November 23rd, 2023 Edition

A young living Legacy

Inspired teen Legacy Jackson thankful to serve community

By Ashley Winters St. Louis American

Legacy Jackson is making a name for herself as a philanthropist who inspires young people to give back to the community.

The 14-year-old freshman and cheerleader at Cardinal Ritter College Prep High School, recently made history as the youngest person to lead a Ted Talk in the state of Missouri.

The young scholar discussed the challenge of making community service fun to encourage teens to get involved in helping their respective neighborhoods.

“The world will be a better place,” said Jackson.

Jackson, who began volunteering with her family at age 4, noticed there weren’t kids her age involved. Three years later at seven years old, Jackson founded her nonprofit Little Legacies in 2016.

The nonprofit has completed projects each month, ranging from starting a library with over 2,000 books for the Annie Malone

See JACKSON, A7

Plenty of love and food handed out to open holiday season

By Ashley Winters St. Louis American

Mike McMillan, Urban League president and CEO said the annual event is also a testament to a region willing to help one another.

“I get a tremendous amount of joy from seeing so many people from so many different backgrounds come together to serve their neighbors who are in need,” he said.

McMillan said the rising costs of food and other expenses are impacting people on fixed incomes more now than in past

Gloria Taylor’s giving spirit has left us

CWAH co-founder passes at 86

By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American

Gloria LaVal Taylor, a co-founder of Community Women Against Hardship and renowned health care advocate, passed on Nov. 18, 2023, at the age of 86. After reading a report detailing the height of poverty in families headed by Black females, Taylor and the late Betty J. Lee, a respected journalist and civil rights activist, founded the organization. The women did more than read the statistics. They acted by founding CWAH “with the idea that the people in need would one day be in a position to give back to others.”

Taylor and Lee were employed by the late Marguerite Ross Barnett, former chancellor of the University of MissouriSt. Louis, when they read the dire poverty assessment.

“I said, what can I do to make a difference?” said Taylor, who served as an executive assistant to the chancellor.

“I’m here at the top of a university and what can I do now to give back?”

Taylor and Lee purchased a former

See TAYLOR, A6

By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American

U.S Rep Cori Bush is no longer the only Missouri congressperson supporting a ceasefire in Gaza.

n “We have to have a cessation of hostilities.”

– U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II

U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II of Kansas City said for the first time on Saturday that he too favors a cease-fire and joins the more than 30 members of Congress who have called for a cease-fire. “We have to have a cessation of hostilities,” Cleaver told KCUR. “I think guns should go silent. We need to cease the fighting.”

The Kansas City Democrat also committed to withdrawing House Bill 6367, the Armed Conflict Migration Act, which is meant to facilitate humanitarian aid in Gaza, but which critics say could See CLEAVER, A7

University of Missouri Hall of Famer’s, Johnny Roland, Howard Richards and Pete Woods load Thanksgiving meals into cars at the Urban League building on North Kingshighway Tuesday, Nov. 21.

Legacy Jackson inspired young students during the “Hey Black Child – African American Bookcase” celebration during Black History Month 2023 at Hickey Elementary and Pre-K.

Photo courtesy of Little Legacies

Gloria Taylor

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Lamorne Morris a lawman in Fargo: Season Five

It’s been more than two years since Chris Rock character lay dying on his Kansas City porch from a stab wound in the final scene of the fourth season of The epic black comedy/drama, which is as full of humor as it is violence, returns to FX for its fifth season at 8 p.m. Tuesday Nov. 21, 2023, with actor orne Morris playing a key role in the anthology series.

Morris plays North Dakota deputy Witt Farr, who works under crooked Sheriff Roy Tillman. St. Louis’ own Jon Hamm portrays Tillman.

Morris played the character Winston in the comedy New Girl, and has had leading roles in Woke, Game Night, Jumanji: The Next Level, and more.

Michael Weyer of Hidden Remote writes, “[Morris] may be toning down the comedy aspects Fargo but he’s still capable of some fun touches to make the story gel.”

ida, T-Pain’s numbers are mind-blowing. He has sold over 50 million singles and rocketed to No. 1 10 times on the Billboard Hot 100. Add to that billions of streams and you certainly have a legend.

concert on Nov. 10, 2023. Rock allegedly stormed Braxton’s dressing room and assaulted Chanel, bloodying his nose and chipping a tooth.

T-Pain gains Soul Train Awards ‘Legendary’ status

Six-time GRAMMY

winner T-Pain will receive the ‘Legend’ award at “Soul Train Awards” 2023, BET is reporting. A native of Tallahassee, Flor-

T-Pain stands among the most memorable and enviable in the business. He has reshaped the fabric of the music industry, and his influence transcends generations in pop, Hip Hop, and R&B,” said Connie Orlando, a BET executive vice president.

The Soul Train Awards will air at 7 p.m. Sunday November 26 on BET and BET Her.

Tamar Braxton’s friend allegedly gets Rocked

Singer and reality TV star Tamar Braxton and James Wright Chanel have accused Chrisean Rock of assaulting Chanel backstage at a Braxton

A witness to Rock’s alleged assault on Chanel alleged that the rapper was “upset” because she did not perform at Braxton’s concert Friday night. As the allegations went public on Instagram, Rock charged it was “false narratives” and then deactivated all social media accounts.

Braxton posted a video titled “Justice for James,” where she said, “I’m tired y’all. I don’t know about this pt2 tour. Meanwhile, James is at the dentist getting new teeth. Y’all leave me alone. I was only trying to show CR [Chrisean Rock] love. I still think she needs hugs and real people…”

Sources: FanSided, BET, The Shade Room

Lamorne Morris

T-Pain

James Wright James Chanel

Ismail Botchway honored as BGCSTLYouth of the year

St. Louis American

Ismail Botchway, a 17-year-old senior at the Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience, will never forget the October 24, 2022, morning when a former student entered the school and killed a fellow student and teacher before police killed the assailant.

Botchway discussed the traumatic impact the event had on him and fellow students when he accepted the 2023 Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis (BGCSTL) Youth of the Year Award during the Great Futures Gala on Oct. 25, 2023.

He began his speech with, “Broken. Afraid” as he recounted the day, which fell almost exactly a year earlier.

A few days before the shooting, Botchway and 19 other students formed Community St. Louis, which is designed to promote diversity and inclusion at respective schools.

After the shootings, the mission changed, and he transformed the organization, enabling it to provide

direct mental health support to affected students.

“It dramatically helped students with coping skills and served as a place for mental health check-ins,” Botchway explained.

Flint Fowler, BGCSTL president and CEO said Botchway’s honor is the highest achievement a member can claim. He called the Youth of the Year Award “a national signature youth recognition program that celebrates contributions to their family, school, community, and their Boys & Girls Club.

Ismail was honored at the St. Louis Armory during the organization’s largest fundraising event, raising over $660,000 last year.

In addition to a $5,000 scholarship courtesy of Frank Leta Automotive, Botchway will represent the club as a Teen Ambassador for the 2023-24 year.

succeed, and inspire,” said Fowler.

KSDK morning anchor Renee Knott hosted the gala. The gala committee included event co-chairs Michele & Brad Sowers and Linda & Matt Renner. Other Great Futures sponsors included Anders, EY, Evernorth, Purina, Stifel, and US Bank.

BGCSTL’s mission is to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who are underserved, to realize their full potential as productive,

In April, he received the Dr. Flint Fowler and June McAllister Fowler award for his outstanding leadership and volunteerism at the Women’s Leadership Table For Four event.

Botchway also paid homage to being a second-ge-

As a Teen Center of Excellence Club member and St. Louis Internship Program participant, Botchway “displays a sense of leadership and compassion for his community, peers, and the Club,” said Fowler.

neration member of BGC Mathews-Dickey during his remarks.

“The Boys and Girls Clubs is my safe space and has empowered me to become a servant leader and advocate in my community,” he said. Four finalists competed for BGCSTL’s top honor as Youth of the Year.

“We are incredibly excited for Ismail and congratulate all the Youth of the Year candidates. The Youth of the Year program honors our nation’s most awe-inspiring young people on their path to great futures and encourages all kids to lead,

Photo courtesy of BGCSTL

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis Youth of the Year winner Ismail Botchway delivering an emotional speech.

Editorial/Commentary

As

we give

thanks, looking forward to a more equitable future

The Ga people of Ghana, West Africa, begin a celebration in August that continues as a month-long thanksgiving known as Ga Homowo — the Harvest Festival. Many ethnic groups in Ghana and all over Africa have similar traditions.

Ceremonies and rituals vary, but the purpose is the same — remembering lean times, being thankful for present blessings, and praying for future abundance. There are no written documents to account for the origin of Homowo. But, according to traditional stories, the Ga people emigrated from the Middle East and descended throughout the Sahara to Benin City in Nigeria. They settled there for a time before relocating to Accra, some time between the 14th and 16th centuries.

Legends say the Ga had only a bit of corn and palm oil when they landed, which women ground and mixed together to make kpokpoi. After the men caught fish, the clan enjoyed their first meal after landing — kpokpoi and fish soup.

The immigrants planted millet and corn seeds they had brought with them. Then, they endured a long, lean waiting period while crops matured. When the harvest came, the Ga held a feast and gave thanks to their gods. The first celebration became the Hom Yi Womo, meaning a “hooting at hunger.”

Thanksgiving began in the United States in the 17th century as a celebration, a friendly coming-together of European settlers and the indigenous people of North America. The Native Americans had welcomed the Pilgrims to this land and shared the vast knowledge they had about the continent’s flora and fauna. They explained planting corn and plowing and taught the newcomers trapping and fishing.

According to tradition, both peoples slaughtered turkeys, made dressing, and had a version of cranberry sauce at the first Thanksgiving. They feasted together. During those tough early days for the newcomers, Native Americans extended their hands and opened their hearts. Their hospitality and support helped Europeans survive in an unfamiliar land.

We know of the bitter and bloody relationship that subsequently developed when conquest and colonization replaced the spirit of sharing and cooperation. The vicious assault on Native Americans is not widely discussed anymore. The holiday has come to mean turkey and the trimmings, pre-Christmas sales and football. The history of the brutal process used by Europeans to dispossess the original people of their land is not pretty. And

now it is almost completely ignored.

In Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad had Marlowe define the “conquest of the Earth” as “taking from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves.”

In both sub-Saharan Africa and North America, the native people were mostly cooperative in the early days of European arrival. Nevertheless, conquest and colonization ensued later on both sides of the Atlantic.

Although some of us of African descent in this country now enjoy modest affluence, the overall status of our people must be defined largely in terms of the marginalized and less fortunate.

For those without jobs, without hope or dignity in the troubled neighborhoods of St. Louis or the squalor of Soweto or Port-au-Prince, Thanksgiving can be meaningless and is certainly no holiday. It is mostly a grim reminder of misery and powerlessness.

African Americans should not forget the early occasion that brought this particular holiday into existence in this country. We must dedicate ourselves to remember the “least among us” in a society that has effectively shut out so many of our people. Indeed, we are especially obligated to support policies and initiatives that strengthen family life and enable the poor to share in the nation’s bounty.

That is more true today than ever. The overtly racist, misogynist, hate-mongering ex-U.S. president who frequently stood with white nationalists and white supremacists, not to mention hostile foreign powers, while undermining and abandoning many of this nation’s strongest, most productive, and protective alliances, is out of office now. His malign influence continues to exert major influence on his party and its conduct. A menace to democracy and beleaguered in the courts, he has announced his intention to seek the Republican nomination for president for a third time and is the leading contender for the nomination.

His return to campaigning means the greater spread of misinformation, including an increased acceptance of hate speech as well as increase in the likelihood of political violence.

Let us all give thanks for what blessings we have — and commit ourselves to resisting resurgent white nationalism and white male supremacy and working toward a more equitable future in policies that lead us more forthrightly toward greater fairness, where blessings are more justly shared.

We must continue improving race relations, parenting, building healthy family units, eradicating hunger, eliminating homelessness, and reducing drug and substance abuse.

Making the most of the holiday season

The holiday season provides an opportunity for us to celebrate and discover lasting meaning that could carry us to new heights of understanding and rejuvenation.

The “Three Rs,” Reflection, Renewal, and Resolve, can begin within each of us and then spread.

Some of us have been engaged for weeks and months planning meals, making lists of family members, friends, and colleagues to invite to gatherings. Shopping for gifts, no doubt, got an even earlier start.

But shopping, feasting, partying, and all the merriment need not be all consuming.

Most assuredly, we welcome the break and escape from the rancorous political environment that invades our mental space and sense of peace.

Whether local, state, or national politics, that is not all there is as hard as it might seem to be.

Total escape from the tough circumstances we face as a country, gun violence, and entrenched political polarization is difficult.

There is no better time than the holiday season to use downtime to reflect, renew and resolve; to address some of those things that can help us better navigate uncertain or turbulent times.

Reflection. We only need to pause, look around, and pay closer attention to people and conditions around us.

is based on how one views the purpose for their life.

Our sense of self-worth, and the value we bring to those around us and the community, can get lost and we suffer immeasurably.

This is where self-reflection can be the beginning of real renewal.

If we reflect on our world, near and afar, we see the toll lifestyles and misplaced emphasis has taken on the human spirit.

We must commit to the discussion and renewal of personal and social values that count, that have lasting meaning.

We must continue improving race relations, parenting, building healthy family units, eradicating hunger here, eliminating homelessness, and reducing drug and substance abuse.

This is where the third R comes in: Resolve

Undoubtedly, we have a lot to be thankful for and celebrate this holiday season. Keep in mind how far we have yet to go to advance the overall well-being of humankind.

If we put more reflection, renewal and resolve into doing those things that support our common humanity, it could be a solid foundation from which to tackle challenges that threaten our quality of life, even our existence.

For some, the holiday season is the beginning of the most joyous time of the year, with all the decorations and holiday signs — one happy event after the other.

But, for others, it is the beginning of a stressful, even depressive time.

While many of us may be fortunate to enjoy each holiday, with all its trappings with family and friends, there are those who see little to celebrate.

This is where to apply the second R: Renewal

Too often, much of a “state of want” or “painful emptiness” has nothing to do with money or material things. Instead, it

Whether it is in our home, our neighborhood, our schools, or the global community, scientific, technological, and medical advances will not fix a down-trodden human spirit.

Major change often begins with one person, in one community, in one city.

Implementing those three Rs can prepare and equip us to deal with an uncertain future and find a better path forward.

Missouri Independent columnist Janice Ellis analyzes educational, political, social, and economic issues across race, ethnicity, age, and socio-economic status.

Shall we say grace?

By Marian Wright Edelman

I’ve shared before the description of an editorial cartoon my father displayed in the vestibule of our church that made a deep impression on me. It was a blackand-white drawing by the Pulitzer Prizewinning artist, Herblock, that was originally published in the Washington Post in October 1947.

It shows well-dressed, happy people sitting at a banquet table overflowing with so much food the table cannot hold any more.

Hovering behind them and filling the rest of the image is a crowd of gaunt, wide-eyed, hungry children dressed in rags. There are too many of these skeletal figures to count.

One of the dinner guests is speaking cheerfully to his smiling companions. The caption reads: “Shall we say grace?”

out of our minds, and driven from the mainstream of our societies, because we have allowed them to become invisible

As Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, many people will be deeply blessed and grateful to gather with family and friends around a table that looks like the one in the cartoon. The tablecloth and menu might be fancier for the holiday, but in many homes, the basic sight of a table with enough food for everyone to eat what they like and go to bed full is an everyday occurrence. Thanksgiving may be the only meal of the year when some families pause to truly give thanks for the food in front of them.

Shall we say grace? In his final book, “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?” the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote: “Not too many years ago, Dr. Kirtley Mather, a Harvard geologist, wrote a book titled “Enough and to Spare.” He set forth the basic theme that famine is wholly unnecessary in the modern world. Today, therefore, the question on the agenda must read: Why should there be hunger and privation in any land, in any city, at any table, when man has the resources and the scientific know-how to provide all mankind with the basic necessities of life?”

Guest Columnist Marian Wright Edelman

“There is no deficit in human resources; the deficit is in human will,” King wrote, The well-off and the secure have too often become indifferent and oblivious to the poverty and deprivation in their midst. The poor in our countries have been shut

But millions of others never take a seat at the dinner table for granted. There were 44 million people in our nation living in food-insecure households last year. These neighbors are likely not choosing between apple or pumpkin pie, but between paying for groceries or for rent, heat, electricity, medicine, or clothing. Pandemic-era emergency support that helped close gaps in food insecurity recently ended. Hunger certainly did not. Programs that parents and children rely on for essential food remain at risk.

I end with a grace.

“God, we thank You for this food. For the hands that planted it. For the hands that tended it. For the hands that harvested it. For the hands that prepared it. For the hands that provided it, and for the hands that served it. And we pray and will act for those without enough food in Your world and in our land of plenty.”

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

Guest Columnist Janice Ellis

on July 17, 2023,

Homer G. Phillips Nurses Alumni fundraiser on Dec. 3

St. Louis American

A pair of noted historians will help further the cause of the Homer G. Phillips Nurses Alumni, Inc., and the organization nears its trial date in a trademark infringement case filed against developer Paul McKee.

A fundraiser for the organization will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023, at the Missouri History Museum. Speaking to the gathering online will be Gerald Horne, Ph.D., the Moores Professorship of History and African American Studies at the University of Houston.

Also speaking will be Ezelle Sanford III, Ph.D., an assistant professor of history at Carnegie Mellon University and visiting assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University. Sanford is noted for his research and writing on

healthcare disparity.

A trademark infringement lawsuit challenges McKee’s use of the name Homer G. Phillips for a three-bed urgent care facility.

“He has opted to name the facility Homer G. Phillips Memorial Hospital. While celebrating 100 years of service, the legacy of this proud group of nurses is caught in the middle of this legal battle,” the organization said in a release.

“Both Horne and Sanford are quite familiar with the history the former 600-bed Homer G. Phillips Hospital and have expressed eagerness to join St. Louisans for this fundraiser.”

Originally scheduled to begin in January 2024, a new trial date for the case in federal court has been set for May 6, 2024.

For additional information, please contact Bonita Cornute at bcornute3@yahoo.com.

Plant gratitude, harvest a bounty

By Alveda King

For many people, the Thanksgiving season is a time for expressing gratitude to God for our many blessings. I have been spending time this season reflecting on how grateful I am to have been raised by my parents, Rev. A.D. King and Dr. Naomi King. My father’s legacy lives on in his powerful sermons, and writings, and in the work and lives of his children.

While my mother Naomi, known by her fans as “the Butterfly Queen,” is 92, she continues to advocate globally for peace and justice. I recently traveled to Amsterdam as her stand-in as she was slated to share her long-earned wisdom with the world.

While the world is crumbling around us, we must take heart in the lessons of our fathers and mothers who survived during much darker days than these. In those dark hours, their lips did not drip with hate; rather they turned to the wisdom of the Scriptures to guide their actions.

Matthew 5:44 tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. This is one of the cornerstones of my parents’ teaching. While I constantly pray to make sense of today’s chaos from the streets of Atlanta to the kibbutz of Israel, I remain determined to maintain a posture of gratitude.

Some will argue that in a world consumed by strife and division, these principles are impractical, mere platitudes in the face of challenges. For me, embracing a posture of gratitude becomes not just an act of defiance but a revolutionary stance as powerful as my family’s commitment to nonviolence in the face of injustice and brutality.

Oddly enough, a recent manifestation of gratitude has taken me by surprise in a most unexpected manner. In the spirit of love for the land of my birth, ingrained in my upbringing, I’ve taken steps to become a community farmer. Truly, following many years of being grateful for the bounty that comes from my home garden, I am now a resource farmer.

I may not be the proverbial “Farmer in the Dell,” but I did become a farmer in a day through a program that I will be sharing more about in the coming weeks. In October, after many years of successful “home gardening,” I officially became a registered farmer with the United States Department of Agriculture.

This phase of my life’s journey is a renewal, a rebirthing—a tangible harvest of blessings. My lifelong passion for seed time and harvest is another gift inherited from my ancestors—a small but powerful reminder of our constant renewal and rebirthing.

In cultivating the earth, I feel a profound gratitude for the times of harvest; great and small. In the landscape of gratitude, farming becomes a metaphor for intentional cultivation—a practice that results in harvest.

Amidst the uncertainties we face, let’s not underestimate the impact of gratitude as a tool to cultivate fruits of unity and understanding. My life’s journey continues to be a testament to the idea that much like a diligent farmer tends to the land, we all have the power to tend to the world around us by planting a grateful attitude wherever we go.

Alveda King serves as chair of the America First Policy Institute’s Center for the American Dream.

The Homer G. Phillips Nurses Alumni held a press conference

and Zenobia Thompson gave an update on a federal trademark infringement lawsuit against developer Paul McKee. The organization will hold a fundraiser on Dec. 3 at the Missouri History Museum.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Alveda King

years.

“I am especially glad to know we are here for our seniors and those on a fixed income who are especially in need of support.

The Urban League was prepared to hand out over 2,000 turkeys between noon and 3 p.m., and for the first-time volunteers were handing out turkey and trimmings at a walk-up site.

“We work to accommodate everybody,” said McMillan.

Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Center donated over 1,000 Thanksgiving basket meals on Friday November 17 at its north county location at 11643 West Florissant, and the giveaway continued on November 18.

West End neighbors impacted by food insecurity received Thanksgiving baskets as well. Each basket had one turkey along with collard greens, sweet potatoes, and fresh fruit from Produce Row. Also, turkey stuffing, cornbread and macaroni and cheese.

“We’re intentional with this event, this is our 8th annual turkey giveaway,” said Mark Sandford, executive director of the health center’s community action program. Sandford also has served as the health center’s vice president for the last 35 years.

Taylor

Continued from A1

school building for $1 for the CWAH Family

Sandford says the community service event is trying to take care of those who might be facing financial hardships and can’t afford a Thanksgiving dinner this year or those impacted by living in a food desert who lack options for quality meals. The turkey giveaway is always a week before Thanksgiving and this year the health clinic has partnered with local nutritionists to plan out menu items for St. Louis families fit for the whole family.

According to Sandford each turkey giveaway serves close to 1,300 people, and the health center

n “We’re intentional with this event, this is our 8th annual turkey giveaway,” said Mark Sandford

donates turkeys to the Tom Powell Post #77, the oldest Black post for veterans in America, senior facilities, and churches before the main events.

Last year the health center served the Hogan Street Regional Youth Center and this year People’s Health Center will be donating turkeys to LIV Recovery Center for those suffering from alcohol and drug use.

“This is a part of our mission,” said the executive director. The health clinic has been in the West End neighborhood for almost 50 years. “It’s a part of our DNA.”

“We have enough to

Support Center and raised more than $800,000 for renovations.

Today’s center includes a library, computer lab, music lab, clothing boutique, food pantry, a ware-

take care of those who really need it,” said Sandford. “We try our best to take care of everyone”

Jahara Davis, director of marketing for the health center, says the turkey giveaway takes months of planning to make sure the right number of staff and volunteers are available to serve the community.

“It’s a big task for us to take on, but we love to do it, we’re here for the people,” said Davis.

To ensure food items are available the health center partners with Schnucks, which also supports the Urban League event.

“Each turkey giveaway is a reminder there is a great need in St. Louis communities, the marketing director encourages people who may not need it but may know someone who does to partake in the donations,” said Davis.

“You never know what someone is going through. This is a passion for me to serve the community in every way that I can.”

She says a little goes a long way, if everyone chipped in that little adds up to a lot, she hopes the spirit of giving back and showing compassion for those should be yearround and not just during the holiday season.

“The spirit of giving should live all year long,” said Davis.

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

house of donated furniture, appliances, and various household items. Programs offered include job readiness, career assessment and counseling, computer classes and fitness and

Skating sisters

nutrition. Youth enrichment programs include music and fine arts, a summer travel experience, and entrepreneurship classes.

In April 2014, Taylor was the recipient of the Lifetime Achiever in Caring for the Community Award at the St. Louis American Foundation’s Salute to Excellence in Health Care Awards Luncheon.

“I grew up back in the 40s, before desegregation,” she told Rebecca Rivas of the St. Louis American

“It was always neighbors helping neighbors. The neighborhood took care of each other; it was part of my culture.”

Donald M. Suggs, St. Louis American publisher and executive editor, said Taylor “was always ardent in support of her organization and the community it

still serves.”

“She was a person who built relationships with small groups and large institutions including Washington University. She cared for people, families, and was always there when someone or an organization needed assistance,” said Suggs.

“I am deeply saddened by her passing.”

As one of ten siblings, Taylor said her grandmother would dispatch the children throughout the neighborhood to help other families.

She said they took good care of their clothes because they knew they’d be handing them down to other children in the neighborhood. Taylor’s childhood home was close to today’s CWAH location at 3693 W. Belle Place. In fact, the playground on a nearby corner is where she

played as a child.

CWAH was honored with the 2020 Torch Bearer Award by the St. Charles Lwanga Center. The award recognizes leaders and organizations in the African American Catholic community for a prophetic vision, Christian integrity of character and commitment to Christian values.

Taylor, who was a parishioner at St. Alphonsus “Rock” Church in north St. Louis, told the St. Louis Review, “The block unit was very strong.”

“The thing is they knew one another. They knew so-and-so was sick, or someone had lost their job and was looking. Food would go up and down. All of them could cook. In those days they had gardens and made jelly and that kind of thing.

“People knocking on doors to make sure you were OK. When did that stop?”

The family of Gloria LaVal Taylor has created a Life Tributes page for remembrances. Please visit www.archwaychapel. com. Archway is located at 111 Taylor Road in Hazelwood, Mo.

Sisters Lola and Leona Pipkin enjoy the Winter Festival in Kiener Plaza Sunday afternoon.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Jackson

Continued from A1

Children’s Home to sending close to 4,000 pairs of shoes to Africa.

According to Jackson, a few years ago Little Legacies received the highest honor and was named by the White House as a certifying organization for the Presidential Service Volunteer Award.

The 14-year-old has accomplished a lot in such a brief time and Ted Talks was always a goal of Jackson’s. She wanted to include young people and teens in her age group on how they can impact the world too.

“If you make community service fun, kids will want to join in,” said the teenager. She spoke of Little Legacies having kid leaders.

“They pick the community service projects. If we see a need, we bring it to the group and come up with a solution,” said Jackson.

“We make it fun”

Projects include feeding the unhoused downtown during a past holiday season and hosting a princess party for little girls at the Gateway 180 Shelter. Jackson said she has always been a giver, “just has a big heart” which she credits her mother for having.

She also keeps her late older brother at the forefront of all her hard work. Brendon Chase Ogunnaike passed away from Type 1 juvenile

Cleaver

Continued from A1 inadvertently enable the displacement of Palestinians.

diabetes in 2017.

“I just want to make Brendan proud,” said the young philanthropist.

She hopes to one day become a TV broadcast reporter because she wants to change the narrative of the stories that are being told locally and nationally.

“I’m sick of the news only talking about death and killings. There are kids that are making big impacts in the world, but they are not getting recognized,” she said.

Jackson recently completed the youth journalism workshop with the NABJ/St. Louis chapter.

Her mom Kynedra Ogunnaike is among Jackson’s biggest cheerleaders. During an appearance on Drew Barrymore’s show she said her daughter “makes me feel proud, and she’s a good girl.”

“She chooses to do the right thing even when no one is watching her. I always knew she was going to be exceptional,” said her mom.

Jackson said she wants to keep making a difference as she continues high school and approaches graduation.

“I want to help change lives, and positively impact the community while helping to develop young change makers to have fun with a purpose,” said Jackson.

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

“As the devastation in Israel and Gaza continues to claim more lives and displace more people, our calls for a ceasefire grow wider, louder, and stronger every day across the world,” said Congresswoman Bush said on November 17 in a release.

“In the month since we introduced the Ceasefire Now Resolution and, in the days, following the horrific October 7th attack, we have seen enough pain, death, and destruction for a lifetime. The violence must end.

“The only way to ensure a stop to the violence, deploy humanitarian aid, and safely release all hostages is to mediate a negotiated bilateral ceasefire that ends bombing and air strikes on both sides and the ground invasion in Gaza.”

Bush and nearly 20 other House members have signed on to

the Ceasefire Now Resolution, which urges the Biden Administration to call for an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Israel and occupied Palestine, and to send humanitarian assistance to Gaza.

Cleaver now joins the more than 30 members of Congress who have called for a ceasefire but said his support will

not help move the bill forward. He said he never introduces bills to Congress that he didn’t feel would be passed and that the Ceasefire Now Resolution was such a bill, adding that a “cease-fire is something that Congress cannot politically allocate” and “there’s no such thing as a unilateral cease-fire.”

But, he noted, “It’s something that I guess we can at least hope for and work on.”

The American attempted to reach Democratic candidate for U.S. House of Representatives Wesley Bell through an email to his campaign on Tuesday morning for a comment on a proposed cease-fire in Gaza.

Youth philanthropist Legacy Jackson, founder of Little Legacies, sits next to her mother Kynedra Ogunnaike at a Beyonce concert.

Photo courtesy of Legacy Jackson

Kwame Charitable Foundation

hosted 300 guests at 20th anniversary gala

‘Twenty Years of Impact’was the theme of Kwame Charitable Foundation’s 20th Anniversary Gala, held at the newly-renovated Four Seasons Hotel. A pre-event cocktail reception was hosted by presenting sponsors, Regional Business Council, John and Linda Tracy and Kwame Building Group. Educator, author and assistant superintendent of Cahokia School District, Dr. Kacy Shahid delivered a riveting, heartfelt keynote address, recalling the events leading up to the fatal shootings in October 2022, while she served as principal of Central Visual Performing Arts High School. Actor/comedian and St. Louis native, Joe Torry, provided hilarious commentary as the MC for the elegant event.

Guests were among the first to view Kwame Charitable Foundation’s new mission-focused video during the program. In addition to dinner, live music and dancing, there were testimonials from individuals directly impacted by support from the foundation, either through endowed scholarships, participation in the annual HBCU Spring Break College Tour or educational program support.

Photos by Mena Darre Photography

Dr. Kacy Shahid delivers the keynote and riveting recap of that infamous day at the CVPA school shooting.

Latifah and Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Shahid

Dr. Donald M. Suggs, Kathy Conley Jones and Mr. Mike Jones enjoying the VIP reception

Actor, entertainer, and comedian Joe Torry gives hilarious commentary as MC.

Alderwoman Shameem Hubbard presents a proclamation to Dr. Kacy Shahid.

Kathy Osborn with the RBC delivers remarks as a major sponsor.

Founder Tony Thompson gives his remarks.

Maryville’s Lonnie folks and Busey Bank’s Pat Buehring

Foundation Executive Director Lydia Huston delivers her vision for the next 20 years.

Craig, Leona and Vanessa Lucas

Kwame Thompson

A delighted crowd gives a standing ovation.

Taylor Redmond and Dressel Huston, Jr.

Chalana Scales-Ferguson and Lathon Ferguson

Meagan Pearson and Kevin PatrickSonja and Adrian Lemmie

‘TakingCareofYou’

St. Louis has highest diabetes rate in state

African Americans disproportionately impacted

Diabetes has a devastating impact on the Black community because it impacts African Americans at a higher rate than whites or other ethnic groups. Overall, the number of adults with diabetes has more than doubled during the last two decades, according to the CDC.

By JoAnn Weaver St. Louis American

November is National Diabetes Month and The Congressional Black Caucus is using the focus to relay an unfortunate fact: The disease disproportionately affects African Americans. Black Americans are 60% more likely than white Americans to have diabetes.

In addition to higher prevalence, the health outcomes are also worse, Black people are 2.5 times more likely to be hospitalized and twice as likely to die from the disease. Since 2001, the prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes for Black

and Hispanic youth has increased by 95%.

“While diabetes impacts every neighborhood in this country, it is especially prevalent among Black Americans, who are more likely to have diabetes, more likely to be hospitalized, and more likely to die from this disease, said Ohio Congresswoman Shontel Brown during a Capitol Hill press conference.

“The stark disparities among diabetics reveal so much that has been

wrong about our past and present, but it doesn’t have to be the future.”

Brown said the Inflation Reduction Act helped lower insulin costs for Medicare recipients, adding that the CBC “will continue to work with my colleagues to expand access to health care, fight for justice and equity, and support funding for diabetes treatment and research.”

St. Louis city falls into the highest diabetes prevalence quartile in the state, according to Dr. Krista Lentine, a physician at SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital.

Caregivers sometimes need care too

By Lindiwe Vilakazi

November marks the celebration for both National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness and Family Caregivers.

While people with Alzheimer’s suffer a difficult journey, many Alzheimer’s caregivers face a host of mental and emotional stressors while caring for their loved ones who are battling the degenerative brain disease.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 59% of Alzheimer’s caregivers have reported their level of emotional stress as high or very high, while 35% report declining health due to caregiving responsibilities.

“Caregivers who experience burnout put their health at risk and compromise their ability to care for someone else. As hard as it may be, caregivers need to make their health and well-being an equal priority,” said Beth Kallmyer, an Alzheimer’s Association vice president.

n “Caregivers who experience burnout put their health at risk and compromise their ability to care for someone else.”

– Beth Kallmyer

Oftentimes, the dynamics behind caregiving for family members require a greater investment of time, energy, and around-the-clock planning than a professionally paid caregiver working under the limitations of a home care agency. The tiring role of family caregivers is often overlooked by familial communities and the healthcare profession alike.

The various symptoms of psychological distress including anger at the person with Alzheimer’s and frustration at their lack of self-autonomy, denial about how the disease affects the family member who has been diagnosed, depression, and anxiety regarding the future that lies ahead, are just a few stressors associated with taking

Black American obesity rate ratchets up

New medications not covered by Medicare

By Deborah Bailey AFRO American Newspaper

With the obesity rate of Black Americans clocking in at the highest among U.S. ethnic groups, according to the National Institutes of Health, many are hoping for help in shedding excess weight.

While new weight loss medications are available to more than 70% of Americans classified as medically overweight or obese, they are expensive and not covered by Medicare.

Zepbound has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use as a weight loss treatment for over-

weight or obese adults with at least one other associated health condition. Manufactured by Eli Lilly, the drug is prescribed for diabetes patients under the name Monjouro. The medication will be available by year’s end and joins Wegovy as a medically prescribed agent in the battle for weight loss. Both medications are injectable and promise patients can lose a significant percentage of body weight with continued use.

Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity medicine physician at

See OBESITY, A11

Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity medicine physician at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, says new weight loss medications could have a profound impact on reducing the Black American obesity rate.

Photo courtesy of Harvard Medical School

Lindiwe Vilakazi

Photo courtesy of the National Institutes of Health

Diabetes

Continued from A10

“African American Missourians had higher rates for diabetes for both [emergency room] visits and inpatient hospitalizations than white Missourians,” she said.

“Diabetes rates for Black [Missourians] were statistically significantly higher than the white rate for all three categories (ER visits, inpatient hospitalizations, and death.)”

Local healthcare providers provide resources and programs for those with diabetes to improve their symptoms and monitor progress against the disease.

“There are 57 service providers in Missouri recognized/accredited in providing Diabetes SelfManagement Education and Support (DSMES) services, a dynamic program in which people with diabetes gain knowledge, self-management skills, and support needed to better manage their diabetes through ever-changing life situations,” Lentine said.

“It is an interactive, ongoing process engaging the person with diabetes, the caregiver or family, and a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES).”

Across Missouri, 17 health care systems use clinical systems and care practices to improve diabetes health outcomes, including self-management education. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services trained community health workers and referral coordinators on the National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) lifestyle change program referrals.

Other state initia-

Obesity

Continued from A10 Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, said the new medications “can be a useful tool for those with the chronic disease of obesity.”

“They can particularly be a useful tool with racial and ethnic minority populations, who disproportionately have higher rates of obesity,” she said.

She also warns that counterfeit versions of the weight loss drugs have been reported nationwide.

“These medications should only be administered by those with experience in prescribing these agents,” Cody Stanford said.

She advises patients to talk with their physician about side effects of the medication, including nausea, vomiting, constipation, or diarrhea.

There have been

Caregivers

Continued from A10 care of a family member, often causing some degree of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for the caregiver.

Dr. Sandra Edmonds Crewe, dean and professor of social work at Howard University, has extensive expertise and research interests in caregiving in the African American community and social isolation. She managed levels of emotional stress and anger while caring for her late mother diagnosed with

U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown (D-Ohio) said the Congressional Black Caucus is working to decrease the number of African Americans who deal with diabetes and reducing the cost of insulin. Joining her during a Nov. 14 press conference at the Capital were U.S. Reps. James E. Clyburn (S.C.), Joyce Beatty (Ohio), Robin Kelly (Illinois) Marilyn

Cherfilus-McCormick (Fla.), Valerie Foushee (N.C.) and Emilia

tives include Primary Care Health Home (PCHH) Program; the Local Community Care Coordination; Home Telemonitoring, Wireless Patient Reminder Services Program, and Medication Therapy Management programs; and Biopsychosocial Treatment of Obesity for Youth and Adults.

“The free SLU diabetes clinic on Kingshighway is on hold at this time while a new location is being sought,” Dr. Sandeep Dhindsa, SLU Endocrinology Division

life-threatening health complications documented in rare cases.

Cody Stanford was one of the first physicians to classify obesity as a chronic disease, rather than a lifestyle or behavioral choice of the person living with obesity.

Discussion of the new GLP-1 medications to treat weight loss, public policy and the Black community intensified when Congress introduced The Treat and Reduce Obesity Act of 2023 earlier this year.

The legislation would allow Medicare to pay for weight-loss drugs.

Wegovy has a list price exceeding $1,300 a month without medical coverage.

According to a Zepbound’s press release, it lists at more than $1,000 for a one month supply, without insurance.

According to an Eli Lilly release, Zepbound will introduce a savings card allowing eligible users to pay as little as $25 for a one month or three

Alzheimer’s disease.

“It’s the disease that you are angry with, not the person. I would see glimpses of my mother and I would say ‘Oh, that’s my girl,’ and then there would be times that I knew I would not recognize her as the person I knew her to be,” Crewe explained.

The American Psychological Association reports that women make up the majority of caregivers at roughly 53 to 68%. Families are typically prone to expecting women to step in as the nurturing caregiver for an ill family

director said adding that most of its patients are Black.

“Efforts are also made by other organizations (such as Casa de Salud) to reach the underserved communities for diabetes care.”

Black people are also at higher risk of having prediabetes, and a recent National Library of Medicine study reports that up to 70% of prediabetes cases develops into diabetes.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 7.8% of

Missouri’s 6.1 million population has been diagnosed with prediabetes, and many more residents are undiagnosed.

According to Dr. Dhindsa, strides are being made to treat diabetes although they are not easily accessible to those insured with Medicaid.

“Recent advances in diabetes treatment, such as medicines with heart protective and weight loss benefits, and technology such as continuous glucose monitors and automated insulin pumps, have resulted in great improvements

in diabetes care,” he said.

“Unfortunately, these are expensive and not easily accessible to patients on Medicaid, hence, the disparities are likely to increase unless the cost of diabetes care decreases; government regulation of the cost of insulin is a step in the right direction but more needs to be done.”

The number of adults with diabetes has more than doubled during the last two decades, with common risk factors of developing type 2 diabetes being overweight, not getting

How does obesity affect African American populations?

• African American women have the highest rates of obesity or being overweight compared to other groups in the United States. About 4 out of 5 African American women are overweight or obese.

• In 2018, non-Hispanic Blacks were 1.3 times more likely to be obese as compared to non-Hispanic whites.

• In 2018, African American women were 50% more likely to be obese than non-Hispanic white women.

• From 2015-2018, non-Hispanic Black females were 2.3 times more likely to be overweight as compared to non-Hispanic white females.

• People who are overweight are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure, high levels of blood fats, diabetes, and LDL cholesterol – all risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

• In 2018, African Americans were 20% less likely to engage in active physical activity as compared to non-Hispanic whites.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

month prescription - but those savings are temporary.

Tiffani Bell

member, often causing females to experience mental distress at greater rates than their male counterparts.

Men feel the pressure, too, according to caregiver Ty Williams, a certified nursing assistant caregiver in Maryland. He would come home to an elderly grandmother simultaneously battling dementia. While he loved his grandmother, he shared that sometimes the weight was quite stressful to manage on his own.

“Sometimes it would be frustrating because I already have to deal with the responsibilities of

Washington, a board certified physician specializing in obesity medicine, spoke to the issue during a

caring for an Alzheimer’s patient at my job. Once I got home, it would just be expected of me to take after my grandmother with little support from my other cousins to share the responsibility,” Williams said.

“Of course, I loved to be there with her, but I could have really used some help. I could handle the in-house things, but having someone handle the outside errands like groceries, picking up her medication, things like that would have been a great help to me.”

Crewe emphasized the importance of families properly delegating the

March 2023 Roland Martin show.

“Medicare is not covering these anti-obese medi-

weight of responsibilities before caregivers find themselves on the brink of a mental overload.

She said she encourages caregivers to approach the topic by gently expressing the help they may need.

Crewe also suggested that caregivers avoid constant complaints about what they have to do and what others do not do, to not isolate themselves and possibly their loved ones with constant objection.

Finding ways to include the other members of the family rather than criticize them can

enough physical exercise and being over age 45, according to the CDC.

For workingage adults with this condition, it’s critical to consistently track blood sugar levels, ideally with a continuous glucose monitor. In fact, a growing number of health plans are starting to cover this type of technology, which uses a sensor, often worn on the abdomen, to continuously read glucose levels and transmit the data to a smartphone.

cations,” Bell Washington said. “Many years ago, they thought obesity was a lifestyle problem,” she said.

“But the problem is beyond that. It’s a health issue so it really does need to be covered and if Medicare covers it usually other people follow.”

Supporters of Medicare coverage of weight loss drugs defend pushing Congress to support Medicare coverage of the new GLP-1 drugs. Congressman Paul Ruiz (D-CA.), an emergency room physician who introduced the legislation this summer, said the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act has bi-partisan support.

“[It] would help seniors who suffer from obesity gain Medicare coverage and access to vital medications and behavioral therapies that would help them live a healthier and longer life,” he said. appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers

make all the difference in organizing the support you may need.

“Involve the family. You have to allow them to step up,” said Crewe. “We don’t all have the same gifts. My gift may be that I can work with a person with dementia. Someone else’s gift may be to help pay for the care. That’s no lesser gift. Sometimes we place the resources on a hierarchical matter, but it takes the whole group. Be willing to share the burden and the responsibility.” Lindiwe Vilakazi is a reporter and columnist with the Washington Informer

Strickland (Wash.), Sheila

Sykes (Ohio).

Photo courtesy of U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown

Nutrition Challenge:

Sensible Thanksgiving Eating

> Remembering previous Healthy Kids lessons, fill your plate with colorful, healthy vegetables/fruit.

> Eat slowly. That way you’ll know when you’re full before you’ve overdone it.

Thanksgiving is a day that we take a moment and remember the things/people that we are thankful to have in our lives. But let’s be honest, many Thanksgiving celebrations also include food – and a lot of it! But if you remember just a few simple tips, you can enjoy the day without the extra calories (and uncomfortably full stomach).

Follow the Meal

With a Walk!

Why not start a new tradition this year? After your Thanksgiving dinner, have your family take a walk around the neighborhood. This is a great way to spend time with your relatives, see who’s in town for the holiday, and can help prevent the all-too-common post meal stomachache. Walking aids digestion, keeps you away from the dessert table and even

Being Being Thankful Thankful

Thanksgiving is a great time to remember all of the people/ things that have had a positive impact on your life. Why not have each person around the table say one (or two or three!) thing(s) that they are thankful for,

> Limit desserts; choose just one. Or if you want to try a few different kinds, ask for a small “sample” of each.

> Can you think of any other tips?

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

helps with that after-dinner slump that affects many people after a big meal. In addition, getting up and moving will get your body back into calorie-burning mode.

What are some other ways to be “active” after your Thanksgiving dinner?

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

before you begin eating? You could even make a game out of it: each person writes down what they’re thankful for on a small card. Someone then reads each card as the group guesses who wrote it.

Learning Standards: HPE 2, NH 4

Carrot Fries

Ingredients:

6 Whole carrots Cooking spray

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel the carrots and cut into small strips about ¼ inch thick and 3 inches long. Spread the carrots onto a cooking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt/pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes, flip them over. Spray with a little cooking spray and more salt/pepper. Cook for another 15 minutes, until lightly browned.

Tammy Tellez, LPC

people live better lives and become who God created them to be. This career allows me to pay it forward.

What is your favorite part of the job you have? My favorite part of the job is giving my clients, especially young people, the power to use their voices and minds, improving self-esteem. I love seeing them become more self-confident, self-loving, and self-reliant with therapy, and handling challenges in a more positive way. I love seeing clients smile brightly when thinking of themselves and their futures.

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

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

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

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

Forensics Day at The St. Louis

CLASSROOM SPOTLIGHT SCIENCE STARS

AFRICAN-AMERICAN MOLECULAR GENETICIST

AND EDUCATOR: Mary Harris

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), kids are just as likely to face stress as adults. Kids have pressures from school work, dealing with their peers, and family interactions. Stress has a negative effect on the body. It can cause headaches, stomach pain, tense muscles, and much more. Stress can also affect the normal sleep cycle and appetite. How can you deal with stress? The CDC has 10 tips, listed to the right.

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

SCIENCE INVESTIGATION

1. Get active—Daily exercise helps your body to release tension. Aim for a total of 60 minutes of activity per day.

Dealing With Stress!

Spending time with friends reminds you that you have love and support, even on those tough days.

2. Fuel up—When you eat right, you just feel better. Eating a healthy diet with lean protein, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains keeps your body functioning properly and helps you fight stress more effectively.

3. Laugh it off—Have you heard the expression “laughter is the best medicine?” Laughter releases endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain that relax your body. Read a joke book, watch a funny TV show, share a funny memory with a friend.

4. Have fun with friends—

Background Information:

Is chocolate good for you? Chocolate is made from a combination of ingredients, which include cacao beans, cocoa butter, cocoa solids, and sugar. Dark chocolate has a higher concentration of cacao and less butter and sugar and has been found to help your circulatory system and heart, if it is eaten in small portions. In this experiment, you will create chocolate blooms to see the amount of fat in different types of chocolate.

Materials Needed: • A Variety of Chocolate Candy (white chocolate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate)

• A Source of Heat (such as a sunny windowsill)

Process:

q Place your chocolate in a warm place, such as a sunny windowsill to allow it to melt. w Cool the chocolate overnight in the refrigerator.

MATH CONNECTION

Nutrition labels are a great source of math activities. You can calculate portion size. You can also calculate percentage of calories.

Protein and carbohydrates both have 4 calories per gram, and fat has 9 calories per gram.

z If you are eating a snack that has 9 grams of fat, how many calories come from fat? ________

x If your snack has 17 grams of protein, how many calories come from protein?

c You are eating a serving of potato chips. It is 160 calories and has 10 grams of fat. What percent of the calories come from fat? ________

DID YOU KNOW?

5. Talk to someone you trust—Parents, teachers, counselors, friends, family members…. Find someone you can trust to listen to you and offer advice.

6. Take time to relax— Schedules are often hectic. It’s important to schedule time to relax, as well—read a book, do yoga, take a walk, play a game. Find something you enjoy to relax your body and mind.

7. Catch some ZZZzzzzs—you should get 8-10 hours of sleep per night. Be sure you are setting a routine to get enough sleep.

8. Keep a journal—Writing your thoughts can help you process your feelings and release tension. Give it a try!

9. Get organized If you have everything organized, it saves time trying to find school supplies, sports equipment, etc. It relieves stress if you know everything is in its place.

Mary Styles Harris was born in Nashville, Tennessee, on June 26, 1949. Later, she moved to Miami where she was the first African American to enroll in Miami Jackson High School, where she graduated 12th out of her class of 350. In 1971, she graduated from Lincoln University and four years later, she graduated with her PhD from Cornell University. Harris’ studies focused on molecular genetics.

Harris was passionate about educating the public. She wanted to inform them about health concerns and what they could do to prevent and treat them. In 1977, she became the executive director of the Sickle Cell Foundation in Georgia. Harris went to Washington, D.C., to complete her science residency and then became the state director of genetic services for the Georgia Department of Human Resources, where she helped to implement health policies nationwide.

eMelt again and refrigerate again.

r Repeat the process until you see brown spots and streaks. (This is called the chocolate bloom.)

Analyze: Chocolate blooms are created when chocolate heats and cools. They are created when the melted fat pushes through the solid particles. Based on the chocolate blooms (created from fat), which type of chocolate had the most fat? Compare your answer with the nutritional label for the chocolate. In your opinion, which type of chocolate is the healthiest?

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

Did you know it takes 250 ounces of water to flush the acid of one soda out of your system?

v Many sodas are packaged in 20 ounce bottles. If a serving of soda is 8 ounces, how many servings of soda are in a 20 ounce bottle? ________

b If you consume 1800 calories per day, and 15% of your calories come from fat, how many grams of fat did you consume?

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

Harris was a part-time assistant professor at Morehouse College and Atlanta University and founded BioTechnical Communications. This company produced educational materials on a variety of health topics, such as breast cancer. She was a member of the Atlanta board of the March of Dimes and advocated for newborn screenings for sickle cell disease. Harris hosts a radio show called, “Journey to Wellness” and developed a documentary called, “To My Sisters…A Gift for Life.” She has received many awards, including the National Cancer Research postdoctoral fellowship, and the Ford Foundation Doctoral Fellowship, and Glamour magazine’s Outstanding Working Woman.

10. Lend a helping hand— Volunteering to help others takes your mind off your problems and reminds you of your strengths and talents. Journey to Wellness site is an online health magazine for African Americans. Check it out at: www.journeytowellness.com

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

Use the newspaper to complete the following activities.

Activity One

Synonyms:

Choose a news article to read and underline 5 adjectives. Use a thesaurus to create a list of synonyms for each of the adjectives. Rewrite the news article with these synonyms.

Activity Two — Healthy Choices:

Make a poster about good dental care using words and pictures from the newspaper. Talk about why good dental care is important.

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can write for a variety of purposes and audiences.

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

MAP CORNER

On

American’s Summer Science Academy, forensic scientist James Riggins, from the Illinois State Police Forensic Science Laboratory, shows students how to use trace chemistry to solve a crime.

Photo by Cathy Sewell

Business

‘Helping to nurture Black writers’

WashU, River City fund partner to support longform journalists

Gerald Early, an endowed professor in the departments of English and African and African American Studies and founding editor of The Common Reader, is leading a partnership between his university and the Heartland Journalism Fellowships. One of its goals is to develop more Black writers who are interested in doing longform journalism.

By Chris King For The St. Louis American

Several departments and centers at Washington University in St. Louis have partnered with the River City Journalism Fund, which nurtures minority journalists, to found the Heartland Journalism Fellowships at the university. Its two fellows – one based in the community, the other a current WashU student – will work on longform journalism, with the support of various mentors, and their work will be published in The Common Reader

The partnership is led at Washington University by Gerald Early, an endowed professor in the departments of English and of African and African American Studies and the founding editor of The Common Reader The American spoke to Early about the new fellowships, their inaugural fellows and why a highly academic institution without a journalism program is now training journalists.

The St. Louis American: I know

your passion for young writers, working with young writers and mentoring them. So, tell me about these first two fellows, starting with the community-based writer, and their projects. Tell me about Lyndsey Ellis and what she’s working on for you.

Gerald Early: Lyndsey is a fiction writer primarily, but she does do nonfiction. What interests me about her was that she is doing this project on Black people leaving St. Louis. I’m sure you know the stories about Black people leaving the city to move to the suburbs and what this exodus was about. Her project is in part dealing with that, but it’s also dealing with a larger thing of Black, especially younger, Black people leaving St. Louis, period, and going somewhere else and why Black people are leaving St. Louis.

I thought that was a really, really interesting project – the whole business of Black migration and what that means now. Some Black people have left St. Louis to go further south, which, of course, is counter to what

that movement was back in the early part of the 20th century, where Black people would come to St. Louis and then they would move further north to some place like Chicago or Detroit.

And I liked her writing. She’s a good writer. The fact that she does fiction is helpful for her in doing non-fiction, because she has an ear for how people sound, and she has an eye for detail.

The St. Louis American: When will we start seeing stories? Will there be a culminating publication?

Gerald Early: Both fellows have been told to start putting up posts related to their projects. The whole thing is for them to produce two longer essays by the end of the academic year – Lyndsey would put out a couple of articles that would be three or four thousand words. The whole idea is developing Lyndsey to do longform journalism that may lead to The New Yorker calling her up to do a piece.

The St. Louis American: The

See EARLY, B2

Black girls can engineer success with STEM

Number of Black women engineers declining

By Asiah Siid Word in Black

PeoPle on the Move

Perry wins honors for teaching, service

Earnest Perry, associate dean for graduate studies and research at the Missouri School of Journalism, has earned two prestigious honors recognizing his contributions to the university. The Mizzou Alumni Association Distinguished Faculty Award, one of the annual Faculty and Alumni Awards, recognizes his accomplishments in harnessing the faculty-alumni relationship to promote the best interests of the university. The second is the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, which honors exceptional teaching and other support for student achievement.

Cat Small promoted at Nestle Purina Cat Small

Cat Small was promoted to sr. specialist, CX program management (marketing operations) at Nestlé Purina North America. Small joined the marketing operations team in January 2022. She has supported the Friskies, Tidy Cats, Treats, EverRoot, Purina Brand, Merrick/ Beyond and Merrick/Zukes businesses. She’s played a pivotal role in the integration of the Merrick Food and Treats businesses and the Tidy Cats Kate Walsh Target and Drew Barrymore activations at Walmart. Small is an active member on the Stand Tall for Equity Team and is a (NAO) New Associate Orientation host facilitator.

Jackson joins Beverly Farm Foundation board

The Beverly Farm Foundation recently added Bianca Jackson, City of Alton, Illinois chief of staff, to its board of directors. Beverly Farm is a planned community that nearly 400 individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities call home. There are homes and jobs, a recreation center with a pool, full dining facility; there is an equestrian center, shops, a pavilion, all kinds of activities, medical services, therapies, and much more. Cottages, group homes, apartments, and community-based options make up the landscape.

Derrick Glasper promoted at Deloitte

As World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Ill., prepared to host the Bommarito 500 Indy Car race in August, four Jennings College Prep students were preparing a car to compete in a race on the KART track on the complex infield. The students are taking STEM courses, and the raceway is a big supporter of STEM activities for youths throughout the region. What makes the Jennings team unique is that it was comprised of four girls. Should their STEM interest put them on the road to an engineering degree, they will enter a field lacking See STEM, B2

Derrick Glasper recently was promoted to partner/managing director at Deloitte where he has been for more than 12 years, being promoted several times. He is a leader in Deloitte’s Energy, Resources and Industrials practice helping Fortune 1000 customers to transform their organizations to achieve Gen AI and digital technology improvements meeting 21st century business demands. He holds an MBA in technology management and a master of science degree in E commerce from the University of Maryland Global Campus, as well as a BS in computer science from Chapman University.

Promotion, board appointment,

Earnest Perry

Photo courtesy of Washington University

Photo courtesy of World Wide Technology Raceway

Bianca Jackson

The Jennings College Prep Academy KART team that built a car and raced on the World Wide Technology Raceway in August was comprised of Saniyah Franklin (driver 2), Elexia Allen, Jahnya Watkins (driver 1), and Kayden Walker. STEM students could help raise the number of Black women engineers in America.

Derrick Glasper

STEM

Continued from B1

in Black women participation.

Only 20% of all engineering bachelor’s degree holders are women, and for women of color, the numbers are even smaller. Less than 4% of engineering bachelor’s degrees are awarded to African American, Hispanic, and Native American women combined, and “for African American women that percentage is declining,” according to the Society of Women Engineers.

The Jennings students, Saniyah Franklin, Elexia Allen, Jahnya Watkins, and Kayden Walker could join other Black women who have made their mark on American society as engineers.

In the 2016 film “Hidden Figures,” the world watched Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monae portray three talented mathematicians who were vital to NASA’s space missions during the 1960s.

In more ways than one, the arts, literature, and film have reflected Black women as valuable assets in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.

Organizations like Black Girls Do Engineer (BGDE) are making representation a reality for young women.

Kara Branch, founder and CEO of BGDE, says the goal of her nonprofit is to provide girls with access, awareness, and exposure to the world of STEM as early as six-years-old.

“We started in 2019. A lot of the girls who started with us are still in this program, so we’ve watched girls grow up, go into college, and are going into these spaces,” Branch told Word In Black.

“So, we are not just popping up and

Early

Continued from B1

second writer you’re supporting, by design of the fellowship, is a university student at WashU. In this case, she’s an undergraduate, Keona Dordor. Tell me about her and her project.

Gerald Early: Keona is an Urban Studies major, and her project is on doing the history of Greenwood Cemetery, which is a Black cemetery in North St. Louis. Greenwood Cemetery is an interesting place. They have an active association to preserve the cemetery. We’ve had groups of students from WashU going out to the cemetery to do work there, mostly maintenance work and stuff like that, and trying to uncover graves because the cemetery has been in tremendous disrepair.

She wants to look at the history of the cemetery, but particularly engaging people who have relatives buried there on how they’re feeling about the cemetery and how they’re engaging the cemetery and what it means that somebody is buried there.

The St. Louis American: Did you accept two projects, or did you accept two writers and then help them develop projects?

Gerald Early: We told people to come with a project. But it was also a matter of looking at writers who I thought were really promising and could really benefit from having this time to do some in-depth research and writing. They had to submit writing samples. We had a couple of people apply who were more academic, and I didn’t want anybody – on the Lyndsey side of it – who was going to write very academically. I really wanted longform journalism and not somebody writing something academic.

The St. Louis American: I’m interested in the deliberate support of longform journalism, and I’m interested in both elements of that. So, why longform?

Gerald Early: I thought it would be a way for people being able to really dig into a subject and really be creative about the subject, really be able to develop a voice and an approach with the subject, really be able to bring out more complexities with the subject. I thought that there was a need to develop more Black writers who are interested in doing longform journalism. And, since Jeanette Cooperman has come onboard with The Common Reader, it has taken on more of the characteristics of longform journalism, because that’s what Jeanette Cooperman does. I thought that I should take advantage of her presence.

The St. Louis American: As a highly academic institution with no journalism program, why support journalism?

Gerald Early: Number one, the English Department here is getting interested in journalism and wants to have a journalism minor, and that’s because more students are interested in journalism. There is, I think, less snobbery at WashU than there used to be years ago about journalism because of student demand for it.

The other thing is, I think it’s especially important for Black people to develop more journalists and more people

offering them a service. We are staying with them throughout the whole process.” Branch, who received a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Prairie View A&M, says throughout her time in the aerospace and tech areas, she’s always been the only Black woman in the room, and ultimately, she wants to increase the population of future Black women who’d occupy the space.

Headquartered in Houston, BDGE also has chapters in Los Angeles and New Orleans and advocates for two million Black American girls to pursue science, technology, engineering, and math careers by the year 2050.

One way they hope to reach that goal is to present parents and communities with an opportunity to enroll their daughters in an immersive experience.

“A lot of times my mom will come up to the school, they will always say to my mom, your daughter is very smart, but no one ever told my mom what to do with her smart daughter,” Branch says.

The young women in the program are introduced to artificial intelligence (AI), coding, robotics, all things energy, medical programs, aerospace, production, and all branches of engineering. In addition, students are offered enrichment programs like financial literacy, mentorship, and college prep training.

Participants are taught by STEM professionals like dentist Dr. Adeola Moore, and computer engineer Freddie Sherrill Jr. BGDE also offers an annual $10,000 scholarship to parents with financial hardships.

“I want to serve as a mentor to many girls that look like me in my community and give them what no one has given me,” Branch says.

Alvin A. Reid of the St. Louis American contributed to this report.

WASH U professor Gerald Early thinks there is less “snobbery” at the university about journalism because of student demand. Its English Department would like to include a journalism minor.

who can do this kind of journalism. It’s another way of developing certain kinds of writers. I don’t feel that journalism is dead. With the coming of social media, I think there’s more of a market for journalism and more ways to get your journalism out there than there’s ever been. So, I really think that developing longform journalists is preparing for the future.

The St. Louis American: I agree. I also have an outsider view about all the text messaging we all do. More people are writing now than ever because everyone’s writing all the time now. They may not be writing the most eloquent things, but they’re writing, and they’re being read.

Gerald Early: People are writing more than ever, and, in some ways, people are reading more than ever. How can you operate social media unless you read? This is a good time. A lot of people are writing. A lot of people are reading. I think it’s a big market out there to have a voice, and you can skip all the gatekeepers and you can get your voice out there. So, I’m trying to help develop these young Black people, to get more voices out there who can do substantive work. I don’t think anybody can make any complaint about putting out more thoughtful writers.

The St. Louis American: Specifically, more Black, thoughtful writers. Why is it important for you and to Washington University to nurture Black writers in particular?

Gerald Early: We are in a city, the City of St. Louis, a half-Black city that has an important Black legacy, whose voices have been suppressed for a very long time, and part of the change that needs to take place is for these voices to actually now be heard and have platforms and things like that. And Washington University has made its claim with our new president, Andrew Martin, that we’re supposed to be in the city and for the city. So, I think helping to nurture Black writers is one way of showing you are in the city and for the city.

Visit https://commonreader.wustl. edu. For more information about the fellowships, contact Ben Fulton, managing editor of The Common Reader, at ben.fulton@wustl.edu.

Photo courtesy of Washington University

n “Basketball players wanna be football players and football players wanna be basketball players and we all wanna play baseball.”

– Houston QB C.J. Stroud expressing love for baseball

InSIdE SportS

By Earl Austin Jr.

A high five

ESL seeks 11th state title; four STL teams fight on

Five St. Louis area teams remain in state football playoffs with eyes on titles.

CBC, DeSmet, Cardinal Ritter, and Lutheran North are all still alive in Missouri, and the East St. Louis Flyers will seek yet another Illinois title.

The Flyers (11-2) will meet Cary Grove for the IHSA Class 6A state title at Hancock Stadium on the campus of Illinois State University in Normal at 1 p.m.

Saturday.

The schools met for a 2021 state title and Cary Grove scored a 37-36 victory. The Flyers rebounded to defeat Crystal Lake Prairie Ridge 57-7 for a 2022 state title. This will be their third consecutive appearance in a state championship game.

The Flyers won on the road the past two weeks to punch their ticket to Normal. They topped Kankakee in the quarterfinals then notched a win at Washington. East St. Louis is seeking its 11th state championship. Here is the schedule for the Missouri state semifinals games that involve St. Louis teams. The winners will advance to the ShowMe Bowl, which will be held at the University of Missouri-Columbia next weekend.

Class 6

DeSmet at CBC, 1 p.m.

Liberty North at Rockhurst, Friday, 7 p.m.

State Championship Game: Saturday, December 2, 7 p.m.

Outlook: CBC and DeSmet will meet in a rematch from Week 5,

when DeSmet came away with a convincing 49-14 victory en route to winning the Metro Catholic Conference title.

Class 5

Cape Girardeau Central at Cardinal Ritter, Saturday, 1 p.m.

Webb City at Republic, Saturday, 1 p.m.

State Championship Game: Friday, December 1, 7 p.m.

Outlook: Cardinal Ritter enters Saturday’s contest with an undefeated record. The Lions have recorded impressive wins over MICDS and Fort Zumwalt North in playoff games. Cape Central is making its second consecutive appearance in the state semifinals.

Class 4 Lutheran North at Hillsboro, Saturday, 1 p.m.

Kearney at Jefferson City, Saturday, 1 p.m.

State Championship Game, Saturday, December 2, 1 p.m.

Outlook: Lutheran North advanced to the semifinals after defeating Hannibal 70-61 last Friday night in a wild, high-scoring affair. Hillsboro comes into the weekend with an 11-1 record with its only loss coming at Cardinal Ritter.

Top performances from last week

• Wide receiver Corey Simms of CBC had 10 receptions for 113 yards and a touchdown in the Cadets’ 35-23 victory over

Jackson in the Class 6 state quarterfinals.

• Quarterback Dakarri Hollis of Lutheran North passed for 214 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 182 yards and five touchdowns in the Crusaders’ 70-61 victory over Hannibal in the Class 4 state quarterfinals. Trey Bass had three receptions for 138 yards and a touchdown, and linebacker Karvon Jefferson had 16 solo tackles in the win.

• Quarterback Robert Battle of East St. Louis threw three touchdown passes and rushed for another score in the Flyers’ 34-18 victory over Washington in the IHSA Class 6A state semifinals. Wide receiver Jaion

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

Jefferson returned a kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown in the victory.

• Running back Payton Brown of Hillsboro rushed for 247 yards on 20 carries and four touchdowns and added an 86-yard kickoff return for another score in the Hawks’ 48-35 victory over Pacific in the Class 4 state quarterfinals.

• Quarterback Carson Boyd of Cardinal Ritter threw three touchdown passes in the Lions’ 68-14 victory over Fort Zumwalt North in the Class 5 state quarterfinals.

• Quarterback Will Powers of Westminster Christian completed 20 of 29 passes for 248 yards and two touchdowns in the

East St. Louis receiver Larevious Woods slips a tackle attempt by Washington’s Kainon McQuearyon during a Illinois Class 6A state semifinal on Saturday, Nov. 18. The Flyers prevailed 34-18, and will play Cary Grove at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 25 in Normal, Illinois. in pursuit of the school’s 11th state title.

Wildcats’ 47-29 loss to Blair Oaks in the Class 3 state quarterfinals.

• Wide receiver Devin Coulter of Westminster Christian had 10 receptions for 141 yards and two touchdowns in the Wildcats’ 47-29 loss to Blair Oaks in the Class 3 quarterfinals.

The Aneyas Williams Show In Lutheran North’s 70-61 win, fans saw Hannibal star running back Aneyas Williams score seven touchdowns. He scored on runs of 40, 1, 22 and 4 yards, and receptions for 3-, 4- and 13-yard TDs. Williams is headed to Notre Dame next season.

I’m thankful to be a proud ‘girl dad’

My older daughter, Bryson, was married on Oct. 21, and my youngest daughter, Blaine, was a bridesmaid.

I got misty when Bryson and her husband, Tyler, exchanged vows. I was safe from flowing tears - until Blaine spoke of her big sister and their relationship later that evening.

I lost it, folks.

My wife, Carmen, and I had Bryson in 1999 when we were 38. Two years later, here came Blaine. Yep, “old parents.”

season of cross country at Kirkwood High School. When they were 12 and 10 respectively, I suggested they could learn how to play golf. They suggested “no.”

A real joy was hanging out with the girls at St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Blues games and events. We have ticket stubs, bobbleheads, seat cushions, and hundreds of memories. Blaine got handed a Cardinals beer stein when she was no older than 13. We still have them.

To every dad out there who has shared countless hours with your young ladies at sporting events, you know where I’m coming from.

Both girls played a season of soccer. My wife and I, fueled with Bailey’s and coffee on chilly Saturday mornings, enjoyed the experience.

Bryson also played basketball when she was five. She would later run a

During the seasons I had media credentials, the Reid girls had a bit more access than most kids.

Whether it was Fernando Vina’s baseball camp at Busch Stadium II, the All-Star Game media day events in 2007, Winter Warmups, special dates at Grant’s Farm, or other Cardinals occasions, Bryson and Blaine were often front and center. We once sat in the

vaunted “green seats” during a game on a 107-degree heat index evening. We were thrilled. Great seats, great game, and all the Dippin’ Dots they could eat over nine innings.

They experienced games before the new stadium opened, and before a month of the 2006 season passed, I finagled a way for us to see their first game there.

For all the glory of the 11-time World Champion

Cardinals, what my girls really loved were Blues games.

I must throw in they were introduced to hockey when the Blues had one of the worst teams in the NHL. Remember “all tickets half price” nights? The Reids do. We would sit right off the ice, sometimes. Free tickets were plenty, and I was often invited to stop by a suite. At first, I was hesitant because they were with

me. They were always more than welcome.

Note, the non-stop Dippin’ Dots were often available in suites.

A momentous fight once broke out on the ice after a Blues player was violently checked into the boards. A stick flew into the stands.

The girls and I were right there, standing and shouting with our fists in the air. I had a hunch a highlight would make ESPN Sportscenter. The next morning, I froze the TV screen at the precise moment. There we were.

Honestly, the Blues being woeful helped create that moment and many others. It’s funny how things work out, isn’t it?

Bryson is now an arts and music teacher at Premiere Charter School, beginning her Ph.D. quest at Lindenwood University in English Literature. She went to college in Chicago, and we saw several White Sox games.

Blaine is graduating with an electrical engineering degree from the

University of MissouriColumbia and set to seek her master’s in that field. I had always wondered how she could beat me at Tiger Woods Golf on Wii when she was a little girl. I now know.

Signed, a proud girl dad.

The Reid Roundup

St. Louis native Bradley Beal is out at last three weeks with a strained back. Beal had played in just three of 15 Phoenix Suns games as of Nov. 22, but averaged 17.2 points and 3.1 assists…Tiger Woods will play in the Hero World Challenge beginning Nov. 30 in the Bahamas. Woods, 47, played last in The Masters. He was forced to withdraw, and underwent ankle surgery in May…Shyla Brown a 15-year-old Black teen from Texas, was recently selected as one-of-four nationally-ranked high school golfers to compete in the Southwest Airlines Showcase.

Earl Austin Jr.

Alvin A. Reid

Blaine and Bryson Reid on Bryson’s wedding day

Photo by Matt Dayhoff / Peoria Journal Star

Photo by Corey Allen

According to Forbes, Black Ambition held its third annual Demo Day in New York on November 9, awarding over 30 companies a total of more than $3 million, including $1 million to Antoinette Banks, CEO and founder of Expert IEP, a parentfacing app that optimizes existing individualized education plans with predictive AI for children diagnosed with a disability.

Founded in 2020 by entertainer and fashion icon Pharrell Williams, Black Ambition addresses the lack of capital for startups among Black and

Black Enterprise noted that according to the Federal Reserve’s 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances the latest snapshot of changes in household income, net worth assets, and other metrics for

Maryville University is third fastest growing

Despite widespread reports of enrollment decline in the Midwest and around the country, Maryville is the third fastest growing private university in the nation according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. This achievement represents the fifth consecutive year that

Pharrell Williams has a $1 billion plan for Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs

Hispanic communities and estimates that since its inception it has awarded $10 million combined to more than 100 companies. Black Ambition’s partners include the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Chanel, Billionaire Boys Club, and the Rockefeller Foundation.

sectors that include highgrowth areas such as tech, healthcare, and consumer packaged goods.

n By 2030, Williams says the figure should reach $1 billion.

Black Ambition targets entrepreneurs in

Black

Americans, the largest rise for Blacks came from entrepreneurship. The number of Black families that reported owning a business climbed to 11% in 2022, doubling from 4.8% in 2019.

William Michael

Maryville has ranked in the top 5 of private university growth. According to the Chronicle’s “College Growth, 2011-2021” report, while the higher education sector saw enrollment numbers falling in both public and private institutions, Maryville University experienced an enrollment surge that far exceeded the 100 percent

Black Ambition says it has mentored over 750 entrepreneurs, including some from HBCUs, and firms it has funded have raised nearly $100 million in venture capital. By 2030, Williams says the figure should reach $1 billion.

“We need real change,” Williams tells Forbes. “We can’t keep waiting. Our parents and their parents — for them, equality was No. 1. And for us, equality is absolutely on the list, but equity is more powerful than equality.”

entrepreneurship continues rise

Cunningham, an economist and owner of Creative Investment Research, added that many Black Americans may have used the extra time to expand side hustle businesses, with some even making them full-

mark. Out of 217 institutions, Maryville’s significant growth places it in the top three.

Katherine Louthan, Dean of the School of Adult and Online Education, comments on the growth in digital learning, “The remarkable expansion of our online programs is a cornerstone of Maryville’s growth. We are committed to extend-

time jobs, according to Black Enterprise. He said COVID gave African Americans more time to reflect on their lives. He said this included people considering whether their primary employer really valued them and the

ing the reach of our educational offerings, making them more accessible and flexible for all learners.”

Beyond Housing joins long list of companies suing Fields Foods

Beyond Housing, the former landlord of Fields Foods’ Pagedale store, is the latest in a long list

Black community after the George Floyd national protests. He said those sentiments could have prompted Blacks to launch businesses.

Further, Black business ownership may have risen as more people

of other landlords and companies suing the now defunct Fields Foods. The lawsuit states that an investigation found that the store’s owner, developer Chris Goodson, requested funds from Beyond Housing for equipment, but some of the equipment and property was not returned to Beyond Housing. The suit is asking for

obtained financing in recent years as lending from the Paycheck Protection Program run by the U.S. Small Business Administration and other programs led to an increased ability to get some level of financing.

more than $257,000 in damages, as well as nearly $25,000 for attorneys’ fees and costs. Other landlords are pursuing Fields Foods in court, as the city of St. Louis sues the grocer over delinquent taxes — revelations that came after it abruptly shuttered another store, saying it was seeking a sale to an employee group.

Felecia Hatcher, CEO of Black Ambition, Leo Creer, co-founder and CTO of Expert IEP, grand prize winner Antoinette Banks, CEO and founder of Expert IEP, and Pharrell Williams, founder of Black Ambition.

Living It

“Dreamgirls” will thrill Muny audiences in 2024

Part of sevenshow playbill

By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American

St. Louisans can celebrate the week leading to the 4th of July by seeing the acclaimed musical “Dreamgirls” at The Muny June 27 to July 3, 2023.

“Dreamgirls,” which made its Broadway debut on December 20, 1981, is a story of a Black trio of singers just entering the music industry pursuing their dreams of success.

They persevere in an industry dominated by influential men in the musical, which according to author of the book “Dreamgirls,” was based on Black show business icons The Shirelles, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, and others. It also “closely follows the story of The

Sumner’s superstar

Cast of ‘Tina’ visits alma mater of music icon

By Kenya Vaughn The St. Louis American

On Friday, November 17, about two dozen cast members from the Broadway tour of “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical” discussed the show with students of Sumner High School – Turner’s alma mater. They took questions that ranged from learning lines to orchestrating fight scenes.

Meanwhile, 11th grader Camiyah Nettles sat quietly in the audience holding on to a question for one of the alumni scattered in the crowd or 100 or so students that are a part of Sumner’s recently developed performing arts initiative.

She wondered if there was an inkling that Turner, then known as Anna Mae Bullock, would be such a big star – so big that her life story has been set to music and is playing the Fox Theatre through November 26.

Vera Vincent Smith had fond memories of her classmate walking the halls

Supremes.

“Dreamgirls takes its audience through the thrilling and invigorating changes in American pop music that exploded in the 1960s,” says a Muny release.

“It’s a moving and inspirational tale of an all-girl singing trio from Chicago that rises from obscurity to superstardom.”

n “Muny 106 promises to be big, bold and exciting.”

- Mike Isaacson, artistic director and executive producer

The musical is part of a seven-show lineup for The Muny’s 106th Season.

The season kicks off with one of the most celebrated musicals in Broadway history, Les Misérables, which runs June 17 – 23).

Following the week-long run of

“Dreamgirls,” “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” swims to the stage July 8 – 16).

The classic “Fiddler on the Roof” returns July 19 – 25, and the regional and Muny premiere of Sara Bareilles’ “Waitress” runs July 30 –August 5.

Also making its Muny premiere is Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “In the Heights,” August 9 – 15, and Cole Porter’s “Anything Goes” closes the season’s curtain August 19-25.

“I am beyond excited about our 2024 season line up,” said Kwofe Coleman, Muny president and CEO.

“The opportunity to celebrate community, share memories and create opportunity through these seven shows is an incredible gift that I can’t wait to share with our audiences next summer.”

Mike Isaacson, artistic director and executive producer, said, “Muny 106 promises to be big, bold and exciting.”

From East Boogie to the Oscars

Reginald Hudlin honored with SLIFF Lifetime Achievement Award

By Kenya Vaughn The St. Louis American

Thanks to “House Party” East St. Louis native Reginald Hudlin entered the film industry as a certified culture shifter. Nearly 35 years later – with credits in film and television that feel too extensive to belong to a single individual – he returned home to accept a lifetime achievement award as part of the closing night festivities for Cinema St. Louis’ 32nd Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival.

“I’ve been fortunate that I’ve had a long career, but you really want love from home,” Hudlin told Kevin C. Johnson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch during their captivating conversation at The Hi-Pointe Sunday night. Several members of the Hudlin family were in the audience –which was also deep with people from his hometown who came through to support him.

“East Boogie is live and in full effect tonight,” Lyah LeFlore-Ituen said as she presented Hudlin with his award. They clapped and co-signed on the regular, making sure that their native son knew how much they loved and appreciated him. They even sang the theme song from former East St. Louis staple Roszell’s clothing store.

The audience was on the edge of their seats from beginning to end as Hudlin and Johnson offered an hour-and-twenty-minute retrospective of his career that was broken down into talking points by way of his projects – starting with 1990’s House Party and continuing through Candy Cane Lane which premieres on Prime Video December 1. Hudlin directs the film, which stars Eddie Murphy. It is the first time he and Murphy have worked together since Hudlin directed him in Boomerang in 1992.

of the historic Sumner High School in the late 1950s. “She was always high spirited, and so much fun,” Smith said Turner, born Anna Mae Bullock, was known as Annie back then. Annie was a year ahead of Smith in school, but the pair connected through a mutual gym class. “She took her exercise seriously, and was very good at it,” Smith said. “I truly enjoyed the time we spent together.”

Sixty-Five years after she graduated from Sumner – and boldly proclaimed her career aspirations as an entertainer in the caption for her senior class yearbook photo – Turner is remembered as an icon.

“To portray somebody who went through all the things that she went through and also found success coming from where she came from... It’s an honor to tell her story all over the country and try to emulate a bit of who she is,” said Parris Lewis, one of two actresses to embody Turner as part of the Broadway tour. Turner walked the halls of Sumner High School on Monday through Friday. On the weekends, she played clubs in East St. Louis and St. Louis with Ike

See Tina, C3

Before they took a deep dive into the work, Hudlin gave credit to his brother Warrington Hudlin for “showing him there was a way out of no way.” He watched Warrington make a name for himself as an independent filmmaker. Reginald decided that he wanted to do the same thing in the mainstream. He would run the family phone bill up calling Warrington long distance to share his ideas. “One year for Christmas, he gave me a book,” Reginald said. “I opened it up and the pages were blank. He said, ‘Stop telling me your ideas and write them down.’ That was the beginning.” Out of those stories – which included late nights at The Regal Room, and his middle brother getting caught sneaking home by their father – came the script for “House Party.” Hudlin wrote it his senior year at Harvard. Reginald shopped the script around, but was rejected by studio after studio.

“They said, look it’s two things that people don’t want to see – black movies and teenage movies – you have a black teenage movie’,” Hudlin said. “Nobody wants to see that.” He finally got a yes from New Line Cinema and directed the film that was produced by his brother Warrington. According to Hudlin, the film went on to become one of the most See Hudlin, C8

See Muny, C8

Reginald Hudlin

Photo by Diane Sobolewski

Jos N. Banks, Evan Tyrone Martin, Trejah Bostic, Tynisa Wilson, Keirsten Hodgens, and Mykal Kilgore are currently starring in “Dreamgirls” at The Good Speed, a theater in East Haddam, Connecticut. The musical is on The Muny stage June 27 to July 3, 2024.

Photo by Brian Munoz St. Louis Public Radio

Ari Groover, who plays Tina Turner in “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical,” speaks to Sumner High School students on Friday in The Ville.

CONCERTS AND LIVE SHOWS

TINA - The Tina Turner Musical

11/22/2023 7:30pm

11/24/2023 7:30pm

11/25/2023 2:00pm

11/26/2023 1:00pm

The Fabulous Fox

527 N Grand Blvd

St. Louis, MO

Ticket prices vary

Ms. Lauryn Hill & Fugees: Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 25th Anniv. Tour

11/25/2023 7:30pm: CANCELLED

R&B Groove Thang

11/25/2023 8:00pm Stifel Theatre 1400 Market Street St. Louis, MO

$59.00 - $199.00

Postmodern JukeboxLife In The Past Lane

11/24/2023 8:00pm Concert The Factory 17105 North Outer 40 Road Chesterfield, MO

$29.50 - $69.50

Dvsn - Working On My Karma Tour

11/28/2023 8:00pm The Pageant 6161 Delmar Blvd St. Louis, MO

$30.00

Al Green with Bettye LaVette

11/25/2023 7:00pm Family Arena 2002 Arena Pkwy St. Charles, MO

STL Sites &Sounds

$62.00 - $297.00

The Night of The Crows ft. Tef Poe, Monkh and more 11/24/2023 8:00 PM Central Stage 3524 Washington Ave St. Louis, MO

The night will include high energy Fonkh mixed with many different layers of soul, hip hop and pure Rock n Roll.

$10 adv./ $15 door

MC Tres: Unplugged Live from The Dark Room

11/26/22 9:30 PM Live from Dark Rook at The Grandel 3610 Grandel Square St. Louis, MO

$40/$20/$15

Pussy Riot: Riot DaysAn Activist Multimedia Experience

11/28/23 8:00pm In 2012, feminist punk collective Pussy Riot made world headlines when they were arrested in their native country of Russia for a rebellious performance staged in Moscow’s Cathedral Of Christ The Saviour. When three members were imprisoned for their criticism of Putin and the Russian Orthodox Church, the group became a global movement. Delmar Hall 6133 Delmar Blvd St. Louis, MO $25

Kids’ Night at the Fabulous Fox with ‘Twas the Night Before...

11/29/2023 7:30pm ‘Twas the Night Before… by Cirque du Soleil

The Fabulous Fox 527 N Grand Blvd

St. Louis, MO

$30.00 - $100.00

Dirty Dancing in Concert

11/30/2023 7:30pm Stifel Theatre

1400 Market Street

St. Louis, MO

$42.00 - $92.00

A Drag Queen Christmas 11/30/2023 8:00pm 6161 Delmar Blvd

St. Louis, MO

$38.50 - $252.50

NIGHTLIFE

Dogtown Records presents: 1st Annual Fall Funk Ball

11/25/2023 7:30pm Off Broadway St Louis 3509 Lemp Ave

St. Louis, MO

$15.00

Class Klowns

11/26/2023 7:30pm St. Louis (Thanksgiving Weekend) Saturday November 26th we’re back at it with my comedy show

Class Klowns! Starring “Willie C” Royster, (Making his return from NYC) Nathan Orton, along with (STL comedy legend) Jessie Taylor, and headlined by (The forever

hilarious - as seen on BET, HBO, Comedy Central, etc.) Kelly “K-Dubb” Walker. The Dark Room 3610 Grandel Sq. St. Louis, MO

Straight to the Funny Comedy Show

11/26/2023 7:30 pm 3301 Washington Ave St. Louis, MO

Sultry Sundays @ Too Much Sauce

11/26/2023 8:00pm

An Old School R&B, a Speed Dating Game Show called “The Threeway”, some good ole Soul Food and a Celebration of Love with our Best Dressed Couples Contest 5247 Delmar Blvd

St. Louis, MO

ART ACTIVITIES, EXHIBITS AND MUSEUMS

Drop-in Collection Tour: Bridging Generations 11/24/2023 1–2 pm Tour themes change monthly. Celebrate the important people in our lives with a one-hour tour featuring art that honors ancestors, families, and traditions.

Saint Louis Art Museum One Fine Arts Drive St. Louis, MO

Screening: Part 1 of Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World 11/25/2023

10:30am & 1:30pm

Screening: Part II of Fight the Power: How

Hip Hop Changed the World 11/25/2023

11:30am & 2:30pm

Saint Louis Art Museum

One Fine Arts Drive St. Louis, MO No tickets required

Drop Everything by Zachary Petot 11/26/2023

Drop Everything, is a collection of artwork exploring the history of the bathhouse within the queer community and its role as a cruising ground for gay men. Drawing, printmaking, sculpture, and digital techniques, I am giving the language a contemporary life. Combining contemporary items or images associated with acts within the queer community allows viewers to see items and then veils of text referencing the language. 3301 Washington Ave St. Louis, MO

Family Sunday 11/26/2023 1:00pm Saint Louis Art Museum One Fine Arts Drive St. Louis, MO Free

FAIRS, FESTIVALS AND MARKETS Winterfest

11/24/2023 4:00pm

11/25/2023 12:00pm 11/26/2023 12:00pm Kiener Plaza Park

500 Chestnut St, St. Louis, MO 63101 St. Louis, MO Free

Al Green performs at The Family Arena with Bettye LaVette in St. Charles on November 25 at 7:00pm

Dr. James M. Whittico Jr.: Trailblazing Surgeon and Community Advocate

By Jarrhet M. Whittico and Joi S. Whittico for the Missouri Historical Society

The distinguished career of Dr. James Malachi Whittico Jr. (2015–2018) can be summarized in his own words: “My life has been devoted to the purpose of working, trying to do something meaningful for the benefit of my fellow man.” His professional journey was defined by an unwavering dedication to ensuring that all citizens, particularly minorities who experienced an array of inequities, have equal access to quality, comprehensive health care regardless of race or socioeconomic status.

He was born to Dr. James Malachi Whittico Sr. and Nannie Lee Cobbs Whittico of Williamson, West Virginia. His mother was an educator who tutored her young son near the potbelly kitchen stove. Considering Williamson’s schools to be inadequate, she sent him to elementary school in Huntington, West Virginia, nearly 80 miles away.

Whittico excelled as a student despite witnessing the evils of segregation and racism, including the terror inflicted upon his community by the Ku Klux Klan. While the expectation was that African Americans would submit to intimidation by turning off porch lights and hastening into their houses when the Klan marched through town, Dr. Whittico Sr. summoned his wife and son to join him on the porch, where he sat with the light on, a newspaper in his hands, and a pistol in his lap as the Klan passed by.

Whittico enrolled in Pennsylvania’s Lincoln University at age 15 and later attended Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, his father’s alma mater. He graduated in 1940 and came to St. Louis for an internship and surgical residency at Homer G. Phillips Hospital.

His training was interrupted in 1942 when he enlisted in World War II, serving in the US Army’s 93rd Infantry Division, 318th Medical Battalion. Whittico received numerous citations for his service—including the Bronze Star Medal, three battle stars, and the Meritorious Service Unit Plaque—then returned to St. Louis to complete surgical training at Homer G. and Washington University School of Medicine. It was at this time that he wed Gloria Thompson and started a

family. Over the course of his career, Whittico was an American Board of Surgery diplomate, American College of Surgeons fellow, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department associate medical director and surgeon, Division of Family Services medical review team consultant and senior physician, chair of the Joint Board of Health and Hospitals of St. Louis, and the first Black chair of the Missouri State Board of Healing Arts. He founded Mound City Medical Center, the state’s first Black multidisciplinary group practice, and was the first Black clinical professor of surgery at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. His surgical accolades included a rare and successful repair of a ruptured stomach on a premature, three-day-old infant and a life-saving heart operation on a stabbing victim.

Whittico condemned the destructive impact of poverty and nutritional deficiencies while championing increased enrollment of Black students in medical schools and the need for more Black doctors as an imperative to social advancement. He pursued community outreach among various health organizations and government offices, as well as discourse with political leaders including governors and US presidents, and played a role in the 1965 passage of Medicare. A devoted member of Central Baptist Church for over 50 years, Whittico established a health pro-

gram for parishioners, outfitted a clinic at the church for medical emergencies, and conducted health fairs.

This column was adapted from a February 2020 post on History Happens Here

“Legacies of Black Resistance: Education, Wellness, and the Law” is the focus of the Missouri History Museum’s Thursday Nights at the Museum program on November 30 (6:30pm). Featured presenters include Dr. Vetta L. Sanders Thompson, E. Desmond Lee Professor of Racial and Ethnic Studies and associate dean for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at the Brown School at Washington University; Christi Griffin, retired attorney and founder and president of the Ethics Project; Dr. LJ Punch, executive and medical director of Power4STL; and Joseph Thurman, professor of history at Jefferson College. A pre-program happy hour will feature food and drink for purchase; resource tables from the Missouri Historical Society’s African American History Initiative and local organizations; a pop-up talk about Homer G. Phillips Hospital in the Coloring STL exhibit; and a 20% Museum Shop discount on Climbing the Ladder, Chasing the Dream: The History of Homer G. Phillips Hospital by Candace O’Connor.

African American History Initiative programming is presented by Wells Fargo. Learn more at mohistory.org/collecting-initiatives/aahi.

Photo courtesy of the Whittico family

Dr. James M. Whittico Jr.

Religion

Community Gospel Choir will ‘Go

St. Louis American

The 17th annual Community Gospel Choir of St. Louis Christmas concerts will trumpet in the holiday season with 60 voices, a full jazz ensemble, dancers, featured soloists, and inspirational guests.

The first free concert, titled “Go Tell It,” will be performed at 4 p.m. Sunday Dec. 3, 2023, at Northside Seventh-day Adventist Church, 9001 Lucas and Hunt Road.

The second showcase will take place at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9, at Kirkwood United Methodist Church, 201 W. Adams in downtown Kirkwood.

By bringing together singers from diverse backgrounds, the Community Gospel Choir seeks to build bridges that restore “unity to community.” Formed in the summer of 2007, the choir

is recognized as one of the premier and most inclusive gospel choirs in the region.

Suzanne Palmer serves as the choir’s artistic director and conductor. She is also the fine arts director and a music teacher in the Normandy Schools Collaborative.

Palmer was recently honored with the 2023 Arts and Education Council Art Educator of the Year: Legacy Award. She was also recognized for her contributions to gospel music by the Gospel Music Workshop of American in 2023.

“What really attracted me was the choir’s endeavor to bring races together concentrating on the genres of African American spirituals and gospel music,” Palmer says on the choir website.

“I thought, ‘We should definitely focus on bringing God’s people together, bringing the

Good News of Jesus.’ The choir can show through song an intentional outreach of love and respect for each other in good faith.”

Helping

healthcare workers

LaShonda Gray, a St. Louis native and certified registered nurse anesthe tist, learned through her career that healthcare workers could use daily, inspirational encouragement. Her new book, “Scrub Pocket Devotions: A 21-Day Devotional for Healthcare Workers” provides “Bible based inspiration” for her peers,

she said. It is a way to provide encouragement, spiritual refreshment, and a sense of community to those who serve in the medical field,” Gray explains. She even realized the importance of the size of her book for healthcare workers.

“The books are perfectly crafted to tuck inside a scrub pocket or bag, with each devotional written in a way to connect Bible verses and Bible stories with realworld experiences that healthcare professionals face every day,” she said.

“I hope to make a

positive impact on the hearts and minds of healthcare professionals everywhere. I want to remind them that they are appreciated and valued, and that their hard work and dedication do not go unnoticed.

“Having spent over 20 years in the medical field, I wanted to give back to my colleagues and offer a Bible-based resource that will encourage and inspire them to keep moving forward.”

Gray added she wants to “revolutionize the way nurses, doctors, and all medical professionals stay spiritually grounded and uplifted in the midst of their fast-paced and high-pressure work environment.”

Scrub Pocket Devotions is now available on Amazon, both in print and eBook format.

Photo

CAREER OPPORTUNITY

PROBATION/ PRETRIAL CLERK NO. 2023-24

LOCATION: EAST ST. LOUIS, ILLINOIS

DATE POSTED: NOVEMBER 14, 2023

CLOSING DATE: DECEMBER 19, 2023

The United States Probation Office for the Southern District of Illinois has a full-time vacancy for a Probation/Pretrial Clerk. A Probation/Pretrial Clerk provides administrative support to the law enforcement officers.

Please visit the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office website at http://www.ilsp. uscourts.gov for complete

PROJECT

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT AND CAMP RANGER

Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri is now recruiting for two full-time positions: Executive Assistant to the CEO and Camp Ranger. For more info and to apply, visit www.girlscoutsem.org. We are a proud Equal Opportunity Employer, and we encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.

DIRECTOR

Hope in The Ville is hiring a Project Director to oversee food pantry, commissary, community garden, and other programs. This position will recruit, train, retain, and supervise a diverse team of volunteers and staff responsible for day-to-day operations of the agency, reporting to the agency’s board of directors. The project director will be responsible for record keeping and reporting, facility and fleet management, procurement and distribution of food, and overseeing all pantry, garden, and kitchen services, as well as all associated administrative operations and activities. This person will also ensure that all federal, state and health state policies, guidelines, and regulations for client care are met. Additionally, the project director will manage project budgets, collaborate with grant writer and assists grant applications and grant reports as requested, support relevant board committees as assigned, and represent the agency throughout the community. An associates degree in business or non-profit management with a minimum of five years of experience in program management is required. Also required are: knowledge of food pantry, community garden, and commercial kitchen operations and best practice standards; demonstrated experience in staff training and supervision; advanced verbal and written communication skills, presentation skills, and the ability to work with a wide range of stakeholders in a diverse community; ability to effectively prepare and manage a budget; ability to respond to sensitive and confidential issues; and, ability to use general office equipment, computers, and related software programs. SERV Safe Certification required.

Hope in The Ville’s mission is to partner with other agencies and businesses to empower individuals to have a compassionate desire for justice and equality for all humanity that will be fruitful for the community. HITV provides energy/rental/medication assistance, social services, invests in youth staying in school through its education initiative program, and provides a food and clothing pantry. Anticipated salary range for this position is $45,000 to $55,000 DOE. A reimbursement allowance for insurance cost and other benefits will be provided. Interested parties should send a complete resume and 3 references to: aitvcda@gmail. com.

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.

RECREATION SUPERVISORRENTAL SERVICES

The City of Richmond Heights is accepting applications for the position of Recreation Supervisor - Rental Services $54,338 - 58,321. To apply go to https://richmondheights. applicantpro.com/jobs/

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS

Kirkwood School District is hiring EC Educators for 23/24 and beyond. Pay starts at $19.52/hour. For more information and to apply, please visit www.kirkwoodschools.org/ jobs

SENIOR CENTER COORDINATOR/ ADMIN. ASSISTANT

City Seniors, Inc., an equal opportunity employer, is accepting applications for Senior Center Coordinator/ Admin. Assistant. Strong activity and planning skills a must. Call 314.352.0141 to apply in person. www. stlouiscityseniors.com Position may be funded through CDBG ad CDA.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Launched in 2021, the mission of the Gateway Early Childhood Alliance is to create and sustain an early childhood system that ensures Black and Brown children and families have access to high-quality early childhood care and education. The Gateway Early Childhood Alliance is seeking an Executive Director to replace their Founding Executive Director.

This position is responsible for catalyzing a regional coordination nonprofit that drives early education (ECE) quality and access in St. Louis seeking to provide the most benefit to underrepresented, marginalized, and highest need communities.

For a full job description and to APPLY, visit: https://tinyurl.com/24dyx35z

Washington University in St. Louis offers rewarding opportunities in various fields at all levels, with positions in engineering, nursing and health care, research, administration, technology, security and more.

JR73427 Maintenance Technician II - Real Estate

Performs maintenance services and /or repairs in two or more areas of skill including but not limited to plumbing, machine servicing and electrical repairs or installations for the properties maintained by Quadrangle Housing Company. The maintenance Technician II will complete these repairs and preventive maintenance as required for the general upkeep of the properties of Quadrangle Housing Company. The ideal candidate will meet the following required qualifications: High school diploma or equivalent high school certification or technical school diploma or equivalent. Required/ Licensure/Certification/Registration: Certain departments, based on job duties, may require Missouri Class E Driver’s license and Missouri Class B CDL required within six months of employment.

LPN Nursing Openings

Washington University currently has several LPN openings in highly sought after outpatient clinical departments. We offer competitive wages and outstanding employee benefits. LPNs with clinic or hospital experience; Epic charting experience are highly preferred.

• Orthopedic Surgery in Central West End and Progress West Clinic Locations

• Urologic Surgery Clinic

• Outpatient Dialysis in Forest Park or North County Locations (Dialysis Experience Required)

• Facial Plastic Surgery Clinic

• Gastroenterology Clinic

Resumes accepted: tracey.faulkner@wustl.edu

Staff Therapist or Clinical Social Worker (Part Time)

The Division of Child Psychiatry at Washington University is seeking to hire two part-time Staff Therapists for itsAdolescent Intensive Outpatient Program (AIOP). The position will involve a combination of direct clinical interventions and group care to adolescents and/or their caregivers and the therapists will collaborate closely with a multidisciplinary team to implement novel models of care delivery and measure outcomes.

• Equivalent of a master’s degree in social work.

• REQUIRED LICENSURE/CERTIFICATION/REGISTRATION

• AAMFT,ASLPC, LCSW, LPC, CPC, LMFT or licensed Psychologist in the state of Missouri

Resumes accepted: tracey.faulkner@wustl.edu

For a full description of these positions

PUBLIC NOTICE

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

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

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

Alberici Constructors, Kwame Building Group and the Saint Louis Zoo seek bids from qualified firms to submit proposals for a project at the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park.

The project consists of mass excavation, grading , site utilities for the installation of stormwater retention basins. To request bid documents, please send an E-mail to stlzoobids@alberici.com.

WAITING LIST

WOODLAND TOWERS APARTMENTS

306 PINE LAKE ROAD

COLLINSVILLE, IL, 6223

Seniors 62 and older

Apply now for an affordable 1-bedroom unit. Stop by the office or Call: (618) 345-7240 for an application Applications may be returned in person, by mail or by e-mail.

Monday-Friday 8-5

Managed by Related Management Company

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS FOR FUTURE BID OPPORTUNITY

PARIC Corporation will be seeking proposals for the following project: CRUNDEN-MARTIN EAST & WEST – CORE & SHELL

PARIC Corporation will be soliciting bids for the CRUNDEN-MARTIN EAST & WEST CORE & SHELL located on the 700 Block of South 2nd Street in St. Louis, MO. Project consists of the historic renovation of a 510,000 SF, 6-story multi-structure building and a 43,000 SF, 6-story building with a skywalk connecting the two buildings. The project site is approximately 3 acres. The use of the buildings is composed of commercial spaces and lightindustrial spaces. Demolition/remediation work and sitework will start Late March/April of 2024. Invitations to bid will be sent out on 12/11/2023 for access to the bid documents. If you do not received a bid invitation please send your company information to tlalexander@paric.com

A Pre-Bid Site Walk and Outreach meeting will be held on 12/19/2023 at 9:00am at the project site on 760 2nd Street, St. Louis, MO

BIDS WILL BE DUE ON JANUARY 18, 2024 @ 2:00pm

Send all questions to Cory Hoke choke@paric.com

Goals for Construction Business Enterprise

• 21% for African American-owned business enterprises,

• 2% for Hispanic American-owned business enterprises,

• 0.5% for Asian American-owned business enterprises,

• 0.5% for Native American-owned business enterprises,

• 11% for Women-owned business enterprises.

Goals for Construction Workforce

• 25% for Minority

• 20% for Apprentice

• 7% for Women

• 23% for City of St. Louis Residence

PARIC CORPORATION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

ADVERTISEMENT FOR PROPOSALS

The City of St. Peters is seeking qualifications for the “24-108 – Mid Rivers Mall Drive Multi-Use Path - Rte. N to MO 364 TAP-7303 (625)” until 2:30 p.m. local time, December 13, 2023. This will be a Non-Public opening. The purpose of this project is to provide construction phase services and prepare all required plans and specifications required to acquire needed property rights and bid the construction of the MRMD multi-use path from former Route N to MoDOT right-of-way at MO 364.

The RFQ will be available on November 22, 2023 and may be obtained from the City of St. Peters website https://mo-stpeters.civicplus.com/Bids. aspx.

If your firm would like to be considered for providing these consulting services, please prepare a Technical Proposal. This proposal should include any information which might help us in the selection process, such as the persons or team you would assign to each project, the backgrounds of those individuals, and other projects your company has recently completed or are now active. The proposal shall be submitted in quadruplicate, in a sealed package, and clearly marked with the Consultant’s name and City of St. Peters – 24-108 – Mid Rivers Mall Drive Multi-Use Path - Rte. N to MO 364 TAP-7303 (625). The proposal must be received by the City of St. Peters Purchasing Department by 2:30 p.m., local time, December 13, 2023.

All questions regarding the project and proposal submittal are to be submitted via e-mail to Bids@stpetersmo.net and specify in the subject line “RFQ No. 24-108 – Mid Rivers Mall Drive Multi-Use Path - Rte. N to MO 364 TAP-7303 (625)” before noon local time, December 5, 2023.

The City of St. Peters will evaluate firms based on a) experience and competence, b) the capacity of the firm to perform the work in the timeframe needed, c) past performance.

Once a proposal is selected, a contract will be negotiated, with the firm, based on a mutually agreed upon scope of services. This project has received federal reimbursement funding through the Transportation Alternative Program (TAP) administered by the East-West Gateway Coordinating Council of Governments. A DBE goal of 10% has been determined by Missouri Department of Transportation for the Preliminary Engineering portion of the project.

DBE firms must be listed in the MRCC DBE Directory located on MoDOT’s website at www.modot.gov, in order to be counted as participation towards an established DBE Goal. We encourage DBE firms to submit proposals as prime consultants for any project they feel can be managed by their firm.

It is required that your firm’s Statement of Qualification (RSMo 8.285 through 8.291) and an Affidavit of Compliance with the federal work authorization program along with a copy of your firm’s E-Verify Memorandum of Understanding (15 CSR 60-15.020) be submitted with your firm’s technical proposal and with your firm’s Letter of Interest. It is also required that your firm be prequalified with MoDOT and listed in MoDOT’s Approved Consultant Prequalification List.

The City reserves the right to waive any informality and to accept the qualifications most advantageous to the City.

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Renovate Campground

Full Hook-Up Sites at Roaring River State Park, Project No. X2205-01, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, December 21, 2023 via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. Project information available at: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

SEALED BIDS

Bids for REPLACE CARPETRevenue Suites 360, 370, & 380, Truman State Office Building, Project No. O2347-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, Thursday, December 21, 2023. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

ADVERTISEMENT FOR PROPOSALS

The City of St. Peters is seeking qualifications for the “24-107Jungermann Road Resurfacing Phase 2 - McClay Road to MO 364 (STBG-7302(711))” until 2:00 p.m. local time, December 13, 2023. This will be a Non-Public opening. The purpose of this project is to provide construction phase services and prepare all required plans and specifications required to acquire needed property rights and bid the construction of the reconstruction of Jungermann Road from the north side of the signalized intersection at McClay Road to MoDOT right-of-way at MO 364.

The RFQ will be available on November 22, 2023 and may be obtained from the City of St. Peters website https://mo-stpeters.civicplus.com/Bids. aspx.

If your firm would like to be considered for providing these consulting services, please prepare a Technical Proposal. This proposal should include any information which might help us in the selection process, such as the persons or team you would assign to each project, the backgrounds of those individuals, and other projects your company has recently completed or are now active. The proposal shall be submitted in quadruplicate, in a sealed package, and clearly marked with the Consultant’s name and “City of St. Peters – 24-107 - Jungermann Road Resurfacing Phase 2 - McClay Road to MO 364 (STBG-7302(711))”. The proposal must be received by the City of St. Peters Purchasing Department by 2:00 p.m., local time, December 13, 2023.

All questions regarding the project and proposal submittal are to be submitted via e-mail to Bids@stpetersmo.net and specify in the subject line “RFQ No. 24-107 - Jungermann Road Resurfacing Phase 2 - McClay Road to MO 364 (STBG-7302(711))” before noon local time, December 5, 2023.

The City of St. Peters will evaluate firms based on a) experience and competence, b) the capacity of the firm to perform the work in the timeframe needed, c) past performance.

Once a proposal is selected, a contract will be negotiated, with the firm, based on a mutually agreed upon scope of services. This project has received federal reimbursement funding through the Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) administered by the East-West Gateway Coordinating Council of Governments. A DBE goal of 10% has been determined by Missouri Department of Transportation for the Preliminary Engineering portion of the project.

DBE firms must be listed in the MRCC DBE Directory located on MoDOT’s website at www.modot.gov, in order to be counted as participation towards an established DBE Goal. We encourage DBE firms to submit proposals as prime consultants for any project they feel can be managed by their firm.

It is required that your firm’s Statement of Qualification (RSMo 8.285 through 8.291) and an Affidavit of Compliance with the federal work authorization program along with a copy of your firm’s E-Verify Memorandum of Understanding (15 CSR 60-15.020) be submitted with your firm’s technical proposal and with your firm’s Letter of Interest. It is also required that your firm be prequalified with MoDOT and listed in MoDOT’s Approved Consultant Prequalification List

The City reserves the right to waive any informality and to accept the qualifications most advantageous to the City.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The St. Louis African American Arts & History Cultural Center is seeking proposals for a design and build process for both design and architecture/ engineering. This is a complete project that combines the renovation of the building as required.

This Request for Proposal (RFP) is issued by the Urban League of St. Louis, Missouri for Architecture/ Engineering, and Exhibition Design for the interior build-out of a new cultural center inside of the Urban League’s headquarters facility. The RFP process consist of three parts:

● Mandatory Site Meeting

● Submission of Proposal

● Interview

The selected team will have exclusive rights to negotiate a professional service agreement with the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, to provide design services and architecture/engineering services. It is the aim of the SAAAHCC to enter into a contractual relationship with the Lead Design Firm.

Any team wishing to be considered for a contract to work with the SAAAHCC agrees to assemble, manage and administer a design-build process that includes renovations to the building. Those teams that did not identify a General Contractor to complete the renovation work understands that they will be responsible for contracting and administering this work. Please note that site visit and interview attendance costs are at the expense of the proponent. All subcontractors will be engaged at the approval of the St. Louis Metropolitan Urban League.

The full RFP can be found at ulstl.com. For clarification on any aspect of this RFP you are invited to direct inquiries, in writing only, by mail or facsimile or e-mail to:

Kwame Building Group, Inc. Construction Management 1204 Washington Ave, Unit 200 St. Louis, MO 63103 EMAIL: Mmcclain@kwamebuildinggroup.com

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Statewide Job Order Contract, Project No. IDIQMCA-4005, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, December 19, 2023, via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. Project information available at: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

Lines and Infrastructure, Ozark Correctional Center, Project No.C1907-01will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 11/16/23. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

CITY OF ST. LOUIS BOARD OF PUBLIC SERVICE

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS for PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FOR EXECUTIVE PROGRAM MANAGEMENT SUPPORT & SERVICES AT ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. Statements of Qualifications due by 5:00 PM CT, December 1, 2023 through the Bid Express online portal at: https://www.bidexpress.com/ businesses/20618/home? agency=true. Request for Qualifications (RFQ) may be obtained from BPS website https://www. stlouis-mo.gov/government/ departments/public-service/, under BPS RFQ and RFP Announcement, or email Board of Public Service at bryanth@ stlouis-mo.gov. A fee of $40 is required to submit Statement of Qualifications through the Bid Express service. Monthly subscriptions are available. 25% MBE and 5% WBE participation goals.

SEALED BIDS

Bids for New Comfort Station, Project No. F2206-01 (Re-bid) will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, November 30, 2023. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

INVITATION TO BID

The Twenty-Second Judicial Circuit is currently soliciting proposals for Landscaping Services under the direction of the Circuit Court in the Carnahan Courthouse, 1114 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63101; Civil Court Building, 10 N. Tucker Blvd., St. Louis, Missouri 63101; Juvenile Family Courts Building, 920 N. Vandeventer, St. Louis, Missouri 63108; Juvenile Detention Center, 3847 Enright Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63108; and Juvenile Annex, 3827 Enright Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63108.

The Request for Proposal is available on the Court’s website http://www. stlcitycircuitcourt.com, click on General Information, then Request for Proposals.

Proposals must be received no later than 10 a.m. on January 23, 2024.

PUBLIC NOTICE

The terms of three current Normandy Schools Collaborative (NSC) Joint Executive Governing Board (JEGB) members are set to expire on June 30, 2024, and an election will be held to fill their positions. The newly elected members will join the JEGB at the April 2024 board meeting.

The public will vote for candidates for the JEGB on the April 2, 2024, ballot. Individuals wishing to run as a candidate will have a three-week application window. Per state statute §162.083, RSMo, the filing period for the April election will begin on Tuesday, December 5, 2023, and close on Tuesday, December 26, 2023. Candidates must be residents of the NSC geographic footprint.

Per the Missouri School Board Association, school board candidates must meet the following additional requirements:

• be a United States citizen;

• be a resident taxpayer of a district or voter of the district in urban districts;

• be a resident of Missouri for at least one year and

• be at least 24 years old.

For residents who would like to run for one of the three seats on the JEGB, please contact the JEGB Secretary Cecilia Rigsby at 314-493-0400 or by email to crigsby@normandysc.org. Information is also available at www.normandysc.org.

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE:

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

“You have the UK. You have Germany. You have Australia – which just opened. You have Madrid,” Groover said.

Turner and his Kings of Rhythm. They went on to music stardom, but Tina Turner paid a heavy price in the form of the abuse she suffered at the hand of her bandleader turned husband before liberating herself and experiencing a history-making career renaissance.

“Tina” tells it all – from her humble beginnings in Nutbush, Tennessee to the reunion with her mother Zelma in St. Louis that changed the course of her life, and laid the foundation for the goddess of music that the world would ultimately worship.

“The great thing about this musical is that this was her last love letter [to her fans] before she passed,” Said Ari Groover, who also plays Turner and was a member of the Broadway cast. “She was a part of every step. She came to the opening night on Broadway in October 2019. She was very proud.” Turner passed away in May at the age of 83, but Groover said that before her death she would touch base with the artists portraying her in productions around the world – which speaks to the global phenomenon that she was.

“There are so many places that they do Tina: The Tina Turner Musical and she would reach out to everybody who played Tina with every company and she would send a letter or a video checking in saying how proud she is of this show and good job to everybody who is making this thing happen and telling her story.”

Even though it wasn’t included in the musical, Sumner is a part of Turner’s story. While some cast members worked with students in mini masterclasses, others toured the school with teacher Jermaine Smith. They learned that so many others who also left local, national and international legacies have Sumner as a part of their story.

As they made their way down the Wall of Fame portraits, Wydetta Carter – who portrays Gran Georgeanna- insisted that someone get a photo of her next to the late musician Charles Creath, with whom she performed in a Black Rep production of “Ain’t Misbehavin.”

And Lewis, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., was over the moon when she learned that sorority founder Ethel Hedgeman Lyle graduated among Sumner’s Class of

1904.

“There is just so much history here,” Lewis said of the school, which was founded in 1875 and is the oldest African American high school west of the Mississippi River.

Ron Gregory, younger brother of the late comedy icon and activist Dick Gregory, graduated from Sumner a year before Turner. He shared with the cast and current students the lasting impact Sumner had on him, his brother –who was also a Sumner Bulldog – and countless others.

“It is an honor to be here honoring one of our former students,” Gregory said. “Rest assured, we might have had our heads down when we entered the building for the first time, but when we walked out, our heads were up. That attitude we picked up at Sumner High School lasted us all of our lives.”

It’s an attitude that Camiyah Nettles will take with her as well.

“I mean, seeing her [Turner] can do this, it makes me feel like I can do something big too,” Nettles said.

TINA: The Tina Turner Musical continues through November 26 at The Fox Theatre. For tickets or additional information, visit www.metrotix.com or call 314.534.1111.

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profitable movies of the decade – and so popular that several sequels have attempted to emulate the success of the original.

“In 2022 there was a reboot,” Johnson said. “I was not involved,” Hudlin quickly responded. “Thank God,” Johnson quipped. “That was not my favorite ‘House Party.’” “I was only involved with the first movie,” Hudlin said. “There have been like five or six – I don’t even know how many. They make enough money to where they keep making them, but they never make as much money as the original. The good news is I get a check every time.”

But anyone in the audience could tell from Hudlin’s passion and intention over the course of the talk that Hudlin is not merely motivated by money. As they moved through his work as a filmmaker, director, film producer, awards show producer, BET’s first president of Entertainment and the first Black man to produce the Academy Awards it was clear he is here for the culture first and foremost.

“‘House Party’ started it. ‘Boomerang” locked it in. ‘Django Unchained’ got the Oscar nomination. ‘The Black Godfather’ and ‘Sidney’ allowed me to honor the ancestors,” Hudlin said. “And ‘Candy Cane Lane’ is me delivering a promise to my kids.” They would come by the studio when Hudlin and Quentin Tarantino were making “Django Unchained.” “Leonardo DiCaprio said, ‘I can’t wait for you to see this movie 15 years from now,’” Hudlin said. “And they said, ‘Daddy, when are you going to make a movie for us? I’m a little late – they are 18 and 16 –but they are still happy.”

Hudlin was over the

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“It offers something for everyone, with a glorious selection of new and classics, as well as stories that will move and entertain.” “Dreamgirls” could be classified as “new and classic.

Jennifer Holliday Sheryl Lee Ralph, Loretta Devine, Ben Harney and other noted Black actors starred when the musical opened at the Imperial

Theatre on Broadway. It received 13 nominations for 1982 Tony Awards, including the Tony Award for Best Musical. The musical actually won six, including Holliday and Harney receiving Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical and Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, and Best Choreography. A film adaption was released in 2006 starring Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé, Eddie Murphy, Jennifer

moon to be back home getting his flowers and inspiring emerging and established filmmakers in the process.

He credits his East St. Louis roots – and regularly applying the “use what you have, and do what you can” quote from one of his heroes, Sumner High School alum Arthur Ashe as critical elements of his success.

“If not for this town, for this city, for East St. Louis – growing up two doors down from where Ike met Tina – ten blocks from where Chuck Berry created rock and roll,” Hudlin said. “This is what made me what I am.”

Hudson, Danny Glover, Anika Noni Rose and Keith Robinson Season ticket renewals are underway with new subscriptions going on sale in March 2024. Single show tickets will go on sale in May. Muny gift cards for the 106th season are available online and at The Muny Box Office. For more information, visit muny.org or call (314) 361-1900.

Information about auditions for the 2024 Muny season can be found at muny.org/auditions.

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Photo by Brian Munoz/St. Louis Public Radio

Karen Burthwright, the dance captain for “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical,” leads a master class on Friday at Sumner High School.

Photo Courtesy of Cinema St. Louis Reginald Hudlin and St. Louis Post-Dispatch Popular Music Critic Kevin C. Johnson discussing Hudlin’s storied career as part of the closing night festivities for St. Louis International Film Festival.