November 24th, 2022 edition

LouiS AmericAn

‘It’s All in the Family’

By Sylvester Brown Jr.

The St. Louis American

For many Christian churches the First Lady serves specific roles. She’s traditionally married to the head pastor; she’s invested in the community and serves as the eyes, ears, and hearts of the Church Family. Holding true to that definition, the 2nd Annual First Ladies’ Health Equity Symposium held on Nov. 5th, was held for the congregation of county residents to become proactive in addressing health disparities.

The event, held at Greater Grace Church in St. Louis County was hosted by first ladies of several area churches including Greater Grace Church of Ferguson, New

By Sylvester Brown Jr.

About 60 people gathered outside the St. Louis County Court Building for what was promoted as a “Storytelling Vigil for Kevin Johnson.” Johnson was convicted in the 2005 murder of Kirkwood police Sgt. William McEntee. His execution is scheduled next week on Nov. 29, 2022. On a night that broke from the extremely cold See FIRST LADIES, A7

Hope & Hopelessness

Story telling vigil for Kevin Johnson touches hearts

weather of recent days, many who attended the vigil expressed various and differing reasons for their presence.

By Ashley Winters

Standing stoically outside the crowd’s parameters, a stocky young man who identified himself simply as “Yancey,” had a hard time containing his outrage. With Adele’s song “Rise Up” playing in the background, Yancy talked about the unfairness of the death penalty.

“These are random times…the world is

cruel,” Yancy said quietly. “You know, everybody makes mistakes and at a young age, he (Johnson) wasn’t in the right frame of mind, you know, because he was dealing with Bam Bam’s death and all.”

He referred to Johnson’s then 12-year-old brother, Joseph “Bam Bam” Long. According to court testimony, Johnson said he was enraged when he learned that police-intent on First Ladies’ Health Equity Symposium addresses importance of cancer screenings

See JOHNSON, A7

Donate 25K to its Arts Program

St. Louis American staff

As the St. Louis Blues prepared for their game against the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night, two young ladies from Central Visual and Performing Arts high School stood near a runway to the ice of the Enterprise Center. Clad in CVPA t-shirts, Zariah Taylor and Sydnee Lovett of the CVPA Advanced Vocal class were prepared to deliver a stirring rendition of the StarSpangled Banner. It was amazing.

Many fans in the sold-out venue wiped tears from their eyes as they were moved by the duet.

St. Louis continues to heal following the Oct. 24, 2022, shootings at CVPA that left teacher Jean Kuczka, 61, and student Alexzandria Bell, 15, dead.

See BLUES , A6

Zariah Taylor and Sydnee Lovett of Central Visual and Performing Arts High School’s Advanced Vocal class delivered a moving rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner on Monday night before the St. Louis Blues game.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Aldi’s held a bowling for turkey day Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022 at it ’s Union and Page Blvd. store. Timothy Tomkins, 73, takes a toss at a strike for the turkey day feast.

Photo courtesy of the St. Louis Blues

‘Turkey bowl’

Photo courtesy of Dr. Lannis Hall

Sinbad relearns how to walk while in recovery from stroke

Sinbad is in the process of still relearning how to walk after having a stroke two years ago. His family released a statement on Monday (Nov. 21) explaining he has a long road to recovery.

His family also said he is “fighting for every inch” as his limbs are working toward getting back to mobility.

In October 2020, a blood clot transferred from Sinbad’s heart to his brain and the stroke left him hospitalized for nine months.

gone unheard, unseen, or unfelt. Thank you. You have lifted his spirits along the way and inspired the entire family,” his family wrote.

What’s up with August Alsina’s mystery man on “The Surreal Life”

August Alsina was seen with a mystery man on the season finale of VH1’s “The Surreal Life” on Monday (Nov. 21) night, and during the episode he talked about his current love life and desiring a “limitless love.”

“Survival odds from this type of event are approximately 30%,” his family wrote. “Sinbad has already beaten the odds and has made significant progress beyond what anyone expected, but there are still miles to go.”

His medical costs have put his family in a challenging position, and they’ve set up a website to help with the financial burden. They are grateful for the support his fans have given them.

“Every outpouring of love and the memories of how he has touched all of you have not

He also revealed during a show discussion “love has shown up in a new way for him.”

“I want to share that and really honor the person that I love and that loves me back and teaches me so much about love and healing,” he said. “I want to do that in front of the world because it defies all the constructs that one would say love is sup posed to be or love should look like.”

The unknown man then suddenly sits down next to Alsina and they collec tively tell each other they love one another while embracing in a hug. Alsina didn’t exactly verbally come out, but many specu late the man is his boyfriend. They said, “I love

you” while sharing a hug.

In the past he was caught in an alleged entanglement in Will Smith and Jada PinkettSmith’s marriage, spawning lots of controversy.

“Twerkoholic” singer B. Smyth dies from respiratory failure at 28

R&B singer and dancer, B. Smyth died Thursday (Nov. 18). He was 28. The news was confirmed in a video posted on his official Instagram page by his brother Denzil Smith.

“Today regretfully I have to announce that my brother has passed away this morning from respiratory failure after a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis,” Smith wrote. “My brother was very excited to see a lot of you create challenges for his latest released single #Twerkoholic part 2 while he was in the ICU, it really brought him a big smile to his face.”

“So on behalf of my brother and my family we want to say thank you to all of you for all of your love & support throughout the years. We ask for privacy during these difficult times.”

Smyth, born Brandon Smith, a Florida native, released his smash debut single “Leggo” featuring 2 Chainz in 2012. Motown Records released the song, and it peaked at No. 12 on Billboard’s Hot R&B Songs chart. He followed in the years after with “Win Win,” “Gettin’ That,” and more. He is most popular for the

twerk anthem “Twerkoholic,” (“Twerkoholic Pt. 2” was released last month).

Fans also fell in love with his appearance on LightSkinKeisha’s “Ride Good,” released in 2018. It peaked at No. 14 on the Hot R&B songs chart.

Internet pokes fun at B. Simone for not showering daily

Every detail of your life shouldn’t be shared online, unless you’re okay with the public scrutiny that comes with it. Comedian and social media influencer B. Simone recently shared on her podcast, “The Know For Sure Pod” that she doesn’t shower every day. In the clip, her co-host and bestfriend Megan Brooks asked her if she takes a shower on Monday, when’s the next time she’ll take another shower?

Simone’s response shocked everyone. She said at least by Wednesday, then explained it would depend on how busy she is and she’d rather “sleep than shower.”

Her clip went viral and the internet had a field day with it.

Simone made a joke out of the controversy by filming herself taking a shower on Thursday. “I’m in the shower, damn,” she said in the Instagram video. “Y’all want me to be in the shower so bad. It’s like, okay, I’m in the shower. Everything’s fresh.”

Sources: Rated RNB, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, NME, Page Six, Just Jared

By Kenya Vaughn

The St. Louis American

A “girl dad” to five daughters, Martin Luther Mathews and his late wife Barbara had no biological male children. But on Thursday morning, Graham Chapel was filled with “sons” who gathered to honor the memory of their chosen father.

They called him Mr. Mathews –but make no mistake about it, the bonds he formed through his more than six decades of service to the St. Louis community as co-founder of the Mathews- Dickey Boys and Girls Club rivaled that of any patriarch.

“I was offended when I came in, because Mr. Mathews had a way of making you feel like you were his only son,” said Bishop Elijah Hankerson III, president emeritus of the St. Louis Clergy Coalition and nationally renowned leader within the Church of God In Christ faith community. “Wave your hand if you were his son. Look at your neighbor and say, ‘you are not the only one.’”

The hands that waved spanned generations. They were different colors and from all walks of life. “He had plenty of daughters too,” Hankerson said. “If you were one of Mr. Mathews’ daughters, wave your hand.”

Hands of the women in the front pew dedicated for the family arose. But arms also waved in just about every pew. Among the many proclaimed daughters was sports icon Jackie Joyner-Kersee.

Some of the children he adopted

through his work – like Hankerson and Joyner-Kersee – were adults. He mentored and encouraged them to further apply their gifts, skills and influence to better serve the region. Wendell Covington, his immediate successor as leader of the Mathews-Dickey Boys and Girls Club, also fell within this category.

“He always stood in the gap for me, both personally and professionally, and for that I am forever grateful,” Covington said. “There will never be another man like Mr. Mathews. None of us can ever replace him – or even put his shoes on. All we can ever hope to do is walk in his footsteps.”

An influencer of epic proportions

Most of Mathews’ parenting via Mathews-Dickey came through relationships built as he shaped the lives of the youth who belonged to him through his organization. The principles and practices Mathews compelled them to apply in their own lives – particularly his mantra of “respect, restraint and responsibility” – were a recurring theme in the remarks from those whose lives he directly influenced as a coach, mentor, organizational partner and friend.

“He was the epitome of selflessness,” Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis President and CEO Michael McMillan said in a statement of condolences read by Bill Fronczak. “He cared deeply for our community and treated every child and every family as

‘Work a little harder, pay attention and keep being a good teammate.’ I realize over life, those are the same principles that I live by now.”

In the late 1990s, Donald Danforth III was moved by Mathews and Mathews-Dickey to establish City Academy. The school – located directly across from the club – is the only private, independent elementary school in St. Louis that offers scholarship support to 100 percent of its student body.

“He told me, ‘Build what you would expect for your own children. Make it the very best’,” Danforth said. “That’s how he lived his life. Those high expectations form the backbone for Mathews-Dickey and City Academy.”

Mathews’ commitment to providing the region’s youth with opportunities and education through athletics has had an impact on the region beyond measure.

though they were his own.”

In some cases, Mathews did both.

Tom Sullivan used to sit on Mathews’ porch waiting for him to return home from work so he could learn more about baseball.

“I was one of those that Mr. Mathews and Mathews-Dickey put their arms around and it was the best thing for my life,” Sullivan said. He now directs the club he once played ball for.

Karl Grice was not yet a teenager when he became involved with Mathews-Dickey and built a cherished relationship with its co-founder.

“I sought his opinion, absorbed his words, mimicked his manner, tried to replicate his people skills and aspired to obtain his wealth of knowledge,” Grice said of Mathews. “Apart from my own biological parents, there is no one I admire or respect more.”

Mathews called on Grice – who went on to become an architect – to design for the present-day location of the club. They were both disappointed

that we were not able to secure the site of the former St. Louis Public School stadium at Kingshighway and St. Louis venue, which had a rich history of sports.

“As a young architect, I could not see the forest from the trees, but his vision enlightened me,” Grice said. “He showed me how the site could work for the club and showed me the steps to implement the project.”

Soon after the facility at Penrose and Kingshighway was completed, President Ronald Reagan declared the campus and the organization that it housed a national model for youthcentered development when he visited the completed facility in 1982.

Sports media personality Mike Claiborne said the leadership he received from Mathews as a young right fielder for the Mathews-Dickey baseball team had a lasting impact.

“He and Mr. Dickey had the patience of Job – and it had such an impact on me and so many other people,” Claiborne said. “They would say,

“What started as an effort to help young people in the neighborhood beautifully morphed into a public service work that has impacted thousands,” U.S. Congresswoman Cori Bush said in a proclamation honoring Mathews’ life and contributions to the region. “His work will be etched in the fabric of St. Louis forever more, because it was rooted in love and commitment to our children and their futures.”

Early on in his eulogy, Judge E. Richard Webber declared that Mathews was the greatest man he had ever known.

“Just being in his presence taught the meaning of honesty and respect,” Webber said.

According to him and thousands –perhaps millions – of others, St. Louis and the world is a better place because of the life of Martin Luther Mathews with his grit and determination to make life better for everyone he touched.

“Think of each child he transformed as a pebble being tossed into a pool of water without limiting boundaries,” Webber said. “And how those ripples go on forever and improve the lives of generations that follow.”

Like the man who attendees gathered to honor, the tone of the service was more upbeat and celebratory than somber.

Photo by Wiley Price / St.

Traditional Thanksgiving Message

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 monthlong 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.

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.

Thanksgiving began in the United States in the 17th century as a celebration, a friendly comingtogether 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 later ensued 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.

That is more true than ever. While 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.

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 of a new presidential administration that leads us more forthrightly toward greater fairness, where blessings are more justly shared.

As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues

Many pundits didn’t see a changing, diverse American electorate

By Marc Morial

I am angry at the chorus of armchair pundits who created a dominant media narrative around the red wave with little evidence of it. ‘This is going to be a red wave or a red tsunami.’ Not true, it turns out. Black voters, yet again, [were] the conscience of America, turning out and showing up and really voting our values around racial justice and freedom and resilience.” – Dorian Warren, copresident, Community Change and Community Change Action About two weeks before Election Day, New York Times columnist David Brooks helpfully explained Why Republicans Are Surging. The only problem: they weren’t. And they didn’t. Fox News hosts Jesse Watters and Jeanine Pirro bet Geraldo Rivera $1,000 the GOP would win the Senate and the House. CNN’s Chris Cillizza offered up the following headlines: Why the midterms are going to be great for Donald Trump, Why Republican attacks on crime have been so devastating for Democrats, and The bottom is dropping out of the 2022 election for Democrats. They weren’t, they haven’t, and it didn’t.

President Biden’s party has lost at least six seats, giving control of the chamber to Republicans. However, Democrats flipped one Senate seat and pending the outcome of Georgia’s runoff, may increase their majority. It was hardly the 20- to 30-seat Republican gain in the House many forecasters predicted, and decidedly not “great” for Trump-endorsed candidates in competitive races,

about 70% of whom lost with six races yet to be called and two headed to runoffs. It was also the first midterm election since at least 1934 that the President’s party hasn’t lost a state-legislative chamber; in fact, Democrats took control of three state governments -- Michigan, Minnesota, and Vermont – and flipped the Maryland and Massachusetts governorships and the Pennsylvania state House. Predicting a loss for the President’s party in a midterm election usually is a safe bet. The President’s party has lost seats in Congress in every election except two since World War II. The only exceptions have been 1998, when the President’s party gained five seats in the House and lost no seats in the Senate, and 2002, when the President’s party gained eight seats in the House and two seats in the Senate. Post-war, control of the House has flipped eight times and control of the Senate 10 times.

How did some of the most prominent voices in the media get it so wrong? One mistake is relying on outlier polls and unreliable polls, as David Brooks did. On October 20, the day his “Republicans are Surging” column appeared, an average of “generic ballot” polls showed Republicans with an advantage of just one tenth of one percentage point, and

An important down payment on democracy’s future

By Ben Jealous

A lot of good news came out of this month’s elections—and enough bad to remind us that we can never let our guard down when freedom and democracy are at stake. This year, democracy itself was on the ballot, and voters made an important down payment on its future.

In 2020, Americans voted not to give President Donald Trump a second term. He wasn’t willing to accept his loss and tried to overturn the election. The anger he fostered with lies about election fraud let to a violent attempt to stop Congress from affirming Joe Biden’s victory. What did that have to do with this year’s elections?

Trump tried to get his people in power as governors and secretaries of state so they could pull off in 2024 what they were not able to do in 2020.

Voters weren’t having it. The “Red Wave” that Trump was counting on was blocked. Most of the secretary of state candidates running on Trump’s election lies were defeated, which means that important guardrails against future assaults on our democracy remain in place.

To further resist the threat of authoritarianism, we must lift young leaders who will be democracy’s champions for this and future generations. Young leaders elected as new members of Congress include Greg Casar from Austin, Texas; Emilia Sykes from Akron, Ohio; Maxwell Frost from Orlando, Fla.; Summer Lee from Braddock, Pa.; Robert Garcia from Long Beach, Calif.; Sydney Kamlager from Los Angeles, Calif; and Jasmine Crockett from

Dallas, Texas.

Another bright spot was Pennsylvania, where Attorney General Josh Shapiro was elected governor over a far-right promoter of Trump’s election lies. Lt. Gov. John Fetterman won a U.S. Senate seat over Trump’s hand-picked celebrity con artist “Dr. Oz.”

State Rep. Austin Davis, an impressive young Black man who has devoted his life to community and public service, is replacing Fetterman as Lt. Governor.

on immigrants and relentless attempts to restrict voting. Voters previously rejected his bids for governor and Senate, but, sadly, he’s back.

Democrats ahead in the four key Senate races. Brooks based his analysis on a single poll that found a four-point Republican advantage.

Closer to Election Day, however, even these polling averages shifted in favor of Republicans, thanks to what political strategist Simon Rosenberg called “a ferocious campaign GOP campaign right now to flood the zone with their polls, game the averages, declare the election is tipping to them.” Political data specialist Tom Bonier noted that many of these polls assumed “an older, whiter, more male electorate.” Rosenberg told MSNBC’s Joy Reid, “This is an unprecedented massive campaign by the Republicans to game the polling average. And it’s disappointing to me this wasn’t caught earlier by many of the people that do this that are on TV and do this for a living.”

A bigger problem was this polling mirage served to confirm some pundits’ pre-existing biases, underestimating motivating factors like reproductive rights and the threat to democracy, that were not important to them personally, and overestimating the role of inflation and the false narrative of rising violent crime.

The American electorate is changing, growing more racially and ethnically diverse. Our pundit class – those whose opinion columns are published by major news organizations and who are given network and cable tv platforms to wax political – does not reflect this diversity. Until it does, it will continue to suffer from the blind spots that not only skewed predictions about the election, but potentially sabotaged it.

Democrats will hold a majority in the Senate, so Republicans will not be able to stop President Biden from building on his excellent record of naming brilliant federal judges who are committed to justice for all.

Voters in Los Angeles elected Karen Bass as mayor and dumped Sheriff Alex Villanueva, notorious for overseeing an abusive department. Voters in several states protected access to abortion. Far-right attempts to build a national “Red Wave” with racist fearmongering about crime and bigoted smears of transgender people didn’t work, though they did enough damage to keep some good people out of office.

One bit of unwelcome news came with the narrow victory of Kris Kobach as Kansas attorney general. Kobach made a name for himself with attacks

Letter to the editor

So is Trump, who officially launched his campaign to get back into the White House just a week after voters said “no thanks” to his most high-profile allies. It’s a reminder that in politics, no victory is final. The struggle is never over. In fact, even this election isn’t over, as Georgia voters must return to the polls for a crucial runoff between Sen. Raphael Warnock and Trump’s candidate Herschel Walker.

Citizenship is a responsibility that requires constant recommitment. On that front, I’d like to share a bit of personal news. Next year, I will continue my advocacy for a more just and sustainable world in a new role as executive director of the Sierra Club, the nation’s most influential grassroots environmental group. I am delighted that my successor as president of People For the American Way will be Svante Myrick, who is just the kind of young leader our nation needs. He was elected to the city council of Ithaca, New York, while still a student, and at age 24, he became the city’s first Black mayor and the youngest mayor in the state. He was reelected twice by huge margins, and now he’s bringing his leadership and passion for defending democracy to the national level. Much to be grateful for. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way

All letters are edited for length and style

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Columnist Marc H. Morial

Columnist Ben Jealous

WWT, United Way get a read on regional service project

Our employees value the opportunity to work together to give back to the Edwardsville and East St. Louis communities.”

Being thankful for the late Don Lewis

When you came into this world, you could sing two songs . . . the first, crying, the second song, laughter. We sang those songs before we could say ‘mama’ or ‘papa.’ We live our lives between those two songs: one of need, one of joy. We need each other to be joyful.” —Don Lewis

Earlier this month, visionary, joyful musician Don Lewis passed away. Don was an electronic music pioneer and the creator of the Live Electronic Orchestra, an innovation that helped shape current synthesizer technology. He worked in the studio with Quincy Jones, Sergio Mendez, Michael Jackson, Brothers Johnson, and Marvin Hamlisch, among many others. He scored and produced music for television, film, and commercials; and performed everywhere from Carnegie Hall to touring with the Beach Boys. His life and musical influences are now the subject of a full-length documentary. But this extraordinary artist also had a special connection to the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF): for years, Don served as the beloved organist at CDF’s annual Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry at Haley Farm in Clinton, Tennessee. Don often said music had been a “magic carpet ride” that took him all over the world, and he used his gifts to transform as many peoples’ lives as possible. His early musical experiences were in his childhood church in Dayton, Ohio. He was curious about how the church’s organ worked, and after spending many services sitting behind the organist to watch him play, one night he dreamt he was the one playing: “The feeling I had in that dream, I had never felt anything like it.” He asked his grandmother for music lessons the next day, and after she agreed he could start with the piano, he was on his way.

Don studied electronic engineering as a college student at Tuskegee Institute—a technical background that served him in new ways later—but always continued performing, including at rallies in Tuskegee where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke. The Civil Rights Movement was getting underway in Alabama, and Don later explained to an interviewer that he learned lifelong lessons then about how music can become an essential component of movement building. He said those lessons were related to advice he would give younger artists working with new musical technologies today—no matter how much technology continues to change, creativity should always have specific intention:

St. Louis American staff

World Wide Technology (WWT) and United Way of Greater St. Louis recently partnered on a volunteer project to recently assemble 1,500 reading kits to deliver to several local nonprofits and children throughout the region.

Through United Way’s Service2Go program, WWT employees sorted and crafted hundreds of Pocket Pal reading kits on-site in Edwardsville, Illinois over several days. The kits contain books, stuffed animals, and other essentials to help local students and children increase their literacy skills.

“WWT is committed to helping the community through our Global Community Impact programs, and our volunteer initiatives, done in collaboration with partners like United Way. United Way and its Volunteer Center were instrumental in assisting WWT in identifying and developing a team building,” said Michelle Boehm, WWT Global Operations Director. “Service2Go project was host in our four North American Integration Center facilities in Edwardsville.

Service2Go is one of the projects United Way offers projects that are designed to meet the greatest needs of the community.

United Way supplies all needed materials to a location of choice and leads groups in assembling kits for delivery to local agencies.

A budget is needed to participate in our Service2Go program, and volunteers create “Reading Buddies.”

Stuffed animals are paired with a children’s book and healthy snack to help children develop a love of reading.

Two Men and A Truck donated time and resources to transport the assembled kits items to the following nonprofits for children across the St. Louis community:

• Edwardsville YMCA

• Children’s Home and Aid in Illinois

• Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois

• Youth and Family Center

• Cornerstone Center for Early Learning

• Southside Early Childhood Center

For more information on the Service2Go program, visit www.stlvolunteer.org.

His own intention to continue creating that atmosphere through music helped bring him to the CDF Proctor Institute. Throughout his own musical career Don was devoted to sharing music and its power with young people. He was a passionate believer in the need for arts education and together with his wife Julie founded the school assembly program “Say ‘YES’ to Music!” to bring the importance of dreams, education, and community to children through music, inspiring thousands of children through school visits and performances.

At Haley Farm he was a wonderful part of the CDF Proctor Institute’s work bringing together clergy, seminarians, Christian educators, young adult leaders, and other faith-based advocates for children for spiritual renewal, networking, movement-building workshops, and continuing education about the urgent needs of children. Proctor was just one of the ways he lived out his lifelong belief that music can and does make a difference in the world.

Don played his own deeply moving version of Amazing Grace, which evokes the sounds of the Middle Passage, on the first evening of Proctor each year, and every evening’s worship ended with the congregation remaining seated throughout Don’s organ postludes for a cherished time of reflection with his music as the last sound of each day’s gathering.

The Children’s Defense Fund is so grateful for the ways he shared his gifts with the Proctor Institute and grateful for his legacy.

Marian Wright Edelman is Founder and President Emerita of The Children’s Defense Fund

World Wide Technology employees gathered recently to assemble 1,500 reading kits in Edwardsville in partnership with the United Way of Greater St. Louis Service2Go program.

Photo courtesy of World Wide Technology

Don Lewis

Marian Wright Edelman

Pocket Pal kits assembled in Edwardsville

Continued from A1

color and help close the literacy gap. The adventure stories are shared through animated video shorts, and print and digital comic books.

The animated series and comic book website have educational games for kids along with resources for educators and families that support the initiative’s literacy goals.

“Providing learning and entertainment is the greatest intersection,” said Steward.

According to Nine PBS, the initiative is designed to address the educational objectives for English Language Arts (ELA) for 6 to 8-year-old learners. The curriculum is intertwined into every Drawn In story which empowers learners and their families to explore reading in a new and exciting way.

This interactive curriculum is based on National and Missouri/Illinois Common Core State Standards. The team uses research-based best practices, including English Language Arts (ELA) and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) fundamentals. Early learning lesson plans and playful learning activities support the framework of Drawn In videos, comic books, and website content.

Steward says that the numbers representing the literacy gap after the Covid-19 pandemic were alarming especially for Black and brown children.

He addressed the digital divide as one of the reasons so many Black and brown students fell behind in reading and spelling over the last two years. According to Steward, between 30,000 and 50,000 students

Blues

Continued from A1 Drawn In

Seven others were injured, and the region is continuing to deal with the tragedy.

in St. Louis Public School District did not have access to the internet, he said, “This negatively impacts our children’s education.” “The digital divide disproportionately affects our community.”

According to data from the city of St. Louis, White students are more than twice as likely as black students to demonstrate reading proficiency in the third grade. The report also shows St. Louis scores a 37 on racial disparities in early reading amongst Black and white students. A score of 100 represents racial equity, meaning there are no racial disparities in outcomes between black and white populations. The lower the Equity Score, the greater the disparity.

The analysis of the data shows that white third graders are the most likely to demonstrate reading proficiency at 64.5%, followed by Asian third graders at 54.5%. Hispanic third graders are reading at 32.1%, Black third graders are the least likely to demonstrate reading proficiency at 25.7%. If proficiency rates were equitable, 873 more black third graders would have met state standards in English.

“With that type of information, we decided to go after bridging the literacy gap in Black and Brown communities,” said Steward. Partnering with Nine PBS and the research they had conducted and the expertise of the artist Drawn In will surely make a difference, he said.

Gorden, says that comic book reading has high retention in young readers, it sparks their interest to encourage them to read other books. The idea of Drawn In hit right into the wheelhouse of Lion Forge Animations, everything from

The Blues honored and welcomed the CVPA community, stating in a release, “Monday’s recognition shined a light on some of the brave individuals who were first on the scene that day and those who are leading the school’s recovery efforts,

the storyline to the design of the characters was an on-the-money idea.

Ike Reed, who is a part of the development team and wrote some of the stories says that in each episode and comic book, the storyline is based on sight words for viewers and readers to learn. The idea is repetition, the young readers will see, hear, read and the sight word and its definition.

Drawn In is a series of epic comic adventure stories following the adventures of four midwest kids who unabashedly love comic books. In every episode, their real world collides with the comic world when colorful heroes, villains, robots, and other fanciful creatures escape from the comic book’s pages. The Drawn In crew must analyze how to save their city from cartoon mayhem.

Together Tyler, Nevaeh, Jadyn, and Grace, must come up with a plan on how to catch and restore the characters back to the comic book if they hope

along with the students and teachers themselves who have been affected.”

In addition to the pair of singers, five students from CVPA’s art class had work displayed in the Blues Kids section outside Portal 15.

to save their city. from cartoon mayhem! As they pursue the renegade characters, the kids use problem-solving and literacy skills in each story to set their world right again.

The plus is all the characters are people of color, Tyler and Jayden are Black, Grace is Asian American, and Nevaeh is multicultural.

The goal of the TV series and comic book is for Black and brown kids to see themselves positively represented in every story through the diverse ethnicities of the characters, their socio-economic circumstances, and different life experiences. The initiative is unique in that it was created with deep input from the communities it is designed to serve. The creative team intently listened to a panel of community advisors before any content was written, drawn, or produced to make sure the stories, setting and characters authentically represent the needs voiced by the community advisors.

CVPA Principal Kacy Shahid was among a group of honorees who performed the ceremonial puck drop before the game.

She was joined by Detective Andrei Nikolov and Officer Luke Kallal of the St.

Award winning animators David Gorden, David Stewart II and Ike Reed in their West County studios Monday, Nov. 21, 2022.

Gorden says that approach was done on purpose, Steward follows behind Gorden’s comment with, “It’s the first African American led show that’s on a public media platform.”

All agree that they feel it’s very important that children of color see themselves in a positive light but also as readers. “We, Black creators, don’t have to hide our characters behind animals anymore, that’s an old way of thinking, and things are changing, things have already changed,” said Reed.

He says that seeing faces that look like you and other backgrounds is always positive. Based on the research conducted by both organizations, the community wanted to positively represent and celebrate Black and brown kids. So they created stories about smart, fun, multidimensional kids who love reading and reflect some of the many identities of kids in our communities. All children benefit when exposed to authentic,

Louis Metropolitan Police Department, Germaine Yancy, CVPA Safety Officer, Ashley Rench, CVPA teacher, EMS Supervisor James Thompson of the St. Louis Fire Department, Dr. Paul McGaha, St. Louis Children’s Hospital, and Avery Anderson of Barnes Jewish Hospital

Blues players, led by captain Ryan O’Reilly hugged the young singers and then greeted the group on the ice.

O’Reilly also presented a $25,000 check to Shahid for the CVPA arts program in memory of Kuczka and Bell.

“You know, this is a special city,” O’Reilly told St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Ben Hochman.

“We get such good support from our community, it’s our

non-stereotypical characters who may be different from the viewer’s own identity.

“We want to make sure we are truly representing the community we are serving,” said Steward.

The trio says that using diverse characters it’s an opportunity for all children to learn something and those opportunities are powerful. Goren says growing up he didn’t see a lot of characters that look like him, the neighborhoods didn’t look like his, and as a child, he thought to himself, ‘well why can’t that happen to me or in my neighborhood’?

“Why can’t the kids look like me,” he said. Both Steward and Reed second that emotion saying that many of the Black characters on TV back then were one-dimensional and stereotypical. Gorden says the three of them have the opportunity to bring so much diversity to the masses now being a part of Drawn In.

“We have a diverse group creating diverse characters,” said Reed.

Gorden says that kids are positively responding to the comic books, he says one kid told him that he is interested in reading other books now. He admitted that he was a little worried about how the book would be received in the community, but he’s glad they are enjoying it.

To watch or learn more about Drawn In, check your local PBS station showtimes and visit drawnin.org for educational games, digital comics, animated shorts, and supportive materials.

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

duty to support. It’s an awful thing that happened. It’s a tragedy. It’s awful. I think we have to come together.

Members of the CVPA community viewed the 3-1 victory over the Ducks from suites, and the Blues recorded their seventh straight win. CVPA has returned to virtual learning and is now on Thanksgiving break. A return date to school has not been announced.

Whenever the day arrives, the Blues and the entire St. Louis community will be with the teachers and staff.

“And our sport is a great way to bring people together and to say — we’re with you guys and we support you guys.” O’Reilly said.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Continued from A1

searching his relative’s house for him-failed to offer timely medical assistance for his little brother who suffered a heart attack and died hours before Johnson killed McEntee. There was a sense of finality among many in the crowd. Some expressed hope that the vigil would attract the attention of Gov. Mike Parson and lead him to change Johnson’s sentence from death to a lifetime in prison. But others seemed to be there in protest of the death penalty in general.

A 25-year-old woman who wished to remain anonymous said she attended the vigil out of respect for people she “admires and love” who are opposed to the death penalty.

“I care that people aren’t murdered,” the young lady said. Still, she hopes the vigil will inspire future and possible immediate results regarding death sentencing.

“I hope long-term this draws

First Ladies

Continued from A1

Sunny Mount Missionary Baptist Church, New Northside Missionary Baptist Church, Solomon’s Temple Church, Centennial Christian Church, and Lively Stone Church of God. Presenters addressed several pertinent health issues such as health screenings for most common cancers, including gynecological and prostate cancers, the latest information on cancer vaccines, the basics of mental health, the correlation between diet, exercise and good health; and adopting self-care techniques.

Dr. Lannis Hall, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, spoke proudly of the event’s outcome.

“We completed over 129 blood pressure checks, glucose, and cholesterol screens, 54 Flu vaccinations, 54 COVID vaccinations, 18 mammograms, 20 PSA screens, 148 Hemoglobin A1C tests, and 13 colon selftests and colonoscopy referrals, Hall said, adding: “We had a total of 436 screenings performed, which was amazing.”

Recalling the genesis of the First Ladies’ Health Equity Symposium, Hall spoke of a pivotal luncheon in 2020, before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. At the time, Siteman Cancer Center developed a health information partnership with a few area pastors.

attention to the death penalty and hope it’s abolished completely,” she stressed, adding: “Short term, I hope this effort helps to grant clemency for KJ and his family and for his loved ones to get some sort of peace and justice.”

Keisha Kandeh, owner of “The Woke Brand,” a clothing store in the St. Louis Galleria Mall, echoed similar thoughts about the death penalty and why she attended the vigil. “I’m here because of an inaccurate law based on race,” Kandeh stressed. “I showed up in support of abolishing a law that is biased as hell. This young man has seven days left to live his life. The reality surrounding that is just like… wow!”

Kandeh said she has little hope that the vigil will impact an issue she has spent her “entire life” wanting to see change. However, she said she does hold out hope that God will “find a way to bring peace” to those connected to all who face execution.

“If God can bring understanding beyond the world and

Hall gathered at a luncheon to celebrate the success of the media campaign that stressed the importance of health screenings for cancers.

Hall recalled how she sat next to First Lady Rachel Hankerson who attended the luncheon in her husband’s absence. In discussing a renewed focus on women’s health, particularly increasing rates of late-stage cervical, ovarian and endometrial cancers, Hankerson suggested starting a First Lady’s women’s health initiative.

Hall’s calls to Hankerson to follow up on their conversation went unanswered. She found out days later that Hankerson had been hospitalized. Within 35 days, Hall said, First Lady Hankerson passed away from a “highly aggressive, widely metastatic cancer.” Initially unable to process the sudden death, Hall eventually reached out to a couple pastors and first ladies.

“I said, ‘we have to promote this now more than ever. We have to educate our citizens, our congregations,” Hall recalled saying. “We can’t let this pass.”

Fellow First Ladies agreed. In 2021, with a global pandemic still raging, the 1st Annual First Ladies’ Health Equity Symposium was held at Greater Grace Church.

“We were still under COVID restrictions and had all the social distancing protocols in effect (at the church) but even with all of that,” Hall said, “we had more than 140

peace to our hearts and love, no matter what…well, this vigil might help us all end on that kind of hope.”

Sharon Kerry who grew up in Meacham Park where Johnson lived before the murder, said she was there out of her own convictions and opposition.

“First of all, I don’t believe in the death penalty. I don’t believe in an eye-foran eye…I just don’t,” Kerry said, adding advice to Gov. Parson.

tion to Johnson’s life that of his family and how prosecutorial misconduct in St. Louis County has adversely affected other individuals and families.

“Let him (Johnson) do the rest of his time in jail…don’t kill him,” Kerry pleaded.

Michelle Smith, Director of Community Engagement and Outreach for Missourians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (MADPO) said her group organized the event to use storytelling to bring atten-

people in attendance and more than 650 attending virtually. Additionally, we did over 125 screenings. So, by all accounts, we considered the event a huge success.”

Hall is quick to give credit for the symposium to “the First Ladies, volunteers, physicians, and sponsors across the community who made this event possible.” She is equally grateful to her professional colleagues who conducted sessions at the event. For example, Dr. Dineo Khabele the first Black department chair at Washington University’s School of Medicine spoke on the topic of “Cancers Below the Belt.” Arnold Bullock, MD, Professor of Urology at Washington University’s School of Medicine addressed men’s health and prostate cancer and Jeanna R. Knight, Ph.D., behavioral health leader who has developed streamlining processes and health improvement programs, talked about mental health techniques such as meditation and other ways to reduce stress.

Health screenings were provided by some of the event’s sponsors. Siteman Cancer Center provided its mammogram van for breast cancer screenings. BJC’s Community Health Van was on site to provide flu vaccines, diabetic, cholesterol and high blood pressure screenings while the Program to Eliminate Cancer Disparities provided prostate and colon cancer screenings and Oak Street Health gave hemoglobin A1C testing.

A recent report by the University of North Carolina underscored that “the likelihood that a death sentence would be imposed in St. Louis County was 3.5 times greater if the victim was white, as compared to cases in which the victim was Black.”

Corey Wright, whose artist’s name is “Corey Black” is the lead organizer for “Black Men Build,” a group for Black men interested in community organizing and positive social change. Holding a hand-painted banner that read: “We’re going to defend Us,” Black also voiced his opposition to the death penalty and said Johnson’s case serves as

Valeda Keys, a two-time breast cancer survivor, was a bit nervous about the testimonial she was scheduled to give at the health symposium. But, when she considered the dire statistics of black women dying from cancer, she told herself, “I got this!”

“I talked about how black women are dying at an alarming rate here in St. Louis,” Keys said. “We’re the number one in the United States where black women are dying from cancers.

Dr. Hall added more context to the health disparities.

“Nationwide, on average, African American women have a 40% higher breast cancer mortality rate compared to white women but in certain St. Louis regions that number is 80%, it’s double,” Hall stressed.

“When you think about the number of healthcare entities in St. Louis, we’re not lacking for hospitals or places to provide excellent care. What we are

a reminder to all, especially young Black men, of the casualties of black life.

“St. Louis is a dangerous, violent place to live,” Black said. “You’re going to be faced with a lot of adversities and decision-making that-if you don’t have the proper education to know what to do in the moment and in certain circumstances-you might make a decision from a primal state.”

Referring to the banner, Black turned to the reality of living with deadly police repression in communities of color.

“It (the banner) basically says that if we’re going to be prosecuted for being black, we’re going to also defend ourselves for being black. The system is designed to send us to death, so we have to be aware and be prepared to make decisions out here so you won’t wind up fighting for your life.”

Kevin Johnson’s daughter, Khorry Ramey, who was 2 when her father killed McEntee also attended the vigil. Even behind bars, Ramey said she and her father have been con-

struggling with, is access points that are not equitable across our region.”

Keys believes she inherited breast cancer from her mother. Therefore, she said, mammograms and genetic testing are so important. It’s also why Black women, especially, must make and keep their mammogram appointments.

“If you have a close family member-a mother, a grandmother, a sister, or an aunt-I definitely recommend genetic testing,” Keys said.

Dr. Hall’s life has been impacted by cancer. She said she lost three out of her four grandparents to preventable cancers. As she learned more about groundbreaking cancer-fighting techniques, Hall said she started working with churches and radio personalities more than 20 years ago to develop outreach programs for the “community I love.”

She has been a valiant activist for increased cancer screening

nected throughout her life. She said she came to the vigil to thank those who attended and to tell everyone how much she appreciates their support. Yet, there seemed to be subtle resignation in Ramey’s voice. Perhaps it was because Johnson’s final appeal for clemency was coldly crushed by St. Louis County Presiding Judge Mary Elizabeth Ott, last week. A sliver of hope remains because Johnson’s attorneys have filed a motion with the Missouri Supreme Court to delay the execution. The date set for oral arguments is on Nov. 28, just one day before Johnson’s execution is set to take place.

Ramey, who still holds out hope that Parson will grant clemency for her father also seemed prepared for the worstcase scenario.

“If he (Parson) does not grant clemency, I hope my father’s name never goes away and I hope he knows we’ll still continue to fight for him.” Sylvester Brown Jr. is The St. Louis American’s inaugural Deaconess Fellow.

for Black men and women for years. Even before hosting the First Ladies Health Equity Symposiums, Hall, Dr. Bullock founded the “Prostate Cancer Coalition.” With a coalition of healthcare providers and survivors the initiative advocated “Smart Screenings” for African American men and men with strong family histories of prostate cancer.

More than 400 people attended the 2nd Annual Ladies Health Equity Symposium. Another 430 viewers attended virtually. Dr. Hall, who ended the event with a “Call to Action,” acknowledged the First Ladies attempt to address the health concerns of wives, husbands, mothers, fathers, because Hall said, there’s a common collective:

“It’s All in the Family.”

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

Kevin Johnson’s daughter is comforted by Elizabeth Vargas during a vigil for Johnson Monday night.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

“Taking Care of You”

Black man’s skeleton opening new avenues

‘The St. Louis Individual’ helping diagnose past racism in healthcare, research

By Rodrigo Pérez Ortega

In the 1930s, a 23-year-old Black man was admitted to City Hospital #2 in St. Louis and, according to his death certificate, died of pneumonia shortly after. Without his consent—or his family’s—his deidentified body was included in one of the United States’ most studied collections of human remains, the Robert J. Terry

Anatomical Skeletal Collection, which is now at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History (NMNH).

Almost a century later, a team of researchers has been able to confirm the pathogen that ultimately killed him by studying the plaque on his teeth, an achievement that opens new avenues for studying diseases of the past that may leave no other mark after death.

In their paper, published last month in Communications Biology, the researchers also took steps to address the complex issues of ethics and social justice that surround repositories such as the Terry collection. They reconstructed the context in which a nownameless man lived, including how structural racism contributed to his death—and helped

Living your best life after breast cancer diagnosis

By Alexa Spencer Word in Black

After receiving a breast cancer diagnosis in 2015, Marissa Thomas, a 42-year-old Atlanta resident and breast cancer awareness advocate, scoured social media to find other Black women who were also navigating the disease. She was fortunate to discover a few women — who remain her supportive friends to this day — but it wasn’t easy to find them. When simply searching the hashtag “breast cancer,” she says, “nine times out of 10, what’s going to come up are accounts or pictures or images of white women and not necessarily Black or brown women.”

On top of that, “most of the groups that were out there that were online, were, for the most part, all white organizations, which is fine, but we can only relate to them so much,” Thomas tells Word In Black. Jumping those hurdles led her to co-found For the Breast of Us alongside Jasmine Souers. The online community empowers women of color affected by breast cancer to make the rest of their lives “the best of their lives.” “I knew that they were out there, and I just wanted to create a community where we could all connect easily in one central location,” Thomas says, who serves as the organization’s CEO.

n Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States. An estimated 13% develop the disease at some point in their lives, and about 2.5% die from it, according to the American Cancer Society

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States. An estimated 13% develop the disease at some point in their lives, and about 2.5% die from it, according to the American Cancer Society Among Black women, the stakes are even higher. Not only are they more likely than white women to develop breast cancer before

‘Blackish’ star working to reduce vaccination gap

Jenifer Lewis preaches of the challenges faced from COVID-19 misinformation

By Alvin A. Reid

St. Louis American

Jenifer Lewis returned to her alma mater Webster University on Nov. 5, 2022, and the acclaimed actor delighted an audience of 600 people with frank answers to questions.

A star of the ABC sitcom “Blackish,” which celebrated its final season in 2021, Lewis has found a new stage to promote the effort to reduce the vaccination gap between African Americans and other ethnic groups.

Lewis is challenging COVID-19 misinformation in partnership with The Center for Black Health & Equity [The Center]. Together, they have launched TheTruthCheck.org, an online training

n “We’ve got to take the time to go past the headline and simply ‘liking’ everything and actually doing our research. We should all be social media savvy and give it the side eye before we believe it and share it.”

– Jenifer Lewis

resource to provide African Americans with social media literacy and fact-checking skills to avoid the influence of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation.

“The lies affect our health and is affecting our overall quality of life,” she said on the TructhCheck.org website.

“We’ve got to take the time to go past the headline and simply ‘liking’ everything and actually doing our research.

on Nov. 5, 2022 and was presented with a framed photo of her 2015 Commencement Ceremony address. Lewis is now challenging social media misinformation concerning vaccinations and COVID-19 health care.

Jennifer Lewis returned to Webster University

Carlina de la Cova, a biological anthropologist at the University of South Carolina, is part of a research team that studied the skeleton of an unknown Black man who died here in the 1930s. “The St. Louis Individual’s” skeleton also led to reflection about racism in health care and lack of dignity for deceased Black St. Louisans.

Photo courtesy of the University of South Carolina

Photo courtesy of Washington University

Alexa Spencer

“Taking Care of You”

People’s Health Centers WIC program will continue service in 2023

St. Louis American staff

Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Centers will continue to provide WIC services for the federal fiscal year 2023, which serves on average 3,399 individuals eligible for WIC every month.

Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is a supplemental nutrition program providing services to pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and children up to their 5th birthday based on nutritional risk and income eligibility.

The primary services provided are health screenings, risk assessments, nutrition education and counseling, promotion of breastfeeding and support, and health care referrals.

Lewis

Continued from A8

We should all be social media savvy and give it the side eye before we believe it and share it.”

Delmonte Jefferson, executive director for The Center told HealthPlus Editor Nsenga K. Burton, “we are finding that the main sources African Americans rely on for information about the vaccines are also the sources not trusted, with social media being the main culprit.”

“Yet, people repeat what they hear from social media without checking for accuracy first. This practice of receiving and sharing misinformation amplifies health disparities and harms the Black community.

Skeleton

Continued from A8

build the collection itself.

“This may be a way of doing research with the Terry collection ethically,” says Carlina de la Cova, a biological anthropologist at the University of South Carolina, Columbia, who was not involved in the study. Analyzing dental calculus, she adds, is a clever, nondestructive way to learn more about an individual’s past, and their disease profile. “It should not be overlooked.”

Previous research does not recognize the individual skeletons and the once-living individuals that they represent,” says Molly Zuckerman, a bioarchaeologist and paleopathologist at Mississippi State University, Starkville, and a co-author of the new study.

“Their humanity has been reduced or ignored, and they’re turned into just a collection of objects for scientific research.”

The idea of using dental calculus—or hardened plaque—to study diseases of the past is not new

Accumulated over a lifetime, calculus doesn’t decay after death and holds onto everything from traces of food, such as milk proteins, to

Cancer

Continued from A8

age 40, but at any age, when they do get diagnosed, it’s often more advanced and aggressive forms of the disease, such as triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and inflammatory breast cancer.

Overall, Black women are 40% more likely than white women to die from breast cancer Thomas, who received a stage two diagnosis, was 35 years old at the time. The news

Nutritious supplemental food is provided at no cost to participants. To be eligible for WIC, applicants must have an income of less than or equal to 185% of the poverty level (see income guidelines) and be at nutritional risk determined by a health professional. Migrant families are also eligible.

WIC supplemental food packages are specially chosen to provide foods high in protein, iron, calcium, and vitamins A and C. Eligible women and children receive fortified milk and cheese, eggs, whole grain bread products, and hot or cold cereals, 100% fruit

Truth Check aims to correct this contagious spread of inaccurate and false narratives.”

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], as of Nov. 16, 2022, 50.3% of Black non-Hispanic Americans had received at least one vaccination. The rate for white non-Hispanic people is 76.8%. The rate for Hispanic/ Latino people was 66% COVID-19 protocols and vaccines continue to be parts of misinformation campaigns including use of masks, the effects of vaccines and types of people who can contract the virus.

juices and fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables.

The WIC program recommends breastfeeding, and

A mom and infant during a recent visit to Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Center.

PHC provides free counseling sessions with and access to a nutritionist or dietitian; referrals to other programs in the

More than 1 million people in America have died from COVID-19 and Indigenous and African American populations make up most of those who have succumbed to the disease. According to ScientificAmerican, “In the United States, misinformation spread

fragments of bacterial DNA.

In 2015, molecular anthropologist Courtney Hofman of the University of Oklahoma decided to see whether calculus can reveal causes of death, including so-called invisible diseases such as pneumonia, which don’t leave any markings in bones and are often misdiagnosed in historical documents.

“There’s a lot of potential for thinking about what kind of pathogens could end up in your dental calculus,” says molecular anthropologist Rita Austin at the University of Oslo, lead author of the study.

The team decided to use the Terry collection because it contains more than 1700 skeletons of individuals, as well as their death certificates. If she and her team could find evidence of disease in calculus, they could compare their findings with the recorded causes of death.

Hofman began by scraping the dental calculus of several individuals who had been diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB), syphilis, and pneumonia. Austin, then at NMNH and the University of Oklahoma, later sequenced the DNA traces that the dental calculus contained to make a profile of the bacteria that once lived in their mouths.

came with an emotional aftershock.

“I, of course, was angry after I was diagnosed, which a lot of people are,” she says. “And within Black and brown communities, especially for women, we’re told that we need to be strong. if you’re sick, that’s like a weakness.”

Additionally, it’s not uncommon for people to experience mental or physical illness after receiving a breast cancer diagnosis. One-in-four experience depression and are more likely to experience one or more of the following conditions: addiction, anxiety,

What she found in one individual—whom the team named the St. Louis Individual—stood out: a diverse collection of microbes, the most abundant of which, such as Acinetobacter nosocomialis and Klebsiella pneumoniae, commonly cause pneumonia and hospital infections even today. They were direct evidence of the pneumonia that killed the man, according to his death certificate.

But the researchers felt an obligation to probe further, into the life of the St. Louis Individual. “We didn’t come to the Terry collection thinking that it was neutral,” Zuckerman says, given the way Robert J. Terry, a professor of anatomy at Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL), went about building the collection that now bears his name.

in public institutions in St. Louis—most of them poor or institutionalized—and whose families didn’t claim them within 36 hours after death.

“These are individuals who went through a process where their identity was stripped from them,” de la Cova says. “From the beginning, they were dehumanized.”

More than half of the individuals in the Terry collection are Black.

“It was clear that we needed to spend more time on this discussion of structural racism in St. Louis, particularly in relation to the medical profession,” says Geoff Ward, a historical sociologist at WUSTL who helped with the contextual work on the St. Louis Individual.

community (Food Stamps, Head Start, Parents as Teachers, and other social services); Help with breastfeeding (WIC has a breastfeeding peer counselor and Certified Breastfeeding Educators to answer questions and give instruction); Breast pumps for collecting breastmilk upon request; and a limited amount of formula for infants

For women who cannot or choose not to breastfeed, infants may receive supplemental iron-fortified formula. WIC participants obtain their foods by redeeming food checks for specific items at local grocery stores and pharmacies.

Taking advantage of the lack of legal protections for marginalized people in the 19th and early 20th century he amassed thousands of bodies of people who died

fatigue, insomnia, memory loss, mood swings, or post-traumatic stress disorder

Post-diagnosis mental illness could be more severe if a person was diagnosed at a younger age, had prior traumatic experiences or mental illness diagnoses, lacked access to higher education, or had a lower income.

Lacking social support from family, friends, or community could also contribute to mental challenges among women living with breast cancer.

On the contrary, those who complete treatment and sur-

The researchers outlined their efforts to “rehumanize” the St. Louis Individual and show how structural racism, from poor-quality medical care for Black people to physical violence, shaped his life and death.

They hoped to “bring some

vive breast cancer could have a better quality of life if they’re supported socially.

That’s where For the Breast of Us steps in.

“I knew how powerful it was to just have an online community and being able to connect with other people who don’t necessarily live close to you, but that you can just connect with, with the experience that you’re going through,” Thomas says.

For the Breast of Us, founded in 2019, is all about helping women define what “survivorship” looks and feels like for them after a diagnosis.

Studies confirm that pregnant women who enroll in WIC during the early months of pregnancy have fewer low birth weight babies, experience fewer infant deaths, see the doctor earlier in pregnancy, and eat healthier. WIC is administered in St. Louis by Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Centers WIC Program. Application to the WIC program is by appointment only.

uals with large social media platforms has contributed to a disproportionately large share of COVID-19 burden.”

“Misinformation and disinformation, which is the intentional spread of misinformation to deceive targeted populations, is not new to science, technology, health, or the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the volume of disinformation spread on social media about the coronavirus and vaccines poses a serious risk to public health.”

Lewis has been a social justice advocate throughout her life and career, and she says the battle against misinformation is not a laughing matter.

“It’s a matter of life and death. Misinformation about COVID-19 is killing our people and we must do something about it,” she said.

“What I want in my life

of the St. Louis Individual’s life history, previously obscured and erased, into broader recognition, fostering a shared remembrance of him and others in the Terry collection with similar experiences.”

The team found, for example, that his skeleton showed many telltale signs of a hard life. He had a fractured jaw that had healed poorly—a possible sign of physical violence—several cavities, missing teeth, abscesses in the mouth, gingivitis, and periodontitis, all signs of poor health care. His skeleton also shows signs of a TB infection, although the researchers didn’t find traces of the bacterium that causes the disease in the plaque.

Still, “It was a little bit difficult to really see this as a study of an individual, given how little access we had to the details of his life,” Ward says. So, the researchers supplemented their research with a review of historical documents.

They used newspaper clippings to reconstruct the medical context of 1930s St. Louis, including how Black people would often delay seeking medical care because of distrust of medical institutions and how

“Survivorship doesn’t happen once you’re done with active treatment like chemoradiation,” Thomas says. “Survivorship starts right after the day that you’re diagnosed.”

She says the newfound stage of life is embraced differently by each person.

“Whether that is changing up your eating habits, you’re developing a healthier lifestyle, or you’re living life to the fullest and embracing all the experiences and not living with any regrets,” says Thomas, For the Breast of Us

Individuals interested in making an appointment to apply or who need more information should contact Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Centers WIC Program at 314-361-5728. WIC clinics are offered at 5701 Delmar Boulevard, 63112, and 11642 West Florissant, 63033.

is the truth. I don’t want to be fed lies and I don’t want my community to be fed lies.”

During her Webster visit, Lewis also received proclamations that announced Nov. 5 as “Jenifer Lewis Day” for the city of St. Louis and the municipalities of Moline Acres, Northwoods, Kinloch, Ferguson, and Velda Village Hills. Truth Check is funded by the CDC Foundation, which also support The Center’s community outreach initiatives in communities of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC). The Center for Black Health & Equity (formerly NAATPN, Inc.) is a national nonprofit organization that facilitates public health programs and services that benefit communities and people of African descent.

conditions at City Hospital #2 were reportedly worse than at the local zoo, according to a 1924 article in The Pittsburgh Courier Jim Crow laws and local anti-Black political violence likely also worsened things for people like the St. Louis Individual. His “life was likely socially, mentally, and physiologically stressful,” the researchers write, which could have made him vulnerable to a fatal pneumonia, a rare cause of death for young men even before widespread antibiotics, Zuckerman says. These very same injustices, the researchers say, allowed his body to end up in the Terry collection.

Although it’s too late for this for the St. Louis Individual, whose anonymity will make it nearly impossible to find his family, the researchers are now planning to engage with community members in St. Louis to raise awareness of their findings. As Zuckerman puts it, “We want to take the messages in this paper to encourage everyone to remember these are once living individuals.” This article was originally published by science.org and republished by Kaiser Health News.

doesn’t just empower breast cancer survivors to take the reins of their new life, it also teaches them to navigate the medical system Members of the community are taught “to be more assertive and ask more questions when it comes to their health and their treatment plan.”

“You should be the one, if something is off, to immediately go say something to your doctor. And if they don’t listen to you or don’t want to run the test, then you need to find somebody that should,” Thomas says.

by elements of the media, by public leaders and by individ-

Geoff K. Ward

While the CDC reports the gap has been reduced, African Americans overall still lag behind other ethnic groups in vaccination rates. The same is true for Black youth vaccinations.

Photo courtesy of verywellhealth.org

Photo courtesy of People’s Health Centers

NEWSPAPER

PRESENT:

PRESENT:

Dining Out.

What Is ASize?Serving

GRAINS Keep ‘em Whole!

The Smart Way!

Warm Up & Cool Down

Do This. Not That!

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

Exercise Game

First Day of Spring!

Smart Choices

Tech-Neck

Being Thankful WALK!

Nutrition Challenge:

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

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

Nutrition Challenge:

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

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

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

Thanksgiving is a day that we take a moment and remember the

Cola

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

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

Healthy Kids

Healthy Kids

Healthy Kids

Healthy Kids

Healthy Kids

those leftovers for lunch the next day!

are popcorn, wheatberries, brown rice and wild rice.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cocoa Puffers Cereal

INGREDIENTS:

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

Healthcare Careers

> Start by substituting one drink per day to water.

> Remembering week seven’s divided-plate lesson, try to fill at least half of your plate with healthy vegetables/fruits.

Weekly Newspaper in Education Program

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

Melissa Douglass, MSW

Weekly Newspaper in Education Program

Latoya Woods, DNP, APRN, FNP-C

Darrell Berry, Jr, EMT

Deborah Edwards, School Nurse

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Learning Standards:

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

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

With a Walk!

Let’s make a game out of exercise!

> Can you think of any other tips?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Where do you work? I am an EMT – B at Abbott

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

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

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

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

First, locate either a deck of cards or two dice.

> Walking to the store when possible.

> Wash your parent’s car.

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

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

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

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

from the dessert table and even helps with that afterdinner slump that affects many people after a big meal. In addition, getting up and moving will get your body back into calorieburning mode.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Break into small groups and define what it means to be a bully. Share your ideas with the class. Did you have the same things listed (as the other groups) that you would consider as bullying behavior?

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

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

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

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

Thanksgiving is a great time to remember all of the people/things that have had a positive impact on your life.

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

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

Instead of watching TV — ride your bike with friends. Can you think of other ways to be more active? Going outside and staying active not only increases your heart rate and burns calories, but it also helps you build friendships!

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

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

and breathing. You want to have fun, but it’s also a great way to help keep your heart, lungs and body healthy. Make a list of your favorite 10 activities to do outdoors. Compare your list with your classmates and create a chart to see what are the most popular.

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

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

Learning Standards: HPE1, HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1, NH 5

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

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1

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

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

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

Where do you work? I am an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) for Abbott EMS in Belleville, Illinois. Where did you go to school? I graduated from Madison Senior High School. I then studied automotive collision at Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville, Illinois, before seeking my EMT certification from Abbott EMS.

What does an EMT do? I provide care to patients, whether it is transporting or saving a life! I love taking vitals (blood pressure, temperature, etc) and understanding my patients.

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

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

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

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

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

> What to do if you see someone else bullied.

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

Carrot Fries

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

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

Why did you choose this career? I chose this job because I love helping and supporting others. I needed a career, not just a job. The majority of the women in my family worked in medicine, and I wanted to be the first man.

> What to do if YOU are the bully.

Now back in your groups, create a newspaper ad that includes at least two of the following:

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

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

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

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

Learning Standards: HPE 1, HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1, NH5, NH 7

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

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

> How bullying hurts others.

Why not have each person around the table say one (or two or three!) thing(s) that they are

> What to do if you are bullied.

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

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

thankful for, 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.

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

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, HPE 7, NH 5, NH 7 Ice can be dangerous for several different reasons.

> What other ice hazards are there?

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

Easy Hummus Dip

Ingredients:

Cracker-wiches

6 Whole carrots

Ingredients: 8

Cooking spray

Salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients:

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

1 15-Oz Can Garbanzo beans

Ingredients:

1 cup blueberries

1 Garlic clove, crushed

1 cup non-fat Greek Yogurt

2 Tsp Cumin, 1 Tsp Olive oil, ½ Tsp Salt

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

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

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

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

What is your favorite part of the job you have?

Ingredients: 1/2 Cp Vanilla Greek yogurt, 3 Tbsp Natural peanut butter, 1 Ripe banana (sliced and frozen), Splash of vanilla (optional) 6 Ice cubes

What is your favorite part of the job you have? My favorite part about the job is running 911 calls to help someone in need. Driving with lights and sirens is exciting and the icing on the cake. I like the long road trips and driving distances.

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

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

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 4

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

Learning Standards: HPE 2, NH 4

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

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.

Directions: Blend all ingredients until Smooth. Makes 2 yummy smoothies!

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Enjoy with baked tortilla chips or raw vegetables.

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

Directions: Spread peanut butter on four of the crackers and top with sliced strawberries. Drizzle with honey and top with the other crackers to make four cracker-wiches.

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

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

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

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

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

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

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

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

Learning Standards: HPE 6, NH 3

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

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

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

Frozen Yogurt Blueberry Bites

Banana PB Smoothie

Marnay Howard, EMT - B

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

Students learn canoe safety during “Nature Week” at The St. Louis American’s 2022 Summer Science Academy at Little Creek Nature Area.

Photo by Cathy Sewell

Neurobiology is the study of the brain and nervous system of humans and animals. This study allows scientists to understand how the brain functions when it is healthy and how to cope when there are different disorders or injuries that affect brain function. MRI machines allow doctors to see the brain in action and to learn more about it.

Scientists believe that the brain is not fully developed until age 25. Different areas of the brain develop at their own pace. For young teens, the frontal lobe of the brain that impacts decision making and impulse control

SCIENCE INVESTIGATION

Background Information:

In this experiment, you will see how smell affects your taste buds.

Materials Needed:

• Small Cups • Cotton Swabs or Q-tips • Different Foods With Similar Textures (ex: ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce, sweet and sour sauce, and maple syrup)

• Pen and Paper for Charting

• Partner for the Experiment • Blindfold

Procedure:

is slowly developing. That’s why many adults exclaim, “What were you thinking?” when they are frustrated with teens. Because the brain develops until the age of 25, it is especially important for young people to avoid drugs and alcohol because it is easier for this age group to get addicted and substance abuse will have a very severe and devastating impact on permanent brain development.

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

Taste vs. Smell

e Blindfold the taster as the tester puts a little bit of one food on the taster’s tongue with a cotton swab.

r The taster tries to identify which food they are tasting as well as whether it is salty, bitter, sweet or sour.

t The tester records the taster’s answers on the chart for each food they taste.

y When the taster has tried all the foods blindfolded, they will taste them each again but with their nose plugged as well. (Make sure you have them taste the foods in a different order.)

African-American Neurobiologist Erich Jarvis

Erich Jarvis was born on May 6, 1965, in Harlem. Both of his parents were musicians. At an early age, Jarvis was interested in music, dance, and the arts. He attended the High School of Performing Arts. After graduation in 1983, he attended Hunter College. While working on his degree, Jarvis worked as a Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) Fellow and studied bacteria while he earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and biology. From 1988-1995, he attended the Rockefeller University where he earned his PhD in molecular neurobiology and animal behavior. He specialized his research in the study of songbird vocalizations.

Once Jarvis earned his PhD, he stayed at Rockefeller University as a professor, and he lead the Science Outreach Program of New York, going to inner-city schools to teach the students lab skills. His goal was to inspire students to pursue education, develop critical thinking and problem solving skills, and to seek a STEM-related career. In 1998, Jarvis left Rockefeller and became a professor for the Department of Neurobiology at Duke University. He also worked for the Department of Cognitive Neuroscience and the Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology. In 2005, Jarvis led a team of 28 neuroscientists who proposed a new classification system for the bird brain as they researched the similarities between the brain of a bird and the brain of a mammal. Three years later, he received the honor of becoming an Investigator for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He has published more than 50 journal articles and has been a contributor to numerous books.

q Draw a chart for your results. Write the name of each food you are testing in separate rows along the left side. Draw two columns for each taster. Label each column with the taster’s name and “unplugged” and “plugged.”

w Make some predictions about which foods will be easier and harder to identify by smell. Will it be easier or harder to taste the foods with your nose plugged or unplugged?

MATH CONNECTION

u Once the taster has tried each food with his/her nose plugged, switch who tastes and who tests and go through it all again. When you’ve both had a chance to taste, compare your results.

Learning Standards: I can follow directions to complete an experiment. I can analyze the conclusions of the experiment and make deductions.

Math in the Music!

Did you know that you can find math in music? Time signatures tell how many beats per measure. Each note has a different numerical value. Many songs involve patterns in the music or lyrics. In honor of Jarvis’ songbird research, today’s math review is musical.

z A whole note is worth 4 beats, a half note is worth 2 beats, a quarter note is worth one beat. If a measure has 4 beats, how many different combinations can you create with these notes? ________

x Janice practiced her clarinet for 20 minutes on Monday, 35 minutes Tuesday, 10 minutes Wednesday, and 60 minutes Thursday. What is the average number of minutes she practiced each night? ________

DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know there are 4,000 species of songbirds?

c In the fifth grade classroom, each student plays an instrument. 6 students play the saxophone, 8 students play the trumpet, 3 students play the drums, and 5 students play guitar. How many students are there total? ________ Write a fraction that represents the number of guitar players. ________

v A popular R&B song is 3 minutes and 50 seconds long. If the chorus is 20 seconds and is played 3 times in the song, how many total minutes of the song are devoted to the chorus? ________ Write a fraction that represents the portion of the song that is the chorus? ________

Learning Standards: I can use addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to solve a problem.

Songbirds have a long windpipe to create the vocal sounds.

Jarvis’ success in his field as a pioneer in the study of songbird neurobiology has won him many awards, including the National Science Foundation Alan T. Waterman Award, the Dominion Award, Strong Men and Women of Excellence, African American Leaders and the National Institute for the Humanities’ Director’s Pioneer Award. Also, Jarvis has served as the director of the Neuroscience Scholars Program for The Society of Neuroscience, he is a member of Duke University’s Council on Black Affairs and a founding member of the Black Collective at Duke University. Jarvis followed his passion for music and learning and it has led him to a successful career. Learning Standards: I can read a biography about a person who has made contributions in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Bird “songs” have a variety of sounds—owls hoot, whippoorwill and cuckoo repeat their phrases, bobtail quail whistle, and the African tinkerbird makes a sound like hammering on metal. All of these vocal sounds are considered songs.

MAP CORNER

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

Activity One —

Plural Words: Find 10 plural words in the newspaper and cut them out. Glue them to a piece of paper and write the root word next to each (or circle the word in the newspaper and then write it on a piece of paper).

Activity Two —

Sports Team Travels: Keep track of a sports team’s travels. Find distances between cities on a map. Measure the distance between each city they visit. How many total miles did they travel?

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can identify root words. I can read a map and use addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to solve a problem.

Sweet &Sour

A tale of two prosecutors

City’s Jennifer Joyce differed with County’s Bob McCulloch

By Leyla Fern King

On August 3, 1810, Peter Johnson became the first person to be executed by the State of Missouri. By the time the U.S. Supreme Court found the death penalty unconstitutional in 1972, Missouri had already executed 285 people — most by hanging. Since the court reinstated capital punishment in 1976, Missouri has executed 92 people by lethal injection.

Of these 92 state-sponsored killings, prosecutors in the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County account for a similar number of cases, with 15 executions prosecuted by the city circuit attorney and 18 by the county prosecutor. Throughout the 1980s and ’90s, city and county prosecutors showed similar patterns in bringing death-penalty cases. But that changed in 2000.

Since that date, the St. Louis circuit attorney has been responsible for prosecutions that led to the execution of five people, with the most recent in 2011. City prosecutors have not earned a single death-penalty verdict since then — and at this time, no people who sit on death row were prosecuted in the city circuit.

St. Louis County, on the other hand, has been responsible for 10 executions since 2000, with another six people convicted in the county currently on death row. Another man sentenced to death in the county died of natural causes, and seven more saw their death sentences overturned by higher courts.

Corionsa “Khorry” Ramey, 19, and her son during a recent visit with her father Kevin Johnson. Johnson is scheduled to be put to death on November 29 for killing a Kirkwood police officer on July 5, 2005.

It’s a stark difference — and it stems from each jurisdiction’s leadership.

Bob McCulloch was elected St. Louis County prosecuting attorney in 1991 and remained in office through 2018, when Wesley Bell ousted him. McCulloch’s office earned deathpenalty sentences against 25 people, an average of one each year.

In St. Louis city, Jennifer Joyce was elected circuit attorney in 2000 and chose not to seek reelection in 2017. As circuit attorney, Joyce never formally opposed the death penalty — but took a different tack than her counterpart in the county.

“If someone wanted to plead guilty to life without parole, then I would always let them plead guilty to life without,” Joyce explains. “I would not insist on seeking the death penalty. If someone has demonstrated that they are going to take that kind of accountability, then that, in my mind, puts them in a different category.”

Yet she never officially took

capital punishment off the table.

I always avoided saying I would not seek the death penalty because I personally believe that is your job if you’re elected to be a prosecutor — to look at all the laws and not say there’s one law I’m not going to apply,” Joyce says.

In several cases, Joyce’s office unsuccessfully pursued the death penalty. For example, in 2011, though a St. Louis jury found Frederick A. Barnes guilty of first-degree murder and Joyce asked for the death penalty, the jury deadlocked on sentencing. Judge Thomas J. Frawley then sentenced Barnes to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Gallup polling has shown support for the death penalty across the U.S. on a steady decline since the 1990s. Joyce recalls visiting the Missouri State Penitentiary in Jefferson City, which opened in 1836 and gained a gas chamber in 1937.

“What I find particularly chilling about the Missouri gas chamber is it has two seats, as if we are in such a hurry to

execute people, and we have so many people to execute, that we’re taking them two at a time,” Joyce says. “I think that kind of zeal, whenever this was constructed, you don’t find that in any state anymore.”

As public opinion on capital punishment continues to change, the prosecutors the public elects will continue to reevaluate patterns of deathpenalty use. Says Joyce, “The reason that prosecutors are elected locally is because the intent is that they mirror the values of the community that they serve.”

Even so, many people call for the death penalty in the most extreme cases — and St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, elected when Joyce chose not to run for reelection, seems to reflect some of the complications of Americans’ attitudes on the topic.

Like her counterpart in the county, Bell, Gardner was elected as a progressive reformer — but unlike Wesley Bell, she has refused to take death sentences off the table, calling them a “tool in my toolbox.” Even while claiming to be personally opposed to the death penalty, she sought to bring in special prosecutors from the Missouri attorney general’s office to handle three high-profile deathpenalty cases, which would have likely resulted in prosecutors pursuing the ultimate punishment. A judge, however, denied her request.

Gardner’s spokesperson declined to comment beyond what is already in the public record.

Leyla Fern King is a student at Indiana University. Her father is the public information officer for St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell. The River City Journalism Fund provided financial support for this project. See rcjf.org for more information.

Black, Latino home ownership levels have surged

COVID-19 assistance programs have helped

Research between 2019 and 2021 showed that Black and Latino home ownership was on the rise, with millennials and COVID-19 financial assistance playing major roles.

By Charlene Crowell

In a year fraught with financial challenges, going home for the holidays will have heightened significance this year for many Black and Latino families.

PeoPle on the Move

Shar Smith takes on new role at Wash. U.

Shar C. Smith will be the first to hold the newly created manager of staff development and engagement position in University Advancement at Washington University in St. Louis. Prior to taking on her role as manager of staff development and engagement, Smith served as paralegal manager at Wells Fargo Advisors. She founded her own leadership development firm, emPOWER You Consulting, LLC. Smith will be responsible for programs and services that promote continuous improvement and innovation. Smith is a member of the St. Louis American’s 2019 class of Young Leaders.

has named La Tosha Johnson health engagement well-being coordinator. In her new role, Johnson will develop and implement employee health programs and strategies for Cigna clients, including Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD). Additionally, she will plan and execute wellness events and share wellness presentations. Prior to joining Cigna, Johnson worked

n New research findings reveal that between 2019 and 2021, a period that included COVID-19 pandemic assistance programs, homeownership among Black and Latino families increased.

New research findings reveal that between 2019 and 2021, a period that included COVID19 pandemic assistance programs, homeownership among Black and Latino families increased. The increase was due in part to pandemic assistance like suspended student loan payments and extended or enhanced unemployment benefits that changed household budgets. During these same years, financially troubled homeowners who received federal assistance, gained the resources to avoid foreclosure, largely through

forbearance programs.

As a result, Black and Latino homeowners shared in the largest equity appreciation in the past three decades. As home equity grows, so does family wealth.

Analyzing the latest data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, the Urban Institute, a DC-based nonpartisan research organization, found that Black household homeownership rose 2 percentage points, to 44% from 2019-2020., Latino household homeownership rose 2.5 percentage points to 50.6 percent. Both

See OWNERSHIP, B2

Mergers, acquisitions can boost Black entrepreneurs’ bottom lines

A solid wealth creation strategy

By Ron Busby Sr.

staff or purchasing new equipment or property. Luckily, mergers and acquisi-

tions offer an alternative pathway to growth for Black entrepreneurs.

Mergers and acquisitions refer to the transfer or consolidation of two or more firms under a single company and, since 1985, more than 325,000 mergers and acquisitions transactions have been announced with a value of almost $34.9 billion according to the Institute for Mergers, Acquisitions and Alliances. From my personal experience, mergers and acquisitions can play a key role for Black business owners as a business growth and wealth creation strategy.

Before becoming President and CEO of U.S. Black Chambers, Inc.

I took over the family business USA Superclean and grew it from $150,000 in annualized revenue to over $15 million in a decade, becoming the largest Black-owned

janitorial firm in the country at the time. The key to this rapid growth was the acquisition of several other janitorial companies that enabled USA Superclean to rapidly increase capacity and scale to meet the opportunity Following the rapid growth of USA Superclean, we sold the company, which played an important part in creating family wealth. Just as it did for me, mergers and acquisitions can play a key role in wealth creation for Black entrepreneurs. And it’s no secret that Black households face great disparities in household wealth. As of 2019, non-Hispanic white households had a median household wealth of $187,300, compared to $14,100 for Black households according to the U.S. Census.

To be sure, mergers and acquisitions are complicated transactions and entrepreneurs should consult the appropriate legal and financial advisors. Another challenge of mergers and acquisitions can be bringing the firms together to form one culture and business.

While USA Superclean was a young, Black, progressive firm, one of its acquisitions was white-owned and utilized older business practices. These cultural differences could have put the business under, but we were able to slowly create a unified culture through building trust with its leadership and employees and updating their business processes.

The business community has an important role to play in the success of Black entrepreneurs with the mergers and transactions process. Black-owned small businesses need education and resources on the process from sources they trust, including the Small Business Administration, Small Business

Walton Mosley to chair MO Minority Caucus

State Sen. Angela Walton Mosley, D-Florissant, announced she has been elected to serve as the chairwoman for the Missouri Senate Minority Caucus for the 102nd General Assembly. The caucus chair’s role is to assist with the creation and implementation of the caucus’ legislative priorities and promote its goals and values. Senator Mosley is a native St. Louisan and grew up in Walnut Park. She attended St. Louis Public Schools, attending Central Visual and Performing Arts elementary (Shaw), middle (Marquette) and high school (Central).

Eddins named leasing manager at Crown Center

Dawn Eddins

Crown Center for Senior Living recently welcomed Dawn Eddins as leasing manager. Eddins brings to Crown Center deep knowledge of affordable housing programs and property management with a work history that includes the St. Louis County Housing Authority and Beyond Housing. Responsibilities include working with residents and applicants who wish to access subsidized and affordable rental programs while meeting agency occupancy and reporting standards.

Photo courtesy of Atlanta Blackstar

Cigna

Shar C. Smith

Angela Walton Mosley

Ron Busby Sr.

Mergers

Continued from B1

Development Centers, SCORE, and local chambers to know if it is the right step for their business.

From a policy perspective, U.S. Black Chambers encourages lawmakers and regulators to

Ownership

Continued from B1

increases surpassed the 1.2% homeownership rate increase of white households during the same period.

“The Black homeownership rate has experienced a continuous decline since the Great Recession, and Black households have been disproportionately affected by predatory lending practices but the Black homeownership rate is finally showing gains,” states the Institute’s findings

The largest increases in the number of Black homeowners occurred in Florida, Georgia, and Texas.

“Despite the pandemic’s negative effects on employment, swift government actions, such as forbearance and unemployment benefits, helped Black and Latino households sustain homeownership and helped many enter homeownership and benefit from historically low interest rates,” the Institute authors continued.

“We’re seeing a real spark in Black and Latino homeownership because people — in large part, millennials — were able to save during the pandemic,” Andre Perry, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, recently told the Washington Post

“Now whether it’s sustained, that’s a different story. But what you saw in 2021 is a good thing because homeownership creates wealth and other opportunities that benefit entire communities.”

Related findings by the Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) at Harvard University underscore how this small but important rise in homeownership benefitted families of color.

In its annual State of the Nation’s Housing 2022, JCHS reports that despite the economic downturn brought on by the pandemic and the surge in home prices, 2.2 million new homeowners were added between the first quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2022, boosting the nation’s total number of homeowner households to 83.4 million.

Despite national growth in homeownership between 2020 and 2022, the Harvard report makes it clear that lingering racial disparities in homeownership limit Blacks and Latinos from achieving large equity

strengthen and further improve the merger and acquisition ecosystem, ensuring robust opportunities and long-term growth for our business community.

In this vein, we continue to offer support for organizations and institutions that seek to advance small business owners’ ability to use mergers and acquisitions as a key tool in their growth or exit strategy.

and CEO, says mergers and acquisitions offer an alternative pathway to growth for Black entrepre

Mergers and acquisitions can play a critical role in growth and wealth creation for Black small business owners. The business community and policymakers should do their part to help ensure Black entrepreneurs’ success in the process.

Ron Busby Sr. is President/ CEO of the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc.

gains.

“In 2019, the median net wealth of Black homeowners ($113,100) was just over a third of that of white homeowners ($299,900) and the median net wealth of Hispanic homeowners ($164,800) was still roughly half of white homeowners,” states the report.

“At least in part, these disparities reflect consistently lower home valuations in neighborhoods that are predominantly Black or Hispanic.”

Homeownership access is also related to an important market variable: low mortgage interest rates. Over half of outstanding mortgages in the fourth quarter of 2021 had interest rates below 4%, including 13% with rates below 3%.

Lower interest rates translated into consumers qualifying for larger and/or higher-priced homes. Conversely, as these rates have increased in recent months, housing dollars cannot go as far.

Hence it is reasonable to conclude that the array of federal assistance during the pandemic enabled Black and Latino Americans to financially piece together a way forward for their families. From 2020’s Economic Security Act (CARES Act) that allowed borrowers to take forbearances for periods lasting up to 18 months, to extended and enhanced unemployment benefits, to student loan payment suspensions, and more – timely, targeted federal initiatives made measurable progress possible.

“The lessons learned during the pandemic have led to a number of proposals to greatly

Andre Perry, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, recently told The Washington Post millennials were able to save more money during the pandemic, and it helped creak a spark in Black and Latino home ownership.

expand the housing safety net and provide increased support for first-generation homebuyers,” stated Chris Herbert, JCHS Managing Director.

“While these measures have yet to be implemented, it is important to continue the policy debate over the best approaches to making housing affordable for all.”

HUD throws a ‘House Party’

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Secretary Marcia L. Fudge threw a house party on Nov. 1, thousands of people joined her, and nothing got broken.

Fudge was joined by guests including during the hour-long virtual session that promoted Black home ownership. Discussion topics covered overcoming barriers like credit, student loan debt, and down payment savings.

African American home ownership plummeted to its lowest level in early 2022, and the Urban Institute predicts that this pattern could continue for the next several decades

This event was targeted toward young adults who wish to become homeowners but feel the barriers are too steep, especially in communities of color.

“Today the housing gap, the ownership gap between Black and white people is the same as it was in 1968,” Fudge told msn.com following the event.

“Such disparities have impact that grow over time, since home ownership is the way to build wealth.”

Julienne Joseph, a HUD official who works with Federal Home Assistance [FHA] mortgages, dispelled several myths about home purchasing and HUD assistance. These myths include: Buyers must have 20% down payments [the actual number for FHA mortgages is only 3.5%].

FHA loans are limited by income.

Student loan debt or low credit scores are always disqualifying for FHA loans.

Several recent home purchasers, all people of color, spoke of their experiences and lessons learned in the process, while additional HUD officials directed viewers to resources available through the department’s counseling services and on its website.

Charlene Crowell is a senior fellow with the Center for Responsible Lending.

Photo courtesy of The Brookings Institution

Ron Busby Sr., U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. president

neurs.

Photo courtesy of US Black Chambers

n “I’m not against analytics, [but] the main stat is do you win?”

– Indiana coach Mike Woodson on overreliance on statistics

Sports

InSIdE SportS

By Earl Austin Jr.

Area powers have title tilts Saturday

East St. Louis and CBC return to championship game

The St. Louis metro area playing will be represented in a pair of state championship football games this weekend. Several other teams are a win away from title game berths next week.

East St. Louis and CBC are returning to state final games. The Flyers will face Crystal Lake Prairie Ridge in the IHSA Class 6A state championship game at 1 p.m. Saturday in Champaign.

CBC will play at 4 p.m. Saturday against Lee’s Summit North in the Missouri Class 6 state championship game at the University of Missouri in Columbia.

The East St. Louis-Prairie Ridge showdown will be a rematch of the 2019 state final game, which East St. Louis won 43-21. The Flyers outscored Prairie Ridge 23-7 in the fourth quarter.

The Flyers advanced to Saturday›s showdown by defeating LeMonte 32-29 in a hard-fought state semifinal game on the road. The Flyers turned to their running game on a blustery and frigid day, featuring sophomore running back TaRyan Martin and its big and dominating offensive line.

Martin finished the game with 349 yards on 40 carries and four touchdowns to hold off upset-minded LeMonte, which jumped to an early 14-0 lead. It was a rematch of last year’s state semifinals, which was won by the Flyers.

CBC is seeking its third consecutive state championship on Saturday against its third opponent from the Kansas City area. The Cadets defeated Rockhurst and Liberty North in the past two Show-Me Bowls.

The Cadets fought off an early challenge to defeat Liberty North 46-21 in the semifinals. It was a rematch of last year’s state championship game. This year’s opponent, Lee’s Summit North, advanced to the championship game with a 33-6 victory at DeSmet last Friday night.

Top Individual Performers

• Running back Jeremiyah Love of CBC rushed for 172 yards on 15 carries and three touchdowns in the Cadets’ 46-21 victory over Liberty North in the Class 6 semifinals.

• Running back Marvin Burks Jr. of Cardinal Ritter scored three rushing touchdowns of 30, 37 and 2 yards in the Lions’ 36-22 victory over Park Hills Central in the Class 3 quarterfinals.

• Running back Amorion Oliphant of Duchesne scored three touchdowns on runs of 16 and 10 yards and a 65-yard punt return in the Pioneers 36-22 victory over Portageville

in the Class 1 semifinals.

• Running back Jamal Roberts of St. Mary’s rushed for 208 yards on 20 carries and four touchdowns in the Dragons’ 55-34 victory over Hillsboro in the Class 4 quarterfinals.

• Wide receiver Chase Hendricks of St. Mary’s caught two passes for 83 yards and two touchdowns and scored on a 97-yard kickoff return in the Dragons’ 55-34 victory over Hillsboro in the Class 4 quarterfinals.

• Running back Jamond Mathis of Duchesne rushed for 136 yards on 17 rushes and a touchdown in the Pioneers 36-22 victory over Portageville in the Class 1 quarterfinals.

Top Area Basketball Commitments

Westminster Christian standout guard Kobi Williams gave a commitment to Truman State University in Kirksville. A 6’4” senior guard, Williams is the No. 12 rated player in the Prep Hoops Missouri Class of 2023 rankings.

As a junior, Williams averaged 13 points, three rebounds and two assists in leading the Wildcats to a 26-2 record. As a sophomore, Williams averaged 13.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists in helping lead WCA to a berth in the Class 4 state championship game. Standout girls’ basketball player Jailah

Pelly of O’Fallon recently gave a commitment to Indiana State University. A 5’9” senior guard, Pelly averaged 9.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steals a game as a junior in helping the Panthers to a 25-6 record and an IHSA Class 4A regional championship.

Missouri State Semifinals on Tap

Class 5 Francis Howell (12-0) at Carthage (11-1), Saturday, 1 p.m.

Ft. Osage (10-2) at Cape Girardeau Central (10-3), Saturday, 1 p.m.

Outlook: Undefeated Francis Howell will travel to Southwest Missouri on Saturday to take on a powerful Carthage team in a big semifinal showdown. The Vikings are seeking its second trip to the Show-Me Bowl in the school’s history.

Class 4 St. Mary’s (10-2) at Smithville (12-1), Saturday, 1 p.m.

West Plains (9-3) at St. Dominic (7-5), Saturday, 1 p.m.

Outlook: The St. Mary’s-Smithville showdown represents a battle of state champions from last season. Smithville is the defending Class 4 state champion while St. Mary’s moved up to

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

I’m thankful for

CBC running back Jeremiyah Love

darts through East St. Louis defenders during a Sept. 2, 2022 contest. On Saturday, CBC will play for the Missouri Class 6 title, and East St. Louis is in the Illinois Class 6 championship contest.

Class 4 after winning the Class 3 state championship last season. St. Mary’s advanced to the semifinals with a 55-34 victory over Hillsboro last Saturday. The game was tied 34-34 after three quarters before the Dragons erupted for 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.

Class 3 Cardinal Ritter (12-0) at Pleasant Hill (10-2), Saturday, 1 p.m. Sullivan (11-2) at Reeds Spring (10-2), Saturday, 1 p.m.

Undefeated Cardinal Ritter is back in the state semifinals for the second consecutive season. The Lions dropped a heartbreaking 21-20 loss to Kansas City St. Pius X in last year’s Final Four.

Class 1

Duchesne (8-4) at East Buchanan (12-1), Saturday, 1 p.m.

Monroe City (13-0) at Adrian (11-2), Saturday, 1 p.m.

Outlook: Duchesne has enjoyed a big calendar year in sports as the football team advances to the Final Four just like its basketball team did last winter. Several of the same athletes are standouts in both sports for the Pioneers. This will be Duchesne’s first appearance in the state semifinals since 2005.

NFL quarterbacks overcoming racial blitzes

As Thanksgiving nears, I am thankful for a group of Black or interracial Americans that have risen above work-ethic doubts, unfair assumptions about leadership skills, and ongoing questions about their intelligence.

Alvin

A. Reid

I am thankful for Jacoby Brissett of the Cleveland Browns, Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears, Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles, Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens, Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, Kyler Murray of the Arizona Cardinals, Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys, Geno Smith of the Seattle Seahawks, Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins, and Russell Wilson of the Denver Broncos. Without much fanfare, Black quarterbacks have become more than a passing fancy in the NFL. They are now at the

helm of more than a third of NFL franchises, and several are in the mix for All-Pro honors and deep runs in the playoff. After 11 weeks of the NFL season, the MVP race is a battle between Hurts, Mahomes, and Tagovailoa.

Hurts [NFC East], Jackson [AFC North], Mahomes [AFC West], Smith [NFC West], and Tagovailoa [AFC East] have their respective teams atop of their divisions. Prescott’s Cowboys are 7-3 and, barring injury and/or too much involvement by owner Jerry Jones, are a Super Bowl contender.

Other Black quarterbacks have started games for respective franchises, as well. Jameis Winston was the opening game starter for the New Orleans Saints. An early season injury sidelined him, and the team is now going with Andy Dalton. Many Saints fans are questioning this decision, especially since Winston is now healthy.

Malik Willis, Tennessee

Titans rookie quarterback, started two games for the injured Ryan Tannehill. The first on Oct. 30 against the Houston Texans, and the following Sunday against the Chiefs. He went 1-1 in those games.

P.J. Walker started five games for the Carolina Panthers before an ankle injury sidelined him. Interim coach Steve Wilkes had tabbed Walker as starter for the remainder of the season, regardless of Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold, Baker started last week’s game.

I can’t say I’m thankful that Brissett will surrender his Browns starting job to fellow Black quarterback Deshaun

Watson in two weeks. Watson will have completed his NFL imposed 11-game suspension. Whether the Cleveland fan base welcomes him back with open arms remains to be seen. Of the 32 NFL franchises, 13 have either a full-time starting quarterback of color, or had one start games. That’s a smidgen over 40%, and that is impressive. The irrational thinking about quarterbacks of color has not gone away. It exists. However, the more there are, there more there could be. The NFL is having progress and diversity forced upon it by quarterbacks who have overcome questions raised because of their color.

Black QBs on way to NFL

According to nfldraftbuzz. com and CBS Sports online, six of the top 12 quarterbacks expected to enter the 2023 NFL draft are players of color, and five of the six are Black.

Bryce Young of Alabama is ranked No. 1, followed by C.J. Stroud of Ohio State University. In most NFL mock drafts, Young and Stroud are forecast to be the top two picks in the entire draft. Based on current NFL records, Young would go to the Houston Texans and Stroud is destined for the Panthers.

Ranked No. 3 is Hendon Hooker of Tennessee and Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei comes in at No. 5. Anthony Richardson of Florida is No. 7 and South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler is ranked No. 9. Washington State QB Cameron Ward is No. 11, Jaren Hall of Brigham Young is No. 12, and K.J. Jefferson of Arkansas is at No. 14.

Taulia Tagovailo of Maryland, Tua’s younger brother, is at 17 and Michael Penix of Washington is No. 23. The Reid Roundup Celticswire.com is asking, “is superstar Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum the best player in the NBA right now? The St. Louis native is averaging 30.3 points a game, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. His MVP campaign is being by the Celtics opening the season with a league-best 13-3 record…Congratulations to Aaron Judge for winning the American League MVP Award. Paul Goldschmidt of the St. Louis Cardinals won the NL prize…Jackson State is favored to represent the SWAC in the 2022 Celebration Bowl,

Earl Austin Jr.

(4)

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Jalen Hurts has the Philadelphia Eagles flying high in the NFC.

Photo courtesy of NFLUnlimited

STLCC students get financial lift through PepsiCo Foundation grant

The PepsiCo Uplift Scholarship program supports Black and Hispanic students pursuing twoyear degrees and professional certificates in fields of study related to advanced manufacturing, business administration, information technology and transportation. In addition to financial assistance, students have access to dedicated staff members and various resources to help assist in the pursuit of their education.

Earlier this year, St. Louis Community College and the PepsiCo Foundation announced the launch of the Uplift Scholarship program. Representatives from PepsiCo recently presented the STLCC Foundation with a $500,000 grant to initiate the program.

The PepsiCo Uplift Scholarship awards students $2,000 per academic school year, which is divided $1,000 per semester.

To learn more about the program or to apply for the scholarships, visit stlcc.edu/scholarships or contact Vanyah Moore at vmoore89@stlcc.edu or 314-6449016.

UMSL’s Adella Jones receives Living Legend award from Black Journalists

Adella Jones, whose career has included roles in journalism and public relations and who now serves as the chief of staff at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, joined KMOV morning news anchor Maurice Drummond and St. Louis PostDispatch music critic Kevin Johnson as the guests of honor at the awards event at Greater

St. Louis Association of Black Journalists to receive their Living Legend Awards.

“What’s so emotional about it is to be recognized by my peers and my mentors and my friends,” said Jones, who through her involvement with GSLABJ over the years had helped choose and celebrate other inductees into what serves as the organization’s Hall of Fame. “I am most uncomfortable on this side of that. I’ve worked on it and planned it, but to be on this side of it is very uncomfortable.”

But no less deserving, said Sharon Stevens, herself a Living Legend who serves

as GSLABJ’s historian and is a member of its advisory board

“Adella and I worked together at KTVI, which is now Fox 2, and Adella held a variety of positions,” said Stevens, a longtime television reporter. “She was at one point one of the assignment editors, and she was just very good at her job, making sure that we got to where we were going and came up with really good ideas for stories for us to cover – whatever we hadn’t come up with on our own. An assignment manager basically has to keep things moving in a newsroom, and she was very

good at doing that. Jones began her career at KTVI in 1984 after graduating with a degree in communications with an emphasis in radio and television from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She spent six years at the station before moving into a series of positions in public relations, including as the public information officer for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Louis press secretary for former Congressman Richard Gephardt, the vice president of community and government affairs at

the Bi-State Development Agency and Metro Transit and the senior director of messaging at the Centene Corporation. She began her current role supporting UMSL Chancellor Kristin Sobolik on Jan. 18. Throughout her career, Jones has actively engaged with GSLABJ. She took particular pride in helping prepare future generations for success in the profession through GSLABJ’s Minority Journalism Workshop, which recently marked its 45th year. Jones spent five years as the director of the workshop in the 1990s when it was held at Lucas Hall on the UMSL campus.

KMOX Radio host Carol Daniel presents UMSL Chief of Staff Adella Jones with a Greater St. Louis Association of Black Journalists Living Legend award.

Seated from left, Eric Coleman, Jessica Ackers, Sheri Carthan, Christopher Jones and Ora Dixon-Lee. Also pictured in the back row, from left, are PepsiCo representatives Tiffany Harvey Horton, Hattie Washington, Nathan Baker and Scott Connelly; Marilyn Bush, St. Louis market president for Bank of America Merrill Lynch who also is the STLCC Foundation board president; Jeff L. Pittman, STLCC chancellor; Vanyah Moore, PepsiCo Uplift Scholarship program coordinator; and Paul Thompson, PepsiCo large format sales manager who also is a member of the STLCC Foundation board.

Photo by Wendy Todd

Living It

A universe of talent 105 years young

Deneve joins stars in SLSO concert featuring Black composers

By Chris King

For The St. Louis American

“The Planets” by Gustav Holst, which premiered more than a century ago, was the centerpiece and finale of the program the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra performed at Powell Hall last weekend. But an almost unbelievable amount of vital, utterly contemporary music passed across the stage before Holst launched St. Louis into outer space - including the orchestra’s first performance of two works by Black composers.

The program opened with a world premierecan’t get any more contemporary than that - of “Asteria” by the French composer Guillaume Connesson, born in 1970 and alive and bowing in Powell Hall on Friday night. SLSO Music Director Stephane Deneve told the audience that we would hear in this piece “the sound of falling stars and also how they sing.” The namesake of the nocturne is the personification of the starry night in Greek mythology.

Word Up

Lauren McCartney appears on game show

‘Wheel of Fortune’

By Danielle Brown St. Louis American

“From Sony Pictures Studios, it’s America’s game,” announcer Jim Thornton has said thousands of times, theme music rolls and a studio audience yells, “Wheel of Fortune!” Contestants match wits in buying vowels and consonants, then taking a guess at the puzzle’s phrase. Lauren McCartney, a Glen Carbon, Illinois native who is studying film and acting at Georgia State University, was a recent contestant on a Wheel of Fortune “College Week” episode. The episode aired Monday, Nov. 21 at 6:30 p.m. on KSDK.

She said she’s always watched the show with her family and they always joked that one of them should go on there. She learned the show was taking online auditions and submitted a two-minute tape to the website. She was contacted by one of the show’s producers and later selected to be on the show.

“It was very fun and fast-paced,” she said. “I had such a great time filming and being part of the TV set experience.”

Like all but one piece on the program,

“Asteria” calls for a massive orchestra - SLSO must have had to buy more musician chairs and consider a stage expansion for this performance.

Given the concept behind “ “Asteria” and the atmospheric music, which did sound like an orchestral version of sound effects for falling stars, having musicians dotted all over the stage was like seeing a sky bright with stars everywhere.

“Asteria” also set the stage for a night of lush romanticism. It has dark moments, as befits a nocturne set in outer space, and includes many quiet features - ripples of harp, rolls on the xylophone, slowly swaying basses - but

She said some of the puzzles were tricky, however, she did lots of preparation prior to the show.

“I did a lot of studying beforehand,” she said.

“I watched a ton of different episodes. I remember up to my audition date, and the date I taped the show, I was watching 3-5 episodes per day. They have an app so I was playing and I was reading books. I was playing Wordle and all sorts of things.”

She didn’t go on the show with any expectations and she kept an open mind.

“I didn’t know how it was gonna go,” she

Composer James Lee III received a standing ovation from the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and an enthusiastic Powell Hall audience after a performance of his “Sukkot through Orion’s Nebula.”

Left: Composer and violinist Nokuthula Ngwenyama’s “Primal Message” was featured during the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra performance of “The Planets” on Friday, Nov. 18 at Powell Hall.

Connesson’s space is a happy space, lit by melody and harmony. This world premiere gave way to two SLSO first performances of works by living composers of African descent. No, you don’t get to say that every day.

For “Primal Message” (2020) by Nokuthula Ngwenyama, born in 1976 from a Zimbabwean father and Japanese mother, the woodwind and brass players left the stage. This piece was originally composed as a viola quintet, and the writing for the individual string instruments has

By Danielle Brown St. Louis American

“Our goal with every season is to make sure we put together a lineup that excites and engages our audience,” said Kwofe Coleman, MUNY president and CEO, at the company’s 2023 season kickoff announcement. His goal is to “set up a summer that will be a fulfilling journey for everyone.”

The MUNY’s 105th season returns June 12, 2023 and runs through August 20. The shows include a tribute to a musical icon, classic childhood tales, complicated love tales and other stage favorites.

“Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” makes its MUNY premiere June 12-18. It is the story of King’s legendary career and her work penning some of entertainment’s biggest hits from “You’ve Got A Friend” to “I Feel the Earth Move.”

“Her contributions to our lives, our memories, and our stories are remarkable,” said Mike Isaacson, Muny artistic director and executive producer.

“The show covers her life from 1958-1971, exploring her talent, growth, marriage and partnership, and her beloved songwriting success.” Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” runs June 22-30, 2023. The magical show is a reminder that beauty is more than skin deep. The story is brought to life through the characters Belle, the Beast, Mrs. Potts, Cogsworth, and Lumiere.

“The last time we did the show in 2015, 40% of the audience wasn’t born yet,” Isaacson said. “It’s a family show and a beautiful MUNY tradition we invite all generations to see, especially the newer generation.”

St. Louis native Lauren McCartney appears on Wheel Fortune’s “College Week” episode.

said.

“I have some knowledge of how film sets work. I’ve been on film sets, but never been on a television set. I had no idea. I was just blown away by how organized and how fast pace everything was and how many moving parts there were.”

She was ecstatic to finally have her moment.

“I’m so glad I have the film experience and acting experience at school because I feel like my stage presence was great,” she said.

“I wasn’t nervous at all, I was just really excited because I finally got that moment of being on television.”

The studio was much smaller than what she anticipated, she said, and she learned the wheel weighs 2,400 pounds. Contestants are taught how to spin it properly.

She enjoyed interacting and mingling with other college students. They still keep in contact today. LSU student Chris Langley was the night’s victor.

“We all still have a group chat and keep in contact,” she said. “It was a highlight being around some fun energetic people.”

NcCartney said if she had won she would have used the prize money to travel.

“I wanna travel,” she said. “I love to travel

n “Our goal with every season is to make sure we put together a lineup that excites and engages our audience.”

- Kwofe Coleman, MUNY President and CEO

With St. Louis being a hub for the game of chess, The MUNY has partnered with the World Chess Hall of Fame and Saint Louis Chess Club to premiere “Chess” July 5-11. The drama focuses on a 1980s world chess championship between an American and Russian during the Cold War. The players also fight over a woman who manages one and falls in love with the other.

“We’ve been working on this for four years, and thought it would be great to bring the production to the MUNY because of St. Louis’ connection to Chess,” Isaacson said.

“West Side Story,” makes its classic return to The MUNY after a decade July 15-21.

Loosely based on Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” the story of romance between Tony and Maria has been entertaining audiences since its Broadway debut in September 1957. While smitten with each other, the couple struggles with the world around them. The notable gang violence between the Sharks and Jets is intertwined within the saga.

“People who’ve experienced this show have learned early on that our audience remembers who they saw the show with and experienced it with,” Isaacson said.

“Little Shop of Horrors,” is a well known comedy centered on floor assistant Seymour and his mission to persuade Audrey to fall in love with him. The journey isn’t easy as he

Above:

Photo by Todd Rosenberg

Photo courtesy of SLSO

The MUNY’s 105th season returns June 12, 2023 and runs through August 20. The shows include a tribute to a musical icon, classic childhood tales, complicated love tales and other stage favorites.

Photo by Carol Kaelson/Wheel of Fortune®/ See SLSO, C8

Jesse and Edith Johnson

By Andrew Wanko Missouri Historical Society

We often see famous musicians depicted as stand-alone figures—“lone geniuses” with towering talents and a laserfocused vision of self-propelled success. While ability and determination are rightfully praised, it’s easy to miss how even the greatest musicians are surrounded by people, places, and experiences that helped to hone their musical expression in ways both small and large. In the early worlds of blues and jazz in St. Louis, two of the most important forces that shaped the city’s sound were the husband-and-wife team of Jesse and Edith Johnson. At various times promoters, managers, booking agents, business owners, record scouts, show producers, and mentors, they shaped the city’s music, whether you were making it, buying it, or listening to it live.

Born in Clarksville, Tennessee, in 1883, Jesse Johnson came with his family to St. Louis in the first years of the 20th century. By 1915 he was working as a dance instructor, but soon after he would use his business skills to open up a new nightlife option for Black St. Louisans. At the time, St. Louis’s fleet of excursion boats were filled with some of the greatest Black musicians of the era, but the boats were strictly segregated. In 1916, Jesse Johnson worked out a deal to get Monday nights set aside for Black audiences to take excursions on the small steamer Grey Eagle. By 1920, the Monday night excursions for Black patrons had expanded to multiple boats, and the economic pressure of Johnson’s success finally forced the Streckfus Steamer Line—the largest and most dominant of the excursion boat companies—to do the same. Throughout the 1920s, Monday nights on the enormous Streckfus boat St. Paul became a celebration.

Quickly becoming one of St. Louis’s most influential promoters, Johnson opened the DeLuxe Music Shoppe at 2234 Market Street in 1919. Sitting next door to Charles Turpin’s Booker T. Washington Theater, the city’s largest venue for Black St. Louisans, it became ground zero for aspiring blues and jazz musicians in St. Louis. Jesse worked as a talent scout, using his extensive record label connections to get dozens of local musicians set up with jobs

and record deals. Sometimes record executives simply hung around the store—in 1929, QRS Records scout Arthur Satherly discovered Jesse’s brother James “Stump” Johnson playing piano at the DeLuxe. Soon after, Stump Johnson made his first recording, “The Duck’s Yas Yas Yas,” a double entendre–filled, raunchy bestseller.

In the mid-1920s, Jesse Johnson married St. Louis native Edith North. With a lively and expressive voice, Edith North Johnson was an aspiring blues singer herself, and by the end of the 1920s she had cut dozens of songs. Edith stepped in as co-manager of the DeLuxe, keeping an eye out for local talent and helping to hone the skills of those who stopped by the shop. When singers came into the store to audition, it was often Edith who decided whether they were passed along. One of them was young Victoria Spivey, who had taken a 500-mile train ride from Texas to St. Louis to try to make a hit record. She introduced herself to Edith, sat down at the store’s piano, and belted out her chilling original song, “Black Snake Blues.” Five days later, the record was being pressed in New York. It would sell 150,000 copies in its

first year.

Outside of the DeLuxe, Jesse and Edith Johnson used their business prowess to bring national acts to St. Louis, including Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway, Thomas “Fats” Waller, and Claude Hopkins. The shows drew thousands:

A Johnson-produced show of Calloway’s at the Arena in 1933 drew more than 18,000 people, and a St. Paul riverboat appearance by Armstrong was so crowded that the captain refused to leave the dock for fear the boat would sink.

The Johnsons expanded their DeLuxe brand to include the DeLuxe Cafe, the DeLuxe Taxi Cab Company, and the DeLuxe Hotel at Enright and Walton. Edith continued to run the restaurant and taxi service after Jesse’s death in 1946, eventually devoting her life to social work. In the 1960s, she recorded one last time and was interviewed by music researcher Paul Oliver for his 1964 book Conversations with the Blues. She passed away in St. Louis in 1988.

Visit St. Louis Sound at the Missouri History Museum, presented by JSM Charitable Trust, to explore these stories and more.

Continued from C1

and I want to go on a fancy trip. I love the beach and the water.” She shouted out her family for support including Dr. Connie McCartney (mother), Stephen McCartney (father), Christopher and Nicholas McCartney (brothers), and Pauline Boyce (grandmother).

“It [was] a surprise to watch it back. I remember it was so fast paced and so quick,” she said. “I only really remember one specific thing that I answered, everything else was a complete blur. It was a fun experience.”

McCartney is interested in acting and anything fashion related.

“My main goal is acting but I’m also interested in fashion, fashion styling, fashion design, costume design, set design,” she said.

McCartney graduates from GSU Spring 2023. She is also a graduate of Madison High School.

St. Louis Sound is open until January 22, 2023.

Jekalyn Carr releases her inspirational “Great Christmas” for holiday

‘People find hope in music’

St. Louis American staff

The multiple award-winning recording artist, who began singing and ministering professionally when she was 15, has released a holiday song and video titled “Great Christmas.” Carr performs with her band and singers decked out in white attire. She is the centerpiece of the wintry “Great Christmas” video, leading her supporting players through choruses and crescendos, inspirational verses, and uplifting releases,” a skopemag.com reviewer writes.

“They’re all visions in snowy white, singing and playing with irrepressible enthusiasm, right in front of a pair of glittering Christmas trees and an inviting array of shopping bags. It’s a reminder of one of the most appealing things about gospel music: in this style, everybody from the star to the percussionist to the most distant backing singer puts their winning personality on display.”

Now 25, the review says “there’s no more exciting, more passionate, more imaginative, or more accomplished young

Religion

artist in contemporary gospel music. She’s been blowing the doors off churches, theaters, and arenas since she was a kid, and at twenty-five years old, she’s just getting started.”

It’s been a remarkable past two years for Carr. In 2021, she became the first gospel artist to be inducted into the Women’s Songwriters Hall of Fame and in 2022, received the Lifetime

Achievement Award from President Joe Biden.

Her astonishing record speaks for itself. Carr has garnered six Stellar Awards wins, four GMA Dove Award wins, five GRAMMY Award nominations, and two Billboard Music Award nominations.

Her accomplishments on the charts include nine Billboard number ones, six number one radio singles, two number one albums, and two number one digital singles. In her career, Carr has had seven songs reach top 10 rankings. In 2022, Carr was featured by Forbes magazine which highlighted her brand, from the music to a new beauty skin care line. She was named one of EBONY Magazine’s coveted ‘Power 100’ that highlights the most influential people in the world.

Carr was the first gospel artist to be inducted into the Women’s Songwriters Hall of Fame. In addition to her illustrious singing career, Carr is a

sought-after speaker, conference host, and radio personality. She also hosts a radio program on Praise 102.5 FM in Atlanta, and she recently shared the importance of music and a positive mental attitude.

“Being an artist myself, I find that music is very important. I make sure I build people up and give them what they need,” she said.

“Music gives you a sense of hope. Yes, you face challenges, you do not have to be in denial. At end of day, you’ve got to know there is a champion in you and you were born to win.”

“It is important to know that what you put into yourself, is exactly what you’re going to experience. Your life is going to match. If you are constantly putting in negativity, you are going to experience negativity.

“Your environment is going to be negative. Make sure you are listening to the right stuff to have a sense of hope. People find hope in music.”

By Lyndia Grant

I saw them with my own eyes during my trip.

Like any plant, the Chinese bamboo tree requires nurturing – water, fertile soil, sunshineto flourish. In the first year, there are no visible signs of activity or development. In the second year, again, no

There is a parable of the Chinese bamboo tree, a true story that teaches us lessons about patience, faith, perseverance, growth, development and, most importantly, human potential. This tree grows in various countries, especially China, about how plentiful bamboo tree forests are in Puerto Rico.

become impatient and want things right now simply don’t believe and trust that God is working underground, doing things you don’t even know about; you will miss tremendous blessings.

Thoughts you hold create your belief. Your actions create your

We must see, feel, and believe that we can have whatever we see in our thoughts. The clearer your vision becomes, the more likely you will be able to make your dream come true. See every single step you must take. Just walk in the direction of

something I could do? What is something I should do? And if I do this, will it get me closer to my goal?

We must know that things are happening even if we can’t see them “on the surface.”

It is never too late

Ask yourself, “Where do I really want to go from here?” What you focus on becomes the size of a mustard seed. What is

Working towards our goals even a little bit every day will not show immediate results, but it will in the long term if we just stay the course. Each day we are all learning, storing knowledge, building networks, creating friendships, giving, and receiving love, and nurturing our bodies, minds, and future growth, both professionally and personally. Nothing we do is a waste of time if we keep that in mind. When we invest in that process,

invest in ourselves, stay consistent, and don’t give up nor expect immediate payback, we will wake up one day and realize we are exactly where we need to be … staring up at a forest of 80- and 90-feet tall bamboo trees that are there because of our care. So, keep watering your seeds. Your work matters. Your care matters. Your experience matters. Your investment matters. It will be worth it eventually.

Lyndia Grant is a Washington Informer columnist and host of “Think on These Things,” which airs on 1340 AM (WYCB)

PLAN REVIEWER/ BUILDING INSPECTOR

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

PUBLIC WORKS LABORER

The City of Richmond Heights is accepting applications for the position of Public Works Laborer

$37,996 - 40,765 . To apply go to https://richmondheights. applicantpro.com/jobs/

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

Company: Justine PETERSEN

Job Title: Director of Finance

Salary: $95,000 - $110,000

Website to view job description: https://justinepetersen.org/getinvolved/job-opportunities/

Email Resume and Cover Letter to: tware@justinepetersen.org

COORDINATOR –ACCOUNT SERVICES – INSURANCE OPERATIONS

Mid-level non-exempt position responsible for providing client/ customer support for the department’s operational functions. Performs a variety of routine and non-routine tasks for our business and in the issuance of our insurance policies. Work performed adheres to established process procedures, guidelines and customer standards set by the organization.

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

CITY OF CLAYTON

HIRING FOR PT AND FT POSITIONS

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

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE

Company: Justine PETERSEN

Job Title: Resource Development Associate Salary: $42,000 - $45,000 Website to view job description: https:// justinepetersen.org/getinvolved/job-opportunities/ Email Resume and Cover Letter to: tware@justinepetersen.org

COORDINATOR –CLAIMS – MEDICAL COST CONTAINMENT

Responsible for triaging and documenting incoming bills, referrals, and assisting the Medical Cost Manager.

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

LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT INSTRUCTOR

Implements training initiatives to help employees cultivate their skills and knowledge at Safety National, under the supervision of the Senior Learning and Development Instructor. Fully applies an in-depth level of knowledge of training best practices and adult learning concepts.

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

DATA SCIENTIST I

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

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

COORDINATOR –HUMAN RESOURCES – TALENT MANAGEMENT

Mid-level staff position which provides administrative and logistical support, contributing to the efficient operation of Safety National’s talent management initiatives of the Human Resources Department, under the supervision of the Assistant Vice President of Learning and Development.

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

ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT – CLAIMS COMPLIANCE

Broad responsibility for the overall management of the claims compliance function. Accountable for the development, direction and oversight of claims-related compliance activity for the company inclusive of regulatory change management, state and third party claim administrator (TPA) audits, claims reporting and data calls, claim penalty payments, claims-related research and consumer complaints for all applicable lines of business. To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational.com/ careers-page/

PRIMARY WC CLAIMS OPERATIONS ANALYST

Responsible for various technical support tasks related to claim duties and the processing of Large Casualty Workers Compensation claim data. To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational.com/careers-page/

COORDINATOR – FINANCE –ACCOUNTS PAYABLE

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

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

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.

MAPLEWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT

St. LouiS american Bids & Public Notices

AUCTION NOTICE

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

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

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

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

NEW EXPERIENCE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES RFQ 2022

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

LU22032 Dawson Hall Project

(REVISED on 11/10/22 from an RFQ to an RFP)

Lincoln University of Missouri will be accepting RFP’s (Request for Proposal) for Construction Management services to renovate the Universities largest residential facility, Dawson Hall. If interested, please submit a request for a copy of the RFP documents to lufacilitiesplanning@lincolnu.edu.

Office of Facilities and Planning, 309 Young Hall, Lincoln University, Jefferson City, Missouri. All submissions are due by noon on November 29, 2022.

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 Non-Capital Bids (commodities and services) or >Visit Planroom (capital construction bids)

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

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

America’s Center is seeking RFP’s from qualified companies to provide TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INTERNET, DATA AND WIFI SERVICES for America’s Center. Bid packages available Monday, December 5th, 2022, at 9am at the Administrative Office at 701 Convention Plaza, or by visiting:

SEALED BIDS

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

SEALED BIDS

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

WASHINGTON STATE PARK, DE SOTO, MISSOURI MISSOURI CONCESSION CONTRACT BID OPPORTUNITY IFB22002529

The Saint Louis Zoo seeks Statements of Qualifications from A/E firms and Interpretive Designers for the design of a “New Experience for Children and Families” on the site of the existing Children’s Zoo. Documents describing the submittal requirements are available as of 11/23/2022 on the Saint Louis Zoo website: stlzoo.org/vendor. NORMANDY

www.stlamerican.com

https://explorestlouis.com/ meetings-conventions/americascenter/communications-rfp/ Interested bidders must attend a mandatory pre-bid conference & walk thru Monday, December 19th10am CST at America’s Center Facilities Office Conference Room B. Contact Jeanice Baker at 314-992-0631 with any questions. The facility reserves the right to reject any or all bids. EOE.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Division of State Parks is seeking bid applications for the concession operation at Washington State Park in De Soto, Missouri. The concession opportunity includes the operation of lodging, including 11 cabins, watercraft rental and floats, swimming pool and swimming pool concession with visitation of more than 300,000 annually.

Interested parties need to register on the official offeror list by contacting Mike Zielinski at (573) 751-6758 or email mike.zielinski@dnr.mo.gov. Registrations can be completed online at https://missouribuys.mo.gov/ registration

HVAC BIDS NEEDED FOR PINE LAWN

Heat/Cooling

Bids Due by Nov. 28, 2022

@ 6250 Steve Marre Ave. Pine Lawn, Mo. 63121

Bidders must be licensed/ bonded/insured Also

Pine Lawn is HIRING for Deputy City/Housing/ Court Clerks

Apply at Address Above

The terms of current Normandy Schools Collaborative (NSC) Joint Executive Governing Board (JEGB) members William Humphrey and Anthony Neal are set to expire on June 30, 2023, and an election will be held to fill their positions. The newly elected members will join the JEGB at the April 2023 board meeting.

The public will vote for candidates for the JEGB on the April 4, 2023, ballot. Individuals who wish to run as a candidate must apply within the next three weeks. Per state statute § 162.083, RSMo, the filing period for the April election begins Tuesday, December 6, 2022, and closes on Tuesday, December 27, 2022. Candidates must be residents of the Normandy Schools Collaborative geographic footprint. Per the Missouri School Board Association, school board candidates must meet the following requirements:

• A U.S. citizen.

• A resident taxpayer of a district or voters of the district in urban districts.

• A resident of Missouri for at least one year.

• At least 24 years old.

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

REQUEST FOR SEALED BIDS

Hanley Hills is requesting sealed bids for a street overlay within the Village. Bid deadline: December 13, 2022 4:30 pm

Bid package available at Hanley Hills City Hall, 7713 Utica Drive, Hanley Hills, MO 63133 and on Hanley Hills’ website

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

The St. Louis Economic Development Partnership and its affiliated entities issue this open request for qualifications to provide catering services ranging from small business meetings to mid-size business development events. Responding firms will be added to a directory that will be used for catering contracts during the period ending September 30 2025, as opportunities become available. The RFQ is available at https://stlpartnership.com/rfp-rfq/. DBE, MBE, and WBE firms are encouraged to bid. Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis.

St. LouiS american Bids & Public Notices St. LouiS american

PUBLIC NOTICE

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

The Work to be performed under these Contract Documents consists of:

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

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

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

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

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

JENNINGS SCHOOL DISTRICT

SUMMARY OF REVENUES, EXPENDITURES AND CHANGES IN FUND BALANCE - MODIFIED CASH BASIS FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2022

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

SEALED BIDS

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

An audit of the Jennings School District for the year ended June 30, 2022 was performed in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and the applicable Government Auditing Standards. The audit report is available for inspection and examination at the District's Central Office, 2559 Dorwood Drive, Jennings, Missouri 63136 during normal business hours.

BID PROPOSALS

Alberici Constructors, Kwame Building Group and the Saint Louis Zoo seek bids from qualified firms to submit propos als for a project at the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park. The project consists of earthwork, roadways, utilities, and fencing for 10 barns. To request bid documents, please send an E-mail to stlzoobids@alberici.com

SOLICITING BID

Reinhardt Construction LLC is Soliciting Bids from DBE/Veteran/SDVEMBE/WBE/ for the following:

Patient Care Tower – Radiology Expansion (CP221611)

Contact: Mike Murray ; reinhardtconstructionllc.commikem@ Phone: 573-682-5505

INVITATION FOR BID – CALIFORNIA GARDENS SECURITY FENCE & STAIR REPAIRS

The St. Louis Housing Authority (SLHA) seeks bids to perform the following project:

The General Scope of Work for this project will consist of, but may not be limited to, demolition of an existing masonry wall and metal fence system, including foundations; removal and installation of exterior doors; demolition of existing concrete stairs; construction of new wood/composite and concrete stairs; installation of site lighting, electronic access controls and security cameras; and related construction. All work is at the existing California Gardens Apartments building at 2910-26 California Ave., St. Louis, MO 63118.

Bid information will be available at https://www.slha.org/ partner-with-slha/ on November 7, 2022

Pre-Bid Meeting is November 17, 2022 at 10:00 AM (CDT) at the project site, 2910-26 California Ave., St. Louis, MO 63118.

Sealed bids are due December 6, 2022 at 3:00 PM (CDT) via QuestCDN or delivered personally at SLHA Offices at 3520 Page Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63106.

Fran Bruce

Acting Contracting Officer

is threatened by a man-eating plant, who he befriends and helps feed. The show runs July 25-31.

“We plan to have the biggest, most amazing plant on stage. It’s comedy with a bite,” Isaacson said.

“Rent,” discusses the difficult challenges and obstacles several creatives face during the AIDS epidemic. It displays perseverance, love and acceptance. The Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical features legendary turns “Seasons of Love,” “La Vie Bohème,” and more. It runs Aug. 4-10.

“It’s a life-changing musical that forces unparalleled beauty on a group of artists facing life, community, and friendship during a plague,” Isaacson said. “Sister Act” closes out the season Aug. 14-20, 2023. Based on the 1992 film star-

ring Whoopi Goldberg, Sister Act follows Disco entertainer Deloris, who dreams of fame and fortune takes an unexpected route.

“It’s a heavenly way to end the season,” Issacson said. “It’s a really funny show. You will see a lot of nuns, it’s joyous highlighting true story joy that will come alive on stage.”

“One of the greatest gifts we have is the opportunity to ask our audience what productions they want to see each year and from my earliest days as an usher and still now I am always excited by our audience’s energy around the season survey,” Coleman said.

“That excitement is doubled and the relationship with the audience only deepened in a year like this where we will be presenting so many of the most requested productions from the survey. Season 105 will be a thrilling journey that we cannot wait to go on with our audience.”

For tickets and more information visit https://muny.org/.

director to lead the orchestra in

so much distinctive character that I kept hearing a string quartet version in my head. Not that I would want to do without the harp plucked through the heart of the melody or the celesta chiming like an angel.

In “Primal Message,” Ngwenyama offered a message of love, another reminder that contemporary classical music need not be discordant or forbidding. But it was also edgy and energetic. The string parts are all so gymnastic that at the

busiest moments I marveled that the musicians weren’t crashing into one another, there was so much impassioned body movement. Then everyone stopped cold at the conclusion but for one last wisp of celesta. The big band came back out and then some for (get ready for a mouthful of title) “Sukkot through Orion’s Nebula” (2020) by James Lee III, born in Michigan in 1975 but in Powell Hall for a standing ovation on Friday night. It was an overpowering performance of a piece that explodes with ideas, rhythms, and melodies. It sounded like cacophony so carefully orchestrated that you could hear all the beautiful

music that comprises noise if you are only patient and open enough to hear every nuance in noise. As I was transported by the clashes of dark and bright colors, the urgent low brass and the flute thrills, the raps of the snare and the high eerie violins, I began to watch the conductor’s left hand he used to cue musicians as his right hand waved the tempo with the baton. Lee challenged Deneve into a new language for contortions of the human hand, to say so many things in sign language to so many different musicians in such a short, frenzied time. He pointed, he waved, he power-pointed, he

inverted his wrist for a reverse wave with a gainer, he did some things with his hand that escape words, but the musicians understood him.

All of that - and then, after a desperately needed intermission - “The Planets” (1914) by Gustav Holst. What most impressed me here was the reverse engineering that Deneve accomplished in putting together this outrageously ambitious and demanding program. If you put together the three briefer premieres, one a world premiere and the other two first performances for this orchestra, you arrive at “The Planets.”

Holst’s masterpiece does

have a few unique features undreamt of in the other three compositions. He doubles lines - flute doubling piccolo, flute doubling piccolo and alto flute, oboe doubling bass oboe - to create an atmosphere of not knowing exactly where sounds are coming from. This effect culminated in the seventh and final movement when a woman’s chorus joined the orchestra, singing off stage. By then I had grown so accustomed to scouring the stage to see who was playing what that it only gradually dawned on me that I really was hearing something that I could not see. Literally, it was magic. The first SLSO music

“The Planets” (in 1972) was a nobody named Leonard Slatkin. The most recent (in 2016) was another no-name, some David Robertson guy. This program was so meticulously crafted and imaginatively performed, I must think Deneve saw that program note coming: Slatkin,