November 25th, 2021 edition

St. LouiS AmericAn

COVID food catastrophe averted

Activists praise local efforts while

calling for ‘systemic’

solutions

food pantry. Joined by a steady stream of clients, including a young mother who lost her warehouse job during the COVID-19 pandemic, Vonner filled a shopping cart borrowed from a major grocery store that’s no longer in the neighborhood. She stocked up on milk, meat, pasta and other essentials to keep her family fed until she received her monthly government assistance.

“Everybody knows I’m the struggling granny,” Vonner said, explaining a car wreck a year ago left her once able-bodied son paralyzed, forcing her into the role of being a caretaker for the son and his passel of children, including a set of triplets. “I come here once a month. I’m working with whatever I get.”

Wellston, one of the dozens of food pantries across the St. Louis metro area, joins a growing number of community gardens as part of a homegrown response aimed at heading off a major food catastrophe that loomed when the deadly coronavirus shuttered businesses and schools across the region.

In addition, retailers large and small and federal, state and local agencies stepped in, offering an all-hands surge especially needed in areas already classified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as having low access to healthy foods. Leaders up and down the food chain expressed admiration for the success of the concerted effort during the height of the storm, but no one interviewed by The St. Louis American saw the steps taken as even the beginnings of a permanent solution to the long-standing scourge of food insecurity in areas already tagged as food deficient. That leaves more than 190,000 residents in

Prosecutor Kim Gardner outlines her unique challenges

By Sylvester Brown Jr.

The St. Louis American

“I represent the voice of the voiceless.” St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner’s answer elicited robust applause from the audience attending the Nov. 17th event: “The St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office in Action,” held at Harris-Stowe State University. Longtime newswoman Bonita Cornute, who served as moderator, started by asking Gardner about the challenges of her

job. In the first 20 minutes, the city prosecutor meticulously outlined the “action and reaction” parts of her vocation. This was in response to Cornute’s question about the possible misconceptions advocated by her adversaries in the media.

Gardner quickly noted how the local press, particularly the region’s daily newspaper, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, constantly criticizes and judges her by the actions or inactions of her predecessors.

“First of all, none of my predecessors were the first African American prosecutor elected to office since 1821. Let that sit with you for a moment,” Gardner responded before adding: “It’s like comparing 1821 to 2021…There’s no comparison.”

Gardner then unleashed a litany of unique situations she’s dealt with that her forerunners never experienced.

“My predecessors never had to deal with

See GARDNER, A6

Tyus, other aldermen rebuke McKee with resolution

“Inappropriate appropriation

of

Homer G. Phillips’ name”

By JoAnn Weaver The St. Louis American

Sharon Tyus

Alderwoman Sharon Tyus, 1st Ward, and other members of the Board of Aldermen introduced Resolution 138 at the full Board of Aldermen meeting on Friday, Nov. 19 to deem the naming of a new medical facility ‘Homer G. Phillips Hospital’ as “Inappropriate, cultural appropriation.” “I would ask that this resolution be sent to the health committee…but I wanted people to know that we, the Board of Aldermen, gave the name in the first place; I thought that was an important thing to know,” Tyus said. In addition to Tyus, Alderwoman Dwinderlin Evans, 4th Ward; Alderman Dan Guenther, 9th Ward; Alderwoman Megan Green, 15th Ward; Alderwoman Christine Ingrassia, 6th Ward; and Alderwoman Annie Rice, 8th Ward introduced the resolution to the Board. The resolution includes a comprehensive history of Homer G. Phillips and the hospital. According to the resolution, Homer G. Phillips grew up in Sedalia, Missouri, the son of a Methodist minister who had been a slave. Phillips became prominent in both civil rights and politics. He was founder of the Citizens’ Liberty League, advocating for Blacks after St. Louis residents voted in 1916 to mandate segregation in housing.

Black leaders rip Rittenhouse acquittal

“It’s a warning shot”

St. Louis American staff

There was swift and stern reaction from African American elected officials and leaders following Friday’s acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Rittenhouse was charged with four felony accounts and a misdemeanor after he shot and killed two people and wounded another during protests following the police shooting of Jacob Blake last year in Kenosha.

“I’m hurt. I’m angry. I’m heartbroken. The judge. The jury. The defendant. It’s white supremacy in action,” said U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, D-Missouri via Twitter,

“This (legal) system isn’t built to hold white supremacists accountable. It’s why Black and brown folks are brutalized and put in cages while white supremacist murderers walk free.”

One of the 12 jurors that acquitted Rittenhouse is a person of color.

St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones said the verdict

See RITTENHOUSE, A6

Photo by Karen Robinson-Jacobs / St. Louis American

65-year-old Army veteran Nancy Vonner gets supplies from the St. Augustine Wellston Center in St. Louis to keep her family – including her injured son and his children – afloat during the pandemic.

First in a series

Two men convicted in Malcolm X assassination exonerated

More than 50 years later, Muhammad A. Aziz and the late Khalil Islam, two men convicted of the 1965 asassination of Malcolm X, were exonerated during a court meeting Nov. 18 by New York County Supreme Court administrative judge Ellen Biben.

“I regret that this court cannot fully undo the serious miscarriages of justice in this case and give you back the many years that were lost,” Biben said in her ruling.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance’s office and lawyers’ 22-month investigation determined both men were innocent based on FBI documents withheld at trial.

At the time of the killing, the civil rights activists were known as Norman 3X Butler (Aziz) and Thomas 15X Johnson (Islam)

“The events that brought us to court today should never have occurred,” Aziz, 83 said while addressing the court. “Those were and are the result of a process that was corrupt to its core, one that is all too familiar to Black people in 2021.”

While the court system has awarded him justice, he said he hopes it also takes account-

ability for the pain it caused his life for the last 56 years.

Vance apologized in court for the “decadeslong injustice” suffered by Aziz and Islam.

“I apologize for what were serious, unacceptable violations of law and the public trust,” Vance said. “I apologize on behalf of our nation’s law enforcement for this decadeslong injustice which has eroded public faith in institutions that are designed to guarantee equal protection under law. Your honor, we can’t restore what was taken away from these men and their families, but by correcting the records, perhaps we can begin to restore that faith.”

Malcolm X was assassinated at the Audubon Ballroom in New York Feb. 21, 1965.

“For millions and millions of Americans, we still need to know who killed Malcolm X and who ordered it,” New York City MayorBill de Blasio said.

Aziz was released from prison in 1985. Islam was released in 1987 and died in 2009.

Jessica Watkins becomes first Black woman on NASA’s International Space Station crew

NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins has made history becoming the first Black

woman on the International Space Station crew.

According to NASA, she will launch into space in April 2022 on the SpaceX Crew-4 mission. She has been preparing for her first space mission since being appointed as an astronaut candidate in 2017.

NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren and Robert Hines, as well as the European Space Agency’s Samantha Cristoforetti, are the other three crew members on the mission.

NASA said this is the fourth crew rotation flight of the Crew Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station.

Welcome to Atlanta Peach Cobbler (made with golden peaches and dotted with crumbled cobbler); Apple Butter (a buttery apple base swirled together with toasted cinnamon streusel crumble); and Strawberry Sweetheart (featuring strawberry chunks and swirls).

Dupri has partnered with Walmart to make the product easily accessible to consumers. JD’s Vegan’s three flavors are available on Walmart’s website, for $6.47 per pint.

The team will launch into space from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. For six months, they will conduct scientific research in the ISS microgravity laboratory.

Jermaine Dupri unveils vegan ice cream at Walmart

Grammy Award-winning producer and music mogul Jermaine Dupri has launched his own vegan ice cream brand JD’s Vegan. It’s created from coconut cream for a thick texture without animal-based ingredients. Its three flavors include:

“Walmart and I share the same vision of providing consumers with the best products and making healthy alternatives accessible to everyone,” Dupri said in a statement. “JD’s Vegan ice cream tastes as good as or even better than the real thing. You don’t have to lose anything going vegan. JD’s Vegan ice cream provides you with nothing but quality foods with out-of-this-world flavor and taste.” Next month, JD’s Vegan ice cream will introduce three new flavors: Chocolate My Way, Key Lime Pie, and (404) Cookies & Cream. Walmart will release the remainder of products on Dec. 28, both in-store and online. JD’s Vegan is also available through the company’s website.

Sources: https://www.cnn.com/, https://www.usatoday.com/,

North County town hall focuses on government resources

Police department short 75 officers

By Dana Rieck

The St. Louis American

From the police department to public works, a theme began to emerge during a recent North County town hall: staffing and funding are major issues when it comes to getting things done.

Councilwoman Shalonda Webb, District 4, began the night by emphasizing the need for collaboration between various St. Louis County departments. District 4 encompasses Florissant north to Pelican Island and east to Columbia Bottom Conservation Area.

cus of the presentation portion of the two-hour event, while submitted questions focused more on traffic matters, derelict buildings and other issues.

n “We have to take ownership of our stuff, and we need to work together, collaboratively, to come up with a solution.”

In her introduction, she noted she stands in partnership with the police department and believes the community can see major transformation in public safety by working together.

“We have to take ownership of our stuff and we need to work together, collaboratively, to come up with a solution,” she said, driving home the burden wasn’t just on law enforcement.

Policing issues were the fo-

Capt. Tim Cunningham, commander of the North County Precinct, gave a presentation on the latest crime statistics, the precinct’s plan to go from 10-hour officer shifts to 12-hour shifts and what police are doing to address violent crime and rampant gun use. The acting chief of police, Lt. Col. Kenneth Gregory, took over in August when Mary Barton resigned after 16 months of controversies and strife. He spoke briefly during the town hall event and answered a few questions later on in the night.

“I have a lot of personal stake in North County. I’ve been living in North County since 1974,” Gregory said. “… I hear the gunshots at night. It concerns me just as much as it concerns you.”

Cunningham said the two most common concerns he’s

heard from the community are speeding and a lack of police presence in subdivisions, something he hopes to curb with longer shifts that would give officers more time to be present in areas otherwise neglected. Other concerns were unlicensed vehicles, commercial vehicles in neighborhoods, illegal parking, derelict vehicles and unlicensed businesses in restricted areas.

Throughout the presentation the captain made it clear these law enforcement issues are a

daunting task to solve with the resources they currently have.

“Staffing and recruiting and retainment is a deep conversation right now,” Cunningham said.

Carl Becker, in charge of the St. Louis County Division of Human Resources, spoke about the government’s effort to fill the 75 officer vacancies in the department, a number anticipated to increase to about 100 early next year because of things like expected retirements. The St. Louis County

Police Department has funding for 972 sworn officer positions.

“So, as you can see by those numbers, we have quite a challenge ahead of us with respect to recruiting,” Becker said. He said before recruiting, the department needs to focus on retaining the officers it does have.

“One way to do that is through pay, and I’m very happy to say we’ve had great support from Councilwoman Webb and the rest of the county council with respect to pay,”

Becker said. He said the department must also continue to treat its employees well and mentioned the new wellness unit for officers established by the agency to help them cope with on-the-job trauma.

“Like I said, this is a great police department,” Becker said. “… They’re not only great officers. They’re great people, and I’m proud to be able to work with them and represent the police department.”

St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell speaking to residents during a North County Town Hall meeting at Hazelwood Central High School Nov. 17.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

— Councilwoman Shalonda Webb

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.

There are no written documents to account for the origin of Homowo. But, according to traditional stories, the Ga people emigrated from the Middle East and descended throughout the Sahara to Benin City in Nigeria. They settled there for a time before relocating to Accra, some time between the 14th and 16th centuries.

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

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

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

holiday has come to mean turkey and the trimmings, pre-Christmas sales and football. The history of the brutal process used by Europeans to dispossess the original people of their land is not pretty. And now it is almost completely ignored.

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

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

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

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

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

Privilege for Rittenhouse, not for all

By James B. Ewers Jr.

There is trouble all over the land. Wrongdoing is at every turn.

We cannot escape it. Evil and cynicism have taken center stage. Bad things are coming at Black people non-stop. Our sensibilities have left us. We are in a spin cycle of injustice and ill repute. Transgressions are littering our once proud land. Our democracy is in trouble.

tragic incident were white. Was race a factor in this case? I believe it was.

First off, Kyle Rittenhouse was not a resident of Kenosha, Wisconsin, so why was he there?

Here’s why: Jacob Blake, an African American male, 29 years of age, was shot and paralyzed by police officer Rusten Sheskey on Aug. 23, 2020. Jacob Blake was shot four times in the back and three times in the side. Officer Sheskey said that he feared for his life. Jacob Blake had a knife. Sheskey did not face dicipline.

Unrest ensued and Black Lives Matter became a part of the protest. According to court reports, Rittenhouse gave Dominick Black, one of his friends, the money to purchase an AR-15

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

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

Commentary

Giving Thanks

By Ben Jealous

“In everything give thanks.” That Bible verse can be hard to put into practice. Just by being alive we can be sure of having moments of sadness as well as happiness. When you’re active in politics, you experience both wins and losses. Sometimes it can be hard to feel grateful. That might be true for a lot of people this year. COVID-19 has brought painful losses to thousands of families. The unfairness of our health and justice systems has been laid bare. At the start of the year, we saw shocking violence during the Capitol insurrection.

And as we near the end of the year, we are still seeing our former president and many of his supporters lie about that violence—and about last year’s election.

And it is deeply discouraging to see how many political leaders are willing to spread false information. It is enraging how many are willing to inflame racism and resentment to win elections. Still, even though we live with the persistent injustice, I believe the old saying “count your blessings” is good advice anytime—and especially at Thanksgiving.

I am grateful for my family, friends, and co-workers. I am grateful to be in good health. I am grateful for scientists who developed COVID-19 vaccines and treatments that are protecting the people I love and making it possible for us to spend time together.

I am grateful that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are our president and vice president. I am grateful to activists and vot-

ers in Georgia who barely got to take a breath after the presidential election, and who kept at it until they put Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in the U.S. Senate.

I am grateful that President Biden has taken seriously the responsibility to nominate federal judges who believe in the “for all” part of “liberty and justice for all.” I am grateful that Democratic senators have moved quickly to confirm the most personally and professionally diverse group of judges in our history. This is an important first step in limiting the damage being done by former President Donald Trump’s right-wing judges.

I am grateful that Congress passed, and President Biden signed a major infrastructure bill.

I am grateful that it will create good jobs, make needed repairs to roads and bridges, and help make affordable access to the internet available to more people across the country.

I am grateful to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for appointing a select committee to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on our democracy. I am grateful that the Department of Justice has supported the committee’s work by indicting former Trump aide Steve Bannon for refusing a congressional subpoena to testify. And I am truly grateful for

a growing voting rights movement that is bringing people together to demand that the White House and congressional leaders do what it takes to pass voting rights legislation this year.

Over the past few months, voting rights activists have repeatedly gathered outside the White House. We have called on President Biden to make passage of federal voting rights legislation an urgent priority. Many of us have been arrested.

I am grateful that I can stand with organizational and religious leaders and brothers and sisters from the labor and environmental and women’s rights and D.C. statehood movements in recognition of our common purpose—and the common threat we all face from new voter suppression laws.

I am also deeply grateful for the inspiring group of young people who are rising into leadership of this generation’s civil rights and voting rights movement. Among those who were arrested in the cause of voting rights this month were Martin Luther King, Jr.’s granddaughter and my own daughter. Their activism has been touching and inspiring.

Wherever you are on your journey, I hope that Thanksgiving gives you an opportunity to take a breath, take stock, and make a new or renewed commitment to being involved in the hard but rewarding work of bending the arc of the moral universe a little bit more in the direction of justice.

Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way.

People in power have been corrupted by their misuse of it. We are suffering and help does not seem to be on the way. Our moral compass has gone awry. It begs the question, how did the world’s greatest country become a shadow of its former self? We are shell shocked. Our once strong and vibrant institutions have become broken and fractured. Our criminal justice system in some cases has become unhinged. Those responsible for adjudicating justice have become blatantly partial and unfair.

Recently, a case in Kenosha, Wisconsin, has drawn national attention for its not guilty verdict.

Kyle Rittenhouse shot and killed two people and injured another in August of last year. All the people involved in this

n I know for sure that a Black man could not have paraded around any city streets toting an assault rifle and be celebrated by the police.

rifle. Prior to arriving in Kenosha, Rittenhouse was working as a lifeguard. His mother, Wendy Rittenhouse, said she had no idea where he was at the time. I wonder if she ever thought about contacting the police about the whereabouts of her son.

So young Rittenhouse em-

Letters to the editor

We need more than temporary permits

A federal court’s decision to shut down the Spire STL Pipeline is another pyrrhic victory of extremist activism over common sense, and a blow to America’s reputation as a nation where the rule of law and predictable regulations reign supreme.

Lately, it’s become fashionable for activist judges to overrule clear regulatory authority to shut down critical infrastructure after it has been put in operation – an affront to the very purpose of regulations designed to ensure projects are built safely and in the public interest.

At issue is whether there is a “public need” for Spire STL, a question the court asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to settle – even though FERC determined that years ago.

Recently, FERC indicated it may provide a

powers himself as a keeper of the peace. He is in riotous conditions and is walking down the street with a loaded assault rifle. It is almost unbelievable that a teen could patrol the streets of that city as if he were the police, just without a uniform. Video shows him waving at the police and getting water from them. The police thanked him and his group for their service. According to reports, an officer said, “We really appreciate you guys, we really do.” Really! So, on Aug. 25, 2020, Rittenhouse shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber. He injured Gaige Grosskreutz. He was found innocent of the felony charges against him. He is a free man. During the trial, he was sobbing and saying that he feared for his life. Sound familiar? The judge in the case, Bruce Schroeder, had poor courtroom demeanor.

I know for sure that a Black man could not have paraded around any city streets toting an assault rifle and be celebrated by the police. Kyle Rittenhouse had white privilege on his side. So, my white brothers and sisters who look side-eyed when Black people start talking about white privilege, look no further than Rittenhouse. He is white privilege.

James B. Ewers Jr. is a retired college administrator. This column was published in the Winston-Salem Chronicle.

All letters are edited for

temporary extension for the pipeline to operate through the winter heating season, before the Commission’s 90-day emergency permit expires on December 12th. Temporary permits don’t give families certainty that they can afford to heat their homes in the winter. Temporary permits don’t provide the long-term assurances businesses need every day to operate. Temporary permits cannot permanently address the future supply issues which will unnecessarily occur.

FERC should bear this in mind. Families, households and seniors in St. Louis need concrete answers and we don’t have a Plan B readily available to heat homes and serve businesses. As a result, tough choices will have to be made because the easy choice of rejecting extremist views and consequences that entails was not made.

Chris Ventura

Guest Columnist

James B. Ewers Jr.

Columnist Ben Jealous

Ferguson Youth Initiative secures $20,000 grant

St. Louis American staff

Healthy Blue Missouri awarded the Ferguson Youth Initiative (FYI) a $20,000 grant to address social health problems that contribute to homelessness, poverty, and family crises.

According to a news release, the grant will enable FYI to network with other community organizations through Healthy Blue’s “Aunt Bertha” website, which provides public access to nonprofit social health resources, according to Aaron M. Harris, FYI executive director.

“Our programs address social issues by empowering youth, and through this network, we will be able to extend our range and broaden our impact in the community,” Harris said.

FYI’s Drop-In afterschool program provides teens in Ferguson and neighboring communities a safe place for supportive social activities and mentoring.

FYI Next Steps prepares teens to enter the work-

force through job training and placement with local employers.

SPOT 394 and SLAM, respectively, offer teens a monthly opportunity to play pick-up sports and showcase creative talents through artistic expression, including spoken word, karaoke, singing, rapping, dancing, comedic talents, painting and sketching.

FYI plans to launch an e-sports program and a leadership program for 6th & 7th grade students during the current school year.

“This new resource for FYI will provide community teens with the information, tools and support they need to lead a healthy and productive lifestyle,” Jeff Davis, Healthy Blue president, said. “Healthy Blue provides support and relief that meet the needs of the whole person, both physical and emotional, including food, housing, job training and emergency support.”

FYI is located at 106 Church Street, Ferguson, Missouri, 63135. For additional information, call (314) 7494379 or send an email to info@fyifergyouth.org.

No rights without voting rights

By Julianne Malveaux

Black women leaders have been working on the issue of voting rights, calling for the passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, the Freedom to Vote Act and the Build Back Better Reconciliation Act, as well as for D.C. statehood. Several leaders, including Melanie Campbell, CEO of the National Coalition of Black Civic Participation, and Janice Mathis, executive director of the National Council of Negro Women, were arrested a couple of weeks ago.

On Nov. 16, the women took their energy to the Supreme Court, walking from the NCNW headquarters on Pennsylvania Avenue to the Court building.

It ought to be a no-brainer that the same country that invades other people’s countries around human rights and voting rights would provide the same rights for its own citizens. Predatory capitalism, however, makes the voting-rights blocking filibuster essential to those who would extract every penny of surplus value from other citizens. How else can we explain the resistance to managing drug prices, raising the minimum wage, or blocking the right to vote? The big-money politics game makes it easy enough for deep-pocketed corporations to purchase a senator to protect their interests. Grassroots efforts, like those of the NCNW/NCBPC (with many allies) are less well funded than some of these senators are, and they may be less influential. Republicans with consciences surely know that voting is an essential right. However, too many of them want to win at all costs, eschewing fairness for power.

It’s like a chicken-and-egg thing. Republicans (yes, let’s call it as it is) want to suppress the vote so they can keep getting elected. Once elected, they continue to manipulate the system with gerrymandering that is designed to minimize the electoral influence of those who oppose the predatory capitalist agenda. This includes Black folks, Chicano/Latina folks, American Indians, senior citizens, and those who live in inner cities. These voters, certainly, aren’t a monolith, but voters of color are treated monolithically and sidelined in the same way. Voting rights legislation might pass, but for the filibuster.

So why can’t we eliminate the filibuster? Some Democrats want to embrace the traditions of the past, even though those traditions allow the minority to ride roughshod over the majority. President Biden, whose legislation has been blocked by the filibuster, only recently signaled some willingness to get rid of the filibuster in some cases. He should have spoken up sooner, and more loudly. Though more than 60% of Americans support the Build Back Better legislation, just two recalcitrant senators have been able to hold up the vote. Now, as we head into the holiday season, the window to pass this legislation is closing. Neither the House nor the Senate deserves time off until voting rights legislation is passed.

Too many of us seem to forget that we are the BOSSES, not the serfs, of these members of the House and the Senate. We can kick them to the curb as viciously as they’ve kicked us. We have powerful Black women leaders who are urging us to take our power back, rejecting incumbents who don’t have our interests at heart. Our work, our serious work, is to vet these incumbents and send them home when it is necessary.

We don’t do that. We tend to reelect incumbents because we are used to them, because we feel close to them, because they’ve been to our schools, because they’ve done a town hall, because they are friendly and personable. As personable as some of them are, if they don’t support economic justice, they are just a waste of space. They are sitting in an elected seat that someone else might better use to serve people.

Voting rights and economic justice are inextricably intertwined. We won’t get fair wages, good labor laws, student loan forgiveness, childcare, or more progressive economic legislation until we get the right to vote, because there are those who would offer rights like goodies on a snack plate, goodies they can easily take back. It is absurd that a nation that brags about democracy fails to provide it for too many of its citizens.

Republicans are shameless in their grab for power. We must be aggressive in our resistance. We cannot have economic justice without voting rights. Kudos to the Black women who are fighting for our rights.

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

The Ferguson Youth Initiative Next Steps program introduces teens to workforce skills through hands-on job training. It also provides employment opportunities with local employers.

Photo courtesy of Ferguson Youth Initiative Julianne Malveaux

Healthy Blue Missouri steps up

Gardner

Continued from A1

the power of the prosecutor’s office post-Mike Brown,” she said. “They didn’t operate under the public lens of intense accountability.”

Gardner ran as a “reform candidate” two years after a Ferguson police officer shot and killed the unarmed Black teen. The shooting set off protests and reinvigorated calls for police reform across the nation. As a “progressive prosecutor,” Gardner vowed to tackle racial injustice issues, investigate police shootings, and enact policies to address racial disparities within the criminal justice system. Her agenda was met with hostile resistance from power brokers within the St. Louis Police Department.

“My predecessors never had to deal with the most aggres-

Resolution

Continued from A1

In the 1920’s, in the segregated city of St. Louis, there were two public city owned Hospitals, City Hospital Number 1, which Whites in St. Louis used, and City Hospital Number 2, a former medical college in the Mill Creek Valley which was woefully inadequate, segregated that Blacks were forced to use, according to the resolution.

In 1923, St. Louis set aside money from a bond issue for a new hospital. Blacks wanted “their” new city owned public

Rittenhouse

Continued from A1 did not deliver justice.

sive and vindictive police force in this country,” she said. “Before I even stepped into office, Jeff Roorda (head of the STL Police Officers Association) told me if I held any police officer accountable, they would make my job difficult.”

It seems the association has made good on the alleged threat. The union successfully blocked Gardner’s attempt to seek city funding for an independent team of investigators to investigate officer-involved shootings. Roorda, a former police officer with a tainted record, has been the media’s go-to critic of Gardner’s performance in office. Roorda is among police officials who have lambasted Gardner for adding more than 75 police officers to an exclusionary list for alleged lying, abuse, or corruption. Instead of exploring the actions that led to more than 5% of the city’s approx-

hospital in a Black neighborhood. White doctors wanted the new hospital next to City Hospital Number 1, which was located south of downtown.

Homer G. Phillips eventually persuaded city officials to build the new hospital at St. Ferdinand Avenue and Whittier Street, in the Ville neighborhood, which at the time was the home to the Black business class.

On the morning of June 18, 1931, Phillips left his home at 1121 Aubert Avenue, near Fountain Park, and walked to Delmar Boulevard to catch a streetcar downtown. Two men approached him and one or both of them opened fire.

“The system favored someone who eagerly crossed state lines [and used] a deadly weapon. Black and brown people in this country have never and would never be allowed the same leeway or sympathy shown to Kyle Rittenhouse,” Jones said.

State Rep. Rasheen Aldridge Jr., said he is not shocked at the verdict.

“The truth is some of us are aware that the system is guilty as hell and is designed to work for a select few. That is why we must keep organizing and disrupting,” he said.

imate 1,100 commissioned officers being on such a contentious list, local media outlets have allowed Roorda and other police protectionists to project Gardner as weak on crime.

Two St. Louis police officers lost their jobs after The Plain View Project released thousands of posts by law enforcement officers nationwide, including St. Louis, indicating bias against minority groups, cheered violence, used dehumanizing language, or “had the potential to undermine public trust in policing.”

“My predecessors never had to deal with a police department that put out antisemitic, homophobic, anti-Islamic and racial epithets on social media sites,” Gardner said.

The “never had to deal with…” theme continued as Gardner highlighted her fight against the powerful backers of ex-Governor Eric Greitens. She decided to pursue Greitens,

Phillips, 51, died on the sidewalk, according to the document.

Homer G. Phillips Hospital, opened in 1937 in the proud Ville Neighborhood at St. Ferdinand Avenue and Whittier Street, the very site that Mr. Homer G. Phillips himself chose for the hospital, the resolution noted. The opening of the hospital was a major event in the city and thousands of people lined the streets for blocks around the new hospital. The resolution stated that Homer G. Phillips Hospital remained a crucial hospital for Blacks, The Ville neighborhood and surrounding communities until it was closed in

Jesse Jackson told a crowd in Kenosha on Tuesday, “we fight back.”

“Everyone who’s a demonstrator can be killed by a right-winger with[out] justification,” Jackson said.

“We have the right, the constitutional right, to march. He has the constitutional right to object. He does not have the right to kill us.”

who was charged with felony invasion of privacy, following accusations that he sexually assaulted a hairdresser by taking a picture of her naked body and allegedly threatening to release it.

As part of the investigation against Gardner, police executed a search warrant of her office, seizing a server, Gardner said, containing all of her employees’ emails and files in 40 investigations into police misconduct.

“No previous prosecutor has ever received the scrutiny of holding a powerful officeholder ‘accountable,’” she stressed.

To further illustrate the unique challenges she faced, Gardner talked about pushback from two relatively recent cases. The first revolved around her decision to file felony weapons charges against the McCloskey’s, a Central West End couple who brandished guns toward protesters

1979 by then St. Louis City Mayor Jim Conway. It now serves as a senior housing center.

The document said, “Paul McKee’s proposal for a new medical facility in North St. Louis is admirable and supported in a community that lacks medical facilities. He has made the proposal to appropriate the name Homer G. Phillips Hospital, without meeting with or initiating conversation with the Ville Neighborhood, the Board of Aldermen, or other members of the African American community to allow them to weigh in on what many believe to be the inappropri-

Jackson said his Rainbow PUSH Coalition would host another march Nov. 28, 2021, in Kenosha. It is expected to end outside the Kenosha County Courthouse, where Rittenhouse’s trial was held.

“Nobody has the right to go across state lines, come back with a loaded weapon, shoot three people and then go home,” Jackson said.

in their neighborhood last year. That decision, she said, not only fueled death threats from right-wing extremist groups, it garnered public denouncement from former President Donald Trump, Missouri’s Governor, Mike Parson, and other powerful political figures.

A group of more than 60 current and former state and federal prosecutors signed a statement last year defending Gardner’s decision to prosecute the McCloskey’s, who Gardner noted was “catapulted to fame” by St. Louis media.

Gardner’s attempt to get a retrial for convicted murderer Lamar Johnson in a case that has attracted attention from elected prosecutors nationwide was the second example she cited. As the Washington Post noted in 2019, there was a “staggering amount of misconduct on the part of homicide detectives and prosecutors that convicted Johnson and sent him

ate cultural appropriation of a name that is so closely aligned with The Ville neighborhood.”

“There are many, many organizations that had me write this resolution,” Tyus said. “It is long, but it is important to them that it be read.”

According to the resolution, St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones, Comptroller Darlene Green, State Senator Karla May, State Rep. Rasheen Aldridge, License Collector Mavis Thompson, several members of the Board of Aldermen, Yvonne Jones, President of the Homer G. Phillips Nurses Alumni, and several long-time community activists such as Ms. Ollie

to prison for life with no possibility of parole.”

“My predecessors didn’t have to deal with the scrutiny of my prosecutorial discretion to free a man when there’s overwhelming evidence of his innocence,” she said. “They never faced the stark reality that a prosecutor doesn’t have the ability to correct wrongful convictions or set up some semblance of justice.” Gardner won acknowledgment for her work on the case. In 2019, the Midwest Innocence Project publicly praised her for her attempt “to correct an injustice.”

Cornute asked Gardner how she manages to show up for work and do her job?

“It’s not about Kim Gardner,” she daid.

“It’s about the people who elected me to stand up against the status quo and change a system that we all know is doing what it’s meant to do.”

to choose a more appropriate name for this new project that does not, “Inappropriately, Culturally, Appropriate” the Homer G. Phillips Hospital name. The Board voted to send the resolution to the health committee where it will be reviewed. Additionally, the resolution detailed an invitation for McKee and the medical facility’s Board of Directors to appear before the Board of Aldermen.

Derrick Johnson, NAACP president and CEO, called the verdict “a warning shot” on NBC’s “Face the Nation on Sunday, Nov. 21. “It’s hard for AfricanAmericans to reconcile what we witnessed in that trial. We have far too many individuals sitting in jail for crimes they didn’t commit or overcharged for crimes that were committed,” Johnson said. Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League, said the verdict is a victory for vigilantism.

“American jurisprudence holds that that no one is above the law, that self-defense does not apply to those who provoke danger for themselves and others, that vigilantism is not to be tolerated,” Morial said.

Stewart, Mr. Percy Green, Ms. Jamala Rogers, Mr. Wale A. Amusa, Ms. Zenobia Thompson and Ms. Pamela Talley have called for developer Paul McKee and the Board of Directors

Food

Continued from A1

St. Louis, St. Louis County and St. Clair County, Illinois, living in neighborhoods without easy access to fresh food, or victims of “food apartheid,” as activists call it.

“Food drives, there’s been a lot of those efforts,” Kelly McGowan, who works with St. Louis-based EVOLVE to help community members conduct audits documenting what healthy foods are available nearby, said. “People have to eat, and I’m definitely not knocking that. But you know that’s putting a Band-Aid on a systemic issue. Looking at things like housing, making sure people work at jobs that pay a livable wage, ... public safety, that’s huge. So I think at least it is a start and [we’re] having the conversations to figure out, ‘okay, we have a couple of Band-Aid solutions that help to support the communities.’ ... But longer-term, what are the solutions?”

Just as it laid bare decadesold inequities in health care, the 20-month pandemic, which swelled the ranks of the unemployed, exposed holes in the nation’s food safety net.

In 2020, one in four Black residents across the U.S. experienced food insecurity — more than three times the rate for white households — according to Feeding America, the nation’s largest charitable hunger-relief organization.

Many of them live in areas deemed by the USDA to be low income and with low access to healthy food options. The regions formerly were described as “food deserts,” but activists such as Dara Cooper say that rather than experiencing a naturally occurring phenomenon, like a desert, the hardest-hit regions have been subjected to food apartheid – “structural, racialized inequities,” including decades of declining investment from traditional grocers and a saturation of smaller stores hawking highly processed foods, often high in salt and sugar.

Diets heavy in these foods have been linked to ailments such as diabetes and hypertension, which boost the risk of severe illness in those who test positive for COVID-19. Even before COVID-19 hit, according to USDA data from 2015 and 2019, dozens of census tracts in St. Louis and St. Louis County were considered low income and low access, meaning access to healthy food within one mile was scarce.

Across the Mississippi River, in St. Clair County, between 2015 and 2019, the number of urban census tracts deemed low-income/ low access leaped by 43% to 20, USDA data show, encompassing an area of more than 72,000 residents.

Last year, COVID-19 pushed the persistent problem of healthy food access toward crisis levels.

Between June 30, 2019, and June 30, 2021, the number of meals provided by The St. Louis Area Foodbank – which serves 14 Missouri counties and 12 in Illinois – increased by 53% to nearly 53 million, data from the nonprofit show. In seven especially-hard-hit zip codes in St. Clair County, the number of residents deemed to be food insecure rose by 60% between 2019 and 2020 to more than 6,700 food-insecure residents according to “Map the Meal Gap,” an analysis of food insecurity in the United States distributed by Feeding America.

“On the charitable food side, we saw just this huge increase in demand,” Emily Engelhard, managing director of research for Feeding America, said. “And seeing the increase that we did for Black individuals, and Latino individuals, and then children overall, I think just continues to point to …underlying systemic issues that are not going to go away. Again, they existed before the pandemic, they continue to be a problem.”

Some of the triage measures introduced during the pandemic may have staying power.

Food distribution organizers praised the efficiency of drive-through food giveaways, including efforts by The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis which gave food to more than 60,000 families over 22

weeks. While food donations clearly provided a lifeline to many, the process was not without hiccups.

Tosha Phonix, who co-founded St. Louis-based EVOLVE — Elevating Voices of Leaders Vying for Equity — noted that some food boxes handed out to St. Louis area residents during the pandemic contained the same salty, high-calorie snacks nutritionists say have contributed to unhealthy conditions in Blacks.

Kim Jayne, treasurer of Wellston Loop Community Development Corporation, serving an area marked by low-income and stubbornly high levels of substance abuse, said she started pitching in money from her own pocket when the hand-out boxes stopped coming.

Choking back tears, she conceded that approach is not sustainable.

Where are the grocery stores?

When residents in low-income areas talk about the lack of access to healthy foods, it’s usually related to the absence of major grocery stores within walking distance or on convenient bus lines.

Grocers operate on notoriously thin margins. When accused of abandoning low-income areas, they routinely point to profit and loss statements that guide them to open in areas with higher incomes and steady foot traffic.

Schnucks is one of the largest grocers serving the St. Louis area, which is home to nearly 80 of the brand’s 111 locations. Only one of the three locations the brand opened since the beginning of the pandemic -- in Columbia, MO -was near a low access area.

Two locations closed since the pandemic began -- in Alton and Shrewsberry -- were near food desert neighborhoods.

“We’re obviously a large regional grocer and we’ve committed to leveraging our business expertise to help communities, not just through the operation of our stores but also through our work in the communities,” said Bill Bradley, chief marketing and communications officer for Schnuck Markets, Inc.

In 2020, Schnucks donated food valued at more than $12 million to St. Louis-based Operation Food Search, with which it has a decades-long partnership. The nonprofit and its 300 food partner agencies monthly serve more than 200,000 Missouri and Illinois residents, many of whom live in low-access areas.

The $12 million was a slight decrease from the $13 million donated in 2019, as the pandemic boosted consumer purchases of fresh foods, leaving less available for donation, the company said.

Kristen Wild, chief executive and president of Operation Food Search, said a 26% drop in the value of food donated between its 2019 and 2021 fiscal years was offset by a jump in financial donations and federal CARES Act funding.

In October 2019, months before the pandemic hit, retailer Save A Lot snipped a ribbon at a newly built store at 1331 Union Blvd. in St. Louis, near Page Boulevard. The newest of 44 local Save A Lot locations, it was one of the few traditional grocery stores to open in the area in recent years.

The location, which offers fresh-cut meat, fruits and vegetables, is blocks from a USDA designated low access area, but a former company executive

said that status did not figure in the pre-opening calculations.

“That particular store, here in St. Louis, it was just a fantastic area for us to do a ground-up brand new store,” said Chris Hooks, who was executive vice president and chief merchandising officer for Save A Lot. “It’s a high-traffic area. It absolutely fit the model when we look at density of population, [and] opportunity for our brand. And when we look at the competitive set, [and] the available real estate, it just absolutely made perfect sense. It just checked all the boxes.”

Weeks after that interview, however, Save A Lot opted to close a location in nearby Pagedale, following a review of a “number of factors, including financial performance as well as strategic alignment with long-term plans,” a spokeswoman said.

The Pagedale location opened in 2010 to much fanfare and praise from area residents concerned about food access.

While traditional grocers have not rushed into the low-access areas, dollar stores have, initially to the chagrin of some food activists.

That may change as two of the largest brands -- Dollar General and Dollar Tree -look to add fresh produce to a mix that has long relied on sales of everything from cleaning supplies to kitschy holiday decorations.

One Dollar General with fresh produce in Spanish Lake happened to be the site of a recent food audit McGowan was helping area residents complete.

“I was shocked,” McGowan said. “I forgot I was even in Dollar General. The produce they had in there … they had fresh cauliflower.”

The Bellefontaine Road location added produce during a pandemic-era remodel in October 2020, according to Dollar General. The produce mix includes lettuce, tomatoes, onions, sweet potatoes, lemons, and salad mixes.

Several activists said they would like to see local retailers and area restaurants partner with local Black farmers to help meet community needs for fresh foods.

“There were a lot of organizations that were coming into community trying to feed community sub-par food, right,

The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines large sections of North St. Louis and East St. Louis, Illinois as having low access to healthy food, in part due to an absence of traditional grocers.

not healthy food,” Phonix said.

Some also spoke of the need to add healthier items “but no one was talking about getting them from Black farmers.”

“I just felt the need to converge and connect the two,” she said.

A Dollar Tree spokeswoman said some suppliers will be local, but so far none of the locations in the produce test group is among the 37 Dollar Tree stores in St. Louis and St. Louis County.

Even without official connections to major retailers, urban ag and community gardening are growing in the region.

Matt Schindler is executive director of Gateway Greening, which provides urban agriculture education and resources to help launch or expand community gardens and farms.

The organization typically works with about 50 new or expanding projects a year. It expects this year to see an 18% increase in projects over the 53 projects completed in 2019.

“Interest has gone up… and it’s been great to see,” said Schindler, noting that funds allocated for the year for supplies such as lumber were spent by March. “It was already going up, but then it’s severely jumped in a good way during COVID.”

On Suburban Avenue in Ferguson, a young father arrived at a community garden

recently, mate and two children in tow, seeking food, according to the garden’s caretaker. With no money to spend, he offered his watch.

“He … asked could I help his family out,” said Ron Brown, operations manager at the garden. “They were hungry. And I said ‘yes you can get vegetables’.”

In a nondescript grocery bag, the family placed tomatoes, peppers, maybe a head of cabbage and some eggplant, Brown recalled.

“The area of our garden is very low income,” he said. Residents without cars wander by the garden going to or from a nearby bus stop.

“Some of the ones they’ll come up and say ‘I’m really down on my luck, can you help me out.’ And I’ll say ‘I can’t give you money, but I can give you a bottle of water and I can give you some vegetables.’”

The solitary solicitation of the watch-bearing dad, and the parents and grandparents who regularly visit food pantries, give quiet testimony to the enduring need.

Such requests continue, Brown said emphatically, taking a break from his weeding and pruning. Not as much as earlier in the year, but the need persists.

“The Barren Mile: COVID19 and the fight against food apartheid,” is a comprehensive look at the impact of the pandemic on inequitable food access in the United States. The special project was spearheaded by Report for America and its parent company, The GroundTruth Project. Reporters from four RFA host newsrooms -- The St. Louis American (Missouri), New York Amsterdam News (N.Y.), The Atlanta Voice (Ga.) and Black Voice News (Riverside, Calif.) -- spent five months speaking with scores of consumers, activists and corporate and government officials about the continuing problem. This is the first in a series of articles on the topic.

Karen Robinson-Jacobs is The St. Louis American/Type Investigations business reporter and a Report for America corps member.

Map courtesy of USDA

Freedom Community Center among 10 organizations awarded nationally

J.M.K. Innovation Prize includes $175,000

By Dana Rieck The St. Louis American

Mike Milton believes his organization will not only reduce violence in the community but help achieve an even bigger goal: Black freedom.

The Freedom Community Center opened in April and was one of 10 organizations nationwide to receive the 2021 J.M.K. Innovation Prize earlier this month. The prize is awarded every two years and provides $175,000 over three years to awardees, along with a learning collaborative designed to support organizations’ journeys to create change in their communities.

The Freedom Community Center’s award was one of a record-making 2,826 applications submitted to the J.M. Kaplan Fund.

“I was ecstatic, surprised and extremely grateful,” Milton, executive director of the Freedom Community Center, said. The Freedom Community Center takes a survivorcentered approach to end interpersonal violence by first providing a survivor whatever their immediate safety needs may be and then assigning them a “healing support specialist.”

The survivors also are given the opportunity to engage in a restorative justice process with the person who hurt them.

Milton conceived the Freedom Community Center while working for the Bail Project in St. Louis. He noticed often those who called the police on someone were the same people who would then call the Bail Project to get that person out of jail. Thus, the center seeks to reduce community violence through healing and restorative methods that do not include imprisonment. In doing so, he believes the center can work towards Black freedom through decreased incarceration rates and legal involvement.

“Black freedom [is where]

we have the same access and quality of life as everybody else,” he said. “We have the same access to health care. We have the same access to resources, we have autonomy and agency within ourselves and our communities. … Black freedom looks like power over trauma.”

The J.M.K. Innovation Prize was established in 2015 and supports nonprofit and missiondriven for-profit organizations tackling America’s most pressing challenges through social innovation. The organization defines social innovations as pilot projects, new organizations and nascent initiatives that involve a certain amount of measured risk but which may ultimately lead to large-scale, transformative results.

“Freedom Community Center offers a potentially gamechanging answer in a category of critical need,” Amy L. Freitag, executive director of the J.M. Kaplan Fund, said. “Like their fellow J.M.K. Innovation Prize awardees, they’re building collective power that promises to reshape communities in more just and equitable ways. We can’t wait to see how their pathbreaking ideas develop.”

Milton’s Freedom Community Center seeks to break from the path of the carceral justice system by engaging both parties of a crime, the victim and the perpetrator.

“Healing from trauma means that I get power over my pain, over what happened, over my autonomy of my body, and it means that I have agency over my life and what happens in my life,” he said. “So, to me, that’s Black freedom, the ability to have joy, the struggle without the interruptions of the state and the criminal legal system and violence.”

The other awardees include Black Women Build, Cambium Carbon, Co-op Dayton, Every Campus A Refuge, Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program, HEARD, Nuns & Nones, Respond Crisis Translation and

Wikitongues.

“I think the Innovation prize really allows us to really dig our heels down and expand our work of supporting survivors the best we can, so I’m extremely grateful that the Innovation prize, and Kaplan in general, chose to invest in us,” Milton said. “We will make sure we will do the best with that investment and try to scale and expand it as much as possible.”

To learn more about the Freedom Community Center, visit www.freedomstl.org.

Mike Milton with participants of the Freedom Community Center’s bi-weekly power builders meeting for survivors of violence.

American again partners with CWAH for People Against Poverty Campaign

Nominations due by Dec. 3rd

By Deborah Phelps

St. Louis American

For The

Each year, The St. Louis American partners with Community Women Against Hardship (CWAH) for the annual People Against Poverty Campaign. Readers and online viewers can nominate a needy family to receive services that promote self-development, and encourage self-preservation through CWAH’s support and resource services. Below is a recent recipient, Karen Thomas Hall, and her story.

“That place is the best kept secret in St. Louis! But it doesn’t need to be a secret,” Karen Thomas Hall boasted about Community Women Against Hardship (CWAH).

“That place,” she said, “is not just an agency but a wonderful place to sew seed into. It is the place to go when you’re down on your luck…a place where people are warm, tender, real and not fake. There’s no prerequisite. No judgment. Just loving hearts who are there to help, listen and be there for your entire household,” Hall stated with deep sincerity. Hall was struggling with a household of four children when her older sister informed her about the wide range of educational programs and resources offered by CWAH. Sadly, her sister passed away shortly afterwards. Hall immediately adopted her sister’s six children which caused her to struggle even more as a single parent. Addressing the personal needs of Karen and her household of 10 children was not a struggle for CWAH, however. Hall said CWAH helped with household items, furniture for her home, cleaning supplies, food donations, nutritional cooking classes for a healthier lifestyle, clothing for the children and her job interviews. When tragedy struck again and her brother died, everyone was clothed for the funeral directly from CWAH’s clothing boutique. “Their multifaceted programs and classes have changed our lives by helping me get back on my feet and also assisting my kids with their educational growth” proclaimed Hall. She added that she believes the kids’ attitude has even been shaped and molded

by interpersonal communication skills learned and groomed by CWAH”.

Hall stated they have also learned from CWAH the importance of caring on a higher level. Now they are better able to embrace the needs and issues of others outside of immediate family. With heartfelt expressions, Hall shared “This is why my children and I love Gloria Taylor (founder & CEO), her family and all other invaluable volunteers.

To nominate a family for 2021 People Against Poverty Campaign, you can email communitywomenstl@yahoo.com or call (314) 289-7523 or visit any of their social media platforms. Open nominations end December 3, 2021.

Vashon High School Graduate

Now on view, Oliver Lee Jackson is known for creating complex and layered images in which figurative elements emerge from abstract fields of vibrant color. The 12 paintings, drawings, and prints created from the mid-1960s through 2020, demonstrated his significance as a highly experimental artist.

Jackson was associated with the Black Artists Group, which was founded in St. Louis in 1968, and a close friend of co-member and jazz saxophonist Julius Hemphill. Many of the works on view are loans from Donald M. Suggs, a local collector and close friend of Jackson’s.

#OliverLeeJackson @STLArtMuseum Connect with us!

Have you, or someone you know, experienced loss of a job or home due to COVID-19, and are looking for

child care? Enroll your child ages 6 weeks to 5 years into the YWCA St. Louis Early Education Program. Go to www.ywcastl.org to begin the enrollment process today!

Federal grant puts West Florissant Avenue on road to improvement

Mike McMillan, Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis president and CEO, and Marc Morial, National Urban League president, celebrated the Ferguson Community Empowerment Center opening on West Florissant Avenue in July

2017. A Boys and Girls Club of Greater St. Louis center and Mercy Clinic have also recently opened on the Northern Corridor thoroughfare.

County receives $18.2 million

St. Louis American staff

St. Louis County has been awarded an $18.2 million federal grant to improve West Florissant Avenue. The funds will be used to rebuild 1.5 miles of West Florissant Avenue, from Stein Road to Ferguson Avenue, through the towns of Ferguson and Dellwood.

The project includes road and sidewalk enhancements, providing better access points to businesses along the corridor and creating shared-use paths for cyclists and pedestrians. The work also will include upgrading traffic signals, adding crosswalks, and installing medians. Sidewalks will be made ADA compliant.

“This is a transformative project that we have been working on since I took office,” said County Executive Dr. Sam Page. “Thank you to our Congressional delegation, including Senator Blunt and Congresswoman Bush, for making this a priority.”

While West Florissant Avenue is one of the major thoroughfares in St. Louis County, carrying 30,000 vehicles per day, it fails to meet the needs of the many people in the community who do not have access to a vehicle.

Studies have shown that over 1,000 pedestrians access the corridor daily, with many walk-

ers and bike riders traveling to public transit locations and employment sites.

“Designating and funding West Florissant as a Great Streets project in the cities of Ferguson and Dellwood will enhance mobility and safety on the route and, consequently, improve economic conditions in a community that for many years has endured disinvestment and neglect,” Page said.

“We have already invested more than $7 million over the last four years toward improving West Florissant Avenue. Designating the thoroughfare as a Great Streets Project closes the gaps in funding and will truly transform this vital corridor.”

The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis Ferguson Community Empowerment Center, Boys and Girls Club of Greater St. Louis center and a Mercy Clinic, which opened earlier this year, have all been established on West Florissant since 2014.

“This street is more than a carrier of vehicles,” Page said.

“It represents what is possible. It represents history that cannot be our future.” Construction should begin in spring of 2024 with completion scheduled for the summer of 2026.

American justice system on trial

The country’s eyes have been on multiple trials. The cases are quite different, and consequently, the outcomes could be different. Our justice system was on trial. It’s always on trial.

The trial of Kyle Rittenhouse overshadowed the shooting of Jacob Blake by a white Kenosha cop in 2020. Blake was shot several times in the back, severing his spinal cord and leaving him paralyzed. Blake is unlikely to get real justice.

Rittenhouse has become the poster child for blue lives matter. We surely can’t say he values all white lives. The vigilante shot and killed two men and attempted to kill others—all whom were white. He faced five felony charges and one misdemeanor. His youth, whiteness, and crocodile tears on the stand all helped to result in his acquittal of all charges.

Rittenhouse is a celebrated member of The White Vigilantes Club. He joins the ranks of George Zimmerman, Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael, William Bryan Jr., the Oath Keepers, the Boogaloo Boys, and other white supremacist groups and individuals who take the law into their own hands.

Columnist

Jamala Rogers

The Rittenhouse trial was up South. Now let’s go down South to Brunswick, Georgia, where the family of Ahmaud Arbery is seeking justice for his horrific murder at the hands of the McMichael clan and neighbor William Bryan.

The three defendants face murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and criminal attempt to commit a felony. If convicted, each man could face life in prison without the possibility of parole. The three amigos were also indicted on

federal hate crime and attempted kidnapping charges. The prosecutor in the case complained about intimidating Black ministers in the courtroom. The defense attorneys asked for a mistrial seven times. As in the Rittenhouse case, there is only one Black juror. The outcome is predictable. In Kansas City, Missouri, a white cop was found guilty in the 2019 killing of Cameron Lamb, a Black father. Judge J. Dale Youngs found Eric J. DeValkenaere guilty of involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action. DeValkenaere had opted for a bench trial instead of a jury trial. This is a judicial tactic used by cops who don’t want to face a jury. Instead, they put their fate in the hands of a hopefully policefriendly judge. Youngs turned that tactic on its head. DeValkenaere is the first white Kansas City police officer in 80 years to face a criminal trial in the shooting death of a Black man. His sentence is pending. The hunt is still on for suspects who participated in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6. Armed with semiautomatic rifles and racist ideology, this group comprised primarily of white men continues to define what justice looks like in this country. They assert their white citizens’ rights to arrest or kill those they believe are breaking the law. Black and brown people know better than to use citizens’ arrest. We’re too busy trying to get our civil and human rights respected and protected. This white supremacist vigilante movement is growing. It must be resolutely stopped by an organized, anti-racist countermovement that puts justice and democracy at the forefront.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

“Taking Care of You”

Family comes first

November is National Caregiver’s Month

By JoAnn Weaver

The St. Louis American

One East St. Louis native is doing all he can to care for his sister through the pandemic. November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month in addition to National Family Caregiver’s Month.

Theon Phillips, 58, is a Belleville resident who grew up in East St. Louis with his sister Adrianne, 61, who has dementia and he has cared for her since 2017.

According to Phillips, she was diagnosed at 57, which is a “relatively young age for the disease,” but is now progressing to the later stages of Alzheimer’s.

According to her brother, Adrianne breezed through school in East St. Louis and Southern Illinois University, got a position at Ameren, then moved and worked for Colgate Palm Olive in Michigan. He said she loved jazz music, fashion, and traveling to different places.

n “I noticed that she began to get distracted through our conversations when it first developed, but the first time it was acknowledged was when one of her college friends reached out to me on Facebook and then in a follow-up call, they said they thought there was something wrong with Adrianne.”

– Theon Phillips

“Adrianne kept journals chronicling her travels with her college friends,” Phillips said. “I’m glad that she kept those journals because they gave us a glimpse into who she was because she is not that same person anymore.”

Before being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Phillips described his sister as being “fiercely independent” and able to manage money well. He said he knew there was a problem when Adrianne’s college friends and their family members reached out to him about her developing weird behavior.

“I noticed that she began to get distracted through our conversations when it first developed, but the first time it was acknowledged was when one of her college friends reached out to me on Facebook and then in a follow-up call, they said they thought there was something wrong with Adrianne and that I should pay attention,” he said.

According to her brother, relatives who live in Michigan also said they had incidents with Adrianne when she could not find her keys or park at a grocery store, walk home, then say she lost her car.

“With all of the red flags…I went to Michigan, went with her to see doctors and neurologists,” he said. “They saw that she

See CAREGIVER, A15

By Dr. Nicole B. Washington

n You are not responsible for the behavior of others.

Let’s face it, for some of us, the holidays are more like a horror film than a Hallmark movie. Our families don’t always get along and every dinner doesn’t end on a happy note. Patients often come back to me after the holidays with terrible stories of holiday gatherings gone wrong that have led to some sort of worsening of depression or anxiety. Every time, I ask if this was the first time this has happened, and the answer is always “no”. While we want to believe that people can change, we have to remember that the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior and plan our holidays with that in mind. Don’t be so hard on yourself – the behavior of those who disrupt our gatherings has everything to do with them and very little, if anything, to do with us. It is not uncommon for those present to think they could have done something different to prevent this from happening and take the events personally. They may find themselves planning annually to try to prevent the drama, only to find themselves disappointed due to the behavior of others. You are not responsible for the behavior of others. You can put forth the best holiday spread imaginable and provide the warmest environment, but that may not be enough to stop people from acting out.

1. Give Yourself Permission to “Check Out” There is no written rule that you need to be at every family function from start until finish. As a matter of fact, to preserve your mental health you may have to find ways to step away. Going late, leaving early, or finding moments to take breaks for relaxation and deep breathing can be lifesavers for moments like these.

2. Set Firm Boundaries If you have a repeat offender relative who tends to be the primary disrupter on the holidays, set boundaries with that person before the

Vaccine drives continue through holidays

All adults are now eligible for booster shots

The St. Louis American

Organizations such as the Urban League, BJC and Mercy are ramping up vaccination drives as the holiday season begins. This past weekend, for example, the Urban League wrapped up its sweepstakes that gave people a chance to win a 2022 Chevy Equinox with their vaccination.

Matthew L. Dixon got his vaccine through an Urban League clinic “about a month ago,” after his job mandated vaccination, he said. Dixon said he didn’t know that he had been entered to win a car through the program until after his visit. It came as a pleasant surprise.

Dixon said his vaccination experience, through Visionary Vaccines and Healthcare Services, was smooth.

“I was first nervous, but it was pretty easy,” he said. “The environment was friendly and nice.”

Visionary Vaccines and Healthcare nurse Peggy Hennessey said she’s spent the past months traveling all over the metro area to meet patients at

n “Despite our efforts, vaccination rates are still below optimum, especially in areas with vulnerable populations.”

– Michael P. McMillan, President and CEO of the Urban League

different vaccination sites. The Urban League has three sites set up in the city: at St. Alphonsus Rock Church, Northwest High School, and Greater St. Mark Family Church, which are open during the week. Visionary Vaccines is also offering vaccines and boosters out of their St. Charles clinic, and

FergusonFlorissant School District held a vaccination clinic for newly eligible 5 to 11-yearolds on Saturday, Nov. 20, to help the community stay protected against COVID19 during winter months and holiday season.

Theon Phillips has been the primary caregiver for his sister Adrianne Phillips since she was diagnosed with dementia in 2017.

Photo courtesy of Theon Phillips

Sophie Hurwitz

Photo courtesy of Ferguson/Florissant School District

Dr. Nicole B. Washington

Survey: Most Missouri residents back greater access to birth control

Support is bi-partisan, statewide

By JoAnn Weaver The St. Louis American

Seventy-six percent of Missouri residents, including large majorities across the political spectrum, believe the state legislature should increase access to birth control for Missourians, according to a new public opinion survey.

Three-quarters of Missouri residents believe more should be done in their communities to improve access to all methods of birth control, including 86% of Democrats, 78% of Independents, and 69% of Republicans.

The survey of 750 Missouri residents was released as part of the Missouri-based The Right Time initiative.

“The Right Time aims to help those seeking quality contraceptive services, with special attention to eliminating health inequities by reducing cost, access, and knowledge barriers, and focusing on equity for those who are uninsured or underinsured, geographically isolated, or low income,” Missouri Foundation for Health Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, Kathleen Holmes, said. The Right Time partners

76% OF MISSOURI RESIDENTS

including large majorities across the political spectrum, believe the state legislature should increase access to birth control for Missourians according to The Right Time survey.

with a variety of health centers across the state to provide training, technical assistance, and funding to expand access to the full range of contraceptive methods, according to a statement. There are

By JoAnn Weaver

The St. Louis American

More than 600,000 Missourians are uninsured, according to a 2019 United Health Foundation report.

One organization is taking steps to ensure Missouri residents have access to Medicaid, which recently expanded coverage. Applications have been processed since early October.

The Missouri Primary Care Association (MPCA) launched “Show Me Coverage” in partnership with 15 community health centers across Missouri Nov. 11.

The statewide project will provide free enrollment to help Missourians seek coverage from the Health Insurance Marketplace and Medicaid.

“There are more opportunities now than ever before for more Missourians to access quality, affordable health coverage through the Marketplace or Medicaid,” Joe Pierle, CEO of MPCA, said. “We know that

Vaccine

Continued from A14

transportation assistance with Lyft or Uber is available on their website.

“We have to get this virus under control,” Hennessey said, especially this holiday season.

“We have so many unvaccinated and we have so many children that are unvaccinated, and now with all the

Caregiver

Continued from A14

currently 12 partner health centers for The Right Time in 33 locations in Missouri.

“It is encouraging that a broad majority of Missourians recognize that birth control is health care and strongly support

increased access to contraception for all,” Holmes said.

Partner health centers in The Right Time network offer all methods of birth control , and all methods are free or low-cost to those who want them. The survey says 72% of Missouri residents support the privately funded initiative’s provision of free or low-cost birth control.

Regarding insurance coverage of contraception, eight in 10 residents believe that birth control is a basic part of health care that should be completely covered by health insurance, including 87% of Democrats and 80% of both Republicans and Independents. This polling shows Missouri residents want the legislature to focus on increasing access to birth control,” Michelle Trupiano, executive director of Missouri Family Health Council, said. “We hope the legislature will support proactive measures that increase access to contraception and allow people to take control of their own health.” Additionally, other survey findings include cost (41%), lack of time to get birth control (38%), and lack of a nearby clinic (30%) as the top three factors that have made it hard for Missouri residents to get the method of birth control they wanted. An additional 23% cited concerns about COVID-19. Respondents could choose more than one answer. Three-quarters (74%) believe birth control gives individuals the power to make their own plans on their own schedule and on their own terms.

‘Show Me Coverage’ matching Missourians with Medicaid

with the help of a Navigator, the process is less overwhelming, and consumers can feel good that they’re getting the best option for them and their families for the best price.”

Participating health centers will employ Navigators, or in-person assisters, trained to help Missourians enroll in health insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace or Medicaid, funded by a fed-

crowds and gatherings, people want to get back to normal. We just have to work to get it under control and allay people’s fears.”

As such, she’s been part of a team vaccinating people in churches, schools, and other sites in the community.

“The Urban League, through our Division of Public Safety and partnerships with the Missouri National Guard and others, has vaccinated more than 40,000 individuals

had some cognitive decline and suggested we go to Washington University in St. Louis because they have one of the best facilities in the country for neurological diseases and Alzheimer’s,” Phillips said. He said Adrianne received the official diagnosis in 2017, in addition to Phillips moving in with her to become her caregiver.

Washington

Continued from A14

event. It helps if you have the support of other relatives. Being firm with that indi-

However, his sister’s condition has worsened over the past year to the point where she must be supervised when Phillips goes to work.

“In 2018, I was able to leave her at home or drop her off to sit with relatives, but as the disease progressed, she

vidual about what behavior is problematic, how it affects everyone else, and what you all plan to do if the person doesn’t respect the boundaries being set can help with creating a more peaceful day. The best boundaries are

eral Navigator grant.

“We’re thankful to be able to provide this free service to so many Missourians in need across the state through the health centers people already know and trust,” Pierle said.

Federal law has increased the discounts available on coverage purchased through the Health Insurance Marketplace.

According to Pierle, the main goal of the project is to inform

across the region,” Michael P. McMillan, President and CEO of the Urban League, said. “Yet, despite our efforts, vaccination rates are still below optimum, especially in areas with vulnerable populations. This vaccination drive with Jim Butler is one more tool in our arsenal to help increase rates.” Currently, 66% of adults in the St. Louis metropolitan area have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccination, and risk levels in

was unable to stay at home alone,” he said. “As the disease progresses, the level of care progresses; this time last year, she put her own shoes on but now I have to put her shoes on for her. I have to feed her now, and the language barrier has increased between us since she can’t talk anymore.”

Phillips tapped into resources at the Alzheimer’s Association to help him navi-

clear and concise with no room for misunderstanding. Boundaries that are too loose don’t typically stop the behavior. Boundaries that are too firm and rigid, tend to be unrealistic and set the person up for failure. As difficult as it

more people about their insurance options.

“This project will make it easier to get information out there by identifying patients who come to our health centers for care who are uninsured and likely qualify,” Pierle said.

“This is just additional support for health centers to hire more staff who can be onsite to help patients better understand what their options are.”

the city remain high.

As announced by the CDC last week, all adults are now eligible for a booster shot six months after the end of their initial immunization sequence (one Johnson and Johnson shot or two Pfizer or Moderna shots). The booster shot does not work immediately, per CDC spokespeople, but significantly increases immunity by two weeks post-vaccination.

“Together, we can drive the vaccination rate in the St.

gate this disease as his sister’s primary caregiver.

“Through the Alzheimer’s Association, I was able to learn about caregiver’s assistance at St. John’s Community Care, which is an adult daycare,” Phillips said.

During the lockdown period of the COVID-19 pandemic, adult daycares closed, but Adrianne’s brother was able to find assistance in other places.

sounds, practice makes perfect! Taking the time to prepare for the drama we know is likely coming is the best way to deal with family drama. We can’t pick our family and we can’t prevent all the

The Missouri Primary Care Association (MPCA) has launched “Show Me Coverage” in partnership with 15 community health centers across Missouri. The project provides free enrollment to help Missourians seek coverage from the Health Insurance Marketplace and Medicaid.

For the first time, low-income Missourians can also enroll in Medicaid Expansion, due to the constitutional amendment adopted by Missouri voters in 2020, according to a statement from the MPCA.

“There are good, affordable health insurance plans available through the Health Insurance Marketplace, and most people will qualify for

Louis area to 80%. This is a pivotal time for the community in our fight against COVID-19,” Brad M. Sowers, the Jim Butler Auto Group president, said. “While incentives may have more appeal for some people than for others, we hope to do our part to make an impact in the vaccination rate in and around St. Louis.”

The Urban League launched a community-based effort to help increase

“The world stopped, but Adrianne’s disease did not stop,” Phillips said. “The Department of Rehabilitation Services doors stayed open, though. They were able to step in and …send me a personal assistant until adult daycare services reopened earlier this year.”

discounts on their insurance or for Medicaid,” Pierle said. “For anyone who may not have been able to access affordable coverage or Medicaid in the past, we encourage you to call a Show Me Coverage Navigator to find out what your options are.”

The following health centers are participating in Show Me Coverage in the St. Louis area: Affinia Healthcare, Compass Health Network, CareSTL Health and Family Care Health Center. Navigators are available across all their sites, totaling over 150 locations statewide.

Participating community health centers will provide help over the phone and in person and at community outreach events across the open enrollment period, which runs from Nov. 1 – Jan. 15, 2022. Medicaid enrollment is open all year for those who qualify. Missourians can find their nearest Navigator at showmecoverage.org

COVID-19 vaccination rates in August. The vaccination events are organized through the League’s Department of Public Safety in partnership with Visionary Vaccinations & Health Services and The St. Louis Public Schools. Moderna, Pfizer, and the Johnson & Johnson vaccines are available. Many vaccination centers also offer childrens’ doses of the Pfizer vaccine, as do specific pediatric vaccination sites.

He went on to talk about the number of resources available to assist caregivers who may be caring for someone for the first time.

drama. With some planning on our part and setting realistic expectations, we can decrease our level of surprise and disappointment when it comes our way. Dr. Nicole Washington is

“This is my sister, but Adrianne is not the first person to suffer from Alzheimer’s,” he said. “There are resources available that I did not know existed, like St. John’s Community Care and Memory Care Home Solutions, and they helped me navigate this with my sister so far.”

a board-certified psychiatrist, speaker, author and host of The C-Suite Confidant, a biweekly podcast covering topics pertinent to mental wellness.

Photo courtesy of The Missouri Primary Care Association

PRESENT:

PRESENT:

Nutrition Challenge:

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

Dining Out.

What Is ASize?Serving

Sensible Thanksgiving Eating

GRAINS

Keep ‘em Whole!

The Smart Way!

Warm Up & Cool Down

WALK!

Do This. Not That!

First Day of Spring!

Exercise Game

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

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?

for several different reasons.

Being Thankful

Tech-Neck

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

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

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

Cola

Healthy Kids

Healthy Kids

Healthy Kids

Healthy Kids

those leftovers for lunch the next day!

are popcorn, wheatberries, brown rice and wild rice.

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

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

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

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.

Follow the Meal With a Walk!

Let’s make a game out of exercise!

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

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.

Cocoa Puffers Cereal

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

> Start by substituting one drink per day to water.

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

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

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

Weekly Newspaper in Education Program

Melissa Douglass, MSW

Terica Meeks, MSN, AGNP-C

Latoya Woods, DNP, APRN, FNP-C

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

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

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.

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

> Can you think of any other tips?

Learning Standards:

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

> 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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

Instead of watching TV — ride your bike with friends.

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

Where did you go to school? I graduated from 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.

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.

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.

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

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

What

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

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

> 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

Learning Standards:

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

HPE1, HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1, NH 5

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

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

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.

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

> What to do if you see someone else bullied.

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

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

Carrot Fries

Learning Standards: HPE 2,

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.

at work I draw blood, give people instructions on how to live better and communicate a lot with a team of people.

> What to do if YOU are the bully.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

> How bullying hurts others.

> 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!

Someone then reads each card as the group guesses who wrote it.

Cracker-wiches

Ingredients:

8 Saltine crackers

Easy Hummus Dip

Ingredients:

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?

Frozen Yogurt Blueberry Bites

4 Tbsp Peanut butter

Ingredients:

> What other ice hazards are there?

1 15-Oz Can Garbanzo beans

1 cup blueberries

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

Learning Standards: HPE 2, NH 4

2 Large Strawberries

1 Garlic clove, crushed

1 cup non-fat Greek Yogurt

1 Tbsp Honey (optional)

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 4

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

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

Ingredients: 6 Whole carrots Cooking spray Salt and pepper to taste Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel the carrots and cut into small strips about ¼ inch thick and 3 inches long. Spread the carrots onto a cooking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt/pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes, flip them over. Spray with a little cooking spray and more salt/pepper. Cook for another 15 minutes, until lightly browned.

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

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

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

Why did you choose this career? I chose this career because I love to help everyone. I enjoy seeing others happy and well. I love my job because I’m a part of a team that makes healthcare fun for everyone. I love my nursing profession because I’m trained to help anyone wherever I go!

What is your favorite part of the job you have?

What is your favorite part of the job you have? My absolute favorite part of my job is seeing others live better, longer and healthier lives.

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

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

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.

> 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:

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

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

2 Tsp Cumin, 1 Tsp Olive oil, ½ Tsp Salt Directions: Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Enjoy with baked tortilla chips or raw vegetables.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

Learning Standards: HPE 6, NH 3

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

“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

Yonniece Rose, Registered Nurse

Banana PB Smoothie

Deborah Edwards, School Nurse

Webb seeking funding for Jamestown Mall demolition

Derelict mall has been empty since 2014

By Dana Rieck

The St. Louis American

St. Louis County Councilwoman Shalonda Webb confirmed she is working to find funding to demolish the Jamestown Mall building, which has sat vacant for years.

An audience member asked about the status of the derelict property during a North County town hall meeting Nov.17.

“I knew I wasn’t going to get away from that, and I don’t want to get away from that,” Webb said, laughing.

North County’s Jamestown Mall was an enclosed shopping mall located at Lindbergh Boulevard and Old Jamestown Road. The million-plus square feet of property opened in 1973 and included Dillard’s, JCPenney, Macy’s and Sears as its anchor stores. The mall began

n “Let’s do as much as we can because we have been waiting a very long time.”

—St. Louis County Councilwoman Shalonda Webb

declining in 2000 and finally shuttered in 2014.

In June, Webb, along with Port Authority Chairman John Maupin and Rodney Crimm, CEO and president of the STL Economic Partnership, announced the government’s intent to demolish the building.

“Earlier this year, there was an interest to build an industrial park in our community, and

you all said no,” Webb said. “And I understood that ‘no,’ because [the developer] wanted to build an industrial park … in your backyards, in the middle of these communities, and that was unacceptable, and I acted accordingly.”

The councilwoman represents District 4, which encompasses Florissant north to Pelican Island and east to Columbia Bottom Conservation Area. Webb said she is searching for funding to demolish the building.

“I’m not putting all of our eggs in one basket,” she said. “I’m looking at every level to get that revenue and those resources. So, if I’ve got to beg at the federal level, if I’ve got to beg the governor at the state level and even at the local level, our county executive, that is exactly what I am doing.”

Black Press, MBDA would benefit from Build Back Better Act

Tax credits for print, online, and broadcast outlets

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire and Alvin A. Reid, The St. Louis American

After four years of an administration that warred against the media, news outlets stand to benefit significantly in President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better Act. The legislation counts as a huge victory for Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. It includes funding for universal pre-K, the extension of the child tax credit, and paid family and medical leave. Medicare expansion will now include covering hearing benefits and extending Medicaid coverage for an estimated four million individuals. It also could lower prescription drug costs and reduce premiums in the Affordable Care Act. The bill also includes the president’s $1.9 trillion climate change initiatives which the administration has touted since its early days in January. For media and newspapers like the many in the National Newspaper Publishers Association, the Build Back Better Act includes tax credits for local print, online, and broadcast news outlets to employ journalists. The measure provides a credit of up to $25,000 to offset employment taxes during the first year for each employee. It provides an additional $15,000 per employee for the next four years.

The Senate still must pass the bill before it could land on President Biden’s desk for signature. The Congressional Budget Office said the bill would increase America’s budget deficit by $367 billion through 2031. But many in Congress noted that the IRS has ramped up its collection and enforcement of taxes, which should

It was a historic week for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. They celebrated Biden signing a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill Monday, Nov. 15, 2021, and the House of Representatives passed the administration’s Build Back Better Act Friday. The Democratic controlled Senate hopes to pass the bill by Christmas.

PeoPle on the Move

Davis named full professor at SLU

Dannielle Joy Davis, Ph.D., has been promoted to full professor with tenure at Saint Louis University’s (SLU) School of Education. Dr. Davis is a homeschooling STEM expert and an interdisciplinary scholar, who also examines higher education access and outcomes. She is editor/co-editor and a contributing author of the books: “Black Women in Leadership: Their Historical and Contemporary Contributions;” “Social Justice Issues and Race in the College Classroom: Learning from Different Voices;” “Intersectionality in Education Research” and many others.

Powell named associate at Armstrong Teasdale

was the legal compliance officer for a St. Louis-area university where she supported the general counsel on COVID-19related compliance matters. She was also a legal intern at a major telecommunications company where she supported various legal departments working alongside senior vice presidents and the vice presidents of general counsel. Before that, she was a mentor services specialist for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis.

SLU professor named Rubenstein Fellow

Keon Gilbert, DrPH, associate professor of behavioral science and health education at Saint Louis University’s College for Public Health and Social Justice and one of the founding co-directors of the Institute for Healing Justice and Equity at SLU, has been appointed to the third class of David M. Rubenstein Fellows at the Brookings Institution. The two-year fellowship will begin this month. Gilbert, along with nine other early- and mid-career scholars, will be placed in five research programs at the Brookings Institution. He will be in the Governance Studies program.

St. Louis based First Community Credit Union has promoted Rosanna Smith as the branch manager of the new O’Fallon, Mo Walmart location along with being the manager of the O’Fallon-Cool Springs location. Smith has 20 years of experience in the financial service industry, and was previously the assistant manager at the Zumbehl Walmart First Community location. She is a lifelong resident of St. Louis and attended Ritenour High School and North County Tech.

Promotion, board appointment, new hire, award... please submit

Shalonda Webb, the District 4 St. Louis County Councilwoman speaking at a North County Town Hall Meeting at Hazelwood Central High School Wednesday, Nov. 17. At left is Shonte Harmon-Young her legislative assistant and Shonte Jamison Webb’s problem properties specialist and Grant Project Coordinator.

Deidre

Dannielle Joy Davis

Deidre Powell

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Keon Gilbert

Smith named manager at First Community

Rosanna Smith

Photo courtesy of the AP

Harris-Stowe to create new bioinformatics program

The United Health Foundation, the philanthropic foundation of UnitedHealth Group, has awarded a $2 million, three-year grant to Harris-Stowe State University to create a bioinformatics program for undergraduate students at the historically Black university located in St. Louis. Bioinformatics is an emerging field that combines science, physics, math and biology to aid in the diagnosis, treatment and discovery of new therapeutic advancements. An example of bioinformatics is the use of computer analysis on the Human Genome Project, which has recorded the 3 billion basic pairs of the human DNA system.

HSSU will develop a new undergraduate program to train students for careers as bioinformatics professionals. HSSU will use the support to: Develop new curricula combining coursework and experiential learning opportunities; expose high school students in surrounding school districts to the field of bioinformatics through a summer bioinformatics “boot camp” program; offer academic scholarships for up to

Webb

Continued from B1

Webb said officials told her she is asking for too much at once, but she feels a lot of the steps needed to demolish the property can be done simultaneously.

“Let’s do as much as we can because we have been waiting a very long time,” Webb said. She said there are local, regional and out-of-state developers interested in North County projects because they see the potential in North County. So, she’s searching for the right developer for the property.

Shortly after this discussion, multiple audience members submitted questions asking about the numerous vacant properties throughout the county.

Marcellus Speight, St. Louis County code enforcement manager, said he assumed the questions were mainly from people living next to derelict proper-

Act

Continued from B1

further decrease the strain on the budget.

“We, this Democratic Congress, are taking our place in the long and honorable heritage of our democracy with legislation that will be the pillar of health and financial security in America,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. Rep. Val Demings (D-Fl.) called the measure one of the most extensive middle-class tax cuts in U.S. history. Demings declared the plan “fiscally responsible” and said it would create new jobs and reduce the cost of essential services, including health care, childcare, senior care, educa-

Harris-Stowe State University was awarded a $2 million, three-year grant to to create a bioinformatics program for undergraduate students.

25 students each year. “In the past decade, HarrisStowe State University has emerged as a leader in training students for high-tech careers. This new program will help us to build on that important work, as well as continue to fulfill our mission of serving historically underrepresented students,” said Dr. LaTonia Collins Smith, interim president of HSSU. Studies have shown that

ties and said razing a derelict property is a painstakingly slow governmental process.

“I really feel the anguish in everyone’s phone calls [asking] these questions, but the process is a long, legal process,” he said.

Speight said those houses didn’t become vacant overnight, so solving the issue will take some time, and maybe more importantly, funding.

“A vacant property is not necessarily a problem property,” he said. “However, if left unattended, they become problem properties. Therefore, they wind up in my view, and my team will have to address those properties.”

While his team addresses the properties, Speight said there’s nothing they can do in the meantime with the buildings.

“In order to more or less satisfy the challenge we have, it’s going to take funding,” he said.

“I bring this up to anyone that asks, and it’s not a scapegoat. It’s not a way to say we can’t do it because we don’t have the

tion, and housing.

“Our mission is clear: to put money in the pockets of working families, dramatically reduce the cost of things that keep [residents] up at night, and get people back to work,” Demings said.

“No new middle-class taxes. No deficit increases. Just long-overdue changes to make our economy fair for people who have to go to work every day.”

The Build Back Better Act also makes the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) permanent, which could lead to the agency increasing programs and outreach to more than 9 million minority-owned businesses.

“This historic legisla-

there is a substantial gap in the number of diverse college students trained in biomedical sciences. Black, Hispanic and Native American people account for only 7.1% of the employed biological/biomedical and life sciences workforce, according to the National Science Foundation. A diverse health workforce helps provide personalized, culturally competent care to an increasingly diverse population.

funding or the manpower. It’s just a fact.” Speight applied for federal funding to demolish vacant buildings and was approved. However, he said, it’s limited.

“So, we have to take the worst case[s],” he said. “I know something may have sat adjacent to your property for many years, and just deteriorated before your eyes, but you may not be the first property on the list, but I assure you our public works will address those properties.”

Webb added she meets with Speight and other county officials every two weeks to find permanent solutions to the vacant property problem.

“Because whether we want to admit it or not, a lot of things that happen in North County happen in South County,” she said.

Residents can find the latest information about the Jamestown Mall project at bit. ly/3235PX5 and more about reporting derelict properties at bit.ly/3FwYuxI.

tion will make a tremendous impact on the success of minority businesses for years to come,” Todd Gilyard, project director for the Missouri MBDA, said.

U.S. Department of Commerce Deputy Secretary Don Graves called the legislation transformative.

“It signifies a new era in minority business development and progress toward addressing the long-standing racial disparities in access to capital, contracts, and business ecosystems,” he said.

The MBDA will benefit for many reasons, including:

• Creation of a presidentially-appointed and Senateconfirmed Under Secretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development to lead the agency.

• Increasing the MBDA’s grant-making capacity to partner with community and national nonprofits engaged in private and public sector development as well as research.

• Mandating creation of the Parren J. Mitchel Entrepreneurship Education Grants Program to cultivate the next generation of minority entrepreneurs on the campuses of HBCUs and MSIs across the Nation.

• Creation of a council to advise the Under Secretary on supporting MBEs.

• Authorization for the Under Secretary to coordinate federal MBE programs.

The MBDA will report on the implementation milestones of the Minority Business Development Act of 2021 through the website, www. MBDA.gov.

Sports

InSIdE SportS

By Earl Austin Jr.

On to state title games go East St. Louis and CBC

Ritter reaches semifinal

A top high school matchup this season was the opening night showdown between area powers CBC and East St. Louis. The visiting Flyers defeated CBC 49-44 in an entertaining, high scoring game that kept the crowd of the edge of its seat.

Both teams looked the part of state championship-level back then, and that fact will come to fruition at 1 p.m. Saturday when both teams play for state titles in their respective states.

CBC will take on Liberty North for the Missouri Class 6 state championship at the University of MissouriColumbia.

East St. Louis faces CaryGrove in the Illinois Class 6A state championship game at Northern Illinois University in Dekalb. These two teams have been on a collision course for this game since the beginning of the season.

Both teams had to work a little bit in their state semifinal games before moving on to the championship game. East Side trailed Crete-Monee 7-6 midway through the second quarter, but they took control to take a 54-13 victory. Five-star wide receiver Luther Burden III scored three touchdowns for the Flyers, including two punt returns of 91 and 75 yards.

CBC’s game was a little more dramatic as they trailed 21-7 in the second half before rallying for a 28-21 victory over visiting Lee’s Summit.

The Cadets scored three touchdowns in nine minutes in the fourth quarter to complete their stunning comeback. Senior quarterback Patrick Heitert sparked the rally by rushing for two touchdowns and throwing for another score in the fourth quarter.

State Playoff Pairings

Class 6 (State Championship Game)

CBC vs. Liberty North, Saturday, 1 p.m. (University of Missouri)

Class 5 (Semifinals)

Fort Osage at Holt, Friday, 6 p.m.

I just couldn’t miss the Dallas Cowboys at Kansas City Chiefs game. Seriously, the team I’ve rooted for since I was seven against the team I’ve rooted for since I was nine. Don’t be mistaken, my first and only real love is the Cowboys. The ups the downs. The late 60s, 70s and early 90s glory. The everything else of bitter disappointment.

A day trip was in order, and it was a beautiful day last Sunday. I paid a ridiculous price to Seatgeek to be at the game, but I was at that gosh-darn game. I knew Cowboys’ unvaccinated leading receiver Amare Cooper was out because he contracted COVID-19.

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

Class 4 (Semifinals)

Smithville at MICDS, Saturday, 7 p.m.

Hannibal at North County, Saturday, 1 p.m.

Class 3 (Semifinals)

Mexico at St. Mary’s, Saturday, 2 p.m.

Cardinal Ritter at St. Pius X, Saturday, TBA

Class 2

Lafayette County at Lutheran-St. Charles, Saturday, 1 p.m.

Richmond at Lamar, Saturday, 1 p.m.

Williams to Williams

A pair of former St. Louis area prep football standouts with the same last name have become finalists for major college postseason awards. Jameson Williams, a junior at Alabama, made

the cut as one of the 10 semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Award, which goes to college football’s most outstanding receiver. The former Cardinal Ritter College Prep star is enjoying a breakout season with the Crimson Tide this year. Through the first 10 games of the season, Williams has 61 receptions for 1,226 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also had two kick returns for touchdowns in a game against Southern Mississippi earlier this season, making him the first player in Alabama history to accomplish the feat. Williams has had several big efforts during the season. Last Saturday, he had 10 receptions for 198 yards and three touchdowns in a victory over Arkansas. He had six receptions for 158 yards and three touchdowns against New Mexico State, 10 receptions for 160 yards and one touchdown against LSU and 10 receptions for 146 yards and two touchdowns against Texas A&M. Kyren Williams, a junior at Notre Dame,

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

was named one of the five finalists for the Paul Hornung Award, which is awarded to the most versatile player in college football. The former Vianney star has been a standout as a runner, pass receiver and kick returner. In 10 games, Williams has rushed for 872 yards on 72 carries and 10 touchdowns. His spectacular 91-yard touchdown run against North Carolina is a candidate for Play of the Year in college football this season. Williams also has 26 receptions for 308 yards and three touchdowns along with 11 punt returns for 118 yards. He is averaging 132 all-purpose yards a game this season. Last season, Williams was the Offensive Rookie of the Year in the Atlantic Coast Conference as he rushed for 1,125 yards and scored 15 touchdowns while averaging nearly nine yards a carry. As a high school star, Williams led Vianney to a pair of Class 5 state championships.

Cowboys have Chief concerns; Charging up St. Louis

But I still believed the Cowboys could pull it off. Believe this, the Chiefs whupped the Cowboys. The final score of 19-9 was not indicative of what transpired. It was a beat down.

Alvin A. Reid

I knew Dallas was missing five defensive players from the prospective starting lineup. I found out on the highway to Kansas City that Cowboys starting left tackle Tyron Smith, maybe the team’s most essential player after quarterback Dak Prescott, was not going to play because of a ginger ankle.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ No. 1 non-family fan is my wife, Carmen. She calls him “my son,” which kind of sums it up. She knows I love the Cowboys. She’s all Chiefs, all the time. Nothing says love after you’ve been married for 38 years like a text that reads, “I’m sorry we kicked yall’s ass.”

Other than the game, it was an enjoyable day.

Home is where heart is

The San Diego Chargers hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night in Los Angeles – and they were the road team. Just as when the Cowboys visited on Sept. 19, Chargers fans were outnumbered by the invading horde.

After blowing a 17-point fourth-quarter lead and sudden-

ly trailing the Steelers late in the fourth quarter, you would have thought the game was in Pittsburgh.

But Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert found wide receiver Mike Williams for a 53-yard touchdown to secure a 41-37 team for the so-called home team.

It was all good on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Arrowhead Stadium until the Dallas Cowboys at Kansas City Chiefs game began. Patrick Mahomes and his Chiefs thumped the Cowboys, and thousands of visiting Dallas fans, 19-9 after a fellow Cowboys fan snapped this photo for me.

In his postgame remarks, a visibly irritated Chargers head coach Brandon Staley let the world know what his team is against during home games. “It just tightened our focus. That’s all it did. We were prepared for it. We deal in reality here. We knew that this crowd was going to show up. Our

players were ready for that environment, and they thrived in it,” he said. Hey Chargers. There is plenty of love for you in St. Louis. The NFL could help you build a stadium. Your landlord at SoFi Stadium, L.A. Rams owner Stan Kroenke, reportedly wants to send a mega-check to St. Louis soon to settle a pesky relocation lawsuit. That cash could also go toward a fancy, new, money-making playground. Stick it to him before he does it to you.

Longtime Chargers owner Alex Spanos died in 2018. His son, Dean Spanos, became chair of the franchise.

Dea Spanos Berberian is the co-trustee overseeing a team trust. The trust controls 36% of the team, while each of the four siblings owns a 15 percent stake. That comes to 96%. Berberian has sued citing “fiscal mismanagement” that created a ton of debt. She wants out but doesn’t own enough of the team to force a sale.

Hey Worldwide Technology founder and CEO David Steward: Call the NFL, call Kroenke, and call the Spanos

family with an offer they can’t refuse.

The Chiefs Roundup

The Cowboys have millions of Black fans in America. Many of us were at the game…I’ve been to many a Chiefs game, and the crowds there are much more diverse than they were for St. Louis Rams games. The Chiefs also draw more Latino fans than were ever seen at a Rams game…Patrick Mahomes is as beloved by the folks flying Trump flags as the people with Black Lives Matter stickers enjoying a picture-perfect November Sunday while tailgating…Chiefs tailgating over three huge parking lots is something to behold… I met Cowboys fans who had driven in from Dallas, Lubbock, and San Antonio. I would estimate a third of the crowd of 80,000 was cheering for Dallas. We all had solemn trips home… If Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who was signing autographs before the game, fired head coach Mike McCarthy tomorrow it would be fine with me.

Photos by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Earl Austin Jr.

A key moment in host Cardinal Ritter’s 48-6 Class 3 quarterfinal victory over Owensville was this completion from quarterback Antwon McKay to wide receiver Marvin Burks. Jayden Chambers (66) and Artrell Miller (21) provided the protection, then Burks snagged the pass over Owensville’s Tanner Meyer (24) during their win Saturday, Nov. 20.

It

A father’s love is King

Will Smith and company honor Williams family

By Kenya Vaughn

For The St. Louis American

With “King Richard,” director Reinaldo Marcus Green and star/producer Will Smith bring the Lifetime movie biopic formula to the big screen and HBO Max.

The format is as follows: A predictable story gives an ensemble room for performance range but lacks enough nuance or plot twists to provide the audience with something other than what they were already expecting. In lieu of a dramatic climax, the movie is seasoned with emotional exchanges that flip back and forth from stern to sorrowful to syrupy sweet at a moment’s notice.

That’s not to say that the format doesn’t work for the audience it caters to – there’s an entire network with a dedicated fan base that has been loyal to the brand for nearly four decades.

And just like with the films from which “King Richard” takes a play, the film scored a win with many viewers when it opened in theatres and began streaming on HBO Max starting Nov. 19. Elements of the Lifetime biop-

Punk rock-rap group Midwest

Avengers celebrates 29 years of music

By Danielle Brown

The St. Louis American

Nov. 17th marked 29 years the punk rock-rap band Midwest Avengers has professionally been making music, performing and doing shows.

John Harrington, one of the group’s cofounding members, said in the 1990s, he and the other original members went to many house parties, beatboxed, breakdanced and rapped. They decided on the name Midwest Avengers because they represent the midwest and come with a vengeance. He said at the time, St. Louis wasn’t receiving a lot of attention, especially nationally, for its hip-hop, as this was years before Nelly appeared on the scene and put the city on the map. Since then, they have been touring, playing shows, and releasing new music. One might wonder why the band chose to combine the genres of punk rock and hip-

ics, which have drawn Black audiences to the network of late through telling stories of urban culture icons such as The Clark Sisters, Toni Braxton, Salt-N-Pepa and others, are blended with the style of a traditional inspirational

n “King Richard” lays out the level of commitment required from the entire family for Venus and Serena to ascend within and ultimately transcend beyond the insulated, exclusive sport.

sports film.

The purpose and the intention of “King Richard” are achieved in that it drives home the point many who saw the meteoric rise of Venus and Serena Williams in real time may

with biopic

have taken for granted. Guided by a father who had never taken a tennis lesson, these two little Black girls from Compton shifted the paradigm of a sport synonymous with elite whiteness and inspired a new generation of fans and players. They made history as tennis stars, but they grew into their own brand as cultural influencers. They are regularly credited with bringing the swagger of their unapologetic Blackness to the sport, but the unparalleled level of excellence, consistency and longevity within their playing is often a sidebar in the story of the Williams sisters’ contributions to tennis. “King Richard” details the phenomenal, astonishing story of their climb to the top. The film lays out the level of commitment required from the entire family for Venus and Serena to ascend within and ultimately transcend beyond the insulated, exclusive sport. At the heart of it all was a man who recognized the power of relentless preparation, manifestation and self-worth. Because it focuses on the origins of their presence within

See King, C8

New Orleans-born, St. Louis-raised Soldan International Studies High School graduate Gee Universe is a Billboard platinum charting songwriter who has written for Nelly,

Local songwriter Gee Universe has St. Louis’ own Nelly, Chingy on songwriting roster

By Danielle Brown The St. Louis American

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree for Billboard platinum charting songwriter Gee Universe, raised in a musically-inclined and entertainment-filled family.

He said his grandfather played the harmonica with the late iconic Blues singer Howlin’ Wolf, his mother was a Broadway actress, and his stepfather was a gospel singer. He said his family’s musicality sparked his interest and love for music.

“When we had family functions, we’d have talent shows. I was about six years old singing in front of them,” he said. “Songwriting comes from my love of writing. I began taking it seriously at age 13.”

During Grammy Award-winning rapper Drake’s Degrassi and Young Money eras, Universe said he remembers Drake having a Blackberry cellphone,

See Gee, C8

hop together, Harrington said the decision was very much intentional and reminiscent of Harrington’s upbringing.

While living in University City and attending its school district, he said he was exposed to diversity, where his love for skateboarding and

heavy metal hardcore music stems. His appreciation for all things rock was always there, as his love for hip-hop was also.

“I always stayed connected and rooted in hip-hop because that’s my culture. That’s what I grew up on,” he said. “My cousins always had

‘Headbangers’ hip-hop band Midwest Avengers celebrates 29 years of music. Members left to right: Cholo Joe, Moses, Zo Prophet, KourtwithaKay, Mace the Kid, So’N’So, and John Harrington.

mixtapes or the latest albums that came out.” The group was once just a rap group consisting of about 30 members on stage. Harrington said they aspired to be the “St. Louis Wu-Tang,” but it didn’t go as planned. He said the group’s sound suffered from chords getting mixed up and technical malfunctions from their cd skipping. He said no one was really taking the work behind the group seriously. He also said everyone was worried about having fun rather than getting a record deal and trying to be famous. That all changed one day when Harrington said the group needed to step its game up. With that came paying for studio sessions and properly structuring songs. In that moment, he said he saw who was serious about the craft and who wasn’t as different members began dropping out since now they were investing money for better results. He said local musician Andrew Franklin sug-

See Avengers, C8

Photo courtesy of artist

Chingy, J-Kwon, Jason Derulo, Kehlani, Katy Perry, and more.

Photo courtesy of HBO

Demi Singleton, left, as Serena Williams, Saniyya Sidney as Venus Williams and Will Smith as Richard Williams in “King Richard.”

Photo by Jerry Hill

DISCOVER PHSU

ANNOUNCING THE PHSU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE –LAUNCHING FALL 2022

PHSU is excited to bring its forty-four year history of producing successful medical practitioners to our St. Louis campus. The Doctor of Medicine (MD) four-year curriculum is designed to produce culturally competent, clinically prepared physicians for communities across the nation and around the world. We are thrilled to be partnered with Mercy, a world class hospital system.

Visit stlouis.psm.edu to learn more about how PHSU’s programs can put you on your future path.

Virtual Program, In Conversation: Oliver Lee Jackson and Harry Cooper

Members of the Contemporary Art Society and Friends of African American Art are invited to enjoy a conversation between artist Oliver Lee Jackson, St. Louis native, and senior curator and head of modern art at the National Gallery of Art, Harry Cooper online Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021at 6:00 pm. Oliver is known for creating

complex and layered images in which figurative elements— what he calls “paint people”— emerge from abstract fields of vibrant color. His practice is informed by a deep understanding of global art history—from early modern European painting to African art. The two speakers, who have worked together for many years, will discuss Oliver’s career and the current exhibition. Registration is required. RSVP to receive online link before November 29 to 314.655.5390 or email collectors.circle@slam.org. The Oliver Lee Jackson exhibit is on view in Galleries 249 and 257 through February 20, 2022.

Williams and Associates, Inc. Presents

2021 World AIDS Day Open House

Wednesday, December 1st–2pm to 7pm 3737 North Kingshighway Blvd., Suite 206–63115

Josephine Baker to be honored in November 30 program

By Cicely Hunter, Missouri Historical Society

St. Louis–born Josephine

Baker was a world-renowned African American performer who blurred rigid gender categories with her clothing and appearance, spied for the French during World War II, and later in life became a civil rights activist in the United States. Many now revere her as an iconic symbol of the Harlem Renaissance era.

Born as Freda Josephine McDonald on June 3, 1906, Baker began her entertainment career at a young age, dancing on street corners around the Booker T. Washington Theater near Union Station to help her family financially. At age 15, she left St. Louis and joined a theatre troupe that performed vaudeville across the country. She later landed an opportunity to travel to Paris, where she starred in the successful La Revue Nègre and went on to have her own show. Baker became the first African American woman to star in a French motion picture in 1927. Throughout her career, she performed for mostly white audiences throughout Europe. One performance that Baker is often remembered for is Danse Sauvage, in which she wore a banana skirt costume.

Baker lived in Paris for many years, becoming a French citizen in 1937. She was an active participant in the French Resistance movement during World War II, using her fame to spy on German officials and sharing this information with French generals using invisible ink. For these and other efforts, she was awarded France’s Croix de Guerre military honor.

In a 1952 speech at the Kiel Auditorium, Baker revealed that America’s racial problems had caused her to flee both her hometown and her country of birth, but she felt compelled to return to the US to fight for civil rights. Baker refused to perform at certain US venues that did not allow integration, and many club owners and managers abandoned segregation to accommodate her request for integrated spaces. In 1963 she was one of a few women speakers at the March on Washington, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.

By the 1970s, Baker had adopted 12 children from different countries, referring to her multiracial family as her “Rainbow Tribe.” Until her death at age 68 on April 12, 1975, she continued to perform and work as an activist. Baker was buried in Monaco in a French military uniform along with the medals she had received for her role in the French Resistance. Baker graced many stages throughout her life, incorporating feminism and civil rights activism into her life’s work.

The Missouri History Museum honors Baker’s contributions to St. Louis’s African American and music history in the St. Louis Sound exhibit, which shares stories about her life as a star on the stage and beyond.

On Tuesday, November 30, 2021, Josephine Baker will become the first Black woman and first entertainer to receive France’s highest honor by being reinterred in the Pan-

théon monument in Paris. Join the Missouri Historical Society and Alliance Française de St. Louis for an in-person program that pays tribute to Baker’s life and legacy. ”J’ai Deux Amours” will begin at 6:30pm in the Museum’s Lee Auditorium. MHS African American History Initiative Public Historian Cicely Hunter, Alliance Française Executive Director Isabelle Heidbreder, and French jazz singer Laika Fatien Thomas will speak about Baker’s life of performance, activism, and service. There will also be remarks by Yannick Tagand, the French general consul to the Midwest, and special performances by Thomas and others. Arrive early to view items on loan from Mary B. Strauss’s Josephine Baker collection as well as Baker’s featured section in St. Louis Sound. For more information about the program, visit mohistory. org/events.

Missouri Historical Society Collections

Josephine Baker sitting at Union Station during a March of Dimes promotional tour, 1948.

“Christmas with the Barrs” is a spiritual, fun holiday collection

St. Louis American staff

Bishop Frederick and Erica Barr, pastors of Life Church International in Nashville, have released a Christmas collection of music filled with holiday cheer.

“Christmas with the Barrs” features Christmas classics and best-loved holiday songs on a 14-track collection. The

duo previously released “Black Santa” featuring Derek Minor. “It’s finally Christmastime again, and we are Godly proud to be able to bring together this amalgamation of awardwinning singers to glorify God during this Christmas season,” Bishop Barr said in a release.

“This project has crossed multiple genres of music with the Broadway theatrics of Erica

Religion

Barr and our all-star cast of vocal guests. We are blessed and honored to have the soulful gospel sounds of the one and only Bobby Jones on this album as well.”

Jones and Kyla Jade (The Voice) unite on “Jesus What A Wonderful Child,” Mark Kibble of Take 6 sings “My Favorite Things,” and Anne Taylor-Slaughter belts out a

and accept yourself, as Paul did, to be a child of God, then you must also be a man or woman of God, recognizing your limits in His presence and His limitlessness in yours.

After their popular “Black Santa” became a hit during the 2020 holiday season, Bishop Frederick Barr and Erica Barr, pastors of Life Church International in Nashville, have just released “Christmas with the Barrs,” which features a collection of yuletide favorites.

Photo courtesy of Tiger Records

Jazzy rendition of “Go Tell It On The Mountain.” The “Go Tell It On The Mountain” music video, filmed in snowy mountains near Denver, can be viewed on YouTube.

Danny Fuentes produced it, and he joined Antwan Freeman as videographers.

“We wanted ’Christmas with the Barrs’ to be a beautifully

crafted song affair that would immerse the listener into the spirit of Christmas,” Erica Barr said. “We delighted in creating music that will take them on a journey that unfolds like scenes from a theatrical play.” The Barrs and Lance Lucas collaborated on production, and the album was released on the Barrs’s Tiger Records. It is available on all digital outlets.

After releasing “Black Santa” in December 2020, Bishop Barr said he wanted to write and sing a song that spoke directly to his beliefs and experiences of Christmas in his community.

“Our Savior coming into the world to save all mankind and the celebration of his birth,” he said. “Thereby I relish the opportunity to celebrate all cultures as well as mine as we join in with Black Santa.”

Some things in the Bible reverberate and for unexplained reason, we still just don’t get it. We understand the words and the principles behind them, but we can’t seem to incorporate them into our daily lives.

2 Corinthians 2 12: 7-9 reads, “To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. I pleaded with

the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” Talk about some powerful stuff! Paul lets us know in this scripture that there is indeed a reason to accept our shortcomings, our flaws, and our faults

with the basic understanding that it is through them that God invariably shows up, and then proceeds to show out.

Can you imagine experiencing the ‘perfect power’ of the Lord? It’s as easy as looking in the mirror and making an honest assessment of who you truly are in relation to who you should strive to be.

The best way to say it is you are who you are only in relationship to God. If you know

The only thing standing in your way is you. Truth be told, you can’t make it by yourself. You and I need help and that help comes from only one source. It’s a perfect source so be prepared to have some difficulty accepting it and its consequences.

revel in the spiritual recognition that God is waiting to do His miracle thing when it comes to your frailties. When you get a hand from God to overcome your addictions, your pride and ego, your physical weaknesses, and your vanity, you also get so much more than you bargained for.

According to Paul, you also get Christ’s power to work with. Isn’t that something? No wonder Paul continues by saying,

A consequence is coming to grips with the fact there is a divine purpose in your set of weaknesses.

Most of us would rather accept the notion that our sinful existence is just that, sinful. But the text says it’s our job to

“That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.”

By only the words, you would think Paul had lost his mind. But when taken in context, isn’t it true that from

your most impossible situations, when you do give your life to Him who loves you more than you love yourself, God’s perfect power rescues you?

How many testimonies does it take for you and me to give God the praise He really deserves for accomplishing what we cannot accomplish for ourselves?

Stop fighting yourself. Stop playing games about what you know you cannot control. Stop denying your insecurities and your passions. Accept them and give them up to the Lord too. Step back and watch Him do his thing in your life, but please be careful. It’s hard, as Paul indicates, to revel in your dark side. Realize it’s all about God’s party and His destiny for you. The test becomes testimony, and the party just got started. May God bless and keep you always.

Columnist James Washington

SENIOR BUILDING INSPECTOR

The City of Richmond Heights is accepting applications for the position of Senior Building Inspector, $62,022 - 66,543 or DOQ. To apply go to https://richmondheights. applicantpro.com/jobs/ Applications will be accepted from November 4, 2021 until filled.

- HIRING

COMPLIANCE ASSISTANT

St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) has opening for a Compliance Assistant.

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

DIRECTOR

The City of Clayton is recruiting for the next Director of Parks & Recreation. Apply now: https://claytonmo. applicantpro.com/jobs/ EOE

FAMILY ADVOCATE

FT position responsible for recruiting and enrolling eligible families with children into the Head Start Program and providing case management and support to families. BA/ BS plus 2 years of related experience required. $17-20/hr. Resumes: GASA, 1127 N. Vandeventer Ave., St. Louis, MO 63113 or hr@gasastl. org. This activity is financed in part through an allocation of Community Development Block Grant funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the City of St. Louis Community Development Administration. EOE.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT/FAMILY SPECIALIST

A Community Based Organization has an open position for an Administrative Assistant/ Family Specialist. They will manage administrative support by helping with various office duties and special projects under the direct supervision of the CEO. The ideal candidate will have a degree and have at minimum 2 years of experience within a not-for-profit setting. Duties include coordinating family services, using excellent computer skills; creates and publishes quarterly newsletters, event flyers, brochures and other marketing materials. The setting requires a candidate that enjoys and can successfully multi-task. Send resumes and letters of inquiry to Gloria.Taylor @cwah.org

POLICE OFFICER

The City of Richmond Heights is accepting applications for the position of Police Officer, $60,667 DOQ. To apply go to https://richmondheights. applicantpro.com/jobs/ . Applications will be accepted from December 10, 2021.

MISSOURI HISTORICAL SOCIETY CURRENT JOB OPENINGS!

The Missouri Historical Society is actively hiring for the following positions:

• Archives Assistant (temporary part-time)

• Collections Specialist, Lindbergh 100 Project (temporary full-time)

• Director of Membership and Annual Giving

• Graphic Designer

• IT Support Technician

• Photos and Prints Inventory Technician (temporary full-time)

• Resource Protection Officer, full-time and part-time

Please visit www.mohistory.org under the “Current Openings” at the bottom of the home page for position details and to apply.

An Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action Employer Services Provided On A Non-Discriminatory Basis

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

EVENT TENT RESTROOMS RFP 2021

The Saint Louis Zoo seeks bids from qualified firms to submit proposals for Event Tent Restrooms RFP 2021. Bid documents are available as of 11/24/2021 on the Saint Louis Zoo website: stlzoo.org/vendor

PUBLIC NOTICE

EducationPlus is a local school cooperative that is accepting bids for Furniture until January 15, 2022. Bid documents can be downloaded at https://edplus.org/314858_2.

INVITATION TO BID #21-075 O’FALLON TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM (CDBG) CITY OF O’FALLON, MISSOURI

The City of O’Fallon, Missouri is accepting sealed bids for services related to transportation services in and around O’Fallon, MO. Specifications are available at www.ofallon.mo.us under Bid Opportunities.

Interested vendors should submit sealed bids clearly marked “Bid #21-075 O’Fallon Transportation Program (CDBG)“ to the City of O’Fallon attn, Julie Moellering 100 North Main Street, O’Fallon, MO 63366 by 2:30 P.M. CST, December 7, 2021.

The City of O’Fallon reserves the right to reject any and all bids and waive any informality. The City of O’Fallon also reserves the right to select the lowest and/or best bidder as determined by the City in its sole discretion.

REQUEST FOR BIDS

SINGLE FEASIBLE SOURCE PROCUREMENT FOR PROCUREMENT OF THE BLACKBAUD AWARD MANAGEMENT FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

Harris-Stowe State University (HSSU) anticipates procuring the product listed above from Blackbaud, Inc. Blackbaud, Inc., is the sole entity responsible for development, sales, and support of the Blackbaud Award Management Platform for Higher Education. The University is obtaining the following subscriptions: Award Management Essentials Price, BBAM Learn More Essentials, and Blackbaud Stewardship Management.

The anticipated dollar amount of the product is $75, 549.00. The award is to take place on or about November 30, 2021.

The contact for the University is Barbara A. Morrow, Director of Business Services, email address: morrowb@hssu.edu or telephone #: (314) 340-5763.

www.stlamerican.com

Millstone Weber, LLC is soliciting proposals for MoDOT’s I-70 Cave Springs to Fairgrounds Design-Build project. This project includes, but not limited to removal and replacement of concrete and asphalt pavement, excavation/grading, pavement markings, highway electrical, guardrails/fence, erosion control, hauling (hourly & tonnage), and miscellaneous other work. Please phone 636-949-0038, fax 636-949-3129 or email matt.holley@millstoneweber.com ryan.taylor@millstoneweber.com, or Bids@millstoneweber.com for additional information. Pricing shall be submitted by 12:00 PM CDT on 12/09/2021. For Access to Plans and Specifications, please email bids@millstoneweber.com. Millstone Weber encourages qualified MBE/WBE subcontractors & vendors to bid this project

NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS

Date of Publication: 11/18/2021

City of St. Louis:

Community Development Administration (CDA)

1520 Market Street

St. Louis, Missouri 63103

314-657-3700 / 314-589-6000 (TDD)

These notices shall satisfy two separate but related procedural requirements for activities to be undertaken by the City of St. Louis (“The City.”)

REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF FUNDS

Project Title: Etzel Place VI Apts

Purpose: Etzel Place Phase VI will consist of the renovation of current phases III and IV, which contain 70 units in 13 existing buildings, and the new construction of 3 buildings containing 18 units (6 three-bdrm accessible, 6 two-bdrm accessible and 6 two bdrm units), for a total of eighty-eight (88) units. Renovation activities include upgrades to roof, exterior walls and siding, security system, improved energy-efficiency and in-unit washer/dryer hook-ups. Project activities are on scattered sites in the Etzel Place Apartment development contained on 6.45 acres.

Location: 1235 Hamilton Ave., St. Louis, MO 63112

Estimated Cost: Total development cost of this project is approximately $12,328,134, with $500,000.00 of funding coming from 2020 Federal CDBG-CV funds, Grant # B-20-MW-29-0006, awarded in the Affordable Housing Commission’s Fall 2020 funding round.

FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT

The City has determined that the project will have no significant impact on the human environment. Certain conditions will apply to this project. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required. Additional information for each project is contained in the Environmental Review Record (ERR) on file at the City CDA, at the above address, where the ERR is available for review and may be examined or copied weekdays, 8 A.M. to 4 P.M.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to Lisa Selligman, Architectural Manager, CDA, at the address listed above. All comments received by 12/3/2021 will be considered by the City prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. Comments should specify which notice they are addressing.

RELEASE OF FUNDS

The City certifies to HUD that, Justin Jackson, in his capacity as Executive Director, consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. HUD’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the City to use the City’s above-referenced HUD program funds.

OBJECTION TO RELEASE OF FUNDS

HUD will accept objections to its release of funds and the City’s certification for a period of 15 days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the City; b) the City has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR Part 58; c) the grant recipient has committed funds or incurred costs not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of the release of funds by HUD; or d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58.76) and shall be addressed to Ms. Renee Ryles, Acting Community Planning & Development Director, HUD, 1222 Spruce Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103 (314) 418-5405. Potential objectors should contact HUD to verify the actual last day of the objection period.

Justin Jackson Certifying Officer

LETTING NO. 8738

REPLACEMENT OF EMERGENCY GENERATORS 50 AND 80

At St. Louis Lambert International Airport

Sealed proposals will be received by the Board of Public Service in Room 301 City Hall, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, Mo. Until 1:45 PM, CT, on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, then publicly opened and read in room 325. Plans and Specifications may be examined on the Board of Public Service website http://www.stl-bps.org (BPS On Line Plan Room) and may be purchased directly through the BPS website from INDOX Services at cost plus shipping. No refunds will be made.

Bidders shall comply with all applicable City, State and Federal laws (including MBE/WBE policies). Mandatory pre-bid meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 16, 2021, at 1:30 PM in the Ozark Conference Room at the Airport Office Building, 11495 Navaid Rd., Bridgeton, MO 63044.

All bidders must regard Federal Executive Order 11246, “Notice of Requirement for Affirmative Action to Ensure Equal Employment Opportunity”, the “Equal Opportunity Clause” and the “Standard Federal Equal Employment Specifications” set forth within and referenced at www.stl-bps.org (Virtual Plan Room).

ADVERTISEMENT FOR RFP

EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PRESCRIPTION EYEGLASSES

The City of St Louis Department of Health is seeking separate proposals for an agency providing Emergency Financial AssistancePrescription Eyeglasses Requests for Proposals may be obtained beginning November 19, 2021, by downloading from the City of St. Louis website at https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/ government/procurement.cfm. Contact Tanya Madden for questions: DOHGA@stlouis-mo.gov, (314) 657-1532 (email preferred).

The deadline for submitting proposals is January 18, 2022, by 4:00 P.M. via email at: DOHGA@stlouis-mov.gov. The Department of Health reserves the right to reject any or all responses with or without cause.

CITY OF ST. LOUIS ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

SOLICITATION FOR BID (SFB)

Service: Interior Live Plant Maintenance Services

Pre-Bid Meeting Date: November 17, 2021 Meeting will be held via Zoom. See SFB for details.

Question Due Date: November 19, 2021

Bid Due Date: December 15, 2021 M/WBE Goals & Incentives:

A five percent (5%) Bid discount shall be applied to construction, goods, and other services prime contracts on contracts $300,000 or less to prime African American, Hispanic American, Asian American, Native American and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Bidders.

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

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

PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBYGIVEN by the municipalities listed below has previously adopted and has in force a use tax that certain purchases from out-of-state vendors will become subject to an expansion of the use tax as provided by state law at the rates identified below. Pursuant to Section 144.761 RSMo, a petition of registered voters may be submitted to the City Council/ Board of Aldermen/Board of Trustees calling for an election to repeal the local use tax.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

City of St. Louis Healthy Home Repair Program Program and Construction Management

The City of St. Louis through its Community Development Administration (CDA) is seeking proposals from non-profit organizations to assist in the program and construction management of the Healthy Home Repair Program (HHRP). CDA has received an allocation of American Rescue Act Plan (ARPA) funding to supplement its existing Healthy Home Repair Program. The program is currently funded primarily by Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) funds. CDA seeks to augment the HHRP with ARPA funds so that more homeowners can be assisted on an annual basis. CDA will award a contract to the lowest and most responsive proposal. Project selection is subject to federal funding and is at the sole discretion of the City of St. Louis.

The RFP in its entirety will be released on the Community Development Administration (CDA) website on November 15, 2021: https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/cda/. Proposals must be submitted no later than 4:00 p.m. on December 15, 2021 to Bill Rataj, Community Development Administration, 1520 Market St – Suite 2000, St. Louis, MO 63103. Questions concerning the RFP may be directed to RatajB@stlouis-mo.gov.

CDA does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, familial status or sexual orientation in the administration of the program.

CDA is an Equal Opportunity Agency

Minority Participation is Encouraged

REQUEST FOR BIDS

Gershenson Construction Co., Inc. will be submitting a proposal for MoDOT’s I-70 Cave Springs to Fairgrounds Design-Build Project. We encourage and actively solicit proposals from Disadvantaged Business Enterprises and Suppliers for the project. All Proposals must be submitted to our office by 12:00 pm on 12/10/2021. For the scope of work or any other inquiries on this project, please contact Chuck Risley by email – crisley@gershenson.com or info@gershenson.com or phone – (636) 549-0202. Proposals can be sent to Chuck Risley by email or fax – (636) 549-0203. A DBE goal of 14% has been established for this project. We welcome the opportunity to work with certified DBE’s. EOE M/F

LOUIS

The St. Louis County Department of Human Services, Homeless Services Program, is seeking proposals for the Housing Urban Development FY20 Emergency Solution Grant CV-2 (Corona Virus) funding. The total funding available is $3.187.544.00

These special ESG-CV-2 funds are to be used to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) among individuals and families who are homeless or receiving homeless assistance; and to support additional homeless assistance and homelessness prevention activities to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19.

Proposals are due by 2:00 p.m. on December 16, 2021. Request For Proposal details and specifications can be obtained at the St. Louis County Bids and RFPs webpage located at https://stlouiscountymo.gov/services/ request-for-bids-and-proposals/

BID NOTICE

The Pattonville Fire Protection District is accepting sealed bids for Information Technology (IT) Support Services. Specifications may be obtained at the District Administrative Offices: 13900 St. Charles Rock Rd., Bridgeton, Missouri between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Specifications may also be obtained via our website www.pattonvillefd.com. All bids must be in a sealed envelope clearly marked “BID: Information Technology (IT) Support Services” and mailed or delivered to the Pattonville Fire Protection District offices no later than 3:00 p.m. Friday, December 10th, 2021. All bids are scheduled to be opened by the Board of Directors at their meeting on December 15th, 2021 at the Pattonville Fire Protection District Administrative Offices.

The Pattonville Fire Protection District reserves the right to reject any or all bids, to waive variations or formalities, and to negotiate changes, additions, or deletions. The District reserves the right to accept the bid which it deems to be in the District’s best interest. The District also reserves the right to extend the time to submit bids, as well as extend the time to open bids. If you should have any questions, please call (314) 739-3118.

The Pattonville Fire Protection District hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively insure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, minority business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for award.

PATTONVILLE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT

Jim Usry Fire Chief

Microsoft Word. Agencies may also request that a copy of the application and instructions be emailed to them by contacting the SLPO office at stlphil@ sbcglobal.net. SLPO office hours are Mondays and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30

HVAC-Missouri School For the Blind-Plans and Specs can be viewed at www.ksgcstl.com submit bids to estimating@ksgcstl.com or Fax 314-647-5302

which he said was the hottest phone out at the time, and writing songs in it. He wanted the same phone so he could write songs like Drake. He purchased the phone, and that’s when he formed a rap group in high school with one of his cousins.

Being the fastest to write verses or different parts of songs led different family members to ask Universe to write songs for special occasions, including birthdays.

“One time, my auntie said we were gonna make a song to perform for this girl’s birthday party,” he said. “Everybody else said they didn’t know how to do that. I instantly got on it. Ever since I’ve been the guy to come up with the concept, the record and write everyone’s verses.”

Everything he was already doing on his own set the tone for what was next to come for him and his budding career.

Already pretty fine-tuned with songwriting, at 18, he started attending a free backto-school hip-hop mentoring program powered by the Nation of Islam. It offered free studio time, management and the opportunity to learn more about the music industry. He said he did that for about a year and was never the guy anyone had to train. It was the other way around, he said he was helping train other guys due to his advanced skill set.

His involvement with the program motivated him to scout and seek people on the streets interested in pursuing music. One day the program had a guest speaker, and it happened to be Shamar “Sham” Daugherty, one half of the Grammy Award-winning production duo with Alonzo “Zo” Lee of The Trak Starz.

“I had a half song on my phone at the time that I had to email him, but I played it on

my phone while we were walking to our cars,” he said. “He heard probably seconds and was pleased with it. He was like, ‘Wow you don’t sound like them in there, you sound like you’ve been doing this before.’”

After that day, Universe said Sham invited him to his studio, which launched a professional relationship and brotherhood between them. With Sham’s help, Universe was introduced to some of the biggest names in music and wrote songs for them, while Sham supplied the beats.

Some of the artists he’s written for are Nelly, Chingy, J-Kwon, Jason Derulo, Kehlani, Kesha, Usher, Madonna, Chris Brown, Miguel, Kanye West, Britney Spears, and many more.

“My writing isn’t only phenomenal for other people,” he said. “I also have the talent of the artist or probably more than the artist I’m writing for cause I can sing, rap, do every genre of music and not sound like I’m a visitor to it.”

His collaboration with Sham caused more eyes to be on him, and he became more sought after. One of the people who began taking notice of his artistry was City Spud from the St. Lunatics.

“City invited me to the studio thinking I was just a writer and wanted to give opportunities to writers and start a writing team,” he said.

Universe said Spud was in for a surprise after he finished recording ideas from a track live. He said Spud was so impressed by his musicianship, he asked if they could work together more.

“City and I locked in, and I started running into new circles where now I’m this poppin’ writer,” he said. “I gained a newfound respect because City introduced me to new people.” He continued to cultivate relationships in the music industry, including with European record label and media house Broderskab. He said that’s when his songwriting became

more in demand.

“They were asking who is this dude that can give you Chris Brown, Drake, Post Malone type records,” he said. “This puts me on the global scene, which became bigger than just doing records for friends.”

Universe said he’s not a onehit-wonder and has the sauce to make multiple hit records, especially for St. Louis superstars.

“If anybody puts Chingy back on the top 40 Billboard charts, it’s gonna be me because I know how to get him there,” he said. “The same thing with Nelly; I know how to give Nelly another E.I. or Country Grammar.”

While songwriters aren’t always in the forefront of the music, Universe said he wants to debunk the myth and controversy around artists having writing assistance. He also enjoys the mystique of people not always knowing who he is.

“I live a popstar lifestyle and portray myself as one,” he said. “I’m a songwriter. It’s no secret I’m writing for these people cause I’m upfront the whole time telling you I wrote this record.”

He also said he is simply a songwriter and not a ghostwriter at all.

“I get credit and 100% publishing for everything I do,” he said.

He said the key component he wants people to know about his story is he’s the most sought-after songwriter because he makes big records.

“The melodies I’ve given are not so much about the writing and making words make sense or making catchy records. It’s about melodies standing apart with songwriting,” he said.

“I can make a larger-than-life record for any artist whether they have two followers, 59 or a million followers. I’m the biggest songwriter in the midwest right now.”

Follow Gee Universe on Instagram and Twitter.

Continued from C1

the sport, much of the story is focused on Venus, and how she paved the way for Serena, and so many others, while barely in her teens.

Entertainment star Will Smith leads the cast as Richard Williams. Despite his tragically failed attempt at Richard’s northern Louisiana accent, audiences will cheer Smith on for his heartfelt portrayal. He embodies the willful father whose unconditional love fur-

Avengers

Continued from C1

gested starting a live band meshing funk, metal, punk, hip-hop, and rock together. Harrington said this came before the genre became popular with music from Linkin Park and Limp Bizkit.

“We even coined a term calling it ‘head banger’ hip-hop because the white boys back in the day listened to metal, and we called them headbangers,” he said. “Our music is that and hip-hop, so we mixed it together, and that’s what we call our style of music.”

Midwest Avengers has maintained moderate success locally, but Harrington said they’ve always received more love in bigger cities such as Los Angeles and New York. A lot of what it comes from is they’ve never desired going mainstream because they’ve always wanted to be authentic to their persona and style of music.

ther fuels an unwavering belief in the playbook he created for his daughters and their ability to achieve the destiny he mapped out for them. Another bright spot in “King Richard” is Aunjanue Ellis getting the spotlight to shine before the eyes of a mainstream movie audience. The Emmy-nominated Ellis has spent the past 25 years showcasing her talent as a hidden gem, mostly within urban films and television, recently as matriarch Mattie Moss Clark in Lifetime’s “The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel” and Hippolyta Freeman in HBO’s “Lovecraft Country.” Saniyya Sidney and Demi

Singleton are perfectly cast as Venus and Serena Williams, who are also producers of “King Richard.” Singleton’s resemblance to Serena is particularly striking. Tony Goldwyn is effective as famed coach and tennis influencer Paul Cohen, but Jon Bernthal aces his portrayal as coaching icon Rick Macci. Bernthal is a familiar face on film due to bit parts and journeyman supporting roles, but his take on Macci showcases the on-screen emotional intelligence leading men are made of.

“King Richard” opened in theatres and started streaming on HBO Max on November 19.

“Midwest Avengers have been around forever. We never really cracked that international, national record deal type thing because we never wanted one,” he said. “Before everybody was independent, we were independent back in the 1990s. We were selling 1,000 tapes out the trunk for $5 a pop. We were making good money. We thought at least we were putting in five, six, seven, hundred dollars and after costs, we were making $4,500.”

He said pursuit of a deal was never in the plan for them but they did however score a radio hit back in 2000 on 105.7

The Point. The song attracted a lot of record labels calling Harrington’s house. He said it was a great feeling to have but he didn’t want what came with it which meant a lot of changes would have to happen.

“They wanted to change us completely, change our style, get rid of some members, have other people write for us and have us dress differently, but we weren’t into that because that’s not what we do,” he said.

“We speak about real life and

about what’s going on here in the streets of St. Louis. We can’t be out here rapping about something we are not living.” He also said he’s serious about loyalty since some of the members were people he grew up with and came up with while trying to tap into the local scene.

He said the group prides itself on diversity and is accepting and inclusive of people from all backgrounds and walks of life. For the first time in its almost 29-year history, the group has a woman member, Kourtney “KourtwitaKay,” a singer and vocal arranger who grew up singing in church.

“It’s good to have a woman’s point of view since we haven’t had it in close to 30 years because it hasn’t presented itself the way it did with her,” he said.

“It’s an exciting time to see where this is gonna lead us,” he said.

Midwest Avengers’ music is available on all digital streaming platforms.