 6. It may be more than just Trump who lost two popular votes and the last midterms. What’s different now that may have benefited the Democrats in 2022 was the way our U.S. Capitol was under assault in a coup d’etat insurrection. The terrifying images of the mob trying to stop a free and fair election and elected officials fleeing for their lives as death chants were yelled for Democrats and Republican representatives and even the GOP vice president.

The special U.S. House committee investigating the insurrection revealed that it was far more than an accident with a couple of yahoos from the National Mall getting a little

exuberant. We learned from investigators and witnesses that this was carefully planned and executed.

The endorsement of election deniers seeking public office throughout the country contributed to the fears of everyday Democratic and Republican voters that if the supporters of this dark day in American politics ever get in charge, the chances of a free and fair election may well disappear.

In states where Republicans actually stood up to Trump and refused to accede to the autocratic tactics of overturning the 2020 election, the party did well.

In the swing state of Georgia, it contributed to the success of Gov. Brian Kemp, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, Attorney General Chris Carr and Insurance Commissioner John King. Even the Trumpendorsed Burt Jones wisely kept his distance from Trump in ads, and didn’t tout his 2020 election activities, enabling his own victory.

And that specter of the potential for authoritarianism in America may have been a greater motivator for voters in 2022 than inflation (single-digits equal to that of the average European country), the economy, immigration or even abortion. It will be replayed in 2024, perhaps with better economic conditions for the Democrats, until the GOP finally declares their independence from Trump.

John A. Tures is a professor of political science at LaGrange College in Georgia.

I overheard the endless good morning’s, the take care’s and how ya’ doing’s, each one routine and yet meaningful. I watched everyone come together: my next-door neighbors, mom and dad, familiar faces I recognized and that recognized me from some distant memory of me when I “was this tall.”

People knew each other; they shook hands, pounded fists, came together before “getting on with” their days. Entire families greeted each other. Mothers and fathers brought their children

with them, had them wait in line and watch their parents fill out their ballots. They wanted their children to experience something important to them, so hopefully they’d take it upon themselves when they turned 18 years old. The older gentlemen and ladies took their time filling out their ballots; on their way out and in they gossiped for a moment, talked football with their high school buddies, and nodded to the faces they see every morning. Voting brings people together in exciting ways. People get elected and propositions get passed in the process. Voting is as dull as it is enjoyable, as governmental as it is social, and a chore as it is a church.

G.F. Fuller John Burroughs School senior

Columnist Ben Jealous

Columnist

Jim Clyburn

Columnist John A. Tures

U-City

Schools’ Hardin-Bartley joins American Heart Association Council

Sharonica Hardin-Bartley, Ph.D., superintendent of University City School District has been selected to serve on the national American Heart Association [AHA] Superintendent Council.

Hardin-Bartley is joined by nine other superintendents in seeking to drive “transformational impact aimed at improving the health and well-being of students, families, and educators,” according to an AHA release.

The Superintendent Council represents a mix of urban and rural public-school districts across the United States.

Council members serve a two-year term, participating in nationwide stakeholder sessions, and offering their individual and collective expertise to assist the AHA in creating a culture of health in school systems and communities across the country.

The council complements the work of other American Heart Association youth initiatives such as the in-school programs, Kids Heart Challenge and American Heart Challenge, and the American Heart Association Leaders for a Resilient Generation National Council.

Each of these areas of work brings volunteers with different backgrounds and perspectives to singularly focus on improving the health and well-being within their local communities and are committed to efforts that will help

children achieve healthier, happier and longer lives.

Joining Hardin-Bartley on the council are:

• Matt Pearce, Ph.D., Republic School District, Republic, Missouri

• Chris Allen, Ph.D., Marble Falls Independent School District, Marble Falls, Texas

• Jeffrey Bearden, Ph.D., Forsyth County Schools, Cummings, Georgia

• Vivian Ekchian, Ph.D., Glendale Unified School District, Glendale, California

• Roland Hernandez, Ph.D., Corpus Christi Independent School District, Corpus Christi, Texas

• Mark Laurrie, Niagara Falls City School District, Niagara Falls, New York

• Charlotte Seals, Madison County School District, Madison, Mississippi

Aaron Spence, Ph.D., Virginia Beach City Public Schools, Virginia Beach, Virginia

Kristi Wilson, Ph.D., Buckeye Elementary School District, Buckeye, Arizona

Efforts are being made around the country, including through this council, to make the places where kids live, learn and play support their physical health and mental wellbeing, because according to the AHA, only 29% of children have high cardiovascular health based on Life’s Essential 8 measurements.

What Black women should bring to the table

By Landis Lain

What must a woman bring to the table? Women have always had to fend for themselves and their families. That question seems to be on everyone’s lips when it comes to relationships. The Holy book tells women they have to be Super Woman to be appreciated. There is the Biblical story of the Virtuous Woman in Proverbs 31:10-31, in which we are supposed to make our own clothes, help the needy, do good, and burn the candle at both ends to be considered good and righteous. We must be God-fearing, kind, wise and never idle. Every generation has brought war or illness that left women alone with families to care for and children to raise. Even the toys girls play with are geared toward taking care of others and housework. A TV commercial we (late Baby Boomers, early Generation X) often heard said women can “bring home the bacon, fry it up in the pan and never let [your husband] forget he is a man.” Add caring for aging or infirmed parents. Even many Artificial Intelligence voices are that of a woman. It is training new generations of women to serve the needs of others. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. What’s love got to do with this whole scenario? Nothing. Here we are in 2022. Women are about to lose the right to our own bodily integrity and right to privacy in making medical decisions. Our voting rights are more vulnerable than they have been in eighty years. We still do not have a ratified Equal Rights Amendment and our Supreme Court opened the floodgates to allow our very government to force us into some fictional fifties episode where women happily stay home and perform all the household drudgery as well as take over a myriad of childcare duties for the unlimited children they will be forced to bear. That life never existed for most women in America on any day. I need to know where this handmaid’s tale of political rapine ends.

Currently, only about 60% of white women who have ever married are still married in their early forties, compared to 55% of Hispanic woman and 45% of Black women. About 33% of women will never marry. Women outlive men by an average of seven years. That adds up to a lot of women who must fend for themselves. If we are competent to work unceasingly to establish our virtue, buy our own land, plant vineyards with the fruit of our own hands as well as work all day and night (our candle never goes out at night), why we are not competent to make our own reproductive decisions? Why do we lack equal rights under the law?

What should we tell our daughters for the future? That they attain the highest education and political status possible. They should become a virtuous woman, not so they can marry, but because they need to do so to survive. Tell your daughter to become the best her and enjoy taking care of herself, for herself. Have her own table and chairs to go with it. Use it to live her best life.

Next time a potential partner asks her what she brings to the table, ask the prince if he has his own. Hold him to the same standards. We need some virtuous men. Because virtue is good and righteous.

Landis Lain is a contributing writer to the Houston Defender Network

Sharonica Hardin-Bartley, University City School District superintendent and 2020 St. Louis American Foundation Stellar Performer in Education shares high-five greetings with parents and students.

Photo courtesy of U. City Schools

St. Louis American staff

Landis Lain

Continued from A1

“Nobody in this room is going to be alive in the year 2201.”

By sentencing him in this way, Bostic wasn’t protected under a 2010 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that mandated parole hearings for juveniles who’ve been sentenced to life without parole.

Bostic’s case fell into a legal loophole that existed in Missouri and only a few other states. Missouri courts had held that this mandate didn’t apply to juveniles like Bostic, who received a sentence for multiple offenses that added up to life in prison. All of Bostic’s legal remedies were exhausted by 2018, when his petitions to both the Missouri Supreme Court and U.S. Supreme Court were denied without comment.

But then in 2021, Republican Rep. Nick Schroer of O’Fallon successfully pushed legislation to allow juveniles who have been sentenced to 15 years or more to be eligible for parole after serving 15 years in prison.

Bostic is one of about 100 people who got a new chance at parole after the law passed.

Tony Rothert, director of integrated advocacy for

Mathews

Continued from A1 and Republican. In 1982, Ronald Reagan presented the two with the Presidential Citizen’s Medal at a ceremony at the club. Bill Clinton’s White House lauded the MathewsDickey club as a 21st Century Learning Center. As vice-presidents, Joe Biden and Dan Quayle cited Mathews-Dickey for its leadership and mentoring programs.

In St. Louis, civic leaders and social justice activists across the political spectrum would turn out en masse for the club’s star-studded galas. Mr. Mathews counted among his friends and supporters, the brewery chiefs August A. Busch Jr. and August A. Busch III., Charles F. Knight,

the ACLU of Missouri, said Bostic’s experience is part of a broader trend in Missouri of imposing harsh discipline on young children with few possibilities for redemption.

“We might ask: Has the system worked now? Bobby is free,” Rothert said at the press conference Wednesday. “But it hasn’t.”

of Emerson, and Al Fleishman, a founder of the FleishmanHillard public relations firm, and Hall-of-Fame broadcaster Jack Buck. All are now deceased, but still engaged and recently involved in a variety of ways have been such luminaries as Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Ozzie Smith, Tony LaRussa, Ezekiel Elliott, and Joe Buck. Over the years, Mr. Mathews attracted corporate support from Ameren, Centene, Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Enterprise Rent-A-Car to name just a few. Mr. Mathews provided a huge financial breakthrough for the club when he persuaded the United Way to provide critical financial support. These were amazing accomplishments, particularly when considering Mr. Mathews’ origins. He was born Feb. 17, 1925 in the Missouri bootheel town of Neelyville, the 11th of

Baker, who came to regret how she handled the case in 1995, became one of Bostic’s biggest allies, appearing as his advocate in front of the parole board last year.

“Bobby should’ve had a chance,” Baker said Wednesday, explaining that only after she sentenced him did she learn that teenagers’

13 children of Ned Mathews, a farmer/laborer, who worked from dawn to well into the night to put food on the table for his brood, and Amanda Patterson Mathews, who read aloud from the Bible and the U.S. Constitution to her children, friends and neighbors. Though he grew up in a segregated town, Mr. Mathews remembers kindnesses from white people. He noted that he owed his name to a white obstetrician who advised his mother to name her baby Martin Luther because he was imagining that this child would grow up to be as influential as the man who triggered the Protestant reformation.

As Mr. Mathews came of age so too would the Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King. And Mr. Mathews took his cues from Dr. King often quoting from the “I Have a

brains aren’t fully developed.

“I had no awareness at that time that Bobby, by being certified to be tried as an adult, did not become an adult,” Baker said. “He was still a 16-yearold boy.” Baker added: “I’ve never seen Bobby free. I feel like I could float.”

After the robbery, Bostic

Dream” speech in which King declared that our children “should not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

He was given to other mantras that he would share with his youngsters, including: the three Rs – Respect, Restraint and Responsibility.

Mr. Mathews and Mr. Dickey drew strong support because they were almost entirely selfless. Mr. Dickey never took a salary. Mr. Mathews would eventually accept a salary as the club’s chief executive, but he had to put together a series of day jobs to support his wife and five daughters. Mr. Mathews rose to a management job in the 1970s with Burkart Manufacturing, a maker of automobile seat cushions. But he lost his position when the company was sold. A lucrative job out of town beck-

and Hutson forced a woman into her car and drove off. They robbed her and then, at Bostic’s insistence, let her go, the petition states. Then, Bostic and Hutson threw their guns in the river and used the money to buy marijuana. Bostic was pulled over by the police and ultimately charged with 18 felonies.

oned, but Mr. Mathews said he couldn’t leave his boys behind.

He took a night job at an apartment building, a high rise located on Skinker Boulevard, he remembered in an interview.

One morning in 1975, the residents picked up their morning newspaper and saw a familiar face. Their security guard was on the front page as a recipient of the St. Louis GlobeDemocrat Humanities Award.

Starting with pot-luck dinner events and barbecues, Mr. Mathews and Mr. Dickey patched together a supporting network that included single moms, dads working multiple shifts while still finding time to coach, Bob Russell, a sporting goods supplier who extended credit (for which the club always made good), along with the CEOs at Fortune 500 companies.

Mr. Mathews leaves to mourn

Bobby Bostic, a St. Louis-native who was 16 when he was sentenced to 241 years in prison, was released on parole on Nov. 9, 2022 and immediately spoke at a press conference on the steps of the Missouri State Capitol. Retired St. Louis judge Evelyn Baker, at right, ordered his life sentence but later became among his biggest advocates to allow him a chance at parole.

Although no one was seriously injured in the robberies, Baker said Bostic “didn’t express any remorse,” remembering the sentencing hearing. Baker was among 26 former judges, prosecutors and law enforcement officials who asked the U.S. Supreme Court in 2017 to intervene in his case.

his passing, daughters, Juanita Amanda

Marilyn Darlene Mathews, Angelic Inez Mathews Cole, an adopted daughter Rachel Jennifer Mathews and grandchildren Clayton Mathews, Isabeau and Martin Washington, and a host of nieces, nephews, and friends. Preceding Mr. Mathews in death were his wife, Barbara Albright Mathews, daughters Phyllis Marie Mathews and Betty Joe Mathews. Martin L. Mathews, co-founder of the MathewsDickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club and for more than 60 years a force for racial harmony in the region, died Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022 in hospice care at Evelyn’s House in Creve Coeur, Mo. He was 97 years old. This obituary was provided by Mathews-Dickey Boys and Girls Club

Mathews,

Photo by Clara Bates / The Missouri Independent

Johnson

Continued from A1

Johnson’s execution date is Nov. 29, 2022, and one of his final appeals was coldly crushed on Wednesday morning.

In a terse, two-sentence

opinion Presiding Judge Mary Elizabeth Ott wrote:

“This Court has received a pleading [from a special prosecutor] entitled Motion to Vacate Judgement. The Court enters the following judgment: The Motion to Vacate Judgement is DENIED.”

Johnson’s attorneys were swift in blasting the ruling and former St. Louis County Prosecutor’s racially biased history when it comes to pursuit of the death penalty

“On Tuesday night, the Special Prosecutor appointed to review death row inmate Kevin Johnson’s case filed a motion to vacate Johnson’s death sentence – a highly unusual move in a system where prosecutors always push to uphold convictions and sentences. On Wednesday morning, only several hours after the motion was filed, the Circuit Court of St. Louis County denied the motion. Kevin Johnson’s execution date is less than two

Voters

Continued from A1

Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, an institute at Tufts University.

Control of the Senate will remain with Democrats after wins in Nevada and Arizona put the party’s total at 50 seats.

Vice President Kamala Harris is the tie-breaking vote when needed. There is a runoff election in Georgia between Democrat Raphael Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker, meaning Democrats could hold 51 seats. Warnock led the midterm race, but did not reach 50% of the vote. While votes were still

weeks away.” Shawn Nolan, attorney for Kevin Johnson, said, “The Special Prosecutor’s investigation and motion to vacate raise serious concerns about whether Mr. Johnson received the death penalty because he is Black.”

“That should concern everyone about the integrity of this sentence, but it should especially disturb judges tasked with protecting the integrity of the legal system, a responsibility that is at its apex when a death sentence is on the line. Instead, the motion was summarily denied in just a few hours.”

Nolan said Johnson’s appeals have not ended.

“Our hope is that the court will reconsider that ruling or that the Supreme Court of Missouri will order the evidentiary hearing that is required by law in this circumstance. There is no reason for this execution to go forward without this process,” Nolan said.

“To do so would make a nullity of the statute authorizing prosecuting attorneys to file such motions when the facts at their disposal compel them to do so.”

According to Nolan, the State argued that “at every stage of the capital prosecution overseen by former Saint Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch, race played

being counted on Wednesday afternoon, Republicans were predicted to gain control of the House by a small margin.

The center, which studies young voters, also found in analyses of exit polling data that 89% of Black youth and 68% of Latino youth voted for a Democratic U.S. House candidate.

Young voters particularly played a key role in the Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Georgia races, the center found.

In the Wisconsin governor election, Democratic incumbent Tony Evers won his reelection by a slim margin, 51% to 48%. About 70% of young voters backed Evers compared to 30% for his Republican challenger Tim

a decisive factor. The Special Prosecutor concluded that as a result, the State’s prosecution violated the Equal Protection clause.”

The Special Prosecutor also included these facts:

-Of the five police-killing cases that occurred during his tenure in office, McCulloch sought the death penalty for four Black defendants and declined to seek it against the one white defendant charged with killing a police officer.

several times during his investigation into the case during the past month. McCulloch did not acknowledge any attempts at contact “all while giving a twohour news media interview.”

-In that case, McCulloch’s office sent a written invitation to defense counsel to submit mitigating evidence and granted the defense nearly a year to prepare their arguments against the death sentence. However, in the cases with Black defendants, McCulloch never issued an invitation to submit mitigating evidence that might convince him to not seek death.

According to the motion to vacate, the Special Prosecutor attempted to contact McCulloch

Michels, the center found in analyzing exit poll data.

Gen Z

Adding to the influence of the youth vote, this is also the first election cycle that members of Gen Z, the generation born between 1997 and 2012, are eligible to run for Congress.

Rep.-elect Maxwell Alejandro Frost, (D-Fla.), won his race this week, at 25 becoming the first Gen Z member of Congress and also the first Afro Cuban member.

President Joe Biden also acknowledged youth voter turnout during a midterm election briefing with reporters last week, and thanked those voters for helping Democrats hold onto competitive House seats and flip a Senate seat in Pennsylvania, electing

The Special Prosecutor’s investigation also showed that no one on Mr. Johnson’s prosecution team could justify their actions to pursue death for cases with Black defendants and not in a case with a white defendant.

The Special Prosecutor also argued that Mr. Johnson’s prosecutors “intentionally discriminated against Black jurors,” based on his discovery of a prosecution memo that revealed an intent to impermissibly strike jurors based on race.

McCulloch and his team’s racial discrimination against jurors only highlights the pervasive racism underlying the entirety of Mr. Johnson’s trial.

On Tuesday, November 14, religious leaders, the Missouri State Conference

Organizations like NextGen have worked to register more than 1.4 million young voters and helped get 2.6 million young voters to the polls in 2020 — the largest youth voter turnout in an election cycle.

In the Georgia U.S. Senate race, young voters backed Warnock by 63% to 36% compared to Walker, according to estimates from exit polling from the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement.

Latino voting power

Héctor Sánchez Barba, the executive director and CEO of Mi Familia Vota, an organization that works to build Latino voting power, said during a briefing with report-

of the NAACP, Missourians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty [MADPMO] and others held a press conference in Jefferson City calling for Gov. Mike Parson to cancel the scheduled execution of of convicted murderer Kevin Johnson.

Nimrod Chapel Jr., president of the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP, said, “No one is here today saying Kevin Johnson needs to go home. Our culture of death has got to stop.”

“Johnson is scheduled to be executed by the state of Missouri on November 29, 2022, for the 2005 murder of police officer William McEntee. It was a crime, according to MADPMO, Johnson “committed at just 19 years old, just hours after watching his baby brother die in front of his eyes.”

At the press event, held at the Missouri State Capitol Rotunda in Jefferson City, advocates for Johnson’s life delivered 20,000 signatures asking Parson to commute Johnson’s death sentence to life without parole.

Johnson’s defenders also said his childhood-dominated physical and mental abuseshould have been a mitigating factor when jurors sentenced him to death. The execution, they said, should be called

ers that the Latino voting bloc is a young population, with 30% of Latino voters ranging in ages from 18 to 29, which is “10 years younger than the national average.” He added that 30% of Latinos are under the age of 18.

“So when we’re talking about the Latino vote, we’re not always talking about the transactional way that sometimes our vote is analyzed in swing states,” he said. “We as an organization are every day in the communities investing in the long-term democracy.”

Latinos are the second-largest voting bloc, said Yvonne Gutierrez, managing director of Latino Victory, which works to help progressive Latino candidates get elected to office and increase Latino

off because Johnson was 19 at the time he shot and killed McEntee. Additionally, his defenders claim that he was only sentenced to die because of a racially biased prosecution bent on convicting a Black man for killing a white cop.

“We don’t believe killing Kevin will solve anything,” said Michelle Smith, community spokesperson for MADPMO.

Earlier this month, Johnson’s lawyers appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to halt the execution. It was filed a day after the Missouri Supreme Court declined to grant a stay. In a press release announcing the press conference, Chapel, the NAACP President of the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP summarized the appeal for Johnson’s life.

“We all recognize the inherent injustice that is the death penalty and what it does particularly to people of color and poor people. It’s one thing to punish someone, and another thing to take their life away,” Chapel said.

“Looking at the inherent bias in our criminal justice system, we must stop the execution of Kevin Johnson and abolish the death penalty, there is no reason for it at this time.”

voter participation.

Gutierrez said early on, Latino Victory worked on the ground in key states like Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Texas to endorse Democratic candidates, along with states like Oregon that have emerging Latino populations.

“Latino voters are delivering for Democrats and a formidable pillar of the Democratic coalition, and we need the investment, ongoing continued investment that happens year to year, not a helicopter in at the point of the election cycle,” she said.

Ariana Figueroa covers the nation’s capital for States Newsroom. The article was originally published in the Missouri Independent

Democrat John Fetterman.

Khorry Ramey [left] and Kevin Johnson [center] maintain a close relationship with Johnson’s elementary school principal Pamela Stanfield [right].

Photo courtesy of Pamela Stanfield

Youth on the Move

Joseph Thedford to receive Bridging the Dream Scholarship

Florissant-local Joseph Thedford is one of 25 nationwide recipients of a $10,000 Bridging the Dream Scholarship for high school seniors from Sallie Mae in partnership with Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Currently, Thedford is a freshman at Jackson State University studying civil engineering. Thedford was selected among over ONE THOUSAND applicants based on his academic performance and upstanding moral character, both in his academic and personal life. With his scholarship money he can go through his four years at Jackson State without having

to work a job as well as take classes full time. $250,000 was awarded to recipients as part of a $3 million commitment over three years by The Sallie Mae Fund, the charitable arm of Sallie Mae, to help students from underserved communities on their journey to access and complete higher education.

Thedford and the other winners will be highlighted on Sallie Mae’s Twitter and LinkedIn channels throughout November in celebration of National Scholarship Month.

SIU Carbondale student from St. Louis named Lincoln Academy student laureate

By Pete Rosenbery

From her volunteer work with the Boys & Girls Club of Southern Illinois, helping with a music program through the Jackson County State’s Attorney’s Office and her numerous activities on campus, Myla M. Croft exemplifies the 2022 Lincoln Academy of Illinois student laureate for Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

“In my household, we think that giving is very important. It’s pretty important for me to give back to the community,” said Croft, of St. Louis, Missouri, who graduated in

Honors Program student with a 3.93 GPA, a McNair Scholar and recipient of several scholarships. Croft will graduate in May 2023 and is applying to law schools, where she wants to focus on immigration law. She also wants to pursue a master’s degree in social work or public policy.

Joseph Thedford

Myla M. Croft

When it comes to breast cancer, do you know your risk?

By Lannis Hall, MD

Breast cancer remains a leading healthcare challenge in the United States. In 2022, The American Cancer Society projects over 287,000 women and 2,700 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and approximately 43,000 will die of the disease. It is now the leading cause of cancer death in African American women.

Significant strides have been made in breast cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment in the last 40 years. The wide adoption of mammography screening has shifted the diagnosis of breast cancer from a more advanced disease to a localized disease.

Mammograms detect breast cancer on average 2-3 years before a woman will notice a change, such as a painless lump, resulting in a reduction in mortality of approximately 30-40%. Additionally, advances in treatment, specifically oral medications and infusions targeting cancer growth drivers, have reduced mortality dramatically since 1975. All women have a greater than 95% fiveyear survival if the breast cancer is localized (Stage I).

Despite this positive progress, not all women have benefited from these advances evenly. African American women have a 40% higher mortality rate in the US compared to White women.

Depending on where you live, these differences can be even greater. The disparity in survival is attributed to more African American women presenting with advanced-stage disease, delays in initiating treatment, and more aggressive

disease.

The good news is some states have reduced this disparity to less than 10% or report no disparity between African American women and white women. Importantly, states that show little to no difference in survival outcomes by race expanded Medicaid early and developed state policies that improved access to timely breast cancer care.

In Missouri, African American women have a 50% higher breast cancer mortality rate than white women. In our most populous county, St. Louis County, the difference in survival between African American women and white women is approximately 80% over the past ten years. This means that African American women die at almost twice the rate of White women in the same geographical area.

A potential bright light at the end of the tunnel is the most recent three-year data, which indicates a year-over-year decrease in the breast cancer mortality rate for African American women in St. Louis County, hopefully indicating that screening initiatives and other access efforts are saving lives. The immediate goal is to strive for continued improvement in these survival statistics despite the headwinds from

COVID.

So, what should you do today to engage in breasthealthy practices?

First, make sure you know your breast cancer risk. All women should have a risk assessment performed by their primary care provider before age 30. The risk assessment should include your family cancer history, including close male and female relatives.

Specifically, tell your physician about any breast, ovarian, prostate, uterine, or pancreatic cancer in the family and the ages of relatives at the time of diagnosis. Remember to report any previous breast surgeries and lifestyle information like tobacco and alcohol use. Women at average risk should begin annual mammography screening at 40. In addition to annual mammography screenings, women should also have an annual physical exam starting at 40. Always practice breast self-awareness!

High-risk women should discuss when to begin screening with their healthcare provider. Some high-risk women with a variation in a gene or a close family member with a gene variation may need to screen in their twenties. Women with a strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer may also receive a personalized screening recommendation. Women at high risk should advocate for a referral to a high-risk breast clinic, enhanced screening, and a discussion with a genetic counselor. The key is knowing your risk so that a life-saving intervention is not missed.

For women who are uninsured or underinsured, Missouri offers The Show Me Healthy

Women Program. All major health systems and some federally qualified health centers participate across the state. The program provides free mammography screening and treatment of breast cancer for women who qualify. To determine eligibility and screening sites, call (866) 726-9926 or search “Show Me Healthy Women.”

Finally, healthy habits can reduce breast cancer risk. A lifestyle that includes engaging in physical activity at least

30 minutes a day, consuming 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, maintaining a healthy weight, and abstaining from alcohol and tobacco can reduce your risk of breast cancer and many other cancers. These lifestyle changes even have an exponential payoff by lowering your risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes!

For more personalized health information regarding your breast cancer risk and prevention recommendations, access Siteman’s Your Disease Risk.

Our Appreciation to Dr. Alan Freeman

After 16 years as President and CEO, Dr. Freeman is leaving Affinia Healthcare. We celebrate the legacy of vital, health-sustaining initiatives engrained by this visionary and integrous leader.

Thus far, over a career approaching 40 years, access to care has increased significantly within regions served by organizations he has led. At Affinia Healthcare, while focusing on organizational systems, leader development, health equity and sustainability, he oversaw a vastlyimproved care and work environment, shepherded longstanding partnerships, and led important facility projects. Radiology, lab, urgent care, MAT/SUD, and our Foundation are among the services either expanded or created anew during his tenure. Capital projects in progress include a new health center in Ferguson; and a new women’s and pediatrics center and the renovation of two facilities in St. Louis. Annual operating revenues have increased more than 40%, patient encounters have grown nearly threefold, and our financial position has improved markedly.

Dr. Freeman, we say ‘thank you’ for your compassionate servanthood, and your professionalism and mentorship!

Photo by Durrie Bouscaren | St. Louis Public Radio

Nedra Stevenson, a patient navigator at Barnes Jewish Hospital Breast Health Center, stands by a mammography machine at Siteman Cancer Center in St. Louis.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Following these essential guidelines and healthy habits can promote wellness and save the lives of you and the ones you love!

Lannis Hall, MD MPH, is director of Radiation Oncology Siteman Cancer Center, Barnes Jewish-St. Peters Hospital, and an associate professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology at Washington University School of Medicine

Guest Columnist Lannis Hall, MD

“Most people don’t have a sense of what it’s like to always feel this other person.”

Former Alderman Terry Kennedy remembers his twin Brother, Gary (Dhati) Samuel Kennedy

By Sylvester Brown Jr.

The St. Louis American

Former Alderman Terry Kennedy (D-18th Ward) was being culturally reflective when discussing the recent passing of his twin brother, Gary (Dhati) Samuel Kennedy. Most St. Louisans knew him as “Dhati Majaliwa” which in Kiswahili means “Free will, determination, and talented.”

“There’s an African tradition that says twins hold a spirit that’s too big for one body…but it’s still one spirit,” Terry said, speaking to the connection between he and Dhati.

Dhati died from complications related to leukemia on Friday November 11, 2022. He was diagnosed with the illness in September after passing out at a local grocer. Dhati spent the past two months with his twin brother, Terry, who considers their final days together a blessing.

the position and held the aldermanic seat until 2019 when he decided not to seek reelection.

Their mother, Frances, was active in community activities and the arts and was the first black nurse to conduct orientations at Children’s Hospital, Kennedy said, adding that she was the one who brought the music and influence of legends like Harry Bellefonte and South African-born singer, Miriam Makeba, into their home.

The Kennedy Twins are known for speaking with a quiet wisdom that Terry attributes to his “fiery, contemplative and reflective” parents.

Harkening back to the African proverb, Terry Kennedy said he physically felt a shift in he and his brother’s universe after the dire diagnosis.

“We would say ‘we’re sick,’ not just him…that’s how connected we were,” Kennedy recalled, adding: “When twins get in trouble, they always look for one another. Most people don’t have a sense of what it’s like to always feel this other person.”

The twins were both storytellers, artists, activists, and champions for Black people - politically, culturally, and economically. In a way, they were born into that dramatic world. There were five children in the Kennedy home in the 4100 block of Enright Ave.

Their father, Samuel Kennedy, was a native of East St. Louis who served as president of a textile union prior to becoming alderman of the18th Ward in 1967. He held that seat until his passing in 1989. Terry Kennedy assumed

Family lore has it that their great, great grandfather was a slave who escaped captivity with his wife after savagely beating a slave master. Plantation and East St. Louis stories, including the race riots of 1917, were passed through the Kennedy Family for generations. Kennedy’s grandfather, a griot in his own right, was the only one who predicted his daughter would have twins even though doctors detected one heartbeat.

Terry, who is 18 minutes older than his twin brother, Dhati, recalled a day in kindergarten when their teacher asked if anyone in the class could play an instrument. He remembered the fear of being embarrassed when his brother raised his hand. To Terry’s utter surprise, Gary, who never had lessons, played a whole song on piano.

“He told me he could see and hear music in his head,” Kennedy said. “He didn’t consider himself a musician per se…he just used whatever was available-a spoon, a fork-anything to make music. He easily took to music.”

When internationally acclaimed dancer Katherine Dunham brought her troupe member, Senegalese drummer, Mor Thiam (rapper, Akon’s father) to live for some time in St. Louis, the elder Kennedy’s arranged to have him

teach Dhati how to play the djembe (a goblet-shaped drum traditionally carved from African hardwood).

The Kennedy Twins came of age during St. Louis’ cultural revolution of the 1970s. In their teens, they joined the Black Student Union and the Black

at Mid-City Community Center, and manages Progressive Emporium & Education Center. All their activities as youngsters were “political,” Kennedy stated, including his brother’s love for drumming.

n “We would say ‘we’re sick,’ not just him… that’s how connected we were.”

-Terry Kennedy on the connection between he and his twin brother, Dhati.

Patriot Party at Vashon High School. They were members of the Free Angela Davis Support Committee, the St. Louis Kwanzaa Committee, and the Sudan Illustrators, which started

“He entered drumming as a political act for two reasons,” Kennedy said. “One; to recapture the art and a tradition that had been denied during slavery and two; to use music to teach

lessons and give factual information about our culture and history.”

The twins separated briefly during their college years. Terry attended Howard University and Dhati studied music and history at Hampton University in Virginia, where he learned the South African Gumboot Dance as a member of the Hampton African Dance Troupe.

Dhati was a mainstay at local festivals. He organized St. Louis’ first open mic poetry and drumming sets under the name “Ngoma” where luminaries such as Eugene Redmond, Shirley LeFlore and the Bosman twins shared their talents with eager audiences. He was actively involved in the Michael Brown and George Floyd protests and organized the annual commemoration of the East St. Louis Race Riot.

According to a press release from Progressive Emporium, Dhati is survived by a large family, including his older sister Dr. Joyce Kennedy, sister Katherine “Azima” Kennedy, his daughter Laurice Pye, son Kevin Liddell, grandson Damon Clark, his companion Coralicia Howard and her four children and eight grandchildren and “a host of other relatives, friends and extended family who will miss him.”

Terry said he wants people to remember Dhati as “a good, caring, loving, ideologically clear and committed brother who loved his people. He was extremely gifted, and he shared those gifts with whomever came his way.”

When asked if still feels that connection with his brother even in death, Terry answered resolutely:

“Oh, absolutely.”

Sylvester Brown Jr. is The St. Louis American’s inaugural Deaconess Fellow.

For more information on services for Gary (Dhati) Samuel Kennedy, please contact: Veronica L. Banks at Progressive Emporium & Education Center (314) 875-9277

Columnist Sylvester Brown Jr.

Gary (Dhati) Samuel Kennedy.

Martin Mathews was my cheerleader, mentor, and friend

By Don Danforth III

For the St. Louis American

Martin Luther Mathews passed away peacefully this week at the age of 97. He was a pillar in our community who touched people from across our region with his positivity, his optimism, and his belief in young people. As founder of the MathewsDickey Boys’ and Girls’ Club in 1960, Mr. Mathews shaped generations of St. Louisans, including me. He was my mentor and cheerleader since I started as a volunteer at Mathews-Dickey in

1989, almost 35 years ago.

A few years later when I first talked to him about the idea for City Academy, he had this advice: “Build it as if it is for your own children and make it the best.” His encouragement and belief made a big scary idea seem possible, and his high expectations formed the backbone of our school. He has been with me and City Academy every step of the way.

Mr. Mathews dedicated his life to serving others, especially children. His three R’s: “Respect, Restraint and Responsibility” guided him, and his

emphasis on the importance of “preparation, opportunity and possibility” shaped his vision for Mathews-Dickey, and mine for City Academy. When children are prepared and receive equal opportunities, their possibilities are endless, their futures are bright, and we all benefit. At City Academy’s graduation each year, we present the Martin L. Mathews Award to a sixth grader who has demonstrated great character and citizenship. It is a special tradition. Mr. Mathews was unable to attend last year’s graduation, so I visited with him a few days

before and asked for his advice for our graduates. “Always strive for your best. Don’t waiver from this. And don’t be afraid to make your best better.” As usual, Mr. Mathews summed it up perfectly and succinctly! We would all do well to take this advice, strive for excellence for ourselves, and encourage that from those around us. Mr. Mathews did that every day, and everyone who knew him benefited from his wisdom, kindness, and open-mindedness.

Photo courtesy of City Academy

Don Danforth III [left] and the late Martin L. Mathews worked closely in the development of City Academy.

More apartments for homeless people open in north St. Louis, but great need remains

By Jeremy D. Goodwin

St. Louis Public Radio

More people who need shelter will be able to find a place to stay, with two apartment buildings catering to homeless people opening in north St. Louis. But hundreds more people without reliable shelter will face dangerous conditions on the streets as colder weather arrives.

Gateways welcomed its first resident this week to the 50-unit apartment building on the nonprofit’s new, $40 million campus in Jeff-Vander-Lou. A nearby building includes space for intake services and programming for residents.

Gateways plans to build a 39unit apartment building on the site early next year.

Nearby in the Greater Ville, St. Patrick Center opened the 24-unit McFarlane Place apartment building this week, which includes space for caseworkers to assist residents.

Gateways’ new apartment building is its 10th in St. Louis. McFarlane Place marks the St. Patrick Center’s first foray into eliminating the housing middleman by becoming landlord to its clients.

“Anytime you’re working with a landlord, even the greatest ones out there, there’s often going to be a 30-day delay. There’s going to be this, there’s going to be that. And 30 days more at the shelter or 30 days more in your car can really make a big difference,” said Amanda Laumeyer, St. Patrick Center’s senior director of philanthropy.

The setup is particularly helpful for homeless people, as landlords and rental managers often hesitate to offer them apartments.

“One of the barriers that we run into all the time here is finding a landlord that’s going to work with our clients, who may have a lot of barriers in their

People living in tent encampments face dangerous conditions as colder weather sets in.

background,” Senior Director of Programs Jonathan Blecher said. He cited bad credit and simply lacking a permanent address already as factors seen as red flags when they seek housing.

St. Patrick Place had been trying for a few years to purchase property before finding this one, a spokesperson said. The nonprofit bought the building with help from $890,000 in federal American Rescue Plan funds appropriated by the Missouri legislature and donations from supporters.

Other groups serving homeless St. Louisans have made unsuccessful attempts to secure ARPA funds through city government.

Gateways and St. Patrick Center each serve homeless

people with specific additional needs. Gateway provides help to people living with HIV and their families. St. Patrick Center will open its McFarlane Place development to veterans and people who were referred by staff at area hospitals and emergency rooms.

Even as advocates make new apartments available to those without shelter, hundreds more continue to face dangerous conditions on the streets as temperatures drop.

“Fifty units is a drop in the bucket. There is a growing problem with homelessness in St. Louis. And we’re proud to be able to offer this, but we know that much more needs to be done by Doorways and other service partners,” said Gateways CEO Opal Jones.

“There’s a lot of need out there. And when it turns cold, it goes from broad, basic need to being deadly.”

At least five people died on the streets of St. Louis during the 2020-21 winter, an investigation by St. Louis Public Radio and APM Reports found.

Gateways’ new campus occupies three acres and moves its headquarters from the Central West End. It includes multimedia classrooms for computer literacy programs and other classes, and a demonstration kitchen for sessions on healthy cooking and nutrition. The organization plans to add a retail pharmacy and event space.

The campus also includes “Rumors of War,” a large-scale bronze sculpture by Kehinde Wiley.

File Photo | David Kovaluk / St. Louis Public Radio

The unthinkable happened on October 24, 2022: a Black teen named Orlando Harris opened fire on students and teachers at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School. The former student killed a student and a teacher and injured seven more before being killed by police. Students, parents, and teachers are starting to heal and work to understand the tragedy. Law enforcement continues its investigation. It is not their task alone. This is a community issue that must be owned by all of us if we are to heal a traumatized city.

Being on the scene at Gateway STEM High School and talking to many folks led me to believe that there is unfinished business.

Kudos go to the police for a quick response in stopping the shooter so quickly. Lives were saved. Harris’ life ended, but the community still has needs and concerns.

Addressing the ensuing trauma has become a priority. Even if we exclude the 44

pre-schools and 49 elementary schools because we assume those students didn’t know or understand the gravity of the situation, you have thousands more who are fully aware.

The district has updated its website to include counseling resources. The list can be downloaded in English, Spanish, Arabic and Vietnamese.

Teachers and staff need more than a group hug. They have the daily responsibility for instruction and a growing responsibility for student safety. This is a heavy burden that is too often taken for granted. Health and physical ed teacher Jean Kuczka paid the ultimate price that day for her commitment to the profession. Student Alexzandria Bell’s life was taken for no reason.

Some family members com-

plained about the process for getting their child or children from the designated pick-up sites. Since the day after the incident, SLPS officials said it is reviewing safety and security protocols regarding active shooters. Parents deserve that level of assurance when they send their babies to our schools. No one can predict when these incidents will occur, but we can let parents know how the school will effectively address them when they do happen. These are key issues that need greater attention and public discussion. There are other issues that were a problem before October 24th that also require remedy, like the shortage of 911 dispatchers. It’s going to be a long recovery for the City of St. Louis. Nevertheless, the healing process will be helped if the public sees cooperation from and progress by all the parties and agencies responsible for the physical and psychological protection of our children.

Columnist

Jamala Rogers

St. Louis challenge to police ‘bill of rights’ dismissed by Missouri judge

By Rebecca Rivas Missouri Independent

A Missouri judge Monday dismissed the City of St. Louis’ effort to block a 2021 law bolstering protections for police under investigation for misconduct.

The city sued in December asking Cole County Circuit Judge Jon Beetem to toss out the “Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights,” a list of new requirements that includes giving officers written notice of the allegation before an investigation begins and putting a 90-day limit on misconduct investigations.

State Sen. Bill Eigel, R-Weldon Spring, sponsored the 2021 bill that established the new protections, which he argued would “strengthen (officers’) due process rights when they’ve been accused of misconduct in an internal investigation.”

The lawsuit alleged the bill of rights is unconstitutional because it creates an unfunded mandate for the city and creates two classes of public-safety employees — the police and every other public-safety employee.

It also conflicts with how the city charter outlines discipline and legal representation for police officers, the lawsuit argued. In his Nov. 14 order, Beetem found the law does not violate the constitution in the ways outlined in the city’s lawsuit.

Among the city’s main claims was that the law violated the Hancock Amendment, a portion of Missouri’s constitution that states the legislature cannot require a city to increase an activity or service beyond that mandated by existing law, unless a state appropriation is made to pay the city for any increased costs.

The city argued the law would require more work during internal investigations of officers, such as gathering depositions and meeting tight deadlines to complete the investigations. It would also increase the amount of legal representation required of the city’s attorneys.

Beetem denied these claims, stating that he did not see these activities being “new or increased.”

The city also claimed that the legislation violated the “single-subject” provision of the Missouri Constitution.

While the bill was originally titled as “relating to public safety,” the lawsuit states that it grew from seven to 88 sections and added amendments related to lotteries, pesticide regulation and electric fences, which don’t pertain to public safety.

The legislation “includes a miscellany of provisions that have little or nothing to do with the state’s Department of Public Safety or public safety in general,” the lawsuit contends.

Beetem denied this claim as well.

St. Louis officials did not immediately respond to request for comment on the order.

Before the bill was passed into law, former St. Louis Metropolitan Police Chief John Hayden voiced his opposition in a Feb. 1, 2021 letter to legislators, stating that giving officers advanced notice could jeopardize an investigation. It also requires that law enforcement agencies give officers notice of who will be conducting the investigation. Some of the requirements could also have a “chilling effect” for witnesses who want to come forward, Hayden wrote at the time.

The legislation “significantly interferes with our ability to meet the expectations of Missouri residents with respect to holding officers accountable for sustained allegations of misconduct,” Hayden stated.

St. Louis civilian oversight ordinance

Beetem’s order will likely have an impact on another lawsuit involving the city, where three St. Louis police organizations are attempting to strike down an ordinance that would expand civilian oversight of police work.

In a Sept. 9 order, St. Louis Circuit Judge Jason Sengheiser cited the sLaw Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights as the basis for issuing a preliminary injunction on the ordinance.

Sengheiser ordered the city had to stop implementing its new Division of Civilian Oversight — a civilian-led

independent agency that’s paid for by the city and that was set to build a team of 10 investigators to take over all internal police investigations that have to do with misconduct and use of force.

Sengheiser pointed to several provisions in the state law.

The portion of St. Louis’ ordinance that he ruled could be considered a conflict reads:

“City employees involved in or witness to police correctional incidents or misconduct shall provide a statement to civilian

oversight investigators immediately upon request.”

The city argues that the ordinance was not intended to apply to an officer who is the subject of an investigation but rather to other city employees, Sengheiser wrote in his order.

“However, defendants admitted that SLMPD officers are city employees,” he wrote.

On Oct. 11, Sengheiser walked back a portion of the injunction.

Sengheiser’s order allows the newly-formed Detention

Facilities Oversight Board to continue to operate. It’s a nine-member volunteer board of city residents who review complaints of alleged misconduct in the jails. The board has the power to issue subpoenas to witnesses or production of documents, as well as be granted access to city detention facilities upon request.

The judge’s order states that the Division of Corrections may hire and train civilian oversight staff “to investigate and support investigations of corrections

professional misconduct and detention incidents in a detention facility.”

The law at the center of both the lawsuits also included a provision penalizing cities that cut police budgets, which is a way to counter the call to “defund the police,” Eigel said.

“Defund the police” is an umbrella term that includes initiatives like allocating police funds to hire social workers to handle certain 911 calls, which Hayden and the city’s public safety director both support.

Another provision impacts minors who have served at least 15 years of their sentence would be eligible for parole, except in certain cases like murder in the first degree.

The amendment was inspired by Bobby Bostic, who was sentenced to 241 years in prison when he was 16 after he and a friend committed a pair of armed robberies in 1995. Bostic was released on parole last week.

“Taking Care of You”

Confluence Academies, Mercy-GoHealth partner for school families

To provide needed school-based health care

By Alvin A. Reid

St. Louis American

Confluence Academies and MercyGoHealth Urgent Care have partnered to provide students, staff, and families with fast, easily accessible urgent care services.

Confluence patients will have access to both virtual and in-person services at MercyGoHealth Urgent Care centers in Maplewood,

As a family medicine physician, there are some conversations with my patients that I can deliver in my sleep with my hands tied behind my back, so to speak.

Discussions regarding safe sex, using condoms, and the benefits of birth control are extremely important to me, and I have delivered these messages daily for the past 22 years. However, I now realize that I need to do a better job discussing the benefits of advanced care planning, living wills, hospice, and palliative care.

The process of aging will occur for everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sex, or any other category for which you identify. This process will bring with it a variety of conditions and situations that may require us to make some lifestyle changes. This is the main reason that advanced care planning is necessary. Unfortunately, there are no crystal balls in life. As a physician, I cannot predict how each individual patient will fare as they start to experience certain health challenges. However, through research and evidence-based studies, I can hypothesize about some conditions but cannot say for certain that the path ahead for one patient will be the same for others. Therefore, using data to assist patients along the aging lifecycle is important to their health and quality of life.

n The human body is like an automobile in some ways but unlike it in others. For example, just like a car, the human body needs a tune-up (yearly exam) every so often.

The human body is like an automobile in some ways but unlike it in others. For example, just like a car, the human body needs a tuneup (yearly exam) every so often. For Medicare recipients, this yearly exam, also known as an annual Medicare wellness visit, is an excellent time for the provider to discuss advanced care planning.

Advanced care planning affords the provider and the patient time to discuss what is most important to the patient in their days ahead. Questions commonly asked during this time:

1. How important is it to you that you remain independent?

St. Louis American staff

Black women in St. Louis County were at the highest risk for employment loss and food insecurity compared with Black men, white women, and white men, according to a study recently published in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention Journal Preventing Chronic Disease.

“This study is not only recognition of significant inequities, but may help us better defend those who are most harmed should similar scenarios occur in the future,” said Kia Davis, an assistant professor in the Washington University School of Medicine’s Division of Public Health Sciences, and senior author of the study The university’s school of medicine and Brown School of Social Work researchers studied County statistics between August and October in 2020 and

Clayton, Kirkwood, Oakville, and Fenton. The University of Missouri-Columbia sponsors the Old North Academy, South City Academy, Aspire Academy, Confluence Preparatory Academy, and Grand Center Arts Academy. According to its website, Confluence Academies’ five schools serve nearly 2,700 students, “Confluence Academies school nurses will now have a unique ability to work with families and medical providers to address urgent medical needs while a student is still at school through Mercy-GoHealth virtual healthcare services,” Candice Carter-Oliver, Confluence Academies CEO, said in a release.

“School-based health care has become an important method of health care delivery for youth who are confronted with financial, cul-

2. How important is it to you to maintain your ability to drive?

3. If you are no longer able to care for

Black women faced wider health gap during pandemic

n “This study is not only recognition of significant inequities, but may help us better defend those who are most harmed should similar scenarios occur in the future.”

– Kia Davis

confirmed what other national studies have – there are gaping disparities that negatively affect the health of people who aren’t white, especially non-white women.

Black women suffered at disproportionately higher rates than men and people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds during the height of the pandemic.

Davis explained that many COVID-19 studies “focused on comparisons between different racial identities or between males and females.”

Washington University School of Medicine and Brown School of Social Work researchers found gaping health disparities resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The study of St. Louis County residents shows that Black women suffered disproportionately higher rates of employment loss and food insecurity compared with men and people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Confluence Academies students, families and staff now have access to virtual and in-person health care services at Mercy-GoHealth Urgent Care Centers in Maplewood, Clayton, Kirkwood, Oakville, and Fenton.

Photo courtesy of Confluence Academies

Photo courtesy of Washington University

Denise HooksAnderson

“Taking

MHA study shows Missouri near bottom 10 in mental health

Nation “facing

a crisis in mental health”

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire

The District of Columbia counts among the top 10 states with the best mental health, or the combination of the lowest prevalence of mental illness and greater access to care, according to Mental Health America’s annual State of Mental Health in America report. Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Delaware, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Illinois, and Maryland round out the top 10. The states at the lower end of the ranking have higher prevalence rates and less access to care. Those states include Kansas, Indiana, Texas, Oregon, Arizona, Idaho, and Nevada. Missouri is not far behind at No. 39.

“This year, again, the evidence is clear regarding the urgent crisis we face in American mental health,”

Schroeder Stribling, president and CEO of MHA said in a statement.

“From high numbers of our youth who are contemplating suicide to an increase in substance use, to widespread difficulty in accessing the care they seek, Americans are experiencing high rates of distress and frequent challenges in getting help,” Stribling noted.

Stribling pledged that Mental Health America has

Health care

Continued from A16

tural and geographic barriers.”

Students, parents, and school nurses can directly arrange care during the school day – including virtual appointments from school campuses at Mercy-GoHealth Urgent Care. Its locations are open daily with both evening and holiday hours. It accepts most major insurance plans.

The initiative provides medical access for students who might not otherwise be able to get in to see a provider due to lack of transportation or long appointment waiting lists.

Confluence Academies families will also have access to the Mercy network, which includes referrals to Mercy specialists when needed, follow up care with Mercy primary care doctors when needed

Study

continued to work to address and reverse the numbers, including advocating for improvements to policy and practice that reach people where they are – at the right time, with the right help.

“Everyone deserves access to the care they need and the opportunity to live a flourishing life of recovery,”

Stribling asserted. MHA found that 55% of the over 50 million Americans experiencing a mental illness received no treatment, with access and cost as the primary reasons.

Most of those who indicated they could not access needed mental health treatment reported that they could not afford care, MHA researchers found.

This reason was followed by not knowing where to get services, thinking they could manage their mental health without treatment, not having time, or health insurance not paying enough for mental health treatments.

Researchers added that eleven percent of adults with a mental illness are uninsured, and 1 in 10 youth with private insurance do not have coverage for mental health treatments.

“Our country has a known shortage of mental health providers – one provider for every 350 individuals – and barriers such as lack of insurance or insurance not covering enough of the

and access to test results through MyMercy.

“Ensuring convenient access to affordable, on-demand healthcare is one of the most important things we can do to keep our communities well,” said Jamie Zengotita, medical director Mercy-GoHealth Urgent Care. “Initiatives like this break down barriers to access so that students get the care they need, when they need it.”

Mercy-GoHealth sites offer tests and treatment for COVID-19, strep and flu [among other illnesses], provide sport or school physicals and even take same day X-rays for injuries.

Confluence staff, students and families can find more information or make an appointment for any urgent care needs at: https://www. gohealthuc.com/dte/mercy-st-louis/confluence SLPS has partnered with

Washington D.C., Council member Robert White wants his city to take a bold approach to increase more positive mental health outcomes that could be a national model. He has introduced a bill which would allow students to pursue a master’s degree in social work free of charge at the University of the District of Columbia.

cost of mental health care

compound the lack of access for those needing help, with clear geographic and racial disparities,” said Maddy Reinert, senior director of

Hazel health Inc., to provide telehealth care services free of charge to all students.

With parental permission, all district students, regardless of insurance, will have access to pediatricians and physician assistants who can conduct exams, diagnose illness, and prescribe over-the-counter medications from school nurses’ offices.

“This is a major move toward making healthcare accessible to our students and at no cost to families,” said Michael Brown, director of Student Support Services

“Insurance is not required to receive services. Insurance information will be collected, and insured families may see an explanation of benefits from their insurer, but the uninsured or underinsured will always receive care with Hazel.

Kelvin Adams, retiring SLPS superintendent, said the district is “excited to bring

population health at MHA.

“We cannot expect mental health to improve in the U.S. if individuals in need are unable to access the kinds of care that they want.”

healthcare services to our students and parents.”

“Many struggle to get the proper care for a variety of reasons including work schedules, lack of insurance or lack of transportation. This is an important addition to our services to families and to maintaining healthy, safe school environments in the midst of COVID-19 recovery.”

Confluence, SLPS gun safety

Following the Central Visual and Performing Arts High School shootings that left a teacher and student dead and seven people wounded, many school, civic, and political leaders reiterated that gun violence is a public health issue.

Confluence and St. Louis Public Schools have launched programs to help end child gun violence throughout the city and Carter-Oliver told ksdk.com, “We do as educa-

In an effort for more mental health support, D.C. council member Robert White introduced the District’s Pathways to Behavioral Health Degrees Act of 2022, which

tors see this as a crisis in our community.”

She said the curriculum will allow students to explore their role in eliminating gun violence.

“It’s going to look like some literature and being able to share some information in terms of questions to ask. It’s going to look like using social media platforms and some tangible items” she said.

George Sells, director of communications for SLPS, called the effort to reduce child gun violence and deaths “a fight.”

“It’s kids in danger and what can we do as educators do to get them out of danger,” he said.

“We’re educators. That’s what we do best. Having kids in school, having material in school is probably going to be the most effective thing we can do,” Sells continued.”

would allow students to pursue a master’s degree in social work free of charge at the University of the District of Columbia.

White’s bill, which has eight co-sponsors on the 13-member council, would allow eligible applicants with bachelor’s degrees to obtain scholarships that cover tuition and books. It also provides students with a monthly stipend to cover living expenses and transportation.

“When the pandemic started, I heard from so many people who felt like they needed mental health professionals, and they couldn’t find it, and what we realized is that we have a pipeline problem,” White stated.

In releasing its annual report, MHA said it aims to provide a snapshot of mental health among youth and adults for policy and program planning, analysis, and evaluation.

Further, officials want to track changes in the prevalence of mental health issues and access to mental health care, understand how changes in national data reflect the impact of legislation and policies, and increase dialogue with and improve outcomes for individuals and families with mental health needs.

“Everyone deserves access to the care they need and the opportunity to live a flourishing life of recovery,” Stribling insisted.

Candice Carter-Oliver, Confluence Academies CEO, calls school-based health care “an important method of health care delivery for youth who are confronted with financial, cultural and geographic barriers.”

“Focusing on more than one social identity — in this study, race, and sex — is known as an intersectional analysis. Taking that approach provided researchers a more complete analysis of who has been most impacted by the pandemic.”

Davis said the research team sought to “dig deeper than just saying women experienced more job loss than men, or Blacks suffered more food insecurities than whites.”

Continued from A16 Anderson

“Disaggregating the data

Continued from A16

yourself, do you have a plan in place for support?

In addition to planning for the future, it is also important

allows us to use the results to guide health care and social services programs, interventions and policy to mitigate the disproportionate effects of COVID-19 and related social harms on Black women.” Employment loss and food insecurity are recognized as major social determinants of health. Employment loss can include job furloughs, layoffs, and reduced wages.

Food insecurity refers to the quality and quantity of food eaten, worrying about food, and receiving free meals or groceries. There are documented links between employment loss, job

to assess an individual’s current living situation. That beautiful two-story home with the master bedroom featuring a jacuzzi tub was a great idea when you were 30. However, a house like that for an eighty-year-old with severe arthritis in the knees and limited mobility would be a

insecurity, and adverse health outcomes. They can lead to increased risk of death and diseases because of substance abuse, suicide, depression and anxiety, substandard physical health, and chronic diseases.

“I wasn’t surprised that Black women faced higher harms, but I was surprised by the magnitude,” said the study’s first author, Jacquelyn

major health hazard and could increase the likelihood of a fall. Furthermore, for Americans over the age of 65, the poverty rate is on the rise.

Per the U.S. Census Bureau data, the percentage of older people in the U.S below the

Coats, a doctoral student at the Brown School.

“These results emphasize the need for increased community outreach programs and for bigger structural changes, such as labor laws offering better worker protection.”

Researchers found that Black women suffered more employment loss and food insecurity than Black men,

poverty level increased from 8.9% in 2020 to 10.3% in 2021. 6 million older adults are in this category. Less money means less access to resources for food, rent, and medications. It is for that reason that providers query seniors about their diets and monitor their

white women, and white men, with the largest gaps occurring between Black women and white men.

Among the study’s participants who had been laid off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 16% were Black women compared with 7.1% of Black men, 8.6% of white women, and 6.1% of white men.

Regarding food insecurity, 79.6% of white men never worried their food would run out compared with 75.8% of white women, 72.6% of Black men and 57.6% of Black women.

“Historically, AfricanAmericans and women are most harmed by social determi-

weights.

Though we may not have specifics about our future health concerns, that lack of knowledge does not free us from the inevitable process of aging. Regular conversations with your provider can help make the process less

nants of health due to systemic racism and sexism,” Davis said.

“Our study shows that COVID-19 has widened existing sex and racial disparities that can affect health.”

The researchers analyzed de-identified data of 2,146 adults ages 18 or older who resided in St. Louis County. People were contacted via phone by county public health officials through a collaboration between St. Louis County and Washington University’s Institute for Public Health. Participants were asked a series of questions about their experiences with employment and food during the pandemic.

intimidating. Websites such as aarp.org and medicare. gov are great resources for more information.

Denise Hooks-Anderson, MD, FAAFP, can be reached at yourhealthmatters@ stlamerican.com

Kia Davis Jacquelyn Coats

Photo courtesy of Confluence Academies

Photo courtesy of the Washington Informer

Holidays

Dining Out.

PRESENT:

PRESENT:

Healthy Kids

Healthy Kids

What Is ASize?Serving

GRAINS Keep ‘em Whole!

The Smart Way!

Warm Up & Cool Down

Staying Active (Naturally) DuringSummer!the Smart Summer Eating!

Do This. Not That!

Take Your T ime!

Take Your T ime!

Exercise Game

First Day of Spring!

What Fits?

Calculate BMI

Tech-Neck

Ice can be dangerous for several different reasons.

What Fits?

When we’re lucky enough to have a chance to go out for dinner, there are a few ways to stay healthy with our food

Nutrition Challenge:

Healthy Kids

Healthy Kids

Healthy Kids

Healthy Kids

Healthy Kids

those leftovers for lunch the next day!

are popcorn, wheatberries, brown rice and wild rice.

Cocoa Puffers Cereal

Travel

The 2022 holiday season, will, once again, be challenging for us and our families. But if we remember the precautions that we have learned over the past two and a half years, we can still have a safe and fun Thanksgiving.

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

The 2022 holiday season, will, once again, be challenging for us and our families. But if we remember the precautions that we have learned over the past two and a half years, we can still have a safe and fun Thanksgiving.

Preparing the meal

Preparing the meal

Once you’re out of school, many of you may have a lot of extra time on your hands to be snacking. Resist the urge to eat sweet, salty, fried and high-calorie non-nutritious snacks this summer.

See if the restaurant will let you “share” a meal. Many meals are two, three or more times an actual serving size.

•Wash your hands frequently.

•Wash your hands frequently.

Cola

tiple people touch the serving utensils. The family gathering

> Decide you’re going to switch from soda to water.

> Ask the server how the different menu items are prepared. Fried, sautéed, and

INGREDIENTS:

tiple people touch the serving utensils. The family gathering

summer. Delicious juicy, ripe fruits are all around and are healthy for you too! Make it your goal to come back to school in the fall healthier and happier!

> Start by substituting one drink per day to water.

> Avoid gravies, cheese sauces and other kinds of toppings that often just add fat and calories.

Melissa Douglass, MSW

Weekly Newspaper in Education Program

Deborah Edwards, School Nurse

While preparing your Thanksgiving meal, remember these tips.

While preparing your Thanksgiving

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

Latoya Woods, DNP, APRN, FNP-C

•Sanitize surfaces before using them.

In our “Super-Size” world, we can easily lose track of what an actual serving size means. When reading labels on a food or drink product, you can determine the nutrients, sodium, fiber, sugar and calories of a serving size. But be careful; just because it looks like one small bottle

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

lifestyle. You can do this by forming new habits. For example, if you decide to eliminate sugary drinks completely, it only takes a few weeks until this becomes what you’re used to.

Create a Smart Summer Eating plan with your parents. Ask their help in finding nutritious snacks and meals for the

•Sanitize surfaces before using them.

If you are going to someone else’s home (or they’re coming to yours), here a few guidelines to follow.

If you are going to someone else’s home (or they’re coming to yours), here a few guidelines to follow.

Review: What are some nutrition tips you learned by following The St. Louis American’s Healthy Kids page this school year? Send your answers to nie@stlamerican.com.

As soon as you’ve divided your plate into the right size servings, ask your server for a to-go box. Go ahead and box up what you don’t need to eat right away. You can enjoy

Here are the steps to making a healthy permanent change. We‘ll use the sugary drink change as an example.

Limit your gathering size to allow for plenty of room "space" for everyone attending.

of soda — it may not be considered one serving size. For example, a 20-oz bottle contains 2.5 servings. So if the bottle states “110 calories per serving,” that means the entire bottle contains a total of 275 calories! Remember to watch those serving sizes and you’ll have better control over what you’re eating and drinking.

Every few days increase the amount of water and decrease your soda intake.

> Stick with water to drink. Not only will you save money, but you won’t be adding in extra calories from a sugarfilled drink.

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

Limit your gathering size to allow for plenty of room "space" for everyone attending.

After 3-4 weeks, this change will become a habit.

•Try the new 2022 version of a get-together – have a Zoom dinner with other relatives.

• Bring your own food along, to avoid stopping at restaurants during your drive. Whenever possible, maintain at least 6 feet between you and others at the airport and on the airplane. Thanksgiving in the time of Covid “Questions or comments? Contact Cathy Sewell csewell@stlamerican.com or 618-910-9551

Where do you work? I am a family nurse practitioner for BJC Medical Group.

When you automatically reach for water instead of soda, it has now become a lifestyle change!

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 4, HPE 5, NH 1, NH 2, NH 3, NH 5

> What are other ways to stay healthy while dining out?

•Try the new 2022 version of a get-together – have a Zoom dinner with other relatives.

Where do you work? I am a school nurse at Monroe Elementary School.

Belleville, Illinois.

•Serve your meal cafeteria style: one person serves all of the dishes – to avoid having mul-

•Serve your meal cafeteria style: one person serves all of the dishes – to avoid having mul-

Nutrition Challenge:

As the weather gets warmer, there are many ways that we can enjoy ourselves outdoors and stay healthy over the summer. Some naturally active things you can do include:

Let’s make a game out of exercise!

Nutrition Challenge:

even simmered can all mean, “cooked in oil.” Instead, choose baked or grilled options.

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

As spring approaches, warmer weather allows us all to get more outdoor exercise. Here are some ways to become a more active person.

Where do you work? I am a school nurse with St. Louis Public Schools.

Staying active, getting your heart rate up and opening your lungs will help you start off next school year happier and healthier!

Secondly, when you are finished with any kind of strenuous (very active) exercise, take some time to cool down. You can slowly stretch your arms and

•Deliver safely-prepared meals to others who might be alone.

•Deliver safely-prepared meals to others who might be alone.

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

Instead of watching TV — ride your bike with friends.

legs again, and continue with reduced speed movements until your heart rate begins to slow down.

Where did you go to school? I graduated from Lindbergh High School. I then attended the University of Arkansas in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, where I studied biology.

Where did you go to school? I graduated from McCluer North High School. I earned an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing from Meramec College in Kirkwood and completing my bachelor’s degree at Webster University in Webster Groves.

> Help with yard work: planting, weeding, etc.

> Wash your parent’s car.

March 20, 2021, is the first day of spring. With spring comes warmer weather and longer days (later sunset). Make it a habit to spend as much time playing outside as the weather allows.

It seems that all of us are usually in a hurry. But when it’s time to eat, sit down, relax and focus on eating. With each bite, set down your fork and chew your food completely before swallowing. This allows your stomach to “catch

It’s important that before you embark on any kind of exercise to remember two things: warm up and cool down. Start with some slow stretches and movement (like walking) to increase your heart rate a little. Warm up for a good five minutes before increasing your heart rate.

> Walking to the store when possible.

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

> Play, play, play outside as much as you can!

First, locate either a deck of cards or two dice. Next you’ll need to make a list of different types of exercise: jumping jacks, sit-ups, lunges, etc. Write each exercise item on a small piece of paper or index

up” with your eating, and you’ll know when you’re full. Eating slowly allows you to know when you’ve had enough and you can stop eating before you become uncomfortable from overeating… and you’ll eat less!

Review: What are some exercise tips you learned by following The St. Louis American’s Healthy Kids page this school year? Send your answers to nie@ stlamerican.com.

and breathing. You want to have fun, but it’s also a great way to help keep your heart, lungs and body healthy.

Where do you work? I am the founder and distance counselor for Goal Driven Counseling, LLC. Where did you go to school? I graduated from Whitney Young Magnet High School in Chicago, IL: same as former first lady Mrs. Michelle Obama. I then earned a Bachelor of Science in Social Work, and a Master of Social Work from the University of Missouri – St. Louis. I also completed two more years of supervision and exams to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Missouri.

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

Some fun outdoor games to play include tag, kickball, basketball, Frisbee, and bicycling. Choose activities that increase your heart rate

Exercise Challenge:

It seems that all of us are usually in a hurry. But when it’s time to eat, sit down, relax and focus on eating. With each bite, set down your fork and chew your food completely before swallowing. This allows your stomach to “catch

Exercise Challenge:

> NEVER walk on a “frozen” pond, lake, river or any other body of water. Just because it looks frozen does not mean it is safe.

card and fold into a small square. Put these squares into a bowl. Take turns rolling the dice (or drawing a card) and selecting an exercise from the bowl. The total number on the dice or card tells you how many of the exercise you must do. Face cards (king,

Make a list of your favorite 10 activities to do outdoors. Compare your list with your classmates and create a chart to see what are the most popular.

up” with your eating, and you’ll know when you’re full. Eating slowly allows you to know when you’ve had enough and you can stop eating before you become uncomfortable from overeating… and you’ll eat less!

Where did you go to school? I graduated from Sumner High School. I then earned Associate Degree in Nursing from Forest Park College and a BS in Business Administration from Columbia College.

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

Try this Practice chewing each bite 30 times before swallowing.

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

This warm-up and recovery period is important for your heart health. It also helps to reduce the amount of muscle pulls and strains.

Learning Standards: HPE1, HPE 2, HPE 5,

Where did you go to school? I graduated from McCluer High School. I then earned a Bachelor of Nursing and a Master of Nursing Practice from the University of Missouri – St. Louis. And finally, I earned a Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Maryville University.

queen or jack) should all count as the number 10. Aces are “wild” and you can do as many as you want! To really challenge yourself, have one person roll the dice and the second can select the exercise. See who can complete the exercise challenge first!

Try this

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1

Learning Standards:

Practice chewing each bite 30 times before swallowing.

Learning Standards:

> What to do if you see someone else bullied.

Over the last 35 weeks we have discussed many smart choices that you can make to help you stay safe and healthy. Break into small groups and list as many Smart Choices that your group remembers. Now individually, choose one that you think is very important. Describe in your own words what that smart choice is, and how you can remember to make the right choice in the future. Name

Learning

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 4, HPE 5, NH 1

• If flying is in your

What does a family nurse practitioner do? Each day I have office visits with patients to help treat new health conditions and/or manage established health conditions. I perform physical examinations on patients, order labs, read x-rays results, and more.

Cracker-wiches

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

Many families travel Thanksgiving weekend. If you are still planning a trip this holiday, here are a few ways to stay safe and healthy.

follow the airline’s guidelines regarding Covid: keep social distancing, sanitize your seat, armrests, etc., wear your mask in the airport, avoid touching surfaces and wash your hands often.

What does a school nurse do? I assess the concerns of students who are ill, injured or experiencing alterations in their normal health. Nurses screen daily staff, students and visitors for safety. Monroe School is a pilot school for Covid-19 test sites in partnership with the city.

What does a school nurse do? I love giving students medications, so they’re able to focus on learning. I clean and bandage wounds. I use medical equipment like a stethoscope, for example, to evaluate whether or not my asthmatics are breathing well. Moreover, I teach and promote healthy habits to my students.

• Only travel with your own family members if driving to your Thanksgiving gathering.

• If flying is in your plans, follow the airline’s guidelines regarding Covid: keep social distancing, sanitize your seat, armrests, etc., wear your mask in the airport, avoid touching surfaces and wash your hands often.

What does a Licensed Clinical Social Worker do? I use technology to help teens and young adults explore their emotions, better understand their feelings, work through relationships, and address common challenges completely online through a computer, tablet, or smart phone. Similar to a Facetime call, I support and guide my clients from the comfort of their home or private location where they are comfortable

• Only travel with your own family members if driving to your Thanksgiving gathering.

How much time do you spend each day looking down at a phone, laptop or video game?

A BMI (Body Mass Index) is a generic way to calculate where your weight falls into categories (thin, average, overweight, obese). However, it’s a good idea to remember that a BMI may not take into consideration many things such as athleticism (how athletic you are), your bone density and other factors.

Break into small groups and define what it means to be a bully. Share your ideas with the class. Did you have the same things listed (as the other groups) that you would consider as bullying behavior? Now back in your groups, create a newspaper ad that includes at least two of the following:

Chiropractors around the country see young patients every day suffering from back, neck and head-aches resulting from the extra strain you put on your body when you look down for long periods of time.

> If you are with someone that falls through the ice, first run (or call) for help. Do not try to go out onto the ice to help your friend. You can fall through the ice too.

> How bullying hurts others.

doctor if you have any questions. The formula to calculate your BMI is 703 X weight (lbs) ÷ height (in inches/squared) or search

> What to do if YOU are the bully.

Is biking your thing? Or do you like to play basketball? The best “exercise” you can do is through an activity you enjoy. Make a list of 10 activities that you like to do, that are active enough to be considered exercise. Some possibilities include kickball, baseball, football, dancing, biking, running, skating, jump rope, walking or playing Frisbee. Make it a goal to do one of these activities each day of the week (at least five days a week). Exercise can be fun!

Discuss your BMI with your

Is biking your thing? Or do you like to play basketball? The best “exercise” you can do is through an activity you enjoy. Make a list of 10 activities that you like to do, that are active enough to be considered exercise. Some possibilities include kickball, baseball, football, dancing, biking,

> What to do if you are bullied.

> Also — remember to look up! Icicles injure numerous people every year. If you see large icicles forming over your front steps, ask your parents to use a broom handle to knock them off to the side before they break loose from your gutters.

• Wear a mask, maintain social distancing and wash your hands when stopping at gas stations.

1. Most importantly — take breaks! Have a goal of a 3 minute break every 15-20 minutes. Move around, stretch your neck and relax, without looking down!

running, skating, jump rope, walking or playing Frisbee. Make it a goal to do one of these activities each day of the week (at least five days a week). Exercise can be fun!

Why did you choose this career? I chose this career to help improve the health of my community.

“BMI Calculator” to find an easy fill-in chart online. If your number is high, what are some ways to lower your BMI?

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

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

> What other ice hazards are there?

Learning Standards: HPE 1, HPE 2, NH 5

2. Set your tech device in a holder to keep it at eye level, reducing the need to look down.

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

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 4

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, HPE 7, NH 5, NH 7

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

A couple of quick tips that will reduce that strain on your neck are:

> When walking on icecovered roadways or sidewalks, take baby steps. Walk carefully and slowly.

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

Directions: Drop each blueberry into the yogurt. Using a spoon, swirl around to coat and place each blueberry on a cookie sheet topped with parchment paper. Freeze for at least an hour.

Why did you choose this career? I love nursing because there are many opportunities in hospitals, schools, clinics and offices, insurance, legal and research. My passion is working in the schools with students, parents, staff and community partners.

What does an EMT do? My day-to-day includes helping others when they aren’t feeling their best. I also assist getting them to the hospital when they can’t take themselves. Why did you choose this career? I chose this career because I enjoy helping others problem solve. Also, I have twin stepsons, one who wants to be a police officer, and the other who wants to be a doctor. I thought that being an EMT helped me to meet them both in the middle. And, back in 2018, I had my own medical emergency and was transported by ambulance to a hospital. The paramedic that took care of me was so comforting and assuring that I realized that becoming an EMT is an honorable career. I now work with that same paramedic, at the same company.

Why did you choose this career? I am a St. Louis native, and was an asthmatic child who experienced frequent hospitalizations. Besides having the influence of nurses in my family, the local nurses who helped take care of me were my “angels” and always managed to nurse me back to health, thus sparking my interest.

Why did you choose this career? I chose this career because I enjoy being a support to teens and young adults in a very challenging phase of life that can be overwhelming. I enjoy teaching them how to best take care of themselves so they can live healthy and fulfilling lives.

• Wear a mask, maintain social distancing and wash your hands when stopping at gas stations.

What is your favorite part of the job you have? Many chronic health conditions (diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure) are preventable, and early detection is key. Thus my favorite part of the job is partnering with patients to establish and manage a plan to help them each live a long and healthy life.

What is your favorite part of the job you have? I enjoy meeting and learning about new people and cultures every day. I also like the adrenaline of driving fast with sirens going to get to an emergency quickly.

What is your favorite part of the job you have? I enjoy when a child tells you, “I want to be a nurse.” And best of all, I love the smiles, hugs and “thank-yous”.

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

• Bring your own food along, to avoid stopping at restaurants during your drive. Whenever possible, maintain at least 6 feet between you and others at the airport and on the airplane.

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

What is your favorite part of the job you have? My childhood health challenges have given me sensitivity to children suffering with illness. After being given a new lease on life, I consider it an honor to be in a position to promote health to the children of my community, in whatever capacity I serve – in turn, being their “angel.”

What is your favorite part of the job you have? I love that my job makes talking about mental health not as scary and even makes it kind of cool. I love that I get to build valuable relationships with so many people that trust me to be there for them. I love that no matter where my clients are, we can simply connect with a video call and I can not only support them through hard times, but lots of good times as well.

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

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

Learning Standards: HPE 6, NH 3

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

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

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

Frozen Yogurt Blueberry Bites

Banana PB Smoothie

Ingredients: 1/2 Cp Vanilla Greek yogurt, 3 Tbsp Natural peanut butter, 1 Ripe banana (sliced

HPE 1, HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1

Marnay Howard, EMT - B

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

Fourth-grade students

What do all great scientists have in common? They are skilled critical thinkers and problem solvers. Just like you can train your body and your muscles to work more effectively, you can also train your mind to think more critically.

Give your brain a work out with mazes, brain teaser riddles, Sudoku puzzles, math equations, etc. Read mystery books and learn to look for clues and make predictions. Look for patterns. Patterns are everywhere—colors, numbers, letters, etc. When you identify patterns, your brain can make connections quickly and easily. Think of different uses for

Dashaun Davis, Jamiyah Owens, and Elan Nicholson in Ms. Rhonda Stovall’s class at Gateway Elementary School are investigating the internal and external structures of plants and animals that aid in growth, survival, behavior, and reproduction. Build Balloon columns!

SCIENCE INVESTIGATION

Background Information:

In this experiment, you will see if you can walk on air. What is your hypothesis? Do you think it is possible to walk on air? Support your answer with specific reasons and details.

Materials Needed:

• Garbage Bag Filled with Air • Balloons Filled with Air • Balloons Filled with Water • Tape • 4 24” by 24”

Cardboard Squares

Procedure:

q Make two strong platforms by gluing two pieces of cardboard together so that the grooves (lines) in the cardboard are going in the opposite directions.

w Try standing on one of your platforms supported by a garbage bag filled with air. (Take caution and make sure to have a partner help you balance or stand near a wall.) Does it hold your weight?

e Now try balloons filled with air. Predict which will hold your weight better.

r Start out standing on one of your platforms supported by a

African-American Mechanical Engineer & Inventor Ruth J. Miro

common everyday items, such as a paperclip. How many different uses can you discover?

Ask yourself questions, such as how many different ways can you stack a set of blocks? Which way would give you the tallest structure? Which way would give you the strongest structure? Keep an open mind and be flexible as you consider your options. Practice this process often. Brainstorm a list. Set a timer and see how many ideas you can generate. Then, select your best three choices and develop a hypothesis that you can test.

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

bunch of balloons. The balloons stay in place best if you sandwich them between two platforms. Try taping the balloons to the bottom platform and then putting the second platform on top.

t Have a friend pop one balloon at a time. What happens when the balloons pop? How few balloons still support your weight?

Extension: Try the same thing with balloons filled with water. Be sure you do this testing somewhere that can get really wet. Analyze: Which holds your weight better, balloons filled with water or balloons filled with air? Which substance can hold your weight with the fewest balloons? Why do you think one works better than the other?

Learning Standards: I can follow sequential directions to complete an experiment. I can create a hypothesis and analyze results. I can draw conclusions.

Give your problem solving ability a challenge with these equations.

b – 7.2 = 1.8

v Write the sentence as an equation.

b decreased by 150 is 221

b Write the sentence as an equation. z multiplied by 280 is 179

n Write the sentence as an equation. 72 is equal to z divided by 369

Learning Standards: I can add, subtract, multiply, and divide to solve a problem.

A ballpoint pen can write approximately 45,000 words.

Richard Drew originally made scotch tape to seal cellophane wrappers in a butcher’s shop to keep food safe from spoiling. Paper clip designs have their own names. The very first one was called “The Philadelphia.” Other designs were named “The Clipper,” “The Daisy,” “The Niagara,” “The Eureka,” “Banjo Paper Clip,” and “Octo Clip.”

Ruth J. Miro was born on February 4, 1960, in New York City and grew up in the Bronx. She attended New York’s Monroe Business College to study business and e-commerce. Miro received patent #6,113,298 on September 5, 2000, for her improved paper ring design. A press release to promote her new product stated, “These new and improved paper rings are ideal for business professionals, especially authors, students, and schools. There is an increased excitement over the range of functions it serves. They can be used for sorting, filing [loose leaf] papers, index cards, recipe cards, photo pages, memos and much more… RJ Miro paper rings come in an array of colors such as Red, Black, Green, White, Blue and Gold.” She also received patent #6,764,100 for a stationery organizer and is the founder of RJMiro, which designs and sells supplies for the school, office, and home.

Miro is a member of the International Association of Black Millionaires and the National Association for Female Executives. She has received recognition and many awards, including Empire Who’s Who, Manchester Who’s Who, and Cambridge Who’s Who. The Wall of Tolerance gave her an award for her public stance against hate and intolerance.

(The Wall of Tolerance is located in the Civil Rights Memorial Center in Montgomery, Alabama.)

In addition to her business accomplishments, Miro supports literacy by donating money to various educational charities and authors. She features authors on her business website to promote their work. She states, “I would like to see more African-American stores buying and selling African-American products.”

Learning Standards: I can read a biography about a person who has made contributions in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. I can make textto-world connections.

MAP CORNER

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

Activity One —

Creative Predictions for Jobs: Review the Help Wanted section in the Classified ads. What characteristics do the employers seek—experience, dependability, etc.? Which characteristics seem to be the most important to employers? What job do you think you are best suited for? Why? Write a paragraph explaining what skills and characteristics you have that will make you a good employee.

Activity Two —

Who Am I? Riddles: Fold a piece of paper in half. On the outside flap, write a riddle about a character of a newspaper story. Paste the newspaper article on the inside, highlighting the character’s name and characteristics used to create the riddle. Share the riddle with your classmates.

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can draw conclusions. I can use character traits and think critically.

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.

Did you know the first person to use a stapler was King Louis XV of France?

The science of diversity

Harris-Stowe to offer BioTech certificate

State University is now offering a Biotechnology certificate to help students pursue research positions, biotech jobs, and graduate degrees.

By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American

Harris-Stowe State University will offer a Biotechnology Certificate to provide its students with skills to pursue independent research positions, biotechnology related jobs, and graduate degrees, the school has announced.

Students will be offered 11 hours of required courses, and then they can select an Elective Advanced Course Pathway that allows them to focus on training on an advanced topic.

Students will conduct an independent research project in their elective advanced labo-

n Each year, 18% of undergraduate students graduate with a STEM degree, and only 2% are Black.

ratory course under the guidance of an instructor. According to an HSSU release, the biotechnology pathway “will provide a formative educational experience, bolster students STEM resume and prepare them to succeed in a laboratory career.”

The biotechnology world is searching for formulas to increase diversity.

Each year, 18% of undergraduate students graduate with a STEM degree, and only 2% are Black.

In addition, a 2017 study by the trade journal Nature Biotechnology found that only 3% of executive biotech leadership roles are held by African-Americans and 4% by Latinos/ Hispanics, despite representing 13% and 18% of the population respectively.

Women comprise 50% of entry-level roles

See BIOTECH, B2

How to get Black kids interested in STEM

Parents say role models are essential

By Maya Pottinger Word In Black

Last year, an elementary school principal in rural Mississippi wanted to get her students excited about science. So, after receiving grant funding, she bought robots for third and fourth graders to assemble and then held a white coat ceremony for them, complete with their names embroidered on the jackets.

Though she’s been principal for three years and has worked in schools for the last decade, Alicia Conerly, Ed.S., comes from a science background.

“I know and understand that if you don’t pique the interest of children early, the odds of them, once they hit middle school into high school, if they don’t already like it or find something that they enjoy about it, they won’t go into STEM career fields,” Conerly says. “So I wanted to change that.” It worked. Every “STEM Pioneer” successfully assembled and programmed their robot. And the reception, complete with a photographer and certificates, motivated younger students in the school. But without the grant — and donors for the ceremony — this wouldn’t have been possible. And Black students, especially from a See STEM, B2

Black adults say in surveys that STEM professions aren’t welcoming to them, and in 2019, only 8% of STEM teachers were Black. This leads to students not understanding what jobs are in the field, let alone how they could fit into it.

PeoPle on the Move

Arriane Hopkins joins Kwame

Kwame Building Group (KWAME) has added Arriane Hopkins as project administrator. As project administrator, Hopkins provides administrative support on a variety of projects, including the Metropolitan Sewer District, Maggie O’Brien’s Renovation and Mastercard. Her responsibilities include tracking contract changes, creating presentations and maintaining staff schedules.

Bruce named project manager at Great Rivers

Rivers Greenway welcomed Kuleya Bruce as project manager. She will be focused on engaging the community to plan, design and build the greenway on the Hodiamont Tracks and the Brickline Greenway. Great Rivers Greenway’s mission is to make the St. Louis region a more vibrant place to live, work and play by developing a regional network of greenways. To date, they have 128 miles of greenways and counting!

Dr. Abernathy joins Affinia Healthcare

Dr. Kristia Abernathy

Affinia Healthcare recently welcomed Dr. Kristia Abernathy, family medicine physician. A native of north St. Louis County, Dr. Abernathy earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from Xavier University of Louisiana, and her doctorate in medicine (with distinction in community service) from Saint Louis University School of Medicine. She completed her residency training at Southern Illinois University Center for Family Medicine.

Amponsah named project manager at Kwame

Kwame Building Group has added Samuel Amponsah as project engineer. Amponsah brings more than 12 years of experience and is currently working on Cervantes Convention Center expansion and modernization project. He is responsible for subcontractor management, reviewing and coordinating submittals and RFIs, and maintaining communication with the client and project team.

Channon Peoples recently received an UMSL Hero Award. Peoples serves as the director of Precollegiate Student Services where she champions over 4,000 middle school and high school students who are preparing for success in higher education. The free UMSL Bridge Program is in its 37th year. Peoples receives UMSL Hero Award Channon Peoples

Harris-Stowe

Photo courtesy of BlackHealthMatters

Great

Kuleya Bruce

Arriane Hopkins

Photo by Katerina Holmes/Pexels

Samuel Amponsah

Biotech

Continued from B1

in biotech, yet a 2018 survey found only 20% of women hold leadership positions, and just 10% serve in board roles Seven in 10 biotechs now list diversity and inclusion in their value statements or as a priority, according to a new report from the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO). This is up from 46% in 2019. The survey included 100 respondents, representing a separate BIO member company, answering based on data they officially collect only. The sample between 2020 and 2019 was similar.

“This past year demonstrated how the biotechnology industry can step up to a challenge,” said BIO President and CEO Michelle McMurry-Heath, M.D.

“The survey provides the information we, as an industry, need to develop programming that supports progress for diversity and inclusion.”

A more recent achievement is that of a 34-year-old black doctor named Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett, a senior research fellow and scientific lead for the coronavirus vaccines and immunopathogenesis team in the Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr.

STEM

Continued from B1

young age, need to be exposed to engaging STEM activities to understand the options they have and see themselves in the field.

Though we’re finding representation in superheroes and mermaids, it’s harder to come by in STEM. Of course, Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett and Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith were key figures in creating the lifesaving COVID vaccines, but even they didn’t get the celebrity treatment.

As the saying goes, you can’t be what you can’t see. Conerly was the first Black administrator in her building, and as soon as she became principal, students kept telling her they wanted to grow up and be a principal.

“There is not enough representation on any level, and especially in the STEM career fields,” says Conerly, who is also a member of the National Science Teaching Association

A new Pew Research Center poll of Black Americans found that Black adults cited seeing more Black high achievers in STEM fields as the most effective way to get young Black people interested in the field. And about a quarter of respondents said having a Black teacher in these areas while in high school would also help. And, as of 2019, only 8% of science teachers in the United States were Black.

When identifying reasons that young people don’t pursue college degrees in STEM, half of Black adults said they don’t have access to quality education, and they don’t have mentors or adults encouraging them to go into these fields.

And, Pew found, Black adults find STEM professions aren’t welcoming to them. Among the professions listed, only 28% of respondents said the medical profession was welcoming, along with 23% for engineers, and 20% for scientists.

n A 2017 study by the trade journal Nature Biotechnology found that only 3% of executive biotech leadership roles are held by AfricanAmericans.

Corbett has played a key role in the development of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine that is now being administered across the U.S. and around the world. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) where she was a Meyerhoff Scholar, which is a program that helps to develop minorities and women in science through mentorship and curriculum.

Upon graduating with a PhD in microbiology and immunology, Dr. Corbett joined the NIH’s Vaccine Research Centre in 2014 as a postdoctoral fellow. It was her ability to apply the knowledge that she and her colleagues had

gained in the last six years that enabled them to respond quickly to the COVID-19 virus and rapidly develop the vaccine in collaboration with Moderna.

In December 2020, after NASDAQ filed a request with the SEC to make board diversity mandatory for companies listed on the index, McMurry-Heath, a longtime advocate for greater diversity in biotech and for greater healthcare access for underserved communities, stated, “The Actions taken by NASDAQ are bold, long overdue and will serve as inspiration for Boardrooms across the nation. The biotech industry has been, and remains committed to promoting inclusivity, by accelerating gender, racial, ethnic and LGBTQ representation.

“In fact, many of our companies already exceed some of these requirements while we understand more work needs to be done. The goal of inclusion does more than just ‘level the playing field’ it makes good business sense and helps organizations grow and prosper. BIO is very supportive of NASDAQ’s proposal and looks forward to assisting with the implementation of this initiative in our sector.” Visit hssu.edu for more information and a listing of courses.

While the majority (81%) of Black adults who work in STEM recall largely positive experiences in their most recent STEM classes, about half (48%) say they experienced being treated as though they couldn’t understand the subject, were made to feel like they didn’t belong in the class, or received repeated negative comments about their race or ethnicity.

A separate Pew study, this one from 2021, found that Black people are still highly underrepresented in the STEM workforce, making up only 9% of those in the industry, compared to 13% Asian and 67% white. The largest group works in health jobs (11%), followed by math (9%) and computer (7%).

This leads to students not understanding what jobs are in the field, let alone how they could fit into it.

So it’s even more important to make sure students are introduced to STEM in early grades. This allows them to understand the consept and make real- world applications.

Dr. Denise Johnson, the middle grades program coordinator at Winston-Salem State

University, leads two STEM programs, one that helps students with math and reading, and another that allows them to work with data collection, coding, and robotics

“Teachers who are teaching math and science also have a great responsibility and opportunity to engage our students and our young people in ways that will generate interest in choosing these careers,” Johnson says.

A North Carolina university is on a mission to recruit and train more Black STEM teachers, creating the Next Generation Black STEM Teacher Network. Through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the program supports a max of 50 students across five HBCUs toward becoming highly trained STEM teachers. Now in its first year, there are 40 students going through the training.

The group, which is spread across four states, has monthly virtual sessions with different professional development activities, like creating lesson plans. Though they don’t all regularly convene in person, aside from their virtual meetings, they have other online platforms to connect.

“The goal is to be sure that they develop this camaraderie along the cohort so that, once they are in their own classrooms and teaching, if they have a question or an idea, they can share it with one another,” says Dr. Kim D. Pemberton, the Department of Education chairperson at Winston-Salem State University, who leads the Next Generation program with Dr. Johnson.

So it’s important that Black students see themselves represented in the STEM fields and are encouraged to pursue them the same way their peers are. When the seeds are planted, and doors are opened, students know it’s a possibility, Pemberton says.

“Knowledge is power,” Pemberton says. “We have to make them aware of what is available for them.”

Michelle McMurryHeath, M.D.

n “Just to be able to have an award named after him and actually win it. I can’t put it into words.”

– Michael Harris II, winner of the NL Jackie Robinson Rookie of Year Award

Sports

InsIde sports

By Earl Austin Jr.

146 – oh!

ESL Flyers dominant on path to state semifinal game

The East St. Louis Flyers were rolling toward a state title last season but were upended by a solid Cary-Grove team in the state championship game. The Flyers are determined to finish the job in 2022 and have steamrolled through three opponents on the way to the state semifinals.

East St. Louis (10-2) will travel North on Saturday to take on undefeated LaMont (120) on Saturday in the state semifinals. Kickoff is at 2 p.m. The winner of Saturday›s game will play Chicago St. Ignatius or Crystal Lake Prairie Ridge for the state championship on Saturday, November 26 in Champaign. In three playoff games, the Flyers have been dominant on both sides of the ball, outscoring their opposition 146-0. That’s right, the Flyers have yet to be scored upon in the playoffs. They defeated Oak Lawn Richards 71-0 in the first round, Normal Community West 40-0 in the second round, and Crete Monee 45-0 in last Saturday’s state quarterfinals.

The Flyers defense was especially dominant against Crete Monee as they registered eight quarterback sacks. Antwon Hayden and Keandre McClendon had two sacks each while standouts Keshon Hayden and Dominic Dixon also had a sack. Sophomore Sael Reyes also scored on a 52-yard interception return.

Dixon, a junior linebacker, has a teamhigh 107 solo tackles and 10 quarterback sacks. Senior linebacker Marquise Palmer has registered five sacks. The Hayden brothers have been constants throughout the past two seasons on defense while Reyes and junior Jaion Jackson have combined for nine interceptions.

Junior quarterback Robert Battle has been the leader of the Flyers› offense for the second consecutive year. Battle has passed for 1,892 yards and 21 touchdowns while rushing for 648 yards and 10 touchdowns. Sophomore running back TyRyan Martin has rushed for 1,033 yards and 17 touchdowns. Fellow sophomore Larevious Woods has rushed for 761 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Class 6 semis are set

This weekend’s Class 6 state semifinals have turned into the St. Louis vs. Kansas City challenge.

CBC will travel West to take on Liberty North on Saturday at 1 p.m. while Lee’s Summit North will come to St. Louis to take on DeSmet on Friday at 7 p.m. The winners will meet for the state championship on Saturday, November 26 at Faurot Field on the campus of the University of Missouri. Kickoff is at 4 p.m.

CBC is seeking a third consecutive state championship. Saturday›s game at

Liberty North is a rematch of last year›s state championship game, which the Cadets won 48-21. CBC won the District 1 championship last week with a 42-7 victory over Marquette while Liberty North defeated Park Hill 34-7.

DeSmet is looking to get back into a state championship game for the first time in three seasons. The Spartans defeated Rock Bridge 45-20 to win the District 2 championship. The Spartans are currently 7-5, but they have played against one of the toughest schedules in the state. They have suffered losses to such powerhouse teams as East St. Louis, CBC, St. Mary’s, and IMG Academy. DeSmet is led by dual-threat quarterback Christian Cotton, who has passed for 1,616 yards and 14 touchdowns while rushing for 1,078 yards and 17 touchdowns.

District championship player highlights

• Running back Jeremiyah Love of CBC rushed for 139 yards on 11 carries and three touchdowns in a 42-7 victory over Marquette.

• Senior Brady Hultman of Francis Howell

scored three rushing touchdowns in the Vikings’ 42-7 victory over Fort Zumwalt North

• Quarterback Christian Cotton of DeSmet rushed for 188 yards on 17 carries and two touchdowns in the Spartans’ 44-21 victory over Rock Bridge.

• Running back Amorion Oliphant of Duchesne rushed for three touchdowns on runs on 71, 6 and 35 yards in the Pioneers’ 37-18 victory over Brentwood.

• Quarterback A.J. Raines of Timberland passed for 253 yards and two touchdown and rushed for 188 yards and a touchdown in the T’Wolves 41-24 victory over Helias.

State Quarterfinals upcoming

Class 5 Cape Girardeau Central at MICDS, Saturday, 1 p.m.

Grain Valley at Ft. Osage, Friday, 7 p.m.

Francis Howell at Timberland, Friday, 7 p.m. Carthage at Lebanon, Saturday, 2 p.m.

Class 4 Hillsboro at St. Mary’s, Saturday, 1 p.m.

History has a court date

Center at Smithville, Saturday, 1 p.m.

Parkway Central at St. Dominic, Saturday, 1 p.m.

Hannibal at West Plains, Friday, 7 p.m.

Class 3

Cardinal Ritter at Park Hills Central, Saturday, 1 p.m.

Pleasant Hill at Maryville, Saturday, 1 p.m.

St. Charles West at Sullivan, Friday, 7 p.m.

Reeds Spring at Boonville, Saturday, 1 p.m.

Class 2 Blair Oaks vs. Lift for Life at Cardinal Ritter, Saturday, 1 p.m.

Bowling Green at Lafayette County, Saturday, 1 p.m.

Mt. View Liberty at Seneca, Friday, 1 p.m.

Lamar at Holden, Saturday, 1 p.m.

Class 1

Portageville vs. Duchesne, Saturday, 1 p.m.

East Buchanan at Gallatin, Saturday, 1 p.m.

Marionville at Adrian, Saturday, 1 p.m. Lincoln at Monroe City, Saturday, 1 p.m.

Notre Dame prevails over feisty Cal in Shamrock Classic

By Earl Austin Jr. and Alvin A. Reid

With the holiday season near, homecomings will be aplenty, and a pair of elite women’s basketball shared one with thousands of fans last Saturday at Enterprise Center.

A huge portion of the St. Louis area basketball community turned out to celebrate former St. Louis area prep basketball stars Niele Ivey and Charmin Smith, respective women’s basketball coaches at Notre Dame and California.

Ivey’s Fighting Irish held off Smith’s Bears 90-79 in the inaugural Citi Shamrock Classic, and the entertaining, high scoring game was only part of the day’s story. Ivey led coach Muffet McGraw’s team to the national championship in the same building in 2001.

“Oh my gosh,” Ivey said following the game.

“I just went straight to the locker room. I feel like this is the same locker room. I think we’re having the same bench. I ran on the court like I did

afterwards just to get the vibes, but it was fun. It was fun going in the tunnel. I remember all of this. Super surreal to be back here again.”

After falling behind early, the Bears mounted a comeback and pulled within three points midway through the fourth quarter.

Playing in her native St. Louis and giving Notre Dame’s high-profile women’s basketball team a tough game did not make Smith sentimental about the game’s outcome. “We came here to win. We didn’t come here to feel good,” she told reporters after the game.

“We’re having a shift in this program. We’re winners, and I know we didn’t win today, but if we don’t start talking about it, acting like it, and walking and talking like winners, it’ll never happen.

Ivey and Smith are living the ultimate dream of many girls’ basketball players coming up through the ranks. Both were high school stars in the 1990’s as Ivey was an All-American

highest level during their collegiate careers as Ivey helped lead Notre Dame to the national championship in 2001 while Smith was a big part of three Final Four teams during her career at Stanford.

After graduating from these two high-level collegiate institutions, they also earned the opportunity to play at the highest level as they both spent time in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). Both spent several years as trusted assistant coaches before getting their head coaching opportunity

On Nov. 11, the coaches took their teams to the Mathews-Dickey Boys and Girls Club to visit with the area youths. It was because both Smith and Ivey played basketball at the club. At the conclusion of Saturday’s game, the two coaches came together to address the fans.

Ivey and Smith are two women of great accomplishment who serve as role models for a legion of girls in attendance at Mathews-Dickey and then the Enterprise Center. If you are a young African American with an interest in sports, there were many distinguished role models working in several capacities during the game. In addition to many of the players and the two head coaches, the entire television broadcast crew was comprised of Black women. Saturday›s game was historic as it marked the first live broadcast of a women›s college basketball game on the NBC and Peacock networks. Zora Stephenson was on the play-by-play, LaChina Robinson provided color commentary, and Isis Young was the game’s sideline reporter. All three announcers were former NCAA Division I basketball players who are now making their mark in the sports media. The officiating crew for the game also included three Black women while East St. Louis sports icon Jackie Joyner-Kersee was also in attendance.

Earl Austin Jr.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

East St. Louis QB Robert Battle (9) Battle has been outstanding in leading the Flyers to a state semifinal game, and his defense has not surrendered a point in three playoff games.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

St. Louisian Niele Ivey, head coach of the University of Notre Dame, instructs her team during a time out Saturday, Nov. 12. Notre Dame went on to defeat the Cal Golden Bears in the inaugural Citi Shamrock Classic.

Harris-Stowe’s TRIO Upward Bound program secures $1.4 million grant

Harris-Stowe State University’s TRIO Upward Bound program has secured a five-year, $1.4 million federal grant that will enable the program to continue its mission of helping participants graduate high school and successfully pursue postsecondary education.

Interim Executive Director of TRIO Programs, Dr. Jasmine Lewis said, “We’re grateful for the opportunity to impact lives and continue to support our students’ academic, social and emotional well-being. Not only are they leaders of tomorrow, but leaders of today.”

This grant enables HSSU’s Upward Bound program to continue its significant partnership with McCluer High School in Ferguson-Florissant School District, serving 60 high school students, grades 9-12.

McCluer High school Principal, Dr. Cedric Gerald said this program is breaking limitations and changing his students’ lives.

“TRIO Upward Bound at McCluer has created a space for my students to imagine themselves on a college campus,” he said.

Spire holds career expo at Hazelwood West

“It’s the exact opposite of the pipeline to prison; it is the pipeline to prosperity and the foundation to believing in the impossible!”

Upward Bound provides services during the academic year and the summer. During the academic year, meetings are held one Saturday a month from September through May on Harris-Stowe State University’s campus. For six weeks throughout the summer, participants engage in secondary and postsecondary classroom learning and cultural and educational activities.

To qualify for the grant, the HSSU Upward Bound program met extensive criteria, demonstrating need in the geographical areas it serves and detailing ambitious plans to fulfill the program’s core objectives: college-eligible GPA, math and English language arts proficiency on the state exam, retention in and graduation from high school, success in a rigorous high school curriculum, postsecondary enrollment and postsecondary completion.

Spire’s Field Operations employees were on-site at Hazelwood West High School on Wednesday, Nov. 9 for the “STL.Works” skilled career expo. It was a fantastic opportunity for Spire employees to showcase what it’s like to work in the natural gas industry. Spire’s employees had Spire vehicles and hands-on demonstrations for students to check out. Nicole Fondren, manager, talent acquisition, at Spire was also at the event to give classroom presentations. A booth was set up where students could ask questions about working at Spire and learn more about career opportunities in the natural gas industry.

St. Louis Teacher Residency receives $1.5 million gift

St. Louis Teacher Residency has received an unsolicited, one-time donation of $1.5 million from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott to expand and improve its work preparing and supporting candidates pursuing a career in high-needs public schools in the St. Louis region. Focused on the needs of urban schools and classrooms, STLTR offers residents a twoyear program, where year 1 culminates in a teaching certification, and residents earn a

master’s degree by the end of year 2. In the first year, the residency blends a rigorous classroom apprenticeship for emerging teachers with a carefully aligned sequence of academic coursework. Residents spend the year learning alongside a mentor teacher, while completing certification coursework that is tailored to the St. Louis context. Residents receive a stipend during the first year, as well as a guaranteed teaching position in one of STLTR’s partner schools or districts once they are certified.

In the second year, candidates become lead-teachers in their own classroom, and

continue to receive coaching and support from STLTR. They also enroll in graduate-level coursework through a local university partner, Washington University in St Louis, leading to a master’s degree in teaching and learning.

The group notes that 63% of 2022 residents are Black educators. The work to recruit a more diverse teaching workforce is especially crucial in the St. Louis region where in 2018, over 20% of Black, Latino, and Asian students attended a school without a single teacher who mirrored their own racial or ethnic background.

Living It

Women reign supreme in ‘Wakanda Forever’ Pulling some Stringz

Black girl magic central to emotionally charged ‘Black Panther’ sequel

By Kenya Vaughn The St. Louis American

“Wakanda forever” was introduced as a salutation in Black Panther, the box-office shattering 2018 film that transcended to cultural phenomenon status. Much like the movie, the greeting took on a life of its own and became interchangeable in real life with all that is Black and good

Largest retrospective ever of Black artist

By Chris King For The St. Louis American

Series” staged in the museum basement may be the most breathtaking work exhibited. Though the pieces end up being quite large, she fashioned them from thousands of small bronze plaques, woven together with gold wire and draped over metal and wooden

Stringz EMB covers seasons with rap releases

By Danielle Brown St. Louis American

Three months later and Stringz EMB’s “Black Summer” Ep is still going strong. EMB released the project on Aug. 9 featuring a vintage filter cover of him and his wife in the studio.

“Black Summer” is a single compilation part of a four-part EP series including “Black Fall,” “Black Winter,” and “Black Spring.”

courtesy of Marvel Studios

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” opened in theaters nationwide on November 11, 2022. Earning an estimated $180 million domestically, the film holds the new record for the highest grossing November debut in box office history.

– Black love, Black solidarity, Black power, and most of all Black achievement. It is a fitting sequel title for director Ryan Coogler’s follow up to the unapologetic display of Black excellence within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And like its predecessor, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever broke records when it arrived in theaters this week. With an estimated $180 million in domestic box office receipts alone, the film had the biggest November film debut in cinematic history.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever made a concerted effort to check every box on the list of fan expectations. The first task at hand for

frames. Especially “Cleopatra’s Chair” (1994) shimmers in the dimly lit space like a golden throne in a queen’s tomb.

The plaques are inscribed, not with hieroglyphics, but with symbols from the private language that Chase-Riboud has evolved. That same language is written in graphite on homemade paper in “Cleopatra’s Marriage Contract” (2000), alongside sketches and wax impressions from seals that look like passport stamps, with the actual seals dangling from the paper by cord.

the film was a monumental one – navigating the untimely passing of its original lead Chadwick Boseman, who passed away from colon cancer in 2020. Coogler and co-writer Joe Robert Cole wasted no time diving into the raw emotion of a community and culture in mourning. Both the T’Challa character and the actor who embodied him are given a hero king’s farewell in the opening scenes of “Wakanda Forever.” But the loss of T’Challa means that the sequel storyline teased in the original film gives way

Photo courtesy of the artist and Pulitzer Arts Foundation See Wakanda, C8

Chase-Riboud,

lighting women independently of any man who has been used to define them. (It’s not Cleopatra and Mark Antony’s Marriage Contract.) Also staged in the basement is her series on Sarah Baartman, the Southern African woman exploited by white showmen as “the Hottentot Venus.” Chase-Riboud figured Baartman in two vastly different bronzes and one drawing. One small bronze is a study for what became a monumental sculpture (“Africa Rising,” 1998) that stands in the Ted Weiss Federal Building in New York. This bust of Baartman has forms suggestive of primitive agricultural implements, snaky hair, and the human brain. A taller bronze devoted to Baartman, “Black Obelisk #2 (2007), evokes a slender squid fashioned from the barrels of guns. The main upstairs space of the museum is devoted to the monumental bronzes that give the show its name. Chase-Riboud forms the bronze into thin sheets with pleats and folds and places these complex forms atop silk typically formed in coils, all supported by a wooden or metal frame. That is, the assemblage may be monumental, but the bronze is worked into very thin

“[Black Summer] is my latest EP, leading into my next project,” EMB said. “This is a sampler platter for DJs and vibes, showing how I can get myself into different vibes. This is done at a quality level and I’m still giving you that natural sense you get from a particular type of music or genre.

The title comes from Black representing power, pride, while also addressing his insecurities.

“The project is me giving myself ,my uttermost insecure self, my most vulnerable self, my most open self during the ending part of the summer,” EMB said. The seven-track EP includes “Orion (Intro),” “Save Me (feat. KVtheWriter & Jay Marie),``’’You,” “Pure,” “Lost (feat. Tommo & T-Spirit),” “Party (feat. Zeus Rebel Waters),” and “LOUD!” (feat. EM Breese).”

Each track has its own distinct meaning. With the intro EMB dedicated the song as an homage to the track’s producer, whose name is Ryan.

“Only reason I called it Orion is because his name is Ryan and it was a play on words, ‘Oh, Ryan,’ you made this beat for me, thank you,” he said.

Coming off the strings heavy production, listeners are met with “Save Me,” an inspirational melody discussing mental warfare and kicking depression.

n “Black Summer” is one compilation part of a four-part EP series including “Black Fall,” “Black Winter,” and “Black Spring.”

“I can’t let depression get the best of me because I want you to see I can’t let the presence of all this stuff happening around me get the best of me,” he said. “I have so much more to show the world before I break down and leave this earth.”

The romantic feelings and deep admiration on “You,” is dedicated to EMB’s wife and the mother of their two kids. “My wife is everything to me and she deserves a sonnet dedicated to her.”

The transition of You’s love affair and matrimony transitions to “Pure,” an afrobeats rhythmic movement written in honor of EMB’s daughter.

“Lost,” is what EMB calls an experiment. He said he was “playing around on it and ended up rapping to it.” He added St. Louis talent hip-hop recording artist Tommo and spoken word artist T-Spirit to add that “extra umph.”

“Party,” is just as it sounds: a funky horn and drum infused high-energy celebration featuring worldwide sensation and St. Louis legacy artist Zeus Rebel Waters.

“The producer who made “Party”’s beat lives in Brazil,” EMB said. “I heard something different I don’t hear often. It immediately stuck out to me when I heard it and I thought

Barbara Chase-Riboud See Stringz EMB, C8

The honor paid to Cleopatra is in keeping both with Chase-Riboud’s engagement with world historical figures and her habit of spot-

Barbara Chase-Riboud’s solo exhibition at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation is titled after her large bronze sculptures, but the show reveals a wide range of the African American, Parisbased artist’s work, dating from 1966 to last year. The “Cleopatra

Photo

Stringz EMB’s “Black Summer” EP cover art

Babara

“La Musica Red Parkway, Josephine,” 2007. Bronze with red patina and silk.

Jackie

Corporate

Charter

Rahman

Community

Community

Cheri

Fathers

Cbabi

Visual

Cbabi Bayoc Originals St.

Deborah

with their pulsating energy, their shadows of skulls and masks, their ghosts of canyons and bones, after you have seen where they would lead.

sheets that are cast in various forms, none of them especially huge.

The Pulitzer has exhibited five such bronze sculptures dedicated to Malcolm X, though you wouldn’t pick the Malcolms out of the crowd.

“Malcolm X #13” (2008), like many of her bronze sculptures, suggests long, narrow African masks, though the only facial gesture is a hint of a sly smile.

“Malcolm X #9” (2007) looks like an African mask made of anvils and elephants. “Malcolm X #19” (2017) looks more like Darth Vadar than the sculpture’s namesake. “Malcolm X #18” (2016) is hardly figural at all, but here Chase-Riboud makes her statements on the surface of the bronze, which looks visibly hammered, deformed, weathered, and scarred.

My favorite of the bronze sculptures, “Woman’s Monument” (1998), stands alone in the basement vestibule. Its jumble of figural associations includes the Rosetta Stone, a Torah, a sled, a cowbell, the horn of a saddle and a giant tongue, all riddled with the artist’s private language. Sculptures she made in response to music and musicians (“La Musica”), also staged in the basement, do evoke musical instruments - a harp, a piano - but also mountainous cliffs, braided hair, the kind of iron you press clothes with, and a vacuum sweeper choking on its own cord.

To further indicate the range of this exhibition, curator Stephanie Weissberg of the Pulitzer also included drawings the artist made to complement her bronze monuments (where she replicates the tight coils of silk with amazingly intricate and obsessive marks in ink), all-white works on paper where she stitches her private language in synthetic white silk, and - in the front Entrance Gallery - charcoal and pencil drawings from the 1960s and early 1970s. These were drawn when Chase-Riboud was still trying to figure out who she would become, and it’s exciting to look at these sketches again,

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Only when exiting, if at all, will most visitors realize that

“Monumentale: The Bronzes” - the largest monographic exhibition of this major African American artist’s work to date - begins before you enter the museum. There in the museum’s Entrance Courtyard stands the most recent work in the show, also the most composed and restrained of the bronze monuments, “Standing Black Woman of Venice” (2021). I didn’t recognize it as part of the show on the way in because it looks like it belongs exactly there.

The Pulitzer, famously, has a permanent collection of precisely three pieces, the installations by Ellsworth Kelly (on the east wall), Scott Burton (by the water) and Richard Serra (out back). Perhaps the Pulitzer should buy and permanently exhibit its first piece by an artist who is neither white nor a man and leave “Standing Black Woman of Venice” right there where it is.

“Monumentale: The Bronzes” will be exhibited at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation through February 5, 2023.

Photo courtesy of the artist and Pulitzer Arts Foundation

Babara Chase-Riboud, “All That Rises Must Converge/ Red,” 2008. Bronze, silk, cotton and synthetic fibers.

Families can celebrate holiday with ‘Brown Baby Jesus’

Black author Dorena Williamson’s new children’s book is an outstanding holiday gift idea because it centers on Jesus and the family that surrounded him during his life.

“Brown Baby Jesus” is a story of faith that spans generations and locales, while examining Jesus’s upbringing and using pivotal Biblical tales.

Williamson’s story of Jesus does not begin in a Bethlehem manger. Instead, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus have fled to Egypt, in hope of escaping King Herod’s wrath. Wrath had ordered the death of male Jewish children.

The family, portrayed with brown skin in illustrator Ronique Ellis’ portrait-focused art, avoids soldiers and walks along the Nile. As Mary spins wool into yarn, she and Joseph detail Bible stories that interweave

like “colorful threads that make a beautiful cloth,” according to a Publisher’s Weekly review. Biblical stories include Moses and the Israelites, Rahab and Jerusalem, and others. Across all the tales are the repeated themes of “God kept showing up for His people,” and “Jesus made His home with humankind when he entered the world wrapped in the brown skin of a newborn baby.”

“Like Moses, brown baby Jesus would be a deliverer. Like Rahab, brown baby Jesus would save His people from destruction. Like David, brown baby Jesus would rule as a great king,” Williamson writes of her new book.

“Like the colorful threads that make up a beautiful cloth, Brown Baby Jesus brings together the characters and

stories leading to Jesus—showing how God included many races and nations in the story we celebrate each year.”

Kingdom,” Williamson says on her website.

“While raising my four children, I read aloud tons of illustrated books at home and in their schools. And even though my house has outgrown those books, I’m still pretty passionate about the messages our kids get about themselves and the world around them.”

By Preston T. Adams

His mother said to the servants,

“Do whatever he tells you.” -John 2:5

John’s gospel brings us to Jesus’ first public miracle. It wasn’t healing the sick. It wasn’t raising the dead. It wasn’t even anything spiritual. It was turning water into wine. Think about that for a moment. The first recorded “miracle” of Jesus occurs at a public celebration.

The Life Application Study Bible notes that Jesus was on a mission to save the world, the greatest mission in the history of humankind. Yet, He took time to attend a wedding and take part in its festivities. We may be tempted to think that we should not take time out from our “important work” for social occasions. But these social occasions are often an important part of our overall mission.

Social occasions are amazing opportunities to share our

faith. Many people who are not followers of Christ or regular church attenders (if they attend at all) frequent social events. Jesus valued weddings because they involved people. And Jesus came to be with people. Our mission as Jesus’ disciples can often be accomplished in the joyous times of celebration with others. Some of our most effective ministry will not happen in the confines of the church walls, in church settings or with church people! Some might be alarmed by this statement because we have been lulled into thinking that every interaction with unchurched people has to be “churchy” or “oily.”

Though the stories’ intersections may not be clear to those not already knowledgeable on the Biblical passages the book includes, “they successfully portray a diverse family tree for the much-celebrated child, whose ‘wooly hair and bronze skin are a beautiful part of how God made You.’”

I’ve found that attending backyard barbecues, graduation celebrations, sporting events and other non-church social gatherings allow people to see a more human side of me. It also allows us to meet people where they are, in the comforts and confines of their world. This is the example we see Jesus displaying in John’s writing. Let’s look a little deeper at the text. Weddings in Jesus’ day were weeklong festivals. Banquets would be prepared for many guests and the week would be spent celebrating the new life of the married couple. Often the whole town was invited, and everyone would come. It was considered an

“My passion for race and justice has grown out of the multiracial church I co-planted 25 years ago. I am grateful for every opportunity to stand on large stages or labor in my community, building God’s Diverse

insult to refuse an invitation to a wedding.

To accommodate the many people who would attend, careful planning was performed. Running out of wine was not only an embarrassment; it broke the strong unwritten laws of hospitality. Jesus was simply about to respond to a heartfelt need and help his neighbors avoid a major embarrassment. We can learn two things from this biblical account. First, don’t dismiss the messenger. Mary was the messenger, not Jesus. If we are not careful, we can miss the message by dismissing the messenger. Mary did not understand what Jesus was going to do, but she trusted him to do what was right. So, she told the servants: “Do whatever He tells you.”

Finally, don’t miss your

A fan of DC Comics superheroes Superman and Wonder Woman. Williamson said, “Whether it’s in the Bible, books, or on the big screen, I love a good story.”

“Brown Baby Jesus” is appropriate for children ages 3–7. It is available through Christianbook.com. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, and Wal-Mart.

miracle. When we run into difficulties that we don’t understand, we must continue to trust Jesus to work out the situation in the best way possible. Mary submitted to Jesus’ way of doing things. She recognized that Jesus was more than her human son.

SLDC IS EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

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

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

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

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

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

CITY OF CLAYTON

HIRING FOR PT AND FT POSITIONS

The City of Clayton is hiring for PT and FT positions. Apply at https://bit.ly/3pGDCgY EOE

FOSTER CARE CASE MANAGER

MAPLEWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT

Hiring for police officer position

Must be POST Class A certified.

$62,290 – Six year top $85,952 www.cityofmaplewood.com

PUBLIC RELATIONS CONSULTANT

The City of Jennings is seeking to engage with a Public Relations Consultant to perform the following duties: supporting the city in maintaining and improving its image; serving as a liaison between the City and the media; preparing and presenting press releases; assist with building positive relationships amongst the community, businesses, and city officials; managing the City’s social media platforms. Qualified candidates should submit their proposal to Deletra Hudson, City Clerk, at cityclerk@cityofjennings.org

Include on the subject line: PUBLIC RELATIONS CONSULTANT.

Ensure accuracy and timely completion of responsibilities within the financial reporting and analysis area, as well as the reporting analysis area with regard to internal management reporting.

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

DATA SCIENTIST I

Writes software utilizing analytics and machine learning to the achieve business goals and objectives of the company under immediate supervision. Demonstrates clear and working knowledge and concepts of software development, data science and learning algorithms. Responsible for the internal application programming and analysis of requirements using various technologies.

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

DIRECTOR – PUBLIC ENTITY UNDERWRITING

Responsible for underwriting multi-line public entity new business and renewal accounts as part of Safety National’s Public Entity vertical. Includes evaluation and development of requested forms and endorsements; consistent application of underwriting appetite, including retention levels and pricing approach, as related to public entity individual accounts and self-insured groups. To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational.com/careers-page/

To assist the Finance and Accounting Department with cash receipts, accounts payable, and to assist in other accounting and administrative duties.

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

CLAIMS ANALYST

Responsible for handling assigned claims from initial assignment to closure, as well as provide assistance in various administrative functions associated with the Excess WC LOB.

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

PLAN REVIEWER/ BUILDING INSPECTOR

The City of Richmond Heights is accepting applications for the position of Plan Reviewer/ Building Inspector $64,193$71,337 . To apply go to https:// richmondheights.applicantpro. com/jobs/ .

IT SERVICE DESK MANAGER

The Service Desk Manager reports directly to the Director of IT Service Management and oversees / supports the day-to-day activities of the Service Desk teams, Incident Management, and Service Request Management.

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

PUBLIC WORKS LABORER

The City of Richmond Heights is accepting applications for the position of Public Works Laborer $37,996 - 40,765 . To apply go to https://richmondheights. applicantpro.com/jobs/

EXECUTIVE ANALYST

Individual is primarily responsible for performing reserving analysis functions required by the Company, in addition to forecasting or analysis functions.

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

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

PARIC Corporation is seeking proposals for the following

project: ARCHVIEW, 200 NORTH 4TH

PARIC Corporation is soliciting bids for the ARCHVIEW located on 200 North 4th Street. St Louis, MO. The project consists of renovating the Historic recognized Archview (Previously known as City Place Tower or Mansion House South) located on 200 North 4th Street. St. Louis, MO 63102 into a 407 unit apartment building including an outdoor promenade amenity and community space. Access to documents is available from our Smartbid link, invitations to bid will be sent out on 11/3/22. If you do not received a bid invitation please send your company information to tlalexaner@paric.com.

The last day for questions is 11/21/22.

A PREBID meeting will be held on 11/10/22 at 10:00am at the project site on 200 North 4th Street.

BIDS WILL BE DUE ON DECEMBER 1, 2022 @ 2:00pm

Send all interior & exterior construction questions to Michael Skalski mskalski@paric.com

Send all fire protection, plumbing, mechanical, & electrical questions to Cory Hoke choke@paric.com.

Goals for Construction Business Enterprise

• 21% African American

• 11% Women

• .5% Asian American

• .5% Native American

• 2% Hispanic American

Goals for Workforce (field) participation

• 25% Minority • 7% Women

• 20% Apprentice • 23% City of St Louis Resident

All bids should be delivered to PARIC via e-mail (bids@paric.com) or fax (636-561-9501). PARIC CORPORATION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Replace Kitchen Flooring at Western Reception Diagnostic Correctional Center and Replace Dry Pipe Sprinkler System (Re-Bid) at Northwest Missouri Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center, Project Nos. C200101 and M2005-01, respectively, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 12/8/2022 via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. Project information available at http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Replace BAS and HVAC System, Supervision Center Building at Community Supervision Center, Project No. C2010-01, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 12/20/2022 via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. Project information available at http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Replace Ice BuildersBuilding #13 at Jefferson City Correctional Center, Project No. C2009-01, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 12/20/2022 via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. Project information available at http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

BIDS

Confluence Academies is seeking bids for Bus Transportation Services beginning July 1 for our 2023-2024 school year. Interested companies should visit our website, www.confluenceacademy.org for more information and proposal requirements. A mandatory pre-bid meeting will be held on December 7, 2022 at 10:00 AM at our Resource Office – 611 N. 10th Street, Suite 525, St. Louis, MO 63101.

WEBSTER GROVES SCHOOL DISTRICT SUMMER 2023 HVAC UPGRADES

Sealed bids are requested from qualified Design-Build contractors for building HVAC upgrades at the following schools: Hudson Elementary, Clark Elementary, and Edgar Rd. Elementary. Bidders must attend a mandatory pre-bid meeting on November 22, 2022, at 2:00 PM at Hudson Elementary School, 9825 Hudson Ave., St. Louis, MO, 63119, for bids to be considered. Only Design-Build contractors meeting the requirements within the specifications will be considered as qualified bidders. Bids will be received by Rob Steuber, CPM, at 2:00 P.M. on December 6, 2022, at the Webster Groves School District Service Center at 3232 S. Brentwood Blvd., Webster Groves, MO, 63119. Public bid opening will follow immediately thereafter. The projects consist of the following work:

• Replacement of HVAC systems including RTUs and boilers. Contract documents are available by contacting Facility Solutions Group (Jacob Bross) at 314-705-3768. The contract documents will be available on November 21, 2022.

The Owner reserves the right to reject any and all bids. Bidders must provide a Bid Bond in the amount of 5% of the proposed contract sum. The successful bidder will be required to provide 100% Performance and Payment Bonds, and to comply with the Missouri Department of Labor Standards Prevailing Wage Rates. www.webster.k12.mo.us

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

Great Rivers Greenway is requesting qualifications for Project Controls Services. Go to www.greatriversgreenway org/jobs-bids and submit by December 19, 2022

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

Great Rivers Greenway is seeking qualifications from firms/ individuals for social media consulting services. Check https://greatriversgreenway. org/jobs-bids/ and submit by December 9, 2022.

St. LouiS american Bids & Public Notices

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

LU22032 Dawson Hall Project (REVISED on 11/10/22 from an RFQ to an RFP)

Lincoln University of Missouri will be accepting RFP’s (Request for Proposal) for Construction Management services to renovate the Universities largest residential facility, Dawson Hall. If interested, please submit a request for a copy of the RFP documents to lufacilitiesplanning@lincolnu.edu. Office of Facilities and Planning, 309 Young Hall, Lincoln University, Jefferson City, Missouri. All submissions are due by noon on November 29, 2022.

The Twenty-Second Judicial Circuit is currently soliciting bid proposals for ceiling repairs at the Civil Court Building. The request for proposal is available on the Court’s website www.stlcitycircuitcourt.com Click on General Information, Then Request for Proposals. A mandatory pre-bid meeting will be held on December 16, 2022 at 9:30 a.m. in the lobby at the Civil Court Building, located at 10 N. Tucker, St. Louis, MO 63101. Bids are due December 22, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. EOE

AUCTION NOTICE

The following People are in debt to Gateway Storage Mall .The Contents of their storage unit(s) will be sold at auction to compensate all or part of their debt.

Auction at the Gateway Storage, Columbia, IL location will be held online with www.storageauctions com and will end at 10:00am, December 6th, 2022. A cash deposit will be required for all winning bids.

Unit 1- Sue Mason, Unit 23- Lisa Tate, Unit 58- Gregory Arras, Unit 107- Krystal Bostic, Unit 203- Tami Setzer, Unit 6174- Scott Schifferdecker

For all rules, regulations, and bidding process, please contact www. storageauctionscom. For all other questions, please call (618) 744-1588 or mail: 300 Rueck Rd, Columbia IL, 62236

INVITATION TO BID

FERGUSONFLORISSANT SCHOOL DISTRICT CUSTODIAL CLEANING EQUIPMENT

Sealed bids for custodial cleaning equipment are being requested from the Ferguson Florissant School District and will be received and publicly opened on Thursday December 1, 2022 @ 1:00pm CST at the Operation and Maintenance dept. located at 8855 Dunn Rd. (REAR) Hazelwood, MO 63042. Bid specs must be obtained at http://new.fergflor. k12.mo.us/facilities-rfq. Contact Shawn Everett at (314) 824-2415 for further information/questions.

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Closure of Multiple Lagoons and Wells, Central Missouri Correctional Facility, Project No. C1919-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, December 15, 2022. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (District), the Owner, will receive sealed bids for Bissell - Coldwater - Missouri - Meramec Public I/I Reduction (2023) Contract D under Letting No. 12586-015.1, at its office, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103, until 2:00 PM, local time, on Thursday, December 22, 2022. All bids are to be deposited in the bid box located on the first floor of the District’s Headquarters prior to the 2:00 p.m. deadline. Bids may, however, be withdrawn prior to the opening of the first bid. BIDS WILL BE PUBLICLY OPENED AND READ IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE BID DUE DATE/TIME AT 2350 MARKET STREET.

The Work to be performed under these Contract Documents consists of: The work to be done under this contract consists of the rehabilitation of approximately 58,329 lineal feet of sanitary sewers, varying in size from 6-inches to 30-inches in diameter, utilizing cured-in-place-pipe (CIPP) methods, 59 manholes, 808 service connections, and 23 point repairs. The project is with in the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District Boundaries, inside the city(ies) of Ballwin, Fenton, and Sunset Hills, in the State of Missouri. The work will be per formed in various quantities at various sites.

All prospective bidders must prequalify in the Cured-In-Place Pipe (CIPP) category, and be certified prior to the Bid Opening. Prequalification forms for obtaining said certification may be obtained from the Owner at the above mentioned address. All bidders must obtain drawings and specifications in the name of the entity submitting the bid.

This project will be financed through the Missouri State Revolving Fund, established by the sale of Missouri Water Pollution Control bonds and Federal Capitalization Grants to Missouri. Neither the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, its divisions, nor its employees will be party to the contract at any tier. Any Bidder whose firm or affiliate is listed on the GSA publication titled “List of Parties Excluded from Federal Procurement or Non-Procurement Programs” is prohibited from the bidding process; bids received from a listed party will be deemed non-responsive. Refer to Instructions to Bidders B-27 for more information regarding debarment and suspension.

Nondiscrimination in Employment: Bidders on this work will be required to comply with the President’s Executive Order 11246. Requirements for bidders and contractors under this order are explained in the specifications.

Plans and Specifications are available from free electronic download. Please go to MSD’s website and look for a link to “ELECTRONIC PLANROOM.” Plans and Specifications are also available for viewing or purchase at Cross Rhodes Reprographics located at 2731 S. Jefferson Ave St Louis, MO 63118. The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer and invites the submission of bids from Women and Minority Business Enterprises.

ENTERTAINMENT & PRODUCTION SERVICES RFP 2022

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Horn Branch Reclamation Project, Henry County, Project No. Y2204-01, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 1/10/2023 via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. Project information available at: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

The Saint Louis Zoo seeks bids from qualified firms to submit proposals for Entertainment & Production Services RFP 2022. Bid documents are available as of 11/16/22 on the Saint Louis Zoo website: stlzoo.org/vendor

HVAC BIDS NEEDED FOR PINE LAWN

Heat/Cooling Bids Due by Nov. 28, 2022 @ 6250 Steve Marre Ave. Pine Lawn, Mo. 63121

Bidders must be licensed/ bonded/insured Also

Pine Lawn is HIRING for Deputy City/Housing/ Court Clerks Apply at Address Above

to a new reality. Women assume the position of protecting the nation and its most prized natural resource. With the loss of her son, who inherited the throne from his father, Queen Ramonda must step forward for Wakanda. She, Princess Shuri, Okoye, and her Dora Milaje women warriors face threats from every angle from the nations determined to acquire their vibranium by any means necessary in the absence of The Black Panther. Their attempt at hostile acquisition inadvertently awakens an under the radar foe that puts the entire globe at risk.

Black women step up to protect the future of Wakanda, using their intellect and physical strength to protect Wakanda from foreseeable doom. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever serves up a taste of an

Afrofuturistic Hidden Figures as Shuri finds an unlikely new partner in science. Familiar faces – and a few fresh ones – are effective in giving portrayals that continue the legacy of Black excellence and Black power that drew fans to the original Black Panther Angela Bassett is in good form as she leads the cast with her Queen Ramonda. While grieving the loss of her son Wakanda’s beloved king, she maintains her strength as opposing forces assume

disconnect that comes when the pursuit and practice of technology is favored over wisdom, spiritual and cultural principles. Danai Gurira efficiently reprises her role of Okoye. And Winston Duke once again steals more than one scene with his brief but brooding – and hilarious – presence as M’Baku. Also returning is Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia, though her return feels more like an afterthought than a central element of the story. Michaela Coel, and Dominique Thorne and Julia Louis Dreyfuss make their franchise debut. As does Tenoch Huerta, who ushers in a cultural sidebar for the Latinx community.

At nearly two hours and 45 minutes in duration, “Wakanda Forever” works with intention and diligence – nearly to exhaustion – to give anticipating audiences the film they feel they deserve. True to form with Marvel films is the pitfall of trying to please everybody.,

tied together.”

The EM in EMB, stands for easy money meaning whatever you put your mind to becomes second nature. The B stands for bloodline, keeping it in the family, since he started doing music with his cousin.

His first taste of music came in kindergarten when he was asked to lead his graduation and performed “Lean On Me,” and “Wake Up Everybody.” Then from there he grew inspired by an older cousin who did music.

But it wasn’t until 2014, that he says he “took music seriously.”

“I was working at this job where I was one of the top representatives and I was supposed to receive a significant payout, but they weren’t paying me,” he said.

“After losing that job, I became really depressed.” He said songs were delivered to him divinely, and he started performing karaoke.

His easy-going, positive outlook on life and uplifting

which means periods of wading through seemingly aimless subplots and backstory. But a few things set “Wakanda Forever” apart to compel their undivided attention. The first is the breathtaking imagery. The aesthetic of Africa was as critical to the film as any character in the original Black Panther. Ruth E. Carter’s Academy Award-winning costumes, Hannah Beachler’s production design and Rachel Morrison’s cinematography are a love letter to the continent. Carter and Beachler return in all their glory with “Wakanda Forever,” while Autumn Durald Arkapwaw impressively takes the baton from Morrison. And like Killmonger in the original, “Wakanda Forever” also presents Marvel fans with an adversary that is not evil just for evil’s sake. Namor is the king of an ancient civilization who – like the people of Wakanda – resorted to drastic measures to protect their people from the terror of colonization. Certain elements become convoluted, and the story drags a bit as Wakanda powers through crises that put the fate of the nation at risk. However, the central theme of the film is crystal clear –and especially timely considering the current political

lyricism has been compared to B.o.B., Andre 3000, Mali Music, and Anthony Hamilton. EMB doesn’t categorize the music he makes though. He takes the approach of creating what feels best and goes with that.

“Continue to follow me on this journey,” he said. “Things are looking good and feeling good. It’s a lot of work but it’s good work, it’s labor of love.” Stringz EMB’s music is available on all music platforms.