October 12th, 2017 Edition

ACLU claims aggressive American

VonDerrit remembered

Unity is the message at vigil for teen fatally shot by city cop in 2014

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

Syreeta Myers took a deep breath Sunday, October 8 as she made her way to Shaw and Klemm just before the candlelight vigil in memory of her son VonDerrit Myers Jr. It was the third anniversary of his death.

On the front of her shirt was a picture of her and her late son embracing as they smiled for the camera. She was approaching the corner where her life changed forever. As she took another breath trying to get her emotions in check, her eyes began to well. Before her tears could fall, she was recognized and greeted with embrace after embrace by those gathered to pay tribute to his life. This past weekend of protests was strikingly similar to three years ago. On Friday, the group that took to the streets in the wake of the Jason Stockley verdict three weeks ago headed to Ferguson. On Sunday, the group converged on Shaw and Klemm.

n “What I love most is the nationalities, the different races of us all coming together in unity.”

– VonDerrit Myers Sr.

The Ferguson unrest was in full swing when 18-year-old VonDerrit Myers Jr. was fatally shot by St. Louis Metropolitan Police Officer Jason Flanery on October 8, 2014. The protestors left Ferguson to stand in solidarity with the Myers family in South City. They filled pews at the church for his funeral in North County. And for the third year, hundreds came back to Shaw and Klemm to help the family celebrate his life.

“We are here to uplift his family, to let his family know that we haven’t forgot – that we will continue to fight and stand with them,” said state Rep. Bruce Franks Jr. “The most important message about tonight is love. Look at everybody that’s next to you, everybody behind you and everybody in front of you – this is love. This is unity.”

Syreeta Myers, VonDerrit Myers Sr. and several family and

Syreeta Myers and VonDerrit Myers Sr. (right) joined a candlelight vigil in the Shaw neighborhood for their son, VonDerrit Myers Jr., on Sunday, October 8, the third anniversary of his death. He was killed by an off-duty St. Louis police officer in what the city prosecutor decided was a justified shooting in self-defense.

friends were showered with love and support.

“It is our honor and our privilege to stand with you,” Melissa Higgins said, making a point to look Syreeta and VonDerrit Sr. in the eyes. “We don’t take it lightly that you are serving a life

New report finds disproportionate impact on black and disabled students in Missouri

By Jessica Karins For The St. Louis American

In 2016, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Missouri filed a lawsuit against a Missouri school where a 7-yearold child had been marched to the principal’s office in handcuffs. Kalyb Wiley Primm, a black second grader, had responded to taunts from classroom bullies by crying and screaming. The ACLU saw Primm’s treatment as part of a disturbing pattern of over-policing of schools. Now, the organization has released a report detailing the extent

By Gwen Swan For The St. Louis American

The TV cameras are gone, the GoFundMe accounts depleted, the rest of the world has moved on. Less than two years have passed, and the deep pain and sadness are still clearly heard in Sarah William’s voice.

“My heart is heavy, and at the end of every day I tell

Sarah Williams and her children were welcomed into the Community Women Against Hardship (CWAH) family through its Christmas Program in 2016 after receiving a nomination from Williams’ sister.

Photos by Vincent Lang

Usher accuser audio claims they used condoms, singer asks for case dismissal

Last month, Laura Helm filed a lawsuit against pop star Usher Raymond accusing him of neglecting to inform her he had herpes before engaging in unprotected sex and eventually infecting her with the disease.

This week, audio has surfaced of Laura claiming she never had unprotected sex with Usher.

In audio sent to TMZ.com, Helm repeatedly denies having unprotected with the pop star. She told her former publicist she didn’t care if Usher had herpes or not because, “that’s what condoms are for.”

Helm claims she lied because she thought her publicist was trying to sell her story to the media.

E! News, Usher’s attorney has asked the court to dismiss Helm’s $20 million lawsuit – in part because the plaintiff assumed her own risk when sleeping with a partner.

“With a one in six chance that any given partner could have genital herpes, plaintiff assumed the risk of contracting an STD each and every time she chose to have unprotected sex with a casual, consensual party,” Usher’s attorney Steve Sadow stated.

Nelly arrested over rape allegations, released without charges

(CNN) – Cornell Haynes Jr., better known as the rapper Nelly, was taken into custody Saturday in Washington state after a woman told police he raped her.

Police arrested Nelly in the early morning and took him to a jail in Des Moines, Washington, according to a report from the police department in nearby Auburn.

Meanwhile, in court documents obtained by

He was booked for investigation of rape in the seconddegree and released a few hours

later without charges being filed, according to

his lawyer, Scott Rosenblum.

The report says a woman called 911 at 3:48 a.m. Saturday to report the alleged assault, which she says occurred on Nelly’s tour bus.

Police said Nelly, 42, had performed at the White River Amphitheater in King County just hours before the phone call was made.

He was arrested “after patrol officers investigated the incident,” according to the report.

Nelly tweeted Saturday afternoon that he is “completely innocent” and confident he

“I am confident, once this scurrilous accusation is thoroughly investigated, there will be no charges,” Rosenblum said in a statement.

“I am beyond shocked that I have been targeted with this false allegation,” he wrote. “I am confident that once the facts are looked at, it will be very clear that I am the victim of a false allega-

Rosenblum, the attorney, said the “allegation is devoid of credibility and is motivated by greed and vindictiveness.”

“Nelly is prepared to address and pursue all legal avenues to redress any damage caused by this clearly false allegation.”

Kevin Hart pens public love note to Eniko

Kevin Hart turned to Instagram to thank his wife Eniko Hart for standing by his side in the wake of his cheating scandal.

Kevin posted the kind words, along with a jab to haters, beneath a photo of a very pregnant Eniko.

“Thanking God for this beautiful strong woman that I am lucky enough to still be calling you my wife today. You are truly amazing,” the caption read. “Love you. P.S. please feel free to insert your hate below. I’m as strong as it gets people, so that [expletive] don’t faze me. I’m not a [b-word expletive], which is why my paged isn’t private. I hope your negativity makes your day better.”

Sources: TMZ.com, E! News, CNN.com, Instagram.com

Nelly

Kevin Hart

Usher Raymond

PolicyLink weighs in on implementing Ferguson Commission calls to action

By Sandra Jordan Of The St. Louis American

The afternoon before the Jason Stockley verdict, as St. Louis was finalizing plans to police downtown protestors and Missouri Governor Eric Greitens was dispatching the National Guard to St. Louis, Forward Through Ferguson and community nonprofits were meeting with the equity think tank PolicyLink. The agenda: to discuss how to make the Ferguson Commission report recommendations a reality. It has been two years since the Ferguson Commission released its report “Forward through Ferguson,” following months of public input, expert discussion and evidence-based study. The report made a number of recommendations to reduce racial inequity in the St. Louis region.

Facilitator Rebecca Bennett, of Emerging Wisdom, welcomed participants of the September 14 discussion and framed the context of the “radical collaboration” as they delved into policy systems change work.

David Dwight, strategy catalyst, and Charli Cooksey, interim lead catalyst of Forward Through Ferguson, began with a slide presentation of demographic disparities and systems inequity in St. Louis, brought into national focus by the 2014 Ferguson Police killing of unarmed teenager Michael Brown.

“Racial inequity hurts all of us,” Dwight said, as he cited data from the University of Missouri St. Louis.

“The St. Louis region leaves almost $14 billion on the table of our regional economy because of gaps in income by race,” he said. “Just imagine if you also were to look at gaps in education, in housing, in a variety of sectors and see how that is hurting us as a region.”

Forward Through Ferguson is working on a shared regional vision, St. Louis 2039, which marks 25 years after the Michael Brown killing.

“Why 2039? Researchers and foundations have found that it takes a generation for a region to see transformative change aligned to equity,” Cooksey said. “Also, this long-term vision powers us to innovate; we’re not hindered by who we are today and circumstances that are challenging us right now.”

Participants used postcards to share their visions of how to get to St. Louis 2039 – a racially equitable St. Louis.

Forward Through Ferguson is planning a launch event in the Spring of 2018 to reveal a regional action plan involving three strategies – sustainability, policy and systems change, and racial equity capacity, to work on over the next three years.

The goal, Dwight said, is simple: “to realize racial equity.”

members and resources available as a Promise Zone; looking at boards and tables and commitments toward policies; identifying areas where there might not be existing momentum for Ferguson Commissionidentified areas that are essential to racial equity; and meeting with existing partners, stakeholders or public officials

n “The

across the region to get them engaged.

with racial equity because we believe if you can get beyond the issue of blackness in America, communities will stop being so toxic for everyone.”

McAfee said leaders in organizations must decide if this change work is really what they want to do, and if so, pick one or two areas to focus on.

McAfee commended the wide range of vocations,

– Michael McAfee, PolicyLink

School, Brown School at Washington University, For the Sake of All, Alive and Well St. Louis, St. Louis Community Foundation, Fox Foundation, Missouri Jobs with Justice, Crossroads, Beyond Housing, Youth in Need, University of Missouri St. Louis Extension and East Side Aligned.

McAfee said these same conversations about equity are taking place in cities all over the country; however, some are struggling just to get groups to come together to talk about issues of race, justice and equality. He said the St. Louis region has the opportunity to take the lead in addressing these issues.

Michael McAfee, president of PolicyLink, was in St. Louis on September 14 for a discussion with members of the organization Forward Through Ferguson, along with community nonprofits and advocates, about addressing recommendations of the Ferguson Commission report. Leading the discussion was David Dwight, strategy catalyst, and Charli Cooksey, interim lead catalyst of Forward Through Ferguson.

Photo by Wiley Price

can preempt the ability to make progress locally. State lawmakers reverting St. Louis’ minimum wage increase came to the minds of some in attendance.

“In many cases, states have found out ways to be even more oppressive when cities wake up: ‘We’re going to do it at the state level, so we can control and crush,’” McAfee said. When asked for an example of a place that has successfully made equity changes, McAfee said the California Alliance for Men and Boys of Color. He said they look “at every bill through a racial equity lens” and decide what to take up and what to fight against, then mobilize people to push for their agenda. In six years, he said, they’ve passed over 50 bills that have been signed into law “that specifically focus on stopping some oppressive behaviors related to black and brown kids disproportionately.” Ferguson Commission report has 189 policy calls-to-action to bring about racial equity. For more information, or to read the complete report, visit ForwardThroughFerguson.org. ‘Racial

Their effort will include feedback of community

“When I talk about equity, we’re talking about just and fair inclusion into a society which all can participate, prosper and reach their full potential,” said Michael McAfee, president at Oakland, California-based PolicyLink. “And we lead

ages, races and ethnicities represented in the room. Some of the grass root organizations, nonprofits and foundations at the discussion were the St. Louis Regional Health Commission, AHEC, Ready by 21, Integrated Health Network, St. Louis Mental Health Board, City Gardens Montessori

“The issue of Ferguson is the issue all over the country,” McAfee said. “You all are sitting at the epicenter of being able to do some things that you can’t do in other places. Coming from here, that Midwest sensibility, that ability to talk across lines, the ability to be able to bridge the gap between black and white is the unresolved business that we can show the nation how to do.”

McAfee reminded the audience that state governments

Editorial /CommEntary

It’s time to break the school-to-prison pipeline

Just a few days of missed school because of a suspension can have a profound effect on a child’s life. The consequences of excessive discipline extend far beyond the classroom, perpetuating cycles of poverty, low-education attainment, and structural inequalities that span generations.

This week, the ACLU of Missouri released its report, “From School to Prison: Missouri’s Pipeline of Injustice,” which documents discipline disparities and includes recommendations for students, parents, teachers and policymakers on how to stop this crisis in our education system.

The civil rights group reported that black students in Missouri are 4.5 times more likely to be suspended than white students. This is greater than the already too-high national rate of 3.8 times more likely.

Disproportionate school discipline in Missouri is costly, unconstitutional, and funnels children out of school and into the criminal justice system. This must end. That’s why we need you.

All of us must act if we are to improve the lives of Missouri’s children.

Racial disparities in discipline pervade nearly every punishment category in Missouri – and have for years. Black students are punished harsher and more frequently. The disparity between enrollment rates and discipline rates is not reflected among white students, a population in which discipline rates are consistently below enrollment rates.

Missouri has an exceptionally long limit for outof-school suspensions.

In order to break the pipeline, we must also recognize the effects of explicit and implicit bias. We must call on educators and policymakers to eliminate language in school codes of conduct that punishes vague infractions such as “defiance” or “disruptive behavior.”

Selective enforcement of policies, such as Black students being punished for being “disruptive,” often have a disparate impact on students of color. State law should be specific about what behaviors fall into the categories of “disruptive behavior” and “disorderly conduct.”

Other states, such as California, have made these changes to protect students. Missouri should do the same.

The evidence is clear: We must start building a real future for the youngest Missourians. It is time for Missouri to join the ranks of states across the nation proactively addressing the school-to-prison pipeline. Several districts in St. Louis have made firm commitments to eliminating out-of-school suspension for children through third grade. This is as step in the right direction.

Educators and teachers should adopt inclusionary practices that do their best to keep kids in the classroom to avoid the lifetime consequences than can come with suspension and expulsion of students. Missouri lawmakers should seriously consider decreasing the length of suspension. Compared to many states,

We must also stop policing our playgrounds and schoolyards. Officers in schools make it more likely that in-school behaviors will be punished in the criminal justice system, which amplifies disparities in discipline. In Missouri, 37.6 percent of schools have sworn law enforcement officers patrolling the halls and school cafeterias, compared to 29 percent nationally. More officers in schools leads to more student referrals to law enforcement. It’s not a step in the right direction.

Despite making up only 14 percent of the student population, black students represented about 17 percent of all referrals to law enforcement and 18 percent of all school-related arrests.

We support the ACLU of Missouri for the leadership role it is taking to address this crisis. We encourage our readers to tell them about you or your child’s experience with school discipline on its website at www.aclu-mo.org.

The ACLU is seeking to engage several school districts in decreasing suspension rates, while working with community groups, educators, and partners already committed to improving the lives of children. As its gathers this information, its team will connect with students, parents and educators on ways we can all work together to stop the pipeline of injustice. We support them in this important work. For we know that for Missouri to move toward racial equity, we must start with our children.

Reverend, representative and rabbi demand investigation of County Police

By Rev. Cassandra Gould, state Rep. Stacey Newman, Rabbi Susan Talve

For The St. Louis American

On Saturday, September 23, St. Louis County and Richmond Heights police officers assaulted peaceful protestors and onlookers at the Galleria Mall, including an asthmatic 13-year-old boy. He was choked and body-slammed to the ground before being released, with no charges filed.

“The law enforcement response was characterized by unrestrained and indiscriminate police violence on many occasions. That violence was made all the more shocking by the fact that it was often inflicted upon persons who had broken no law, disobeyed no order, made no threat.”

The preceding paragraph is taken verbatim from the Walker Report, which criticized Chicago police actions against demonstrators during the 1968 Democratic National Convention that became known as a “police riot.” And it is why we call the actions of local police in the Galleria on September 23, a “police riot.”

This is not hyperbole. Law enforcement from various jurisdictions, under the direct command of St. Louis County Police, assaulted women and children, as evident by numerous photos and video on social media. The 13-year-old’s grandmother, the Rev. Karla Frye, an elder at St. Peter AME Church, has been charged with four criminal counts, including felony assault. Her crime? Trying to prevent a police officer from choking her grandson. The clergy herself was choked by an officer as her grandson was slammed to the ground so hard his shoe flew off.

The statements from St.

Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar and County Executive Steve Stenger have been both predictable and disappointing. Belmar claims his officers were “assaulted” by those arrested, when the opposite appears to be true – protestors and bystanders alike were assaulted by police. For his part, Stenger has refused repeated requests from elected officials and faith leaders for a face-toface meeting, saying the entire matter is a problem for St. Louis County Board of Police Commissioners, who happen to be appointed by Stenger (with County Council approval). We strongly disagree. In the city, Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner has spoken out forcefully in favor of an independent commission to review charges of misconduct against city law enforcement during recent demonstrations there. We believe such an independent commission must be established in the county as well. This is not an internal police matter to be handled by county police business-as-usual chain of command.

Black politicians control future of St. Louis’ airport

By Mike Jones Columnist

Like all social animals, humans are socialized through personal interaction – first, our families, then through our friendships, and lastly through our community. This last group can be as small as a neighborhood or as large as a country. It is through these relationships that we understand the world and our place in it. Because of this, our relationship with the world is an emotional one.

From our first breath we have an innate need for social connection, and our brains are developed around this need. We are taught – imprinted, really – to relate to our world and the people in it based upon how we feel about it and them. Reasoning and critical thinking emerge much later in the development of humans. What we can say without much argument is that emotion clouds reason.

But you actually live in a physical world that’s objective. You can’t have an emotional relationship with it, or all the people in it that you can never know. To function successfully in that objective world requires high-level cognitive development and criticalthinking skills. Politics is part of that objective world, and everything in it is transactional. As former Congressman William Clay so insightfully pointed out, in politics “there are no permanent friends, no permanent enemies, just permanent interests.” Therefore success – survival, even – means you have to subordinate all of your human instincts to this cognitive

reality.

Because of this reality, politics has only one real operating principle you need to understand. “Quid pro quo” is a Latin expression which means “this for that,” indicating an arrangement where two parties agree to make a mutual exchange.

Since mistakes are an effective teacher, I’m going to use the monumental political failure of the proposed professional soccer stadium to illustrate quid pro quo.

In 35 years of governmental service, I never heard anyone black say that a $200 million soccer stadium would solve any problem in St. Louis’ black community. Fortunately the voters in the City of St. Louis, including an overwhelming number of black voters, saved us from the political malpractice of African-American elected officials (the proposition never would have gotten on the ballot but for African-American political support). So how did it also most happen?

The soccer stadium was the fantasy of some nouveau rich white guys who thought they should own a professional soccer team, and naturally they wanted the working people of St. Louis to give them a stadium. Here is what a soccer stadium scenario could look like with competent black politicians operating from the principle of quid pro quo:

Letters to the editor

Correction

The police riot and subsequent extreme actions by St. Louis County police officers and justice center officials is enough for us to demand answers. But there’s more.

After law enforcement violence at the Galleria, all of those arrested – protestors and bystanders alike – were kept in the justice center overnight for 24 hours. They were denied access to legal counsel, despite attempts by judges and attorneys to gain access to the locked-down jail. In some cases, they were denied necessary prescribed medications for hours, even though we were repeatedly assured they were given. How do we know this?

We three tried for hours to get answers that Saturday evening and Sunday morning at the justice center until all 22 arrestees were released.

None of this is how law enforcement and the criminal justice system should work in a democracy. Police do not get to make up the rules about assault and denial of due process. Jail officials do not get to make illegal decisions denying arrestees access to legal counsel and medication. St. Louis County is not Russia, or Turkey, or the Philippines.

We, along with eight other legislators and 12 additional interfaith leaders asked officially of elected leaders at the St. Louis County Council meeting recently for an independent investigation of these abuses with little response. We and the public demand and deserve answers.

Rev. Cassandra Gould is executive director of Missouri Faith Voices. State Rep. Stacey Newman (D-Richmond Heights) represents Missouri’s 87th District. Rabbi Susan Talve is the founding rabbi of Central Reform Congregation.

A woman canvassing North St. Louis identified in last week’s paper as “Tiffany” is named “Raychel Proudie.” We regret the error.

Probe Stenger’s ally contracts

Recent news stories about the disagreement between County Executive Steve Stenger and County Council Chairman Sam Page, having to do with staffing in the county auditor’s office, also tell of their disagreeing as to whether the new county auditor meets the qualifications for the job as the County Charter requires. The auditor is appointed by the County Council.

Stenger has enlisted the assistance of County Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCulloch, a political ally, to investigate the auditor and see if he has the qualifications to hold the office. It seems that Stenger and McCulloch either don’t know or don’t care what a conflict of interest that is.

McCulloch’s campaign committee has made around $100,000 of in-kind campaign contributions to Stenger’s campaign – but it has not been disclosed just what the in-kind contributions were for, as the law requires. More recently, it was discovered that Stenger quietly put through a change last year in a 58-page packet that allows McCulloch to collect on two full pensions if he is elected to another term.

The investigation that’s really needed in county government is of the contracts given to Stenger’s campaign contributors. “Pay to play” has been taken to levels never seen before. The most extreme example is the more than $300,000 of contributions given to Stenger’s campaign by the developers of the old Northwest Plaza. In return, they received

“You want a $200 million soccer stadium, I don’t. I want a $100 million development fund for North St Louis. I’ll support your soccer stadium in exchange for your support for my development fund, plus 40 percent of contracts and 40 percent of the employment on the construction of the soccer stadium. Take or leave it!”

This is critically important at this moment because St. Louis’ white business leadership is actively pushing the city to privatize St. Louis Lambert International Airport. There were probably only white people in the room when this scheme was hatched. But the damnedest thing is, they have no power to execute the idea. To dispose of any real estate assets of the City of St. Louis, it requires the approval of the Board of Estimate & Appropriate and two-thirds of the Board of Aldermen. The fate of Lambert is not in the hands of the white business leadership of the St. Louis region, but entirely in the control of the AfricanAmerican elected officials of St. Louis. I have no idea what AfricanAmerican elected officials will do with this deal, but I can tell you what competent black politicians would do. They would remind the St. Louis business community, “It’s not personal, it’s business,” and make a deal that benefits the black community. Mike Jones is a former senior staffer in St. Louis city and county government and current member of the Missouri State Board of Education and The St. Louis American editorial board.

a no-bid county contract for office space worth as much as $50 million. There has never been a state audit of St. Louis County government. Perhaps one is needed.

Tom Sullivan, University City

No energy for a Laclede/ Spire rate hike

“I wish to express my strong opposition to a proposed rate hike by Laclede Gas Company. The rate hike is estimated to cost the average user $3.31 per month or approximately $40 per year. The poor cannot afford the unwanted hike; I have constituents that are struggling to pay their current gas bills and are not able to afford an estimated $40 per year increase. This rate increase will give Laclede Gas of over $25 million per year.

Recently the Laclede Group, the parent company of Laclede Gas said it was changing the name of the company to SPIRE after 150 years. In news reports they explained that the company had been acquiring companies in Kansas City and Alabama and therefore wanted all the companies to be under a new corporate name.

In a local news report … March 24, 2016 a spokesperson said, “We have indeed grown into multiple states. We’ve quadrupled the size of the company, and we’re now the fifth-largest in the U.S.”

Given the timing of this transition to the rate increase, and the aggressive growth policy of the company, I believe this is more about making the corporate bottom line look better to acquire more companies in other states, than it is about the costs of doing business here in Missouri. I urge the PSC to reject this rate increase.”

Guest Columnist

Mike Jones

Young black lives matter

Even young children were on message for a police accountability protest in St. Louis on September 29.

Hazelwood to cover ACT costs for juniors

The Hazelwood School District will cover the costs for high school juniors to take the ACT test, under a plan approved by the Board of Education at the September 19th BOE meeting. Missouri had funded the ACT for juniors since 2015; however, due to budget cuts the state decided to no longer pay for the exams. The ACT can cost students $46.00 or $62.50 depending on whether the student is tested on writing.

Town hall forum on regional fragmentation

The St. Louis City-County Governance Task Force will host a town-hall discussion of regional fragmentation 7-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 18 at Greater St. Mark Family Church, 9950 Glen Owen Dr. in Ferguson.

Town halls offer an opportunity to collect extensive input from the community, so that the Task Force can consider this feedback when issuing reports and developing recommendations on an idealized structure of government for the region.

Questions to be considered include: Does regional fragmentation impact regional growth? Which municipal services are exceptional in your community? When considering the possibility of consolidated municipal services in the region, what are the three most important factors to account for? RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/yddopfmv.

Teaching school through the Stockley protests

By Tiffany Shawn Guest columnist

Being a black woman, race has always been something I notice. I became aware of my blackness at the tender age of 6 while in kindergarten. So I can only imagine how strongly some students feel that awareness of race in 2017. When I’m the only black teacher in a meeting of 30 on the first day back to school, I notice it. When I was in graduate school and in class after class I never saw a professor or student who shared my melanin, I noticed it. And I went to an HBCU on purpose to avoid that feeling.

I feel more at ease with those who share my melanin. It doesn’t mean I cannot work with and be friends with non-POC, it just means more times than not, when in the presence of those who look like me, we share similar aspects of life.

I find comfort in this. I therefore want all my students, in particular the non-white students, to feel comfort in our classroom when discussing topics like injustices for minorities outweighing those of Caucasians.

The teachers I work with have done a great job of engaging students in discussion and have based it on facts and on their own experience with activism – even those new to it in this way. I’m proud to work in a district that does not ignores travesties in our city.

I heard of a principal telling teachers, “I don’t care how you feel about this. We are here for the kids.” Perhaps the sentiment was genuine in meaning to put more emphasis on teaching than personal emotions, but our emotions cannot be denied.

I was in tears at least twice at school when the Stockley verdict came down, but I held it in for the kids because they didn’t know the latest news update nor did they need to know my thoughts on the situation before I had time to process.

In speaking with coworkers, many sources have been gathered to help not only adults process but to assist students in processing and discussing topics that we cannot ignore. I suggest: http://Tolerance.org, “Let’s Talk About Race” and “Soundless Cries Don’t Lead to Healing.”

To open up discussion with kids, start simple by asking if there anything they want to discuss in current events. Print pictures and headlines and have kids plan a discussion around their views. Explain ways people show traits of activism.

And no matter what, read. Read. Read. What better way to expose children to the world than through carefully sought out books that show people breaking the barriers of inequalities, sexism, and racism!

Tiffany Shawn

Photo by Vincent Lang

sentence while the murderer of your son gets off scot free.”

She then commenced to singing the Negro Spiritual “Hold On Just A Little While Longer.” Flanery, who was working a private security detail the night he killed Myers, was not charged. Then St. Louis Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce said the physical and witness evidence pointed toward a shootout, which justified the use of lethal force.

“Three years ago, on this day, a lot of us were in Ferguson on the parking lot of Andy Wurm when we got notification that we needed to come to the intersection of Shaw and Klemm,” Kayla Reed said.

Reed said that in 2014 the protesters declared the month “Vontober.”

“We don’t come out here to talk about the person that was responsible for this –we come out here to lift up VonDerrit,” Reed said. “This is about Droop” (a nickname for VonDerrit Myers Jr). “This about Syreeta. This is about Von Sr. This is about the movement.” Franks told the crowd that while his activism began in response to Michael Brown’s death, it was the death of Myers that shaped his purpose.

CWAH

Continued from A1 and her 10-month-old son –occurred in November 2015. For Williams, time and her world have collapsed. Williams and her children were welcomed into the Community Women Against Hardship (CWAH) family through its Christmas Program in 2016 after receiving a

A candlelight vigil in memory of VonDerrit Myers Jr. was held in the Shaw neighborhood on Sunday, October 8, the third anniversary of his death at the hands of then St. Louis Police Officer Jason Flanery. The city prosecutor decided was it a justified shooting in self-defense, based on physical and witness evidence, but the shooting spread Ferguson protests to St. Louis.

by Vincent Lang

to love them and wrap their arms around them – and not just on October 8.”

“It turned me into the person that I am,” Franks said. “Before that, I didn’t know how to take all of that anger and frustration that I had and put it into a road of solutions. So, Ms. Reeta and VonDerrit Sr., who I call Mom and Pops, I been with them since day one – and I ain’t going nowhere.” Syreeta graciously declined the opportunity to address the crowd, but VonDerrit Sr. briefly thanked the protest community for their continued support.

nomination from Williams’ sister.

“They dressed me during a bereavement, provided an outlet for me and my boys through their educational classes – Art, Health, Finance – and allowed me to shop for clothing and furniture in their community store,” Williams said of CWAH.

Of the organization’s founder, Gloria Taylor, she said, “Ms. Taylor hugged me, made us feel welcome, and

“What I love most is the nationalities, the different races of us all coming together in unity,” VonDerrit Myers Sr. said.

Organizers said the Myers family was equally supportive of the protestors’ activism –and were activists in their own right.

“A month after they lost their son, the non-indictment came down around Mike Brown. We shut a highway down – guess who was on the front line?

Syreeta and VonDerrit,” Reed said. “They were in Ferguson

let me know that we were no strangers. She accepted all of us, gave me hope, and said, ‘We got you!’” Life today for Williams continues to be a challenge.

From a large family of eight brothers and two sisters, Williams said she and her six boys live in the home of one of her brothers. It is that same family that has rallied around Sarah and kept her moving forward.

It’s a continuous struggle to

stay afloat. She works 12-hour days as a banquet server and laundry room attendant, encourages her honor-roll sons, and chauffeurs them to their numerous activities.

Asked what dreams she has for herself, Williams said, “I don’t know. No one has ever asked me that question. I guess I’m just too busy to think about things like that.”

The health challenges that she faces (and a broken foot) would slow most of us down,

before they lost their own son, exemplifying what we all must be. Because at any moment, it could be us.”

As they stood there, the tears Syreeta had been holding back began to fall.

“As for everybody who’s been out here, we know what this family means to us,” Franks said. “We must continue

but she keeps charging ahead. A strong spiritual base instilled by her father and a relationship with God are key to that movement.

For those suffering from sadness, she makes the following suggestions: Make a short to-do list; set small goals and look forward to achieving just one a day; keep knocking them out and pat yourself on the back when you do; then tell yourself, “I did my best for the past 24 hours.”

After they concluded a moment of silence with lit candles and helium balloons released to the sky, they marched to where Flanery was on patrol before he pursued the youth. Then hundreds marched through the Flora Place neighborhood and declared it “Droop’s block” with their chants.

“We must continue to support our families who have gone through these horrible tragedies,” Franks said. “And not just when it’s time to have a balloon release or candlelight vigil.”

If you know of an individual or family that could benefit from services at CWAH, nominate them today for the 2017 People Against Poverty Campaign 2017. Please submit nominations by Friday, October 20 to: The St. Louis American Newspaper, People Against Poverty Campaign, 2315 Pine St., St. Louis, MO 63103. Or email mwinbush2@stlamerican. com or fax: (314) 533-2332.

Photo

ACLU

Continued from A1 of that problem in Missouri – and what citizens can do to combat it. They found that black students are more likely to be disciplined, suspended and physically punished than other students.

“For years, the disproportionate discipline of students of color and students with disabilities has tarnished Missouri’s reputation,” Sara Baker, legislative and policy director of the ACLU of Missouri, wrote. “Without an adequate education, cycles of poverty remain unbroken and generations of families remain unjustly disadvantaged by a demographic lottery, more at risk of failure because of the ZIP code they live in. All children have an equal right to education. Missouri must offer this opportunity to succeed for all of its young people.”

The report links the pattern of educational disparities in Missouri to the state’s long history of racial inequity, but also offers a path forward to a more equitable education system.

“Although many youthcentered systems intend benevolence in the forms of academic excellence, protection, and treatment, the data reveals they are infected with racism,” said Rev. Dietra Wise Baker, a member of Metropolitan Congregations United’s Break the Pipeline campaign. “Our region must deal with the data for the sake of all our children.”

The right to an equal education is written into the Constitution of Missouri, and in Brown vs. Board of Education, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that education cannot be separate or unequal. But in Missouri, the ACLU found, discipline in schools has made the education of many black students drastically different, and inferior, to their white peers.

“Disproportionate and excessive discipline of children

What can you do to combat inequality in schools?

Parents

• Learn your rights and your child’s rights at school.

• Learn about your school’s use of School Resource Officers (SROs).

• Learn how to appeal your school’s disciplinary process.

Students

• Ask for information about your rights at school and about behavior expectations and punishments.

• Learn what rights you have when interacting with law enforcement and with school administration.

• Tell a parent or guardian about inequality you observe at your school.

Teachers

• Tell students what rights they have and clearly explain disciplinary practices.

• Learn about and implement practices like restorative justice.

• Make sure to understand your students’ disabilities and not to discipline them for related behaviors.

not only deprives them of their right to education, but can also put them on a path to prison – what’s known as the schoolto-prison pipeline,” the ACLU of Missouri reported. “Students who come in contact with law enforcement and the criminal justice system because of their in-school behaviors have a greater likelihood of continued interaction with the criminal justice system as they grow up. They are less likely to succeed in school.”

The report highlights several factors that contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline in Missouri. First among these is a significant difference in

School board members and administrators

• Limit the role of police officers in disciplinary practices.

• Work to eliminate out-of-school suspension and expulsion.

• Hire more counselors for students and implement trauma-informed practices.

Law enforcement

• Properly train School Resource Officers and set clear limits for when they should be involved in student discipline.

• Only arrest or detain students as a last resort after other options have been explored.

Lawmakers

• Identify and eliminate zero-tolerance policies.

• Examine Missouri’s laws on school policy for language that could be used to discriminate against children with disabilities and children of color.

Require that schools protect their students’ Fourth Amendment rights.

the rates of discipline between black and white students. Black students are more likely to be suspended, expelled and referred to law enforcement than their white peers. They are even more likely to be corporally punished, something which is still legal in Missouri. The ACLU of Missouri found that black students are almost twice as likely as white students to be physically punished at school.

There is even an increasing trend in Missouri’s schools towards placing students in “seclusion rooms” –involuntary confinement –and using physical restraint,

both of which are applied disproportionately to black students and especially disabled black students.

Black disabled students may be the most vulnerable group in Missouri’s public schools. Students with disabilities are, across the nation, about twice as likely to be suspended. However, the report found the problem is especially bad for students in Missouri who are both black and disabled; they are three times more likely to be suspended.

Once a student is marked as problematic, the discipline they are subjected to is likely to go beyond suspensions.

These students are more likely to then be expelled from public schools and to be referred to law enforcement, including School Resource Officers (SROs). These are the students who might go on to be referred to special schools for those with behavioral problems, to be funneled into the juvenile justice system, and to eventually be incarcerated.

“The fact that young, black men without a high school diploma or equivalent are more likely to be incarcerated than employed illustrates the lifetime consequences of excessive school discipline,” the ACLU of Missouri reports.

Many states have, in recent years, created new laws to limit suspensions and expulsions, but Missouri is not among them. Missouri’s rate of expulsion actually doubled between 2011 and 2014.

Missouri is also more likely than other states to have overt police presence in public schools, with 37.9 percent of schools hosting a SRO. The ACLU of Missouri reports that these officers are likely to be undertrained and overzealous in their approach to disciplining students.

So if the goal is to keep students out of the schoolto-prison pipeline, what can Missourians do? The ACLU of Missouri provides recommendations for many groups, including students, parents, educators and lawmakers (see sidebar).

In some ways, though, the problem may be getting worse. The ACLU of Missouri

identifies charter schools as an emerging trouble spot in the quest for educational equality.

“Across the U.S., charter schools have been found to have a suspension rate 16 percent higher than noncharter schools,” the ACLU of Missouri reports. “Additionally, charter schools were found to have a higher suspension gap than non-charter schools for black students and students with disabilities. Charter schools can also create confusion with respect to readmitting or providing alternative educational opportunities to students that have been suspended or expelled.”

New political leaders like Missouri Governor Eric Greitens and U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos are firm supporters of charter schools, as was former St. Louis Mayor Francis G. Slay; Mayor Lyda Krewson has consistently said she supports all public schools, including charters.

Educators like Sharonica Hardin, superintendent of University City schools, said educators should work to make the education process more humanizing.

“We must think differently about student discipline,” Hardin said. “As schools and learning organizations become more trauma-informed, our practices should be more restorative in nature. Punitive measures simply don’t work.” To read the report, visit https://www.aclu-mo.org/index. php?cID=697.

Can civic leadership live up to principled civil disobedience?

By Wally Siewert

For The St. Louis American

As a public ethicist I have worked for years with local government leaders from around Missouri. I know the difficult burden of municipal leadership, from school boards struggling with vanishing resources and traumatized students, to the gut-wrenching fears of a police officer’s family when he is late home from work. Governing is hard and often thankless work, and that is when everything is working as it should. But what does municipal leadership mean in a time when constituents take to the streets in anger and the very fabric of a community seems to be coming apart? What does “law and order” mean when peaceful

order is denied the community, not by a crime, but by a righteous cause? If the social fabric is tearing, it is because it no longer fits today’s realities. Like a childhood wardrobe, St. Louis has outgrown the 20th century politics that have taken our city to the precipice. So what is next for St. Louis leadership? No individual, no matter what office they hold, can dislodge entrenched interests by themselves. But a leader with the support of a vibrant and adamant grassroots movement can move mountains. I challenge current leadership to see the protests and political engagement of St. Louis’ African-American community and their allies as an opportunity, not a problem. St. Louis is learning, slowly.

destruction of property and a handful of unjustifiable acts (thrown objects threatening harm to police in the line of duty, and damaging the mayor’s home with her family inside) the leadership among the protest community quickly pivoted to disciplined civil disobedience and nary a window has been broken for weeks.

Nevertheless, aggressive police tactics continue to escalate. These tactics included kettling, retributive and excessive use of chemical agents, arbitrary arrest and physical abuse and intimidation against peaceful protesters. The mayor has since called for an independent investigation into police actions. This is a good first step. However, next steps must address the fundamental causes of the fatal divisions within our city.

The fundamental cause is an historical and ongoing legacy of devaluing African-American lives. This devaluing can be seen in policy: educational policy, criminal and judicial policy, economic development policy, healthcare policy, and transportation policy, to

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name a few. As a result, today progress needs to come with an explicit racial equity lens. This means letting go of the zerosum mentality that sees racial equity as a loss for the white community. Fixing leaks in half the boat does not keep it from sinking. Driving development, growth and opportunity in only half the city will not raise our city up, but capsize it.

So we come back to the question of leadership. Given the lopsided boat, where does leadership begin? Not to be too cynical about it, but if a political movement’s message is too powerful to combat, co-opt it! Get on board and help right the ship. Will admitting that the anger in the streets is righteous anger cost political backing from entrenched interests? Yes, but elected leadership is a job to do, not to have. Does change mean pain? Yes. But the cancer patient does not avoid a lifesaving operation because of the pain and long recovery. Just imagine what kind of economic boom could result if large parts of the city were no longer sick, tired, hungry, cold, scared, and hopeless.

“As an inspiration, consider the disciplined and entirely peaceful highway action on October 4.” Writes Wally Siewert. “The passion and dedication on display in the streets should provide a willing civic leadership with the political backing to implement solutions to long-standing St. Louis problems, not another political reason to avoid them.”

Photo by Vincent Lang

Possible solutions abound.

However, they are not easy and will require leadership putting themselves in harm’s way to combat entrenched interests.

As an inspiration, consider the disciplined and entirely peaceful highway action on October 4. Can civic leadership live up to this example of principled civil disobedience? The passion and dedication on display in the streets should provide a willing civic leadership with the political backing to implement solutions to long-standing St. Louis problems, not another political reason to avoid them. This is a tall order for local officials who already have a vast array of difficult issues on their desk just keeping the city running. But seeking elected office means volunteering to shoulder this burden (and comes with an ethical obligation to do so). The grassroots protest movement can help leadership to carry that load, if they aren’t seen as simply part of the problem.

Wally Siewert is a professor of Public Ethics and concerned citizen.

A tale of two protests

‘Blue lives matter’ supporters crash direct action at Hampton Village, end up in dialogue

By Kenya Vaughn

Of The St. Louis American

“Mommy, Mommy – why are we leaving?” a small child asked as she was being rushed from Walgreen’s to the family car by her mother early in the evening of Thursday, October 5 in the Hampton Village Shopping Center. There was not a white plastic bag in sight to signal that any purchase had been made.

“Those people there are not very happy,” the woman told her daughter while moving faster than it seemed possible for someone with a baby on her hip and a youngster by the hand. The woman had a thick accent and appeared to be Hispanic.

“Why not, Mommy?” the daughter persisted. “Because of Donald Trunk?”

“Yes, honey. And other things too,” the mother said while strapping her two little ones in the back seat. “But we have to hurry, or we will not get out.” They exited on the Chippewa side just after police started redirecting cars and reduced the traffic to one lane – before the intersection of Hampton and Chippewa was shut down altogether.

Across the parking lot, in front of Schnuck’s, more than 200 protesters had just started their chants.

Retailers locked their doors. Prospective shoppers either high-tailed it to their cars or stood by and pulled out their phones to record. Protestors made their way to the street and began marching towards the busy intersection two blocks down from the St. Louis Police Officers Association’s administrative offices.

It appeared to be business as usual for the protestors who have kept their promise of nonstop disruption in response to former St. Louis Metropolitan Police Officer Jason Stockley being found not-guilty of first-degree murder in the 2011 shooting death of Anthony Lamar Smith.

The atmosphere of the protest was familiar – with one major exception.

As the demonstrators prepared to cross the street to the Target parking lot, there was another group waiting for them.

The counter-protestors were outnumbered nearly 20 to 1, but they didn’t appear the least bit bothered by the size of the crowd as they stood on the small patch of land they designated for themselves. They waved American flags made with the blue, black and white colors of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. They heckled protestors and said they were out there “to stand in support of blue lives.”

Organizers told the protestors to ignore them. But the same passion and defiance that brought them to the streets compelled them to face off with the counter-protestors.

“All lives matter,” a female counter-protestor sang tauntingly as the protestors gathered around them. “Blue lives matter.”

The rebuttals to the statements – and their presence in general – came swift and all at once. Chatter from the protestors drowned out “all lives matter, blue lives matter.”

“Have you ever heard anyone say that white lives don’t matter?” asked Rev. Karla Frye. “The assumption is that white lives already matter.”

“‘God Bless….’ Oh wait, ‘Oh, oh say can you see…,” the counter-protestor, who identified herself as Dee, started to sing. “Now take a knee!” “Get the song right first,” Marcellus Buckley responded.

“I can sing ‘em both, baby,” Dee shot back.

“Why are some of you hiding your faces?” another counter-protestor asked.

The counter-protestors were reluctant to share their names

for this report.

The protestors were told by police to move on from the counter-protestors “for security reasons.” They made their way to the Target parking lot.

“I’m a volunteer firefighter, and you want to throw my [expletive] in jail for protesting, but these guys can kill those people and get away with it,” a white protester told Rev. Renita Marie Lamkin Green. “Man, I hate [expletive] cops.”

Green interrupted him when he started bashing police.

“The goal here is not for you to hate [expletive] cops,” Green said. “The goal here is to love black people – to love them so much that when they hurt, you hurt. And to love them so much that they are not ‘those people’ but ‘our people.’”

“I’m already ready,” he told Green. “I’ve been loving black people my whole life.”

When the protesters made it to the intersection of Hampton and Chippewa, the counterprotestors were right across the street from them.

“Get a job!” they yelled out as soon as Cori Bush started speaking through the megaphone.

Bush continued.

“It looks like there is a counter-protest of ‘blue lives matter,’” Bush said. “I want to make sure that you [over there] understand, that the response to ‘black lives matter’ is not ‘blue lives matter.’ The response to ‘black lives matter,’ is ‘yes.’ We wouldn’t have to be here if everybody understood and acknowledged that black lives matter.”

She welcomed them to join the protest.

“We are not a hate group,” Bush said. “We don’t dislike you. We just want you to recognize that you can no longer kill black bodies disproportionately. If blue lives – which there is no such thing as a blue life – really mattered to you, you would get rid of the bad cops that are killing us. Then, we wouldn’t have to be out here.”

Nobody joined in. The heckling continued. One accused the protestors of being “un-American.” It compelled

you lost me.” Girard pointed his thumbs towards the POA building. “St. Louis’ finest are right in front of me right now.” They spoke up for Isaiah Hammett and Kiwi Herring, a white man and a black transwoman killed by police.

“Black trans lives matter,” Morgan Hunlan, a black transwoman shouted and was met with applause.

“If you are good, then you are standing up and speaking out,” Tricia Harris said during her remarks about the police.

“Right now, you are going along with what you know is wrong. We shouldn’t have to live in fear. As long as we are, you are not St. Louis’ finest.”

the protestors to head back over to them.

In calm voices, they explained to the counterprotestors that both sides being out there was what being American is all about.

“I appreciate that, but when you yell out some of those things, like ‘F the police,’ it is disrespectful,” a counterprotestor said.

“I’ll accept that,” the protestor said back.

“Y’all are entertaining bull [expletive],” a protestor said, trying to get the protestors to rejoin their group. “Come on, let’s go.”

“You’re giving too much attention to the wrong thing,” organizer Melissa McKinnies told the protestors.

They moved on and joined the march to the St. Louis Police Officers Association offices further down on Hampton.

Words for the POA

When they got in front of the offices, the regulars on the megaphone decided to let others share their thoughts and feelings. They started with the children.

“I want to say that my dad’s life matters,” a young boy said. He ran from the megaphone and leapt into the arms of his black father, while being kissed on the head by his white mother.

“We are doing this for them,”

Bush said. “If we teach them this now, then we will have a generation coming up that will automatically love one another – and comes up loving humanity – and doesn’t care about what you look like, who you love or what you do.”

Organizers Bush and McKinnies told the crowd that it is not about the organizers, but them collectively as a family of protesters. They called up people who hadn’t had an opportunity to address the group.

“My sons are 29 and 36, and I’ve been afraid for them all of their lives,” Mildred Clines told the crowd. “When they were young I took them to the police, so that the police would know them and hopefully wouldn’t kill them. No mother should have to worry about their children like that. We are out here because we want a

better world. I’m 60 years old, and I’m fighting like I’ve never fought before. I never knew I could walk as much as I have walked. Where am I getting this energy from? But I do know that no matter how tired our bodies get, we have to keep fighting.”

A history student named Ben Girard decided he wanted to “watch history unfold in real time” by observing the protests. He got caught up in the mass arrest on October 3. He spent the night in jail at the Justice Center.

What happened when he walked out of the doors following his release had him choked up.

“I got out at 11 o’clock last night, and to see all of you out there, cheering for me after I was stared at and cursed out by police,” Girard said, “I have to say to the people behind me,

Tyjuan Morrow talked about the liberating feeling he has coming to the protests and being a part of the movement. He told the crowd that the nation is founded on racism –and it is woven into the fabric of the country. He also said that by working together they can create a new foundation.

“White people, I don’t have a chance to talk to all of the racists and bigots – but believe it or not, they are in your families,” Morrow said. “I need for you to have those hard conversations. For those that look like me, the change is now. We are at a special time – in this country, not just in St. Louis – we must hold this tempo. We cannot fall back. We must stand up and teach others to stand up. This is the time to speak up.” As they blocked Hampton and Chippewa, Emily Kaplan jumped out of her Volkswagen station wagon with her baby and joined in with the line of protestors.

“I just came out to get Pampers, but I believe in everything you guys are saying,” Kaplan said before being swept away by protestors

Photo by Vincent Lang

The Rev. Renita Marie Lamkin Green confronted a counter-protestor during a Black Lives Matter action at Hampton Village in South St. Louis on Thursday, October 5.

Health fairs bring us together for wellness

By Rick L. Stevens

For

The St. Louis American Community health fairs and screenings serve many purposes. Most importantly, they help individuals become healthier through public conversations about common health issues and concerns, combined with providing regular screenings that address them. Health screenings can help find problems before they start, or in their early stages when your chances for treatment and cure are better. By getting the right health services, screenings and treatments, you are taking steps that help your chances for living a longer, healthier life. With that in mind, I want to focus on some great opportunities this month designed to help you enjoy life by improving your health.

n Health screenings can help find problems before they start, or in their early stages when your chances for treatment and cure are better.

The Shalom Church City of Peace Health Fest is this Saturday, October 14, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Hazelwood East High School, 11300 Dunn Rd. Screenings include kidney, mammogram, PSA for men, blood pressure, ECG/EKG, cholesterol/glucose/body mass index (BMI), dental exams, vision testing, HIV/ AIDS testing and spinal screens. Free flu shots will also be provided. There will also be informational resource booths with health care professionals on site to answer your questions regarding such topics as suicide prevention, mental health, prescription assistance, elderly care and women’s health issues to name many. There will also be onsite job interviews for open health care positions. Organizations partnering for the Shalom Health Fest include Christian Hospital, Siteman Cancer Center, BarnesJewish Hospital/Washington University School of Medicine, the National Kidney Foundation, the Breast HealthCare Center at Missouri Baptist Medical Center, the St. Louis County Health Department and the Hazelwood School District.

You can register for the event and screenings by calling 314-653-2322 or Healthfest@shalomcop.org.

See HEALTH, A15

Future doctor

Proposed health insurance rate hikes questioned

By Cara Spencer For The St.

Louis American

The Consumers Council of Missouri has completed a review of proposed 2018 health insurance rates on the Missouri Health Insurance Exchange. This marks the first year the Missouri Department of Insurance has the authority to review rates and consumers are calling for the department to deem the rates hikes “unreasonable.”

Three companies will be offering insurance on the exchange in Missouri in 2018: Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (Cigna), Healthy Alliance Life Insurance Company (Anthem) and Celtic Insurance Company, a subsidiary of Centene (Celtic). While one of these companies, Celtic, is new to the Missouri marketplace, the other two have filed for significant increases over last year’s premiums.

n The State of Missouri allows insurers to redact, or obscure, key components of rate filings. This makes analyzing justifications for rate increases nearly impossible.

Cigna’s proposed rate increases will affect approximately 84,000 Missourians and proposed increases are significant varying from 17 percent to 73 percent with an average increase of 35 percent. Anthem has proposed a rate increase which will impact approximately 116,000 people in Missouri. Proposed increases vary between 30 percent and 47 percent, with an average of 42 percent. Index rates show Celtic with the lowest at $354.48, Cigna with $476.44 and Anthem with the highest at $841.24.

The State of Missouri allows insurers to redact, or obscure, key components of rate filings. This makes analyzing justifications for rate increases nearly impossible in some cases and contributes to a lack of consumer trust.

A major driver in rate increase, annual

Mice Infestation is a public health crisis

By Kendra Copanas and Melba R. Moore

For The St. Louis American

Special risk for most vulnerable population: infants and children

For the past few years, many residents of the Clinton-Peabody housing complex have had to deal with an ongoing public health crisis – mice infestation. Residents have shown pictures of mice in their kitchens and told stories of seeing mice coming through their closets and finding mice in shoes, bags, and behind refrigerators. “The smell is so strong, you have to open windows,” one resident said.

Mice in one’s home may seem to some like more of a nuisance, but families in parts of St. Louis are experiencing rodent infestations that may lead to disease and illness, particularly among our most vulnerable population: infants and children. As public health officials, we are very

n Rodents are significant triggers for asthma, which is one of our region’s most pressing public health problems. Asthma is the number one reason kids miss school.

concerned about how these mice will impact the health of tenants in public housing projects like Clinton-Peabody. Rodents are significant triggers for asthma, which is one of our region’s most pressing public health problems. Asthma is the number one reason kids miss school. Asthma attacks frequently result in costly visits to the

Residents have shown pictures of mice in their kitchens and told stories of seeing mice coming through their closets and finding mice in shoes, bags, and behind refrigerators.

Kindergartener Tori Clement, a student at Barbara C. Jordan Elementary School in the University City School District, plans to become a doctor when she grows up.

Cara Spencer

Photo by Wiley Price

Rick L. Stevens

Mammothon in Centreville

Breast Cancer Screening at Touchette Regional Hospital, Oct. 19-21

By Sandra Jordan

Of The St. Louis American

By using early detection measures to save lives and improve the health of women in the St. Louis Metro east, Touchette Regional Hospital will host its 4th Annual Mammothon Breast Cancer Screening, a three-day event, beginning Thursday, October 19 through Saturday, October 21 at, 5900 Bond Ave., in Centreville, Illinois.

Women will have an opportunity to receive a mammogram as part of Touchette’s START NOW Breast Cancer Awareness program. Organizers said no woman will be turned away due to inability to pay and there is financial assistance available to women who need help with co-pays or who are uninsured.

“Your first step to better breast health is education and early detection,” said Debra Custer, START NOW program manager and treatment navigator. “This program allows us to teach women the critical importance of breast cancer screenings that could end up saving their lives.”

The Mammothon takes place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on both Thursday and Friday, and from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Scheduling mammograms in advance is urged by calling (618) 332-6130. Touchette Regional Hospital hopes to serve at least 85 women in those three days.

The START NOW program is funded by Susan G. Komen Missouri and the Avon Breast Health Outreach Program that offers breast health services to women in Madison, St. Clair, and Clinton counties. To learn more about START NOW Breast Cancer Awareness Services, visit www. touchette.org.

HEALTH

Continued from A14

emergency room. And asthma is particularly harmful to infants and young children.

Mice infestations also impact safe sleep methods. Mothers in homes with rodents feel compelled to put their babies in bed with them if they are afraid mice will crawl into the crib – which puts their babies at significant risk. As a result, we have parents in our community beginning to choose between safe sleep methods for their babies and protection against rodents.

Many people reading this might be thinking, “Can’t people just keep their homes clean and set mouse traps or get a cat?” While these might help in some instances, the real issue is that landlords and property managers need to do more to address the problem.

Mice find their way into homes – older homes, in particular – through cracks in walls, holes bigger than a dime, gaps in windows and ceilings, through sewer lines and unsealed drainage pipes, and through entry holes around plumbing and oven gas lines. They are drawn to areas with clutter (like garages and basements) and dumpsters and trash cans that leak. They tend

STEVENS

Continued from A14

On Sunday, October 15, the Christian Hospital Foundation is hosting a mammo-thon to provide 100 mammograms from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. at Northwest HealthCare, 1225 Graham Rd. in Florissant. Women age 40 and older who haven’t had

Continued from A14

to enter buildings in the fall, when outside temperatures start to drop. Once they are inside, they rarely go back out – and they reproduce. These are all problems that can be addressed by landlords and property managers, but

a mammogram in the past few years are encouraged to participate. If someone can’t afford a mammogram or has no insurance, the foundation may be able to help. Reservations are required by call 1-855-9539355 and please make sure to mention the mammo-thon.

Christian Hospital is also offering free flu shots for children and adults in our community on Sunday, October 22, from 9 a.m.-3

percent which is three times higher than the 4.3 percent generally accepted Milliman Medical Index trend. Notably, neither Cigna nor Anthem took into account a number of regulatory changes included in the Market Stabilization Rule which the

far too often, blame and responsibility are shifted to tenants.

Tenants can and must do their part. Yes, keeping a cleaner home or getting a cat might help, though cats are often triggers for asthma

p.m. at Christian Hospital in the Detrick Building Atrium, 11133 Dunn Rd. This initiative is funded by the foundations for Christian Hospital and Barnes-Jewish Hospital and there will be 1,500 flu shots available that day. On another note, Christian Hospital is partnering with the Alzheimer’s Association to offer the complimentary fourpart educational series Living with Memory Loss for people

Department of Health and Human Services adopted to improve the risk pool, promote stability in the individual market and reduce cost. In summary, the filings include several unreasonable assumptions as well as a redaction of much of the data

for many people. But tenants should also know that they have rights. They need to contact their landlord or property manager and ask them to take action – be it sealing cracks, fixing or replacing dumpsters, or doing whatever

with memory loss and their care team. The program will be held from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on October 28 and November 4, 11 and 18 at Northwest HealthCare. The last meeting includes free lunch for those who attend at least two of the four classes. The class is open to people with early stage memory loss/dementia of all types. Family, friends or other care team members are encouraged to attend.

needed to properly analyze the findings. Therefore, Consumers Council of Missouri urges the department to exercise its authority under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 376.465.10(4) and deem both Cigna and Healthy Alliance rates unreasonable absent further justification.

Schnucks diaper drive

Through October 24, area Schnuck Markets will hold its third annual Scan and Give event to benefit the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank. During these three weeks, customers may opt to donate to the Diaper Bank by adding $1, $3 or $5 to their grocery orders when checking out. Schnucks says 100 percent of funds collected will go directly to the diaper bank, to help families with low resources who struggle to provide the essentials.

Jessica Adams, director of the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank, said diapers can be very expensive, costing families about $1,000/ year per child. The diaper bank partners with existing service organizations to provide diapers for the children of families in need. For more information, visit www.stldiaperbank.org.

Alive and Well STL hosts meet-ups

else is necessary.

And if landlords and property managers won’t step up based on their own sense of morality, responsibility, or concern for public health, then our policymakers need to take action to force them to do so.

State Senator Jamilah Nasheed and state Representatives Michael Butler and Bruce Franks Jr. have voiced their concern and called meetings to address this issue. Their involvement is welcomed, but we hope legislative action will not be necessary, and that property managers will step up to address the problem.

The rampant infestation of mice at the ClintonPeabody housing complex is a public health issue that requires our housing, public health, business, construction companies, and community-based organizations to work collaboratively with tenants to address..

Kendra Copanas is executive director of Generate Health. Melba R. Moore is acting director of the City of St. Louis’ Department of Health.

Registration is required. For more information or to register, call 314-7479355. It is my hope that you and your family members take advantage of these programs and screenings, which are all designed and offered with your good health in mind. Rick L. Stevens, FACHE, is president of Christian Hospital.

A full review of both filings may be found at https://tinyurl.com/ ybkg2h2b. Cara Spencer is executive director of Consumers Council of Missouri and 20th Ward alderwoman in St. Louis.

Alive and Well is hosting three community meetups: 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, October 17 at the Ferguson Community Center, 1050 Smith Ave.; 1-3 p.m. Saturday, October 21 at O’Fallon Park Recreation Complex, 4343 W. Florissant Ave.; and 6-8 p.m. Thursday, October 26 at 100 Black Men of Metropolitan St. Louis, 4631 Delmar Blvd.

Participants will learn how trauma impacts the community; they can share ideas about transforming the community; and will learn of ways to get involved as a volunteer ambassador as well as paid opportunities to educate the community. Alive and Well STL, sponsored by the St. Louis Regional Health Commission, is a collaboration of individuals and organizations across the region, including: The St. Louis American KSDK NewsChannel 5, Hot 104.1, Old School 95.5 and RareGem Productions. To register or for more information, visit http:// www.aliveandwellstl.com/ events/.

Healthworks! gets $5K to help launch Little Noggins Club

The HealthWorks! Kids’ Museum St. Louis recently received a $5,000 grant from American Dental Association Foundation to help launch its new “The Little Noggins Club.” This new caregiver’s project targets the parents and caregivers of newborns and toddlers and encourages them to engage in the everyday types of play that neuroscience has shown fosters healthy brain development and supports optimum lifeskill development. This includes the importance of introducing proper oral care beginning in infancy. General admission to the HealthWorks! Kids’ museum costs $7 for ages three and older, which gives access to “The Little Noggins Club.” Members and children age two and younger get in free. It is located at 1100 Macklind Ave., St. Louis (63110). For more information, call (314) 241-7391,or visit www. hwstl.org.

Mothers in homes with rodents feel compelled to put their babies in bed with them if they are afraid mice will crawl into the crib – which puts their babies at significant risk.

The Mammothon takes place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on both Thursday and Friday, and from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Planning A Healthy Menu

Nutrition Challenge:

Look through the food ads in today’s newspaper and plan a healthy dinner menu for your family using what you find.

Consider earlier lessons regarding

Create an Obstacle Course

Exercise Challenge:

With your parent’s help and permission, create an obstacle course or fitness trail in your own backyard. Be sure to include balance, endurance, skill and speed challenges. Activities could include standing on one foot, running around a shed, tossing a ball into a bucket,

What is peer pressure?

Peer Pressure

Healthy Kids Kids

serving sizes, variety and nutrition. List all of the items for your meal and categorize by food group (dairy, protein, fruits, etc.).

Present your “meal” to your classmates. Now, as a class, determine which meal would be the most delicious… and nutritious!

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

push-ups against the side of the house and crawling under the

lowest branch of a tree. Who could do the most push-ups? Who did all of the challenges the fastest? Consider holding a weekly competition to see who is the new winner.

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

Anytime a friend or classmate pushes you to do something that you really don’t want to do, that is considered peer pressure. Sometimes it’s just harmless fun, like daring a friend to eat a food that s/he doesn’t really like. But if you are feeling pressure

to do something that is dangerous, unhealthy or illegal, ask yourself, “Who is pressuring me, and why should I do something just to make that person happy?”

Always make smart choices based on what you know to be right and you’ll do better in life.

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

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

top of graham crackers. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

CLASSROOM SPOTLIGHT

SCIENCE CORNER

What Is Geology?

Geology is the study of the earth, its rocks and minerals. Geologists are scientists who study the matter that makes up the earth. They also study the earth’s history and the processes that have formed it. It has been said that geologists tell the story of the earth. Geologists study earthquakes, rock formations, oil exploration, groundwater, volcanoes and soil erosion. Geologists may work in the research lab or in the field. They use a variety of chemistry, biology, physics, and other sciences.

Farmers depend on accurate soil sampling, land erosion monitoring and water drainage

SCIENCE INVESTIGATION

It’s your turn to be a geologist. In this experiment, you will learn about the weathering of rocks.

Materials Needed:

• Plastic Wrap • Clay • Water •

Notebook • Camera Process:

q Moisten the clay with a little bit of water.

information provided by geologists. Fishermen also seek the help of geologists who can explain silting, underwater seismic events, and other factors that may impact the waters. Geologists are usually logical thinkers, good problem solvers and enjoy working outdoors.

Discussion Questions: Would you be interested in a career in geology? Why or why not?

For More Information, Go to: www.kidsgeo.com/geology-for-kids Learning Standards: I can read nonfiction text to learn about careers in science.

w Divide the clay into two equal pieces, and roll it into a ball or use it to form a square.

e Use the plastic wrap to carefully wrap each piece of clay.

r Place one piece of clay into the freezer and leave the other piece on a counter. The clay will stay in the freezer overnight.

t After the clay has sat overnight, take the clay out of the

MATH CONNECTION

Practicing math facts is fun when you use rocks or pebbles. Try these three activities.

q Sorting: Use rocks and pebbles of different shapes, sizes, and colors. Sort them in categories such as small, medium, and large. Sort them by surface: rough or smooth. Sort them by color. Have students decide a rule for sorting their rocks and have the other students guess what rule they used to sort the rocks.

w Calculate It: Use chalk to draw 10 squares on the sidewalk or black top. Label the squares 1-10. Each student will throw two pebbles into a square. The student will then

SCIENCE STARS

AFRICAN AMERICAN GEOCHEMIST: Samuel B. Mukasa

Samuel B. Mukasa was born on September 29, 1955, in Maseno, Kenya. His parents divorced when he was only six years old, and he was raised by his mother. He attended high school in Kampala, Uganda, and then went to the University of New Hampshire in 1977 for his bachelor’s degree in geology. In 1980, he received his master’s degree in geology from Ohio State University. In 1984, Mukasa received his doctorate degree in geochemistry from the University of California.

After graduation, Mukasa worked at the Laboratory at Lamont-Doherty Earth observatory at Columbia University for a few years before he worked as an assistant professor at the University of Florida. In 1989, Mukasa began work at the University of Michigan. In 2007, he was promoted to the dean of the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of New Hampshire.

freezer and unwrap both pieces.

y Make observations. How is the surface of the clay? Do you notice any cracks? Take a picture of both pieces of clay and write your observations in your notebook.

u Place the clay in the freezer and repeat the process for several days. Which piece of clay looks more weathered, the piece that has been frozen or the piece that has been on the counter? What observation can you make about temperature and rocks? How do the cracks change over time?

add, subtract, multiply or divide those two numbers. For an added challenge, you can use 20 squares. e Rock Review: Use a marker to label 20 pebbles with the numbers 1-20. Place them in a sealed bag. Students will take turns drawing two pebbles to practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division skills. For example, if a student draws a 2 and a 6. They can state 2+6=8, 6-2=4, 6x2=12, 6/2=3.

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

Mukasa’s research focused on the plate tectonics of the continents, which describes the motion of the plates covering the earth. He has also participated in several service organizations, including the Polar Research Board of the National Research Council, and the National Science Foundation. Mukasa received an honorary Doctorate of Science by the Nkumba University in Uganda. In 2010, he was elected to serve as president of the Geochemical Society. He has written and received many grants to continue research in the field of geochemistry and has served as a mentor to many students. Most importantly, Mukasa worked with the Science and Technology Recruiting to Improve Diversity and Excellence (STRIDE). STRIDE provides assistance to communities with minorities who wish to pursue higher education after they graduate from high school.

Discussion Questions: What does the prefix “geo” mean in science terms? Can you think of any other types of scientist with “geo” as a prefix? What do you think a geologist or geochemist does?

Learning Standards: I can read a biography to learn about an African American who has made contributions in science, math, technology, or engineering.

Use the newspaper to complete the following activities:

Save the Earth: Think about ways human activity affects our environment. Locate pictures of people solving environmental problems in your community. Cut and paste the pictures in a mural titled, “We Can Save the Earth.”

Future Artifacts: Artifacts help us learn about our history. Locate a picture of something in the newspaper that could someday be used as an artifact. Paste the picture on a piece of paper and write about what the future scientists could learn from the artifact. Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can create a bar graph and make observations.

Ms. Lovins’ 4th Grade Class Griffith Elementary School Griffith Elementary School 4th grade teacher Cathy Lovins shows students Shawn McDaniel, Kevin Williams and Paris Anderson how a pendulum works using an example from the newspaper’s NIE page. Griffith Elementary is in the Ferguson-Florissant School District. Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American Teachers, if you are using the St. Louis American’s NIE program and would like to nominate your class for a Classroom Spotlight, please email:

csewell@stlamerican.com

The word fossil comes from the Latin word “fossilis,” which means “dug up.”

Gigantic pink granite boulders can be found at Elephant Rocks State Park near Graniteville, Mo. The rocks even have names. The largest one is named Dumbo and stands 27 feet tall, 35 feet long, and 17 feet wide. It weighs 680 tons.

The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is the largest living structure in the world.

Rock found at the bottom of the Grand Canyon is around 2 billion years old.

STL needs a different kind of leadership

By Charli Cooksey For The St. Louis American

On Wednesday, October 4, Forward Through Ferguson met with Mayor Lyda Krewson to follow up on the calls to action that we issued in our September 21st statement. We entered the meeting with a belief that our city needs the mayor to be a transformational leader who invests her time, energy, and the full power of her office to effect positive change.

On behalf of our 60 co-signers and the thousands of people who contributed to the Ferguson Commission’s report, we presented the mayor with four immediate opportunities to break the cycle of injustice and racial inequity that have held our city hostage for far too long:

• Be a champion for the creation of an independently managed 25-year Racial Equity Fund that supports those who advance the Calls to Action in the Ferguson Commission Report through resources generated from a public-private partnership.

• Utilize the executive powers of the Mayor’s Office to act on policy changes that address a just use of force investigation, police response to demonstrations, minimization of police use of force, implementation of effective community policing, an independent civilian oversight board

• Increase public accountability and transparency through the rescheduling of public forums that give residents access to the mayor and a voice in her decisionmaking.

• Convene a meeting with County Executive Steve Stenger that calls him to act on policy changes that reflect a regional commitment to Racial Equity.

We invited Mayor Krewson to act in ways that are radically different from how her

predecessors have traditionally used their influence and decision-making power in the St. Louis region. We urged her to commit to solutions that acknowledge the pain and inequitable outcomes people of color in our city experience when engaging with law enforcement and the justice system.

While we and the mayor found some common ground, we left with few substantive commitments. She has yet to embrace, declare, enact and enforce a clear path forward for our city that will transform the business as usual mentality that has retarded our progress and prosperity. What we need right now from Mayor Krewson is not a perfect plan, but an adoption of a culture of trying, an embrace of Dr. King’s wisdom to “take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”

We feel confident that we carried with us the spirit of the community members and Commissioners that contributed to the Ferguson Commission report and the growing energy around racial equity that has since surfaced in places we could have never imagined before the death of Michael Brown. Yet the lives of black

and brown people in our region demand that we be even more unflinching, even more radically collaborative, and even more relentless.

As we step into advocacy for policy and systems change as our core work, we know that we have to take the long view as well as respond to the fierce urgency of now. Getting policy actors and decision makers to change overnight rarely happens. Only steadily applied pressure and partnership can get us to municipal and regional transformation, and ultimately to better lives for the residents of this region.

We must rise to a long-term vision of a racially equitable city. We must grow beyond the confines of who we are today and allow the potential of who we can become to serve as our North Star. We must develop a set of strategies that are sustained by deliberate pressure on and partnership with those who have policy-making power. We must build alliances that push us out of our silos even if that means discomfort.

Elected officials and those with policy power must dare to be different leaders, break out of the ways of the past, and get some policies passed that are authentic, long-term responses for a better St. Louis.

A sign says it all at a police accountability protest in St.

on Friday, October 6.

The civic, business, and philanthropic communities must use the unique power and resources they have to support the 25-Year racial equity fund and to apply pressure and deepen partnerships with policymakers. Let the Calls to Action and the voice of the community inform your advocacy and how you use your influence.

The advocacy, protests, and voices of concerned citizens, organizations, and coalitions: will always be the impetus for change. Persist. Remain unflinching in your advocacy. Use the Ferguson Commission report as the roadmap as we envision a future that we can be confident is worthy of our children.

Our actions in the days, weeks, months, and years ahead will be the true measure of our commitment to racial equity and a better St. Louis that is just for all. We have the power to transform our region and reverse the culture of complacency, privilege, and racism that has stifled us. We call on you to choose to lead and partner differently. Charli Cooksey is the interim lead catalyst at Forward Through Ferguson.

Louis

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

Jennings students hosted by renowned pianist at Powell

County Library sponsors Indie Author Day

Unpublished or selfpublished authors can get important information about getting their writing noticed when they attend St. Louis County Library’s Indie Author Day on Saturday, October 14. The workshop will be held at the Grant’s View Branch, 9700 Musick Road St. Louis, MO 63123, from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

The workshop begins with refreshments and networking after which three local experts will talk about various topics

Indie Author Day Saturday, October 14 Grant’s View Branch, 9700 Musick Road St. Louis, MO 63123, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

important to authors. The first hour-long presentation begins at 9:30 a.m. and is entitled “Social Media for Writers.” At 10:30

a.m., screenwriting will be the topic. At 11:30 a.m., attendees will learn about SELF-e, the library’s free, online selfpublishing site. Self-E allows authors to add their work to St. Louis County Library’s catalog, where it can be checked out by members of the public. The program is free and open to adults and teens, but reservations are required by visiting www.slcl.org/events or calling 314 994-3300.

Orchestra students from Jennings Junior High School and their teacher James McKay visited with pianist, Emanuel Ax after his performance at Powell Hall. Ax visited Jennings High School on Monday, September 25 and invited the students to attend the concert and visit with him afterwards.

What does public distrust in the justice system cost us?

Regional Chamber calls for community policing, civilian overview, court reform

By Joe Reagan For The St. Louis American

As the leader of our region’s Chamber, I have fielded many questions by local and national media about the economic impact from the disruption following the verdict in the Jason Stockley case. The types of economic costs are clear: damaged property, cancelled events, lost wages for employees, lost cash receipts for businesses, and increased costs to local and state government. In the short term, it’s hard to put a number to these costs. These are significant and unfair costs for the businesses, employees and homeowners impacted. But the more important question to ask is

this – what is the long-term economic impact of racial disparity, including the distrust many in our community have in the justice system?

“Forward Through Ferguson” estimates we’ve lost $14 billion in regional GDP due to racial disparity in income based on work done by experts at the University of Missouri St. Louis. That was over two years ago, and the number is likely over $23 billion now.

Inequities are apparent in the justice system as well. Deep mistrust exists and community

hurt abounds from our current system. These inequities have been well documented in numerous ways. We must support systemic changes to break this cycle of mistrust.

PetersLewis

Angelleen PetersLewis will be the next vice president, patient care services and chief nursing officer for BarnesJewish Hospital. Most recently she served as senior vice president of patient care services and system chief nurse at Women & Infants Hospital Rhode Island. Her post-doctoral work included an executive nurse fellowship with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the executive leadership development program at Harvard Business School.

Robert Mock Jr. will be one of nine alumni honored by Southern Illinois University Edwardsville at its 2017 SIUE Alumni Hall of Fame ceremony, “A Night Among the Stars,” on Friday, Oct. 6. Mock, a graduate of the School of Engineering, is president of Johnson & Wales University- Charlotte. With experience in business, the military and higher education, Mock was chosen for exceptional contributions, leadership, character and hard work.

Shelly Williams is the new director of strategic marketing and engagement at LUME Institute, a nonprofit organization founded to elevate the profession of early childhood education by transforming the ways in which educators, families and communities can inspire young children to learn, grow and thrive. Williams previously served as initiative director of American Graduate project at the Nine Network of Public Media.

By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American

Father supporter

One day in 1993, Halbert Sullivan awoke on a bus stop bench in the heart of the “St. Louis ghetto,” he said.

n “If we could draw the dad’s strength and involvement, then we could get rid of a lot of issues that our youth are facing today, and we’d help to break the cycle of poverty.”

– Halbert Sullivan

“Mind you now, I was living in St. Peters for 26 years,” said Sullivan, the founding president and CEO of Fathers’ Support Center. “I said, ‘What am I doing waking up here? I must be crazy. Everyone’s been telling me I need help, and I’m going to go get some.’” At that point, Sullivan had been struggling with drug addiction for 11 years. He’d also been in and out of prison for drug-related offenses. His sister guided him to a drug rehabilitation program that he could get into in three days.

“The things that I heard in rehab made sense,”

Just over two years ago, Forward Through Ferguson proposed a number of calls to action to make lasting positive change in St. Louis. These calls have served as an important input and driver for the Chamber as we advocate for forward-thinking economic policies. We actively supported a number of the calls to action – outlawing “taxation by citation,” setting operating standards for municipal courts, and bringing Missouri’s “use of force statute” in line See SULLIVAN, B2

Tom Bailey was promoted to vice president of Development for the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, Inc. Bailey was the founder of Missouri Black Expo Inc. where he served previously served president of CEO. A graduate of the University of Tulsa, Bailey also served as a local sales manager for KMOV-TV 4.

Jade Powers has joined the Saint Louis Art Museum as the 2017-2018 Romare Bearden Graduate Minority Fellow. The fellowship aims to build a pool of talented young under-represented professionals to work in art-related fields in museums, galleries, non-profit organizations and universities. Before her fellowship at the museum, Powers worked as a gallery facilitator at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis.

Michael Ransom was appointed to the Board of Directors of St. Patrick Center. The Center provides opportunities for self-sufficiency and dignity to people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, through safe and affordable housing, sound mental and physical health, and employment and financial stability. Ransom is a retired captain of the University City Police Department.

Angelleen

Shelly Williams

Michael Ransom

Jade Powers

Robert Mock Jr.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

See REFORM, B6

Halbert Sullivan is 2017 Nonprofit Executive of the Year

Joe Reagan

Tom Bailey

A police officer took some red paint to his riot shield during a protest in The Loop on September 16.

Tips for staying secure online

Learn how to protect yourself against online fraud with these key steps

From First Bank

Online fraud occurs when someone poses as a legitimate source (like your bank, favorite shopping site or internet provider) to obtain your personal information – data that can then be used to conduct transactions on existing accounts.

Fraudsters use a variety of methods to commit online fraud including fake emails, pop-up messages and/or web sites.

“An actual bank would never ask you to provide, verify or update your personal information by sending an email, a text or using a popup message or link,” said Chris Kieffer, Senior Vice President, Director of Product and Segment Management, First Bank. “If you receive such a message that appears to be from your bank requesting you to provide or validate personal information, do not respond.” According to Kieffer, bank representatives may call you regarding activity on your account or you may be contacted through the bank’s automated systems to verify transaction activity on your accounts such as debit card or online banking activity.

“For your protection, most banks will ask you to verify your zip code or transaction activity,” said Kieffer.

LOYOLA

continued from page B1

he said. The people leading the

Another type of fraud can occur, Kieffer points out, when you sell something online.

“Be very suspicious if your buyer issues a check for an amount greater than the cost of the item,” explained Kieffer. “In this type of fraud, the seller is asked to wire the difference back to the purchaser. Frequently, the original check used for the purchase is counterfeit or forged.”

As a result, said Kieffer, the seller is not only out the item but also any money that was returned to the purchaser as an “overpayment.” “You should be suspicious even if the check is a money order or government check,” Kieffer said.

To avoid being a victim of online fraud, First Bank recommends taking these steps:

• Protect your personal information, account numbers, User ID & password, card numbers and PINs. Use caution when providing this information to persons/entities over the Internet.

• Keep your password confidential. Change passwords regularly using a combination of numbers, letters and special characters. Avoid using obvious passwords like mother’s maiden name, children or pet names, Social Security

programs were former drug addicts who had turned their lives around. They now had jobs, homes and families, and that gave him hope that he could have those things too, he said.

Number or date of birth.

• Install and update antivirus software regularly. To learn more about computer security, visit the FTC’s Information Security web site.

• Install anti-spyware on your computer to help prevent your personal and account information from

Sullivan went on to earn a bachelor’s degree at Fontbonne University and a master’s of social work from the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University.

being collected without your knowledge.

• Make sure your computer is updated with the most recent patches and security updates.

• Never send personal or account information using your personal email. To send this information, use the bank’s messaging feature in online banking.

While in his master’s program, two women approached him with the idea for starting the Fathers’ Support Center, which promotes the father’s involvement in their children’s lives through intensive job training, group therapy, community service and parenting workshops.

Since its inception in 1997, the center has served more than 14,000 fathers and their families, transitioning nonparticipating fathers to a position of involvement in the lives of over 40,000 children.

At the start of every program, Sullivan shares his past with the fathers. On July 27, he celebrated 24 years free of the “horrors of addiction,” he said.

“My experiences are deeply imbedded in the methods and strategies that we do in this program,” Sullivan said. “You got to get honest about your situation. You have to accept that you did this; no one did it to you. You got to get started. You can’t keep waiting on tomorrow.”

On Friday, November 17, Sullivan will receive the 2017 Nonprofit Executive of the Year Award at the St. Louis American Foundation’s Salute to Excellence in Business networking luncheon and awards reception, to be held at Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis.

Why does Sullivan think the center’s mission is so important? He rattled off statistics like they were his home address or phone number. About 82 percent of all teenage girls who get pregnant come from fatherless homes. About 73 percent of all high school dropouts, 70 percent of all juveniles in detention, and 65 percent of all homeless and runaway youth have no father in their lives.

“The dad is very important to the child’s psychological and emotional development,” Sullivan said. “If we could draw the dad’s strength and involvement, then we could get rid of a lot of issues that our youth are facing today, and we’d help to break the cycle of poverty.”

Family Formation is the center’s core program. The men who enter the Responsible Fatherhood Project commit to a six-week, full-day program, where they are taught a variety of parenting and life skills. Included in the curriculum

• Immediately delete any emails from an unknown source without opening it. If you do open a suspicious email, never click on a link or attachment provided in the email.

• Prior to sending confidential information or financial transactions through a Web site, look for the lock icon on your status bar in the lower right corner. This signifies information is secure during transmission.

• Be careful when using a computer in a public area where someone could watch you enter your User ID and password.

• Review your account statements promptly and report any discrepancies or suspicious transactions immediately.

• Clean the hard drive of a computer before disposing of it.

First Bank firstbanks. com is one of the largest privately owned banks in the country with $5.93 billion in assets and over 100 locations in Missouri, Illinois, and California.

• Be cautious of emails that warn you that your account may be at risk, fraudulent activity or charges exist on your account or convey a sense of urgency. These often include details of the suspicious activity requesting you respond to the email or ‘click here’ to visit their site to update your information.

is nutritional and financial literacy, mock interviews for employment opportunities, and family bonding experiences. During the final two weeks, clients are required to wear business attire to prepare them for employment opportunities.

“The number one thing that the men and others are facing

n “You got to get honest about your situation. You have to accept that you did this; no one did it to you. You got to get started.”

– Halbert Sullivan

is an economic problem,” Sullivan said. “To solve an economic problem, that starts off with a job. If a guy is having a time with a child and he can’t buy ice cream or cookies, he’s going to soon stop coming around. Because men want to do things; they want to fix stuff.”

When Gary Turner walked into class on his first day at Fathers’ Support Center, he was unemployed, homeless and separated from his children.

Because his children were living in a foster home

n Since 1997, Fathers’ Support Center has served more than 14,000 fathers and their families, transitioning nonparticipating fathers into involvement in the lives of over 40,000 children.

in California, his fight to reconnect with this children was even more difficult than the center’s average participants. Some of the men have an unstable relationship with the mothers of their children; some can’t see their children until they pay child support; others have been imprisoned and need to prove to the courts they’ve been through the center’s training. Turner was legally battling the State of California. The mother of his children was ill and couldn’t care for them in San Francisco. Turner wanted custody, but without a job and home, the prospect seemed impossible. Then Turner found the center. He was placed in

facilitator Willie Streeter’s classroom. Streeter, a graduate from the program himself, could relate well to his new client – a client with hope, but uncertain of what to do or where to go. Streeter took Turner under his wing and made sure he took advantage of the available resources.

Turner found a full-time job in the construction field, and that allowed him to pay rent, pay bills and provide for his children. Once he was back on his feet, the center’s legal services went to bat for Turner in California.

“Gary Turner’s case epitomizes what we do at the Father’s Support Center,” said Lisl Williams, director of legal services. “We had a viable dad here in the state of Missouri. His children were in California in foster care. But for our efforts at the Father’s Support Center, we would have had two boys lost into the foster care system, when they could have been with their father.”

Turner won his fight for full custody of his children and brought them home to St. Louis. He is the proud father of a set of twins – a boy and girl – Cortland and Courtney, 15; Gary Jr., 30; and a stepfather to Amber Horton, 32.

“Watching him with my younger siblings, Courtland and Courtney, is truly amazing,” Horton said. “I don’t know if even two parents could even do what he does by himself.”

This year, the center honored Turner with their Father of the Year award. Turner remains gainfully employed and he makes sure to put his children and their needs first.

Turner said, “Families need to be together and they need their father. This is a rough world out here and, with Dad being around, the dad could help you prepare you for that world.”

The 18th Annual Salute to Excellence in Business Awards & Networking Luncheon will be held Friday, November 17 at the Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis, with a networking reception at 11 a.m. and luncheon program at noon. Tickets are $100 for Preferred/ VIP seating and $75 for general admission. Call 314-533-8000 or visit www. stlamerican.com for more information or to purchase tickets.

“Maybe I don’t have it

- Ben Roethlisberger on throwing five interceptions:

PreP Football Notebook

With Earl Austin Jr.

Trinity Catholic trio receive recognition

By Earl Austin Jr.

Of the St. Louis American

Trinity Catholic is in the middle of a dominating season with an undefeated record and several key players receiving scholarship offers from many of the nation’s top collegiate football programs. Last week, three of Trinity’s top players received special recognition as juniors Isaiah Williams, Marcus Washington and Shammond Cooper were selected to play in the 2019 Under Armour All-American Game.

All three players are enjoying huge seasons for the Titans, who are 7-0 entering their regular season finale against St. Charles on Friday night. In his third year as the starting quarterback, Williams has passed for 1,560 yards and 21 touchdowns. Washington has 19 receptions for 472 yards and eight touchdowns with two interceptions on defense. Cooper is a ferocious middle linebacker who has 37 solo tackles with one sack and one interception.

Miller Career Academy wins PHL championship

Miller Career Academy unseated Gateway STEM as the champions of the Public High League. The Phoenix completed their undefeated PHL slate with a hard-fought 8-7 victory over Gateway STEM last Saturday afternoon. Miller Career Academy is currently the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Class 3, District 2 playoffs, which will begin in two weeks.

Standout Performances

*Pattonville’s Kaleb Eleby passed for 341 yards and three touchdowns in the Pirates’ 34-14 victory over Ritenour.

*Darrione Stewart of Parkway South rushed for 298 yards and three touchdowns in the Patriots’ 42-40 victory over Marquette.

*Hassan Haskins of Eureka rushed for 174 yards and four touchdowns in the Wildcats’ 41-10 victory over Lindbergh.

Aidan Davis, 11, selected for elite international soccer clinic

By Tashan Reed For The St. Louis American

Since the age of seven, Aidan Davis has had a burning passion for soccer.

Aidan spent countless hours watching professional soccer league games boasting world-class athletes playing all over the world. He aspired to reach that level of play and venture to places like Argentina, Spain and Brazil. Later this month, at the ripe age of 11 years old, Aidan will fulfill that dream.

Aidan travels to the FC Barcelona Headquarters in Barcelona, Spain, on October 21 to participate in the annual elite soccer camp known as the FCBEscola Soccer Clinic. The clinic will last through October 30 and includes boys and girls ranging from the ages of 8 to 18.

“He started in kindergarten,” Aidan’s mother Terry Davis said. It was apparent early on that Aidan was gifted. “He had incredible speed. He would outrun a lot of the kids his age. He was fast, he could dribble the ball, you could see that he had some skill there.”

Aidan Davis

“He played soccer with them,” Terry said. “But he wanted to play with a select team because he felt it would give him a little more skill.”

After spending the last couple years playing for select teams in the St. Louis area, Aidan came across another opportunity – this time in the classroom. “He had some classmates that played and they were telling him about the camp this summer,” Terry said. “He begged us to let him do it.”

Terry and her husband Keith Davis relented and allowed Aidan to attend the FCB camp from June 19-23 in St. Charles. The camp featured rigorous drills, extreme playing conditions and stringent competition that challenged and enhanced both his mental and physical skills.

“It was a really good experience for him,” Terry said. The chance for a trip to Spain didn’t present itself until the camp had already begun. The kids who were selected wouldn’t be notified until a couple weeks after its conclusion.

Despite the uncertainty, Aidan was unable to contain his excitement. “When he came home at the end of the soccer camp he was like, ‘I hope I get selected; I hope I get selected,’” Terry said. While the mother always wants the best for her son, she prepared herself to deliver the bad news to her son out of worry that he wouldn’t get chosen.

An email on fourth of July weekend put an end to those doubts. Aidan had been selected.

“We couldn’t believe it, he was so excited,”

By Jeff Pearlman Of

Aidan began his young soccer career at New City School, a private school located in the Central West End. It wasn’t long, however, before Aidan wanted to push himself further.

Photo by Wiley Price

Lutheran North Crusaders Donovan Marshall (2) fights off Mater Dei Knights Mitchell Peltes (79) Friday night gaining 135 yards on 11 carries. The Crusaders would defeat the Knights 59-0.

Earl Austin Jr.

ESPN’s decision to suspend Jemele Hill for two weeks “is so ... pathetic. So ... misguided. So ... cowardly,” writes Jeff Pearlman, her former colleague.

Jayson Tatum returns to his roots

NBA star visits Boys and Girls Club, praises help given to hurricane survivors

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

“I love St. Louis, it’s where I’m from,” said Boston Celtics rookie Jayson Tatum. “The city has done so much for me just growing up here. I always said that I would give back whenever I could. I figured it’s the least I can do.”

He was on the court in Boston Friday night playing a pre-season game, then jumped on a plane back to his hometown. Tatum came to personally meet and congratulate members of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater St. Louis affiliate that collected the most donations for hurricane survivors Saturday morning.

“It was a great cause, first and foremost,” Tatum said. “It’s always good for the platform that I have – in the NBA – to give back, especially where I grew up and where I started playing. That’s why this is so special, because I was in this building 10 years ago playing.” As he waited for the children to arrive, Tatum fondly reflected on seeing other NBA stars come to encourage him – particularly fellow St. Louis native and Chaminade grad Bradley Beal.

“I can remember when Brad, or other NBA players, would come to basketball camps and

FOOTBALL

Continued from C1

*Jameson Williams of Cardinal Ritter had four receptions for 121 yards and two touchdowns in the Lions’ 26-6 victory over Priory.

Pick Game of the Week

JEMELE

Continued from B3

Maksim Chmerkovskiy. She is not employed by ESPN to make you a scrambled egg, to repair your muffler, to entertain you with stories of the olden days with Chaka Khan and Bob Hope.

No. Jemele Hill uses television and social media to

things like that – just the impact that it had,” Tatum said. “For them to come talk to us and take pictures, it was something that I’ll ways remember.”

Before he headed to the gym to be on the other side of that memorable experience, Tatum talked about the worthy cause that brought him home. “There are a lot of things that go on in St. Louis that are not always positive – especially in the inner city,” Tatum said. “For these kids to come together and do something positive is great. There is so much that they see outside of this building – stuff that I saw

Vianney (8-0) at CBC (7-1), Friday, p.m. – The Metro Catholic Conference showdown is the Game of the Year in the regular season. Vianney is currently the No. 1 team in the state in Class 5 while CBC is the No. 1 team in Missouri in Class 6. Both have powerful offenses led by talented quarterbacks. Vianney is led by senior Tionne Harris, who has

opine on sports. And she does it very well.

That’s why ESPN’s decision to suspend her for two weeks is so ... pathetic. So ... misguided. So ... cowardly. In case you have missed this story: on Sunday night Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys, said that any of his players who “disrespects the flag” will not dress for games. Now, whether one agrees or disagrees with Jones (I disagree

when I was younger. Just for them to come together and have an impact on someone else that they will probably never know can go a long way.”

He arrived at the gym ahead of the Riverview Gardens club.

When the children filed from the bus and were directed to the bleachers, screams ensued the moment they saw him. With each child, it was the same response: “Jayson Tatum! It’s Jayson Tatum!” They could barely contain themselves for a group shot with him.

After the photo, Tatum autographed posters and posed for individual photos as

2,236 yards of total offense and 23 touchdowns. CBC’s Brett Gabbert has passed for 1,690 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Vianney’s other top offensive weapon is junior Kyren Williams, who has more than a 1,000 total yards of rushing and receiving while scoring 25 touchdowns. CBC’s top rusher is Bryan Bradford, who has 860 yards and 13 touchdowns. Receiver Cameron Brown has

vehemently), it’s a position that is indisputably up for debate and discussion. Hence, Hill (like hundreds of thousands of others on social media) weighed in, firing off the following five Tweets:

Tweet 1 – If you strongly reject what Jerry Jones said, the key is his advertisers. Don’t place the burden squarely on the players.

Tweet 2 – This play always work. Change happens when advertisers are impacted. If you feel strongly about JJ’s statement, boycott his advertisers.

Tweet 3 – Or, how about not patronizing the advertisers who support the Cowboys? You can

the children danced along to the music – which included “Jayson Tatum,” a tribute of sorts from local rapper LA4$$.

The club’s step team presented him with a special performance snippet.

Afterwards, 8-year-old Mekhi Norman walked by the back wall of water, blankets, sheets, detergent, toiletries and other home essentials. He was beaming with pride about what his club had done.

“It feels so good to be helping the people hurt by the hurricane,” Mekhi said. “I’m happy that we are helping them to live. Some of those people

43 receptions for 593 yards and seven touchdowns while Tyler Walton has 35 receptions for 583 yards and six touchdowns.

Other Top Games of the Week

St. Mary’s (7-1) at Cardinal Ritter (7-1), Friday, 7 p.m.

Rock Bridge (6-2) at Francis

watch and do that, right?

Tweet 4 – If the rationale behind JJ’s stance is keeping the fanbase happy, make him see that he is underestimated how all of his fanbase feels Tweet 5 – Cowboys have a huge national following. Lot of black & brown folks are Cowboys fans. What if they turned their backs on them?

More than a day later, I keep waiting for the sinister sixth tweet -- the one where she calls for death to America’s first born or urges children to stab, then eat, their family hamsters. Surely, ESPN had a strong reason for the suspension. Surely, Hill crossed an ugly line that no righteous journalist

n “That’s why this is so special, because I was in this building 10 years ago playing.”

– Jayson Tatum

died because they didn’t have any water.”

On the other side of the gym, the children squared off on PlayStation 4 for a chance to play Tatum in a four-minute game of NBA 2K18.

Sitting directly under a basketball net, Jammie Payne, 11, faced Tatum on the virtual court for bragging rights.

“Are you nervous?” Tatum asked Jammie. He shook his head no.

“You should be,” Tatum said with a grin. Turns out, they were both bluffing.

Jammie faced Tatum’s

Howell (6-2), Friday, 7 p.m.

Lindbergh (7-1) at Marquette (xx), Friday, 7 p.m.

Parkway North (4-4) at Pattonville (5-3), Friday, 7 p.m.

Timberland (5-3) at Fort Zumwalt North (8-0), Friday, 7 p.m.

Edwardsville (4-3) at Belleville

should ever cross. Surely ...

Um, no. There is no sixth tweet.

What we’re witnessing here is a pathetic step-by-step bullying chain that would make any elementary school teacher send the tykes to the principal’s office.

Step 1: President Donald Trump (a man who got five deferments to avoid serving in Vietnam, and has a history of mocking POWs who did serve and also Gold Star families) latches on to the complaint of some, that players’ actions disrespect the military, and decides that he too believes that NFL players peacefully, quietly kneeling during the anthem are somehow defiling America.

Step 2: He blasts the league, then ships Mike Pence to Indianapolis (taxpayer price tag: an estimated $242,500) to make a show out of storming from the 49ers-Colts game in faux outrage.

Step 3: Jones, a $1 million Trump backer who one week earlier took a knee alongside his men before the anthem and then locked arms with them as it was played, sees the tide turning, and issues his proclamation.

Step 4: Hill, my former colleague and one of the most socially conscious professionals in sports media, calls out the nonsense in a sane and relatively muted manner.

To be clear, this is pure nonsense.

The Dallas owner won’t allow anyone who takes a knee during the “Star-Spangled Banner” to be a Cowboy. He will, however, willingly sign

“Jammie,

“I was so nervous at first,” Jammie said during his postgame interview. “But once I was in the lead, I knew I could beat him – and after that I knew that I was going to win.”

Once the game was over, the young people lined up for lunch – Imo’s Pizza courtesy of Tatum, the company’s new spokesperson. Tatum, who is less than two weeks out from his first regular season in the NBA, walked away from the court that gave him his start and headed back to Boston.

“It’s everything I could have dreamed of,” Tatum said. “Ever since I was a kid I wanted to be in the NBA. I didn’t know what exact team I’d be playing for, but I always knew that it was dream – and I wanted to make it come true. Right now, I’m just enjoying the moment of living my dream.”

West (5-2), Friday, 7 p.m.

Hillsboro (6-2) at MICDS (6-2), Saturday, 1 p.m.

Riverview Gardens (6-2) at Hazelwood Central (7-1), Saturday, 1 p.m.

Confluence (5-2) at McCluer South-Berkeley (6-0), Saturday, 1 p.m.

an abuser of women, as he did in 2015 with defensive end Greg Hardy. He will, also willingly, sign a man arrested for assault and felony vandalism, as he did Pacman Jones in 2008. But, hey, kneeling during the anthem? That’s un-American. Truth be told, I expect Donald Trump to behave as a dolt and Mike Pence a lemming; Trump’s predictable response came on Twitter early this morning: “With Jemele Hill at the mike, it is no wonder ESPN ratings have ‘tanked,’ in fact, tanked so badly it is the talk of the industry!”

I’m also neither shocked nor dumbfounded by Jerry Jones –a man whose head is swelled as a large as his stadium – acting like the egomaniacal oaf we know and tolerate.

As a former ESPN. com columnist, however, I am once again let down by the network’s unwillingness to back an employee. Over the past few months, Hill has stood as a proud and important voice against a power-hungry president who uses slimy dog whistle tactics to mix hate and class with venom. She speaks (and tweets) truth about the transparent racism in athletics and politics, makes points that need to be made. ESPN, meanwhile, cowers like a cornered bunny. It fears the president. It fears the NFL. It fears backlash and, of course, it fears lost revenues. What it should fear most, however, is the inevitable conclusion to this episode. Lost dignity.

The St. Louis American is a CNN-Wire affiliate.

Celtics as The San Antonio Spurs. He proved too much for Tatum, who maneuvered his likeness on the game while being matched up against Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard.

Jammie, Jammie!” the Riverview Gardens Club chanted from the bleachers.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

SportS eye

With Alvin A. Reid

‘Blame the black guy’ finds its way into Cardinal clubhouse

Regardless of their respective success, most black professionals are wary of a tried-and-true tactic by a boss or co-worker who is having a tough time on the job.

It’s called “blame the black guy or gal.”

I’m surprised that PostDispatch sports columnist Jose de Jesus Ortiz, who seems fair-minded, was duped by someone on the St. Louis Cardinals roster into falling for this old, shameful game.

Ortiz assassinated Dexter Fowler’s work ethic and his commitment to the “Cardinal Way” and his teammates in a column earlier this week.

“When teams are winning, teammates hardly ever bother to notice or even care if Dexter Fowler is usually the last guy in the clubhouse and one of the first to leave,” Ortiz wrote.

“When teams struggle, though, teammates roll their eyes and pay close attention to the new guys. They complain and moan if they return to the home clubhouse after a pivotal late September game and realize that one of their veterans has practically beat the fans out of Busch Stadium after the final out. They notice if that veteran even bothered to go to the dugout or if he shagged balls in the outfield more than a dozen times all season.”

Every one of those things could have been said about Mark McGwire – a Cardinal Hall of Fame member.

Ortiz continued, “When teams are winning, the chess set, Brett Cecil’s video games and Jedd Gyorko’s ping pong prowess are embraced as great ways of relieving stress.”

An anonymous (spineless, gutless) Cardinal told Ortiz, “Look around, and see how

Dexter Fowler stretched before a game against the Chicago Cubs at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on April 6. An anonymous (spineless, gutless) Cardinal player told question his work ethic and commitment to the “Cardinal Way” in a post-season interview with a Post-Dispatch sports columnist.

many of the guys making these mistakes came up through other organizations.”

Some guy on the team went straight to “blame the black guy.” He tossed in Cecil and Gyorko to cover his tracks. Don’t be fooled. Fowler was the target of this offbase tirade and Ortiz took the bait hook, line and sinker.

It’s also interesting that Ortiz unleashed this foolishness after the season was over and he doesn’t have to see Fowler until spring training. There is a strong chance Gyorko and Cecil will be elsewhere next season.

What makes Ortiz’s attack on Fowler and the others felonious is that the two biggest violators of the so-called sacred Cardinal Way this season were Matt Carpenter and Stephen Piscotty. Carpenter is the

embodiment of selfishness, poor base-running and nonsituational hitting. While I’m at it, Yadier Molina doesn’t hustle on all ground balls and he called out the manager on social media, not once but twice. He’s homegrown.

A Cardinal player trying to cover his own rear end threw Fowler and the other two guys under a bus – and Ortiz was more than happy to drive over them without a thought.

Chris Thompson of Deadspin took on Ortiz’ column, calling it “ridiculous.”

“What has always been adorable about the whole Cardinal Way mythology is the way it confuses basic good baseball – covering first base on a grounder to the right side, running the bases in the proper order instead of driving a clown

car around the infield willynilly – with some specific ethos of the St. Louis Cardinals,” Thompson wrote.

“The Cardinal Way isn’t playing the right way, it’s making a big (bleeping) deal out of playing the right way, tying things like locker room behavior and aesthetic preferences to basic on-field professionalism. It’s not enough to play hard and well – you also have to be a somber baseball monk who is willing to show up at the ballpark at 3 a.m., in order to ensure nobody beats you there.”

I have this warning for Ortiz. When there isn’t a black guy or gal around to blame (and there are no black sports columnists or beat writers at the PostDispatch), a brown guy will do just fine. Watch your back, my man.

SOCCER

Continued from B3

Terry said. The fifth grader stood out among hundreds of other kids that participated in the FCB camp. It was one of 20 camps that FC Barcelona held throughout the United States.

FC Barcelona official coaches evaluated more than 5,000 American players and less than 10 percent were picked for the clinic. Aidan and the other youths selected will represent the United States as they compete against other elite Barcelona soccer clubs.

The group of young players will live separately from their parents in designated quarters and undergo a strict diet and training regimen.

Their activities will take them everywhere from the beach to Camp Nou, the official home stadium for FC Barcelona.

For Aidan, the trip won’t only be about soccer. He’ll have the chance to engage in

valuable cultural activities and immerse himself in the Spanish way of living. “Learning about a different way of living outside of the United States is a lesson in itself,” Terry said. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for

Janel Dean

The senior standout has qualified for this week’s Missouri State tennis championships in Springfield. In the Class 2, District 5 tournament, Dean and doubles partner Giselle Krikorian took home the championship. She was also a district champion in singles and runner-up finisher in the sectional tournament.

Dean will be making her third consecutive appearance at the state tennis championships. As a sophomore, she qualified for the state tournament in Kansas before moving to the St. Louis area.

The freshman wide receiver from Rochester, IL enjoyed a big day in the Spartans’ victory over LindenwoodBelleville last Saturday.

The 6’1” 180pound Cox caught three passes for 170 yards and one touchdown in Missouri Baptist’s 50-16 victory. His touchdown reception was from 72 yards. For the season, Cox has 18 receptions for 391 yards and three touchdowns. He is averaging 21.7 yards per reception and 65 yards per game.

Joi Wilson Webster University Women’s Soccer

The freshman forward from Tracy, CA enjoyed a productive week in two victories for the Gorloks.

Wilson scored one goal in Webster’s 1-0 victory over Blackburn. She followed up with one goal and two assists in a 12-1 victory over Iowa Weslyan. For the season, Wilson has scored eight goals and recorded two assists, for the 11-1 Gorloks, who are currently in first place in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC).

Aidan Davis

Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

Alvin A. Reid

REFORM

continued from page B1

with federal standards.

Our top legislative priority in Missouri for the past two years has been implementation of a state Earned Income Tax Credit, an Opportunity to Thrive call to action that puts more money in the pockets of our working families and helps grow our economy. We’ve taken accountability to get this done – not by ourselves – by unifying public and private sector leaders to make it happen.

Together, we have made progress, but clearly not enough.

The Ferguson Commission process was about hearing from everyone in the community who wished to add his or her voice to the conversation. It was about sharing experiences with those who did not have the same experience, and often it was about having difficult conversations about what was needed to bring about positive change in our region. It was about putting forward meaningful solutions.

We believe the Ferguson Commission report remains the region’s best roadmap. It will be ours. In particular:

We must take the Forward Through Ferguson Calls to Action and come together to define what we expect from community policing. We have an opportunity in the hiring of a new police commissioner for the City of St. Louis to ensure commitment to this law enforcement best practice. The Chamber will advocate with elected officials and the Citizen Advisory Committee to reinforce that a community policing mindset comes from the top and should permeate all policies and training.

We will continue to advocate for laws requiring that regional law enforcement agencies achieve professional accreditation to ensure residents are provided highquality policing and that law enforcement officers have clear guidance and access

to best-in-class training.

We support consolidation of training facilities and departments where appropriate to improve training quality and government efficiency. We will work with legislators and stakeholders on legislation that will combat racial profiling in law enforcement in a meaningful and effective way in order to restore community trust in the police.

We must work with the judicial watchdog groups in our region to ensure that our municipal courts are following the existing minimum standards, and demand that further consolidation and adoption of model standards occur.

We must provide transparent and fair civilian oversight of our police and create an unbiased approach to investigating law enforcement use of deadly force cases. Our police officers work hard every day to protect us. Independent review will provide accountability and honor the work of so many who serve us well.

After many of the accounts over the past few weeks, we must ensure that police procedures and responses to

mass demonstrations across our region are proportional and consistent with the highest professional standards. We welcome the call of Mayor Lyda Krewson and Interim Chief Lawrence O’Toole for an independent investigation into allegations of disproportionate response by police on peaceful demonstrators. This must be swift and transparent.

We as a community must recognize that holding our law enforcement professionals to the standards we expect requires appropriate compensation and training. Our police have a very difficult job. We must support better pay, equipment and training. That includes world-class training in social interaction, implicit bias, and cultural awareness.

Let’s face our reality together as one community. It should not take occurrences like these to renew our focus on racial equity. This must be our urgent and ongoing work. These words of Martin Luther King, Jr. describe our reality:

“We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life

and history, there “is” such a thing as being too late. … this is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.”

If our political and civic willpowers align now, our elected and appointed leaders can move this agenda forward by introducing specific legislation, regulations and policies in the appropriate governing bodies. With this “vigorous and positive action” St. Louis will begin 2018 on a more certain path to restore trust in the justice system.

No one leader can make this happen by themselves. Any one leader can step forward to lead us.

Addressing the reality of racial disparities and mistrust in the justice system with bold, united action will create momentum for St. Louis toward true economic development and regional growth.

The opportunity cost of inaction for St. Louis is staggering – over $13 million in lost GDP per day and rising.

So the most important economic impact question to ask is: “Why not now?”

Joe Reagan is president of the St. Louis Regional Chamber.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

U City Chamber crowd-funds for Loop businesses

The University City Chamber of Commerce established a crowd-funding site for people wishing to donate to Delmar Loop businesses vandalized on the third night of ongoing protests of the not-guilty verdict in the Jason Stockley murder trial. To donate online, please go to https:// universitycitychamber.com/store/delmar-loop-donations. Donations can also be made via a mail-in check, made out to the University City Chamber of Commerce, 7700 Olive Blvd., University City, Missouri 63130 and a note that it is for Delmar Loop businesses. Of course, as Mary Adams, executive director of the University City Chamber of Commerce, said, people can also “visit the Loop, patronize the shops and restaurants, view the art that now covers boarded up windows, and show your support by walking through their doors.” For more information, visit www. universitycitychamber.com.

Glassdoor bans ads that discriminate against people with criminal backgrounds

Glassdoor announced on October 4 that it is expanding its Terms of Use to explicitly prohibit job ads that unlawfully discriminate against people with criminal backgrounds. Every month more than 47 million people visit Glassdoor’s website, which holds more than 33 million reviews and insights on approximately 700,000 companies, and more than 120,000 employers have a profile on the site.

Last year, Glassdoor signed onto the Obama administration’s Fair Chance Business Pledge and also created a Fair Chance Pledge badge that companies can add to their profile to state their commitment to maintaining hiring and training programs for individuals with criminal records. Nearly 200 employers have signed onto the Fair Chance Pledge.

Photo by Vincent Lang

Protestors confront police during a demonstration in St. Louis on September 29.

Living It

Art as an ode to blackness A passion for music, and making a difference

Kayia Smith directs school at Pianos for People

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

When Kayia Smith talks about the students she works with as director of the piano school for Pianos for People, her eyes light up and her smile becomes as bright as the keys she teaches them to play.

“I really feel blessed and happy when I get up in the morning to come here,” Smith said. “I know that I’m touching lives and I’m making a difference in the community. I’m doing all that I can do to be a part of the solution to the problems that we have.”

In the five years since Pianos for People was formed to honor co-founder Tom Townsend’s son Alex, a lover of art and music who was tragically killed in a car accident, the organization has had a lasting impact on the region.

n Last year, the Arts and Education Council honored Pianos for People as “Arts Innovator of the Year.”

In 2012, the non-profit Pianos for People delivered their first refurbished piano. By August of 2017, the organization reached the milestone of 200. Last year, the Arts and Education Council honored the organization as “Arts Innovator of the Year.”

The focus of the organization expanded quickly, and compelled them additionally become a resource for those who could not otherwise afford to learn how to play. Smith is the school’s founding director. She has watched the teaching program more than triple from the 45 students that were a part of her inaugural class in 2014.

Like the piano gifting and delivery element of Pianos for People, the classes are free of charge and available based on financial need.

“These kids deserve the same opportunity as everybody else,” Smith said. “And they come in here and come ready. They engage. They are smart and respectful. They are good kids. Their parents want them to have an opportunity like most parents do.”

Thanks to her parents, Smith had the access to nurture her love of music. At the age of 7,

See PIANO, C4

Mickalene Thomas intentionally expresses universal beauty of women of color

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

With her dark glasses, black suit and patent leather loafers, Mickalene Thomas was the epitome of cool as she sat on stage at The Saint Louis Art Museum Friday evening.

The New York based artist is a hot ticket in the fine arts community. For an hour, Simon Kelly, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art for The Saint Louis Art Museum and Lisa Melandri, Director of the Contemporary Art Museum Friday picked Thomas’ brain about the work and her journey as an artist.

Just as she makes clear with Mickalene Thomas: Mentors, Muses, and Celebrities, an exhibition of film, video, photography, currently installed at The Contemporary Art Museum through December 31, her work is an expression of – and celebration of – blackness.

Kelly and Melandri talked about the many mediums in which Thomas uses for her art –particularly her transition into photography and her use of collage. Her work was displayed on a

huge screen to the left of where the three were sitting.

“I captured an element in photography that I couldn’t in my paintings,” Thomas said. “That these are real women, and all the beauty and essence that comes with that – and all of the layers

‘The Wiz’ comes to COCA

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

As the founder and Producing Director of The St. Louis Black Repertory Company, Himes has directed “The Wiz” many, many times.

But when he spoke of helming the upcoming production at COCA, he was excited – almost giddy – like it was his first.

“I really can’t wait for them to see Dorothy,” said Ron Himes. “That is such an iconic role in black musical theater. It’s always really exciting for audiences when they see a young person step into that role – and really own it.”

A more than 40-year veteran of producing black theater, Himes will make his COCA directorial debut next weekend when “The Wiz” plays October 20-22.

“It feels like the beginning of something that

Ron Himes directs arts organization’s production of black musical theatre classic

could be really good,” Himes said. “There are a lot of ways that our work compliments each other.”

The funky, soulful remix on the classic “The Wizard of Oz,” the original Broadway production took home seven Tony Awards in 1975. The show went on to launch several careers –

including a young Stephanie Mills in the role of Dorothy. Berry Gordy’s film adaptation – which starred Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Richard Pryor, Lena Horne and original cast member Mabel King – became a black film favorite.

“So many people think The Wiz is that film with Michael Jackson and Diana Ross,” Himes said. “A lot of them are not familiar with the original Broadway production.”

His cast is included in those unaware of the rich stage history of “The Wiz.”

“One day the company was working on one of the ensemble numbers,” Himes said. “And to encourage them, I said, ‘you know who was singing these songs in the pit during the original Broadway production?’ They said, ‘who?’

of who she is.” In Thomas’ portrait Din, Une Tres Belle Negresse, a chocolate-colored woman with full lips wearing black lipstick and a huge afro wig

Contemporary Art Museum

St. Louis Director Lisa Melandri, renowned visual artist Mickalene Thomas and Simon Kelly, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art for the Saint Louis Art Museum discuss Thomas’ work before an audience in The Farrell Auditorium of SLAM Friday evening.

Photo by Wiley Price

Kayia Smith, director of the piano school for Pianos for People.

Photo by Wiley Price

COCA’s presentation of the musical theatre classic ‘The Wiz’ will run October 20-22.

How to place a calendar listing

1. Email your listing to calendar@stlamerican. com OR

2. Visit the calendar section on stlamerican.com and place your listing

Calendar listings are free of charge, are edited for space and run on a space-available basis.

concerts

Fri., Oct. 13, 5 p.m., National Blues Museum presents Howlin’ Fridays with Matthew Lesch, National Blues Museum, 615 Washington Ave. For more information, visit https://www. nationalbluesmuseum.org/ events/live-music/

Fri., Oct. 13, 7 p.m., “RAW” EP Release Concert. Join us in a night of music, singing, theater, and dance. Harris Stowe State University, 3026 Laclede Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www. facebook.com.

Fri., Oct. 13, 8 p.m., The Gaslight Cabaret Festival presents An Evening with Paula West. 358 N. Boyle Ave., 63108. For more information, visit www. gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

Sun., Oct. 15, 4 p.m., National Blues Museum presents Soulful Sunday with Uncle Albert, National Blues Museum, 615 Washington Ave. For more information, visit https://www. nationalbluesmuseum.org/ events/live-music/

Sat., Oct. 21, 8 p.m., Chaifetz Arena presents Janet Jackson: State of the World Tour. 1 S. Compton Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www.ticketmaster.com.

Sat., Oct. 21, 8 p.m., An Evening with Cedric The Entertainer and Friends featuring Sheila E. The Peabody Opera House, 1400 Market. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit http://www.ssmhealthstmarys. org/cedric-and-friends/t. Sheila E.

Sun., Oct. 22, 5 pm Chuck Flowers: Up Close & Personal with Darrell Mixon/upright bass, Leland Crenshaw/acoustic guitar and David A. N. Jackson, BB’s

Jazz Soups and Blues, 700 S. Broadway.

Fri., Nov. 3, 8 p.m., Anthony Gomes - Live in St. Louis, The Old Rock House. 1200 S. 7th St. For more information, visit http://www. anthonygomes.com

special events

Oct. 12- Oct. 14, Helium Comedy Club presents Sinbad. 1151 St. Louis Galleria, 63117. For more information, visit www. heliumcomedy.com.

Thur., Oct. 12, 11 a.m., Choice Career Fair St. Louis. Walk in and start interviewing with hiring decision makers. Double Tree Westport, 1973 Craigshire Rd., 63146. For more information and to register, visit www.eventbrite. com.

Sat., Oct. 14, 12:30 p.m., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Omicron Theta Omega Chapter and Harris Stowe State University present the HBCU Awareness College Fair. Emerson Performance Center, 3026 Laclede Ave., 63103. For more information, email henscsc@gmail.com.

Sun., Oct. 15, 12 noon, Everything St. Louis Trivia Fundraising Event sponsored by Monsignor John Shocklee Court, St Louis Catholic Academy, 4720 Carter Av, St Louis, MO 63115. For more information, call (314) 6884405.

Tues., Oct. 17, 6 p.m., St. Louis Career Fair. Meet employers looking to hire in the areas of telemarketing, customer service, financial services, sales, and more. Double Tree Westport, 1973 Craigshire Rd., 63146. For more information and to

register, visit www.eventbrite. com.

Thurs., Oct. 19, 6 p.m., Operation Food Search’s Food and Wine Pairing Event, Operation Food Search, 1644 Lotsie Blvd. For more information, visit http://www. cooklearnshare.org

Thurs., Oct. 19, 6:30 p.m., Westminster Christian Academy Open House, Westminster Christian Academy, 800 Maryville Centre Drive, Town and Country, MO. For more information, visit https://wcastl.org/prospectivestudents/

Fri., Oct. 20, 5 p.m., Goody Two Shoes by CB Launch Party, Bridgeton Rec Center, 4201 Fee Fee Rd, Bridgeton, 63044. For more information, email: cbrown@ goodytwoshoesbycb.com

Fri., Oct. 20, 6 p.m., The SoulFisher Ministries invites you to the 4th Annual AGAPE Gala. Andre’s Banquet and Catering, 4254

Telegraph Rd., 63129. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Sat., Oct. 21, 12 p.m., Black Nurses Association of Greater St. Louis invites you to their First Annual Scholarship Luncheon Catering To You, 12777 New Halls Ferry Rd., 63134. For more information, visit www. bnast.louis.org.

Sat., Oct. 28, 9 a.m., Gateway Classic Cars first, “Trunk or Treat”! Cruise in with your classic, exotic or muscle car. Fill your trunk with candy for the kids. Free Admission! For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/ pg/GatewayClassicCars/ events/?ref=page_internal

Sun., Oct. 29, 4 p.m., Lash Loft 10 Year Anniversary Day Soirée, Vue 17, 1034 S. Brentwood, 17th Floor. For more information, visit https://www.eventbrite. com/e/lash-loft-10-yearanniversary-day-soireetickets-37933767921

Transformation-in-the-21stCentury-.aspx

Thur., Oct. 19, 7 p.m., St. Louis County Library hosts author Brit Bennett, author of The Mothers. A story of love and ambition that asks whether a “what if” can be more powerful than an experience. 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd., 63131. For more information, visit www.slcl.org.

Thur., Oct. 19, 7 p.m., Left Bank Books hosts author Mark Bowden, author of Hue 1968: A Turning Point of the American War in Vietnam An in depth look at the Tet Offensive.

Tues., Oct. 24, 4:30 p.m., Library Faculty Book Talk Series: Paul Steinbeck, author of Message to Our Folks: The Art Ensemble of Chicago. Olin Library, Washington University, 1 Brookings Dr., 63130. For more information, visit www.music.wustl.edu.

Fri., Nov. 3, 5 p.m. and Sat. Nov. 4, 12 noon, St. Louis Indie Book Fair, more than 100 titles from over 60 authors from which to choose, with 15 authors present to sell and sign their books. Kranzberg Arts Center in Grand Center. For more information, visit http:// www.stlouisindiebookfair.org

Sat., Nov. 4, 11:30 a.m., 42nd Annual Soroptimist International of Greater St Louis Fall Fashion Show, 2050 Dorsett Village Plaza, Maryland Heights, MO 63043. For more information, visit http://www.soroptimiststlouis. com/.

Sat., Nov. 4, 5:30 p.m., The American Cancer Society Champions of Hope Gala, led by the CEOs Against Cancer of Missouri – St. Louis Chapter Members. Presented by World Wide Technology, Inc. and The Steward Family Foundation will feature Patrice Rushen, Sheldon Concert Hall and Art Galleries, 3648 Washington Blvd. For more information, visit http:// www.championshopegala.org

Nov. 4, 7 p.m., Dillon International National Adoption Month dinner and benefit concert featuring Emmy Award-winning classical jazz pianist-composer/ Dillon adoptive father Michael Silverman and Grammy Artist/ renowned saxophonist Eric Marienthal. Mandarin House Banquet Hall 8004 Olive. For more information, visit http:// www.dillonadopt.com

literary

Tues., Oct. 17, 5:30 p.m., Book launch event for “Smart Decarceration: Advancing Criminal Justice Transformation in the 21st Century.” Join Carrie Pettus-Davis, PhD, co-editor of “Smart Decarceration: Advancing Criminal Justice Transformation in the 21st Century,” for a reading and panel discussion. ClarkFox Forum, Hillman Hall, Brown School, Washington University. For more information, visit https:// csd.wustl.edu/events/ ConferencesAndSymposia/ Pages/Discussion-with-coeditor-of-Smart-DecarcerationAdvancing-Criminal-Justice-

Fri., Oct. 13, 7 p.m., St. Louis Art Museum presents Come to Your Senses: African Arts, Sensiotics and Understanding of Persons, Cultures, and Histories. African Art Lecture in honor of Tom Alexander. 1 Fine Arts Dr., 63110. For more information, visit www.slam. org. Sat., Oct. 21, 11 a.m., Art on Campus Walking Tour of artworks recently installed throughout the Danforth Campus as part of the Art on Campus program, led by Leslie Markle, curator for public art. The tour will begin at Bauer Hall and will include stops at the Sumers Recreation Center, the South 40, and Hillman and Umrath Halls For more information, visit http:// www.kemperartmuseum.wustl. edu/events/tours/12196 lectures and workshops

Fri., Oct. 13, 7 p.m., Identifying Physical and Mental Abuse. Learn about indicators of abuse, effects of abuse, and resources for victims. Grace Gospel Temple, 2407 Droste Rd., 63301. For more information, call (314) 503-4667.

Sat., Oct. 14, 8:30 a.m., Beyond Housing presents a Home Buyer Education Class Learn more about the benefits of homeownership and if buying a home is right for you. 24:1 Excel Center, 6724 Page Ave., 63133. For more information, visit www. beyondhousing.org.

Sat., Oct. 14, 10 a.m., Great Commission Center presents ABC’s of Savings Youth Financial Workshop. Midland Bank and PNC Bank will teach youth 18 and under about banking and saving. 121 N. Harvey Ave., 63135. For more

Kenya Vaughn recommends

Chaifetz Arena presents Janet Jackson: State of the World Tour. For more information, see CONCERTS.

information or to register visit www.eventbrite.com.

Sun., Oct. 15, 3:30 p.m.,

Celebrating Civil Rights: A Two Part Tribute to Dick Gregory. Part I: Honoring a Civil Rights Legend. Part II will take place Nov. 30. Graham Chapel, Washington University, 1 Brookings Dr., 63105. For more information visit www.eventbrite.com.

Wed., Oct. 18, 5:30 p.m., So Reel: Economic Justice – Lessons in Connection from the Cowry Collective. Learn how local people are changing economic inequality. Phyllis Wheatley Heritage Center, 2711 Locust St., 63103. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Wed., Oct. 18, 6:30 p.m., The Scholarship Foundation invites you to a FAFSA Workshop. Learn about The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and completion assistance is available by appointment. 6825 Clayton Ave., 63139. For more information, visit www.sfstl. org.

Thur., Oct. 19, 6 p.m., Panel

Discussion: Injury, Trauma, and Repair. Explore issues relating to trauma and repair in conjunction with the opening of Kader Attia: Reason’s Oxymorons. Kemper Art Museum, 1 Brookings Dr., 63130. For more information, visit www.kemperartmuseum. wustl.edu.

Fri., Oct. 27, 5 p.m.,

TEDxGatewayArch – a TEDlicensed event featuring talks in the renowned TED Talk style, creative performances, and innovative exhibits –will take place for the fifth consecutive year. Touhill Performing Arts Center on the University of MissouriSt. Louis (UMSL) campus at 1 University Blvd. For more information, visit http://www.

TEDxGatewayArch.org

Tues., Nov. 7, 9 a.m., Starting a Business in Missouri: The First Steps, Missouri Job Center, 715 Northwest Plaza Dr. For more information, visit https://www. missouribusiness.net

theatre

Fri., Oct. 13, 7 p.m., Phil Woodmore Singers presents Antigone in Ferguson. Performance will be followed by a discussion. Harris Stowe State University, 3026 Laclede Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Kenya Vaughn recommends

Sat., Oct. 14, 6 p.m., The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show, Hotel Lumiere at The Arch. For more information, visit https:// www.thedinnerdetective.com/ st-louis/

Sat., Oct. 14, 7 p.m., The Drum Major Instinct. See Dr. Martin Luther King’s final sermon performed in a dramatic reading. Harris Stowe State University, 3026 Laclede Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Through October 15, Fox Theatre presents The Bodyguard The Musical starring Deborah Cox. 527 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, visit www. fabulousfox.com.

Sunday Oct.15th 3 p.m., JE’CARYOUS JOHNSON presents TWO CAN PLAY THAT GAME: The Stageplay, an all-star cast including film star Vivica A. Fox, Vivian Green, Gary Dourdan, Columbus Short, Porsha Williams, Carl Payne and more, The Peabody Opera House, 1400 Market Str.For more information call 314499-7600.

Thur., Oct. 19, 7 p.m., R-S

Theatrics presents Falling to Find Me with Marshall Jennings. Examine the notion that perhaps pain is instrumental in sculpting our lives. The Monocle, 4510 Manchester Ave., 63110. For more information, visit www.eventbrite.com.

Oct. 20 – 22, COCA presents The Wiz. The Black Rep’s Ron Himes directs this upbeat retelling of Dorothy and her crew’s adventure through the Land of Oz. 524 Trinity Ave., 63130. For more information, visit www.cocastl.org/event/ the-wiz.

health

Thur., Oct. 12, 6 p.m., Lifelong Vision Foundation presents The Eye Ball. Help support our programs such as free vision exams and glasses for low-income families. The Hilton St. Louis Frontenac, 1335 S. Lindbergh Blvd., 63131. For more information, visit www. lifelongvisionfoudation.org.

Fri., Oct. 13, 7 p.m., Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri’s Centennial Community Celebration.

24:1 Cinema will host the St. Louis premiere of the acclaimed film ‘For Ahkeem’. See FILM for details.

Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112. For more information, visit www. ppaction.org.

Sat., Oct. 14, 7:30 a.m., Dynamic Participators Enterprise, Inc. presents 5K Prayer Walk/Run and Inaugural Community Health Expo. 5195 Maple Ave., 63113. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Sat., Oct. 14, 9 a.m., Shalom Church City of Peace presents Health Fest. Counseling services, chiropractic care, vision testing, mammograms, and much more. For more information and to pre-register, call (314) 653-2322.

Thurs., Oct. 19, 7 a.m., Touchette Regional Hospital to Host 4th Annual Mammothon Breast Cancer Screening Event. For more information, visit http://www. touchette.org/start-now.htm

Sat., Oct. 21, 8 a.m., 14th Annual Second Wind Lung Walk & 5K Race. Forest Park Visitor’s Center, 5595 Grand Ave., 63112. For more information, call (314) 6646360.

Sun., Oct. 22, 8 a.m., 2017 Walk to Feed The Hungry, a 5K walk to benefit Buddhist Global Relief, founded by Bhikkhu Bodhi, Sons of Rest Pavilion [SE corner of park] in Tower Grove Park For more information, or to register, visit http://www.maba-usa.org/ BuddhistGlobalReliefWalk

Oct. 13 – 15, Greater Fellowship Baptist Church presents Men of Integrity Annual Weekend: Men of Integrity Walking in the Light. 5941 Lillian Ave., 63136. For more information, visit www. facebook.com.

Oct. 18 – Oct. 20, Leonard Missionary Baptist Church He Gave, We Give Revival, Shop in their FREE store; clothing, toiletries, toys, shoes, etc. Preaching, teaching, anointing, baptizing, healing and deliverance. Leonard Missionary Baptist Church, 1100 N. Compton. For more information, visit http://www. leonardbaptist.org/Calendar Fri., Oct. 20 – 21, 6th Annual Women of the Cross Conference. River of Life Evangelistic Center, 518 North 12th St., East St. Louis, IL. 62201. For more information, visit www. back2crossministries.org.

Sun., Oct. 22, 2 p.m., The local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) announces its annual symposium featuring inter-faith views on mental illness. Central Reform Congregation, 5020 Waterman.

Thurs., Oct. 12, 7 p.m. St. Louis premiere of the acclaimed film ‘For Ahkeem’, 24:1 Cinema, 6755 Page. For more information, call (314) 721-2241.

Fri., Oct. 13, Marshall directed by Reginald Hudlin and starring Chadwick Boseman and Sterling K. Brown opens in theaters nationwide.

Fri., Nov. 3, Roman J. Israel, Esq. Starring Denzel Washington opens in theatres nationwide.

PIAno

Continued from C1

she started taking piano lessons. For her 13th birthday, her mother and father bought her a piano of her own. She remembered how special it was to have. Now she has a hand in paying that feeling forward.

“Everybody deserves the opportunity,” Smith said. “It shouldn’t be something that only certain people privileged to – everybody who has music in them should be able to have the ability and the tools to express it.”

Continued from C1

I said, ‘Cheryl Lynn and Luther Vandross!” And one of them said, ‘Who is Luther Vandross?’” Himes laughed in disbelief all over again when reciting the story.

“I had to walk away from them for a moment.” Their lack of historical knowledge of the show – and old school R&B music –doesn’t diminish his awe of the gifted students that make up the cast of his latest production.

Himes, a lover of dance who operated his own troupe within the Black Rep umbrella for several years, praised COCA for fostering talent in youth – particularly the dance department under the direction of Antonio and Kirven Douthit-Boyd.

Many of those dancers will be in the cast of “The Wiz.”

“By having to sing and dance and act, they are adding a couple of things to their repertoire that they aren’t always focused on getting done,”

Himes said. “It’s been interesting watching grow into doing that as well. They are some really talented kids, and I’m actually excited to see them [do the show]. They’ll wind up being a whole lot better than they imagined they could be.”

The COCA students will

n “I had worked in the corporate sector, but when I decided to do what would make me happy as a person and what I wanted to be.”

- Kayia Smith

have the technical support of a professional company thanks to Himes. He brought costume designer Marissa Perry, scenic designer Dunsi Dai and music director Charles Creath. With Creath comes the entire rhythm section of The Black Rep’s most recent staging of “The Wiz.”

“I think it is going to be a wonderful production for the community to see these young people doing the wiz,” Himes said. “They are some really talented kids and I’m actually excited to see them. They will take a tremendous growth step in the next week or so when we go into tech rehearsal.”

Himes is also thrilled to see COCA’s inclusiveness with respect to the programming that comes to their stage.

“It was an interesting pick for them to select ‘The Wiz,’ and it’s telling that they would ask me to direct it,” Himes said. “I think that they are aware of the cultural shift that it is for them to produce this show and I think that they are doing all that they can to support it and promote it.”

COCA’s production of “The Wiz” will take place at 7 p.m. on October 20 and at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. on October 21-22 in the Founder’s Theatre at COCA, 524 Trinity Ave. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit or call (314) 725- 6555 or visit http://www. cocastl.org.

Smith’s mother also had a hand in connecting her to Pianos for People. She was taking classes at Webster University where Pianos for People co-founder Pat Eastman is an adjunct professor. Eastman told Smith’s mother about the organization’s efforts to open a school. Smith felt like she would be perfect to lead it based on her own experience.

After marrying and moving away as an Air Force wife, Smith returned to music because her family church, Greater Leonard MB Church, needed a musician. She filled the void at her church and found her passion. She started the New Horizon School of Music in North County and operated it for nine years.

“I had worked in the corporate sector, but when I decided to do what would make me happy as a person and what I wanted to be,” Smith said. “That’s when I started the music school. Everything I did in the process of that prepared me to do what I’m doing right now.”

In addition to her duties as director of the Pianos for People school, Smith plays for Christ Our Redeemer AME Church in Florissant, Mo.

“I’m in an environment that I really love as far as just being around music all of the time,” Smith said.

The school has grown to include nine teachers and two locations. Pianos for People expanded its reach to Ferguson

n “I had worked in the corporate sector, but when I decided to do what would make me happy as a person and what I wanted to be.”

- Kayia Smith

as a response to the unrest. They work in partnership with The First Baptist Church of Ferguson, who allows them to use space within their sanctuary to facilitate lessons and programming. Through the classes and enrichment activities like The Piano Slam and Turn Up Your Talent, young people and adults from different backgrounds foster their love of music together.

“That’s one of the beautiful things about this school. I get to work with these kids, especially over the summer, and I watch them interact in a climate that is dividing us racially,” Smith said. “I see these kids come together and work together and they don’t think like that. It’s where you start with teaching kids how to respect and love one another for who they are – not for what they look like. I like being able to be a part of that.”

Smith shared success stories of students like Royce Martin, whose natural gift for music blew everyone away. Like many of their students, Martin was gifted at piano. She also spoke of Nicholas

Murphy, a 4.0 student from Lift For Life Academy. He came to their Piano Slam jam session, sat down and started playing.

“Everybody was like ‘wow, he needs a piano,’” Smith said. He got one and then another amazing opportunity thanks to his connection to Pianos for People. One of the board members who is an alum of Princeton took Murphy under his wing when he learned that the young man wanted to attend the Ivy League school. Through the connection, he received the opportunity to spend two weeks in Japan as part of a summer exchange program.

“It’s not just about piano lesson,” Smith said. “His connection gave him a life altering experience. His outlook is not limited to his immediate surroundings. That’s what we want for the kids – to look beyond their present environment and see what life is and can be.” Pianos for People is located at 3138 Cherokee, St. Louis, 63118. For more information about the organization, call (314) 285-5852 or visit www. pianosforpeople.org.

Continued from C1

gazed straight ahead.

“The symbolism of the afro wig and where that comes from – politically, culturally and socially – about black women,” Thomas explained, “Using the afro wig as a symbol of beauty is also a political statement.”

The bold print backdrop bounces off the colors of the model’s floral blouse that compliments the backdrop thanks to matching blue, yellow and black colors. She is “black girl magic” personified.

“For me, it’s wanting to have the viewer feel as if they could touch the black skin, the silkiness of it,” Thomas said.

“I’ve really fallen in love with wanting to exude that in photography that I couldn’t in my own paintings. That excited me that I could bring the beauty of these black bodies forward –not in a stereotypical way or to sexualize them.”

Thomas uses collage as a metaphor for how people are constantly living in this changing state of consciousness of who they are from one world to the next.

“As a black woman, a queer woman, a mother – I’m putting all these things in,” Thomas said. “I use collage as the notion of making sense of the many selves.”

“Mentors, Muses and Celebrities”

There was an interesting backstory about the origin of her current exhibition at CAM.

“In some ways this is autobiographical because these are the women that have meant something to you,” Melandri said. “Instead of constructing an entity, what you are doing is, you are mediating, reattributing and pulling these pieces from popular culture.”

The video collage “Do I Look Like A Lady,” was comprised of footage that was originally part of a project that never came to fruition. Thomas decided to repurpose the clips she had collected.

“I started listening to what Nina Simone was saying. I started listening to what Eartha Kitt was saying and started thinking, we could slow this down and really have a story with these black women,” Thomas said. “There a voice here.”

Kitt was essential in Thomas developing her own voice as an artist.

“Eartha Kitt has been a thread of my work since graduate school,” Thomas said. “I used images of her for my thesis show.”

Years later, Thomas had the idea to do this performancebased art in tribute to Kitt. She had planned to do the show at the famed Apollo Theater. She was taking singing lessons with the hopes of embodying Kitt for the performance. It didn’t come to pass, but Kitt’s “Angelitos Negros” became a key element of the exhibition.

“It poses the question to the world, ‘why aren’t there any black angels in the churches or history books?” Thomas said.

“For me, it was having the women performers think about how they see themselves and ask, ‘Why aren’t we present in those images? Why are we removed?”

“The Color Purple” was included in Mentors, Muses, and Celebrities because of the very personal connection with Thomas and the film – specifically the relationship between Shug and Celie.

“I was about 13 years old and my mother took me to see the movie,” Thomas said. There were “these two women on film. It basically defined my queerness in a very real way. Adding that element to the work in the show was very important because what these characters and who they represent in this film – this sisterhood, the love and all of that was so profound.”

Mickalene Thomas: Mentors, Muses, and Celebrities is currently on display through December 31 at

Many of those dancers will be in the cast of “The Wiz” are also part of the dance department at COCA.

Photo by Wiley Price

Celebrations

Birthday Anniversary

Happy 55th Birthday to Delores Brown on October 10! Congratulations on this

Scholarship Winners

Kayla Sullivan

Reunions

Beaumont Class of 1968 will begin planning for its 50-year reunion to be held in St. Louis, Missouri in 2018. For more information contact Vanetta Cobbs, 314-869-5665, or email vanetta.cobbs@ sbcglobal.net.

Beaumont High Class of 1978 will celebrate its 40-year reunion in 2018. For further information, please contact: Marietta Shegog Shelby, 314-799-5296, madeshe@ sbcglobal.net.

Hadley Tech Classes of 1962-1963 are having their 55th year reunion on October 13-15, 2017 at the St. Louis Airport Marriott. For more information, please contact Hellon (Merritt) Jefferson at 314-307-3681, Ora (Scott) Roberts at 314-222-3662, Wilhelmina (Gibson) Baker at 314-630-9647, Pearl (Tillman) Holden 314-685-0466 or Virdell (Robinson) Stennis at

Congratulations to Kayla Sullivan and Brandy Williams winners of the Regions Riding Forward essay contest by Regions Bank. Kayla attends DePauw University in Indiana and received a $3,500 scholarship. Brandy attends University of Missouri and received a $5,000 scholarship.

Brandy Williams

Happy 60th wedding anniversary to the Vincents! Raymond and Barbara Vincent were married October 20, 1957, at Samaritan United Methodist Church in St. Louis, by her late uncle, the Rev. Dr. Charles B. Copher of Atlanta, GA. Residents of Hazelwood, MO, they have three children, three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Both are retired—Raymond from American Can Co. and Barbara from Monsanto Co.

Do you have a celebration you’re proud of? If so we would like to share your good news with our readers. Whether it’s a birth, wedding, engagement announcement, anniversary, retirement or birthday, send your photos and a brief announcement (50 words or less) to us and we may include it in our paper and website – AT NO COST – as space is available Photos will not be returned. Send your announcements to: kdaniel@stlamerican. com or mail to: St. Louis American Celebrations c/o Kate Daniel 2315 Pine St. St. Louis, MO 63103 FREE OF CHARGE

314-773-8177.

Kinloch High School Class of 1967 has finalized plans for an outstanding 50-year reunion. If you haven’t received your registration letter or email, please call 310-346-7235. You may also email your contact information to alreemc@aol. com.

McKinley Class of 1978 will celebrate its 40-year reunion July 27-29, 2018 at the Embassy Suites-Airport. For more information please contact Barbara Lindsey, Barbara_Lindsey@icloud.com or Marvin Woods, mwoods@ projectcontrolsgroup.com ,

(314) 647-0707.

Northwest High School Class of 1978 is planning its 40-year reunion for next year. PLEASE reach out to our classmates, tell them get ready for this. If you have any questions please contact Sly at (314) 397-0311 or email us at northwestbluedevils@78gmail. com. Check us out on Facebook Northwest High School-Class of 1978.

University City High School Homecoming will be October 14, 2017. Parade at 10am; Tailgate at Jackson Park immediately after parade; U. City vs. Jennings game at 1

pm; Homecoming Dance at the Ambassador, 9800 Halls Ferry 7:30 pm-1am, donation $10. For more information contact Denise WeatherfordBell at (314) 484-6318 or msdenise38@yahoo.com.

Vashon High School will celebrate its 90th anniversary October 5-7, 2017 for alumni, students and community. For additional information, go to Vashonhigh.org or contact Elvis Hopson, elvishopson@ att.net, (314) 535-0243, Pearl Lake, lakep6@aol.com, (314) 388-0743 or Cozy W. Marks, Jr., jr3810@sbcglobal.net, (314) 383-5682.

Reunion notices are free of charge and based on space availability. We prefer that notices be emailed to us! However, notices may also be sent by mail to: Kate Daniel, 2315 Pine St., St. Louis, MO 63103

Deadline is 10 a.m. on Friday. If you’d like your class to be featured in a reunion profile, email or mail photos to us. Our email address is: reunions@ stlamerican.com

mid-milestone!

Religion

T

he Message

What do you know?

I have often thought that Jesus, as was Paul, was killed because He dared to stand up and speak truth to power. He and many of His followers, convicted by their beliefs, professed and preached that the ruling religious law of the day was corrupt and deserving of renunciation. In my office I have a poster which states, “One man with courage makes a majority.”

Have you ever found yourself so committed to a course of action, so positive in your convictions and your resolve, so steadfast in your purpose that nothing could change your mind or your behavior? I suppose we should all be so blessed to at least once in our lives to know that we know that we know. Can you now imagine Jesus, so sure, so confident, so right that even in death, He knew that He knew? I must then ask the question of you and myself. What do you know?

At some time during your faith walk, you will find yourself walking absolutely by yourself. Inevitably, one day, it will become necessary for you, as well as me, to take a position of faith that will perhaps alienate us from so-called friends and family, just as Jesus was alienated from the hierarchy of the church of His day. Expect to one day be forced to take a stand based solely on faith. On that day you consciously decide to choose the Lord instead of the world. You know that you know. People who are recognized in this world as having principles and integrity are supposed to be honored for their stances even when they go against popular opinion. The bible teaches us that those men and women of God were often victimized, sometimes ridiculed and often times crucified. The bible also lets us know these are the exact people we should emulate.

We’ve all heard the phrase “stepping out on faith.” Reality suggests that this is a very scary sometimes lonely place to be. The beauty of this spiritual reality is God cannot show up until you step out. Our struggle with faith then is clearly trying to recognize its power. Without the absolute conviction of the inherent power of faith, we never get a chance to experience the hand of God at work in our own lives. We’re afraid. It’s probably the biggest fear that we have with the most devastating of consequences: to believe that you know versus knowing that you know. Do you believe or don’t you? If you do, prove it.

Clergy caught in mass arrest following highway shutdown

Rev. Starsky Wilson, Rev. Darryl Gray among those detained

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

“You should be ashamed of yourself,” Bishop Derrick Robinson told St. Louis County police making mass arrests in downtown St. Louis on October 3. “You locked up 14 clergy here tonight.”

Ferguson Commission Co-Chair Rev. Starsky Wilson and organizer Rev. Darryl Gray were among those detained.

“If Jesus were out here, you would have probably locked him up too,” an activist known as Lala told the police.

“And Jesus would be out here – because this is the type of work that he did on earth,” another protester said. They were arrested on suspicion of occupying I-64 east to shut down highway traffic as disruption of civic life continues in ongoing protests of police unaccountability in the wake of the not-guilty verdict in the Jason Stockley case.

First a few, then several dozen and finally more than 200 protestors occupied all the lanes of eastbound I-64.

“If we don’t get it, shut it down,” protesters chanted. “Whose highway? Our Highway!” They stood chanting for several minutes before they proceeded to slowly march down the highway for the better part of an hour.

“Look at this [expletive],” a Metrobus operator said to his coworkers looking on from over the viaduct as protesters make

She had made it out the arrest perimeter on the opposite sides of police.

“Everybody’s going to jail? Everything was peaceful! Why are you guys doing this?”

A handful of protestors who managed to escape arrest on the Walnut side discussed the mass arrest, as it was underway, with St. Louis County Police Lt. Jerry Lohr, who has a good relationship with protestors thanks to a naturally easygoing demeanor.

“They didn’t give a dispersal order or anything,” LaLa said to Lohr.

“They blocked the highway. That’s punishable by arrest,” Lohr said. “If I caught a person shoplifting, I don’t have to tell that person that they have to disperse or I will arrest them. I can just arrest them.”

“But how do you know that all those people over there were blocking the highway,” Lala shot back.

“There are pictures and footage,” Lohr said.

“But you aren’t arresting them based on pictures and footage –you are arresting them for being over there on that sidewalk,” Lala said.

their way down the highway.

“Look at all those white people shouting, ‘black lives matter.’ That’s what I’m talking about.” They marched defiantly towards downtown with the expectation that an ugly confrontation with law enforcement, as officers were attempting to maneuver through traffic. They came from the city, county and the Missouri Highway Patrol.

Protestors exited the highway without incident at 20th and Chestnut and crossed over to Market Street. Though they wouldn’t need the gas masks they had packed after all, it was

here that they would suffer the consequences of their direct action. They chanted and marched to Market and Jefferson, where St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department riot police were in formation. Protestors, legal observers, clergy and live streamers retreated to the sidewalk.

At Walnut and Jefferson, St. Louis County Police Department riot police were in formation. A law enforcement officer announced that everyone in between the two rows of riot cops was to be arrested.

“What? No!” LaLa said as she broke down crying.

“That’s fair to say,” Lohr said. “But it’s also fair to say that it’s probable, but not likely that they are just innocent bystanders.”

The people were zip-tied, lined up and carried away in the fleet of police vans.

“Shout out your name and birthday so that we can pass it along to jail support,” a woman was shouting through a megaphone as they stood waiting to be transported on the Market and Jefferson side.

The names and birthdays, including those of 14 clergy, kept coming – and coming. There were 143 arrests made.

Columnist James Washington

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

Ferguson Commission Co-Chair Rev. Starsky Wilson was one of 14 clergy arrested on October 3 following a direct action where protestors occupied every lane on I-64 east in ongoing protests of police unaccountability in the wake of the not-guilty verdict in the Jason Stockley case.

Swag Snap of the Week

Jessie hilarious. Jess regular. Nothing but death could have kept me from helping my boy Jessie Taylor celebrate his birthday by inviting internet sensation and professional “joner” Jess Hilarious to headline at his Laugh Lounge. It was sold-out for the whole weekend, which presented some logistical issues, but Jessie apologized when he did a set of his own that was the funniest I’ve ever seen him. When he started talking about how faithful dudes are to their barbers, I almost fell out. Hardly any of the material was safe for Partyline, but Jessie was on fire! Folks were hollering from the time he got on the stage up until he introduced the headliner. Sadly, for her, Jessie was too tough of an act to follow for someone so fresh in the comedy game. Thanks to her Toni Braxton “Love Shoulda Brought You Home Last Night” hair game and a full face beat usually reserved for galas and award show red carpets, Jess was serving Vanessa Bell Calloway with a sip of Sheryl Lee Ralph realness. She didn’t look old, just really mature. When she announced that she was 25, y’all should have seen the side-eyes that came her way. The mock turtleneck body dress didn’t help, but the Jordans did – if it weren’t for the ankles down, folks would’ve sworn she was a cougar. When she roasted Jessie for having a corded microphone – saying that there was enough cord to hold somebody hostage – I thought she was going to pick up where Jessie left off as far as the funny. I promise that was the last chuckle of the night for me. As a matter of fact, my Fitbit said my body slept through her whole set. I will say my eyes were open, but I can’t say the same for everybody else. And I still don’t get the point of bringing her boyfriend to the stage just to tell a story about how he cheated on her with a cheap date, but when you are trying to fill time I guess it’s by any means necessary. Jess found out the hard way that poppin’ off on celebrities for 60 seconds and engaging an audience– particularly one like St. Louis, that doesn’t play when it comes to our funny – for a full-length routine, are night and day. She’s still young and quite fresh at standup, and trying to get those coins while her name is buzzing, so I won’t go too hard. I hope she figures out that there’s an art and craft to stage comedy – and that she was taking notes as Jessie was KILLING it.

All types of Energy. It’s one thing to have a club packed, it’s another thing to have a club full of people genuinely having a good time. Thanks to the folks of ELITE Saint Louis and their monthly ENERGY set all the folks in the Obar Friday night got to experience the latter. I knew the night was going to be something special when the team at the front door had to keep people parked because the club was at capacity before 11 a.m. Listen, it was everything you would have hoped from a jumpin’ house party. No standing on the wall. No quietly judging the folks for wanting to do something other than be cute. That’s my kind of night! Return of the Webbie part four. I’m almost certain that when Webbie came to the Marquee Friday night that it was his fourth visit to St. Louis this year. It was at least his third. But if y’all still packing the place out to see his southern drawl mumble rap, then everybody wins. I’m not going to start any local boo or baby rumors. I promise. We’ll just charge it to the game of there being a mutual love between the Louisiana rapper and our city. There was not a bit of breathing room and the stage had at least 40 people crammed on it as he performed along to his greatest hits just before last call. Webbie was in his uniform of jeans and a nightgown-length polo shirt and the girls were getting their life from that slightly uneven bob. Since I’m talking about outfits, I might as well mention that apparently looking like a lead HBCU Orchesis dancer is all the rage among the young and low-key ratchets, because I saw about five sequined bodysuits with gold as the preferred color matched with the highest heels available from JustFab.com.

A day groove in The Grove with Needles. It was already the perfect sunny, Sunday afternoon when Nappy DJ Needles put the cherry on top with his daytime grove in the Mangrove. Afro Sexy Cool morphed into a day party this month on the patio of Siam – and it was everything I could have hoped for. Some of my favorite folks, like Vanita Applebum Thompson, Tiffany Shawn (creator of the lovely blog My Natural Reality) and Corey Black, were in the building. And Needles was eviscerating the tables with a mix that had me at a happy place between twerk and twirl. It wasn’t packed, but it was a black to the basic melanin overload with some of the most stylish folks I had seen all week. Who was that beautiful tall goddess with the yellow short romper and the black maxi kimono? She is my style spirit animal. And if the people watching wasn’t enough, Needles’ brother Nicholas Gates and his dance crew gave of a snippet that belonged in “Beat Street” breakdance scene.

A round of applause for ‘Chasing Waterfalls’. Before I call it a Partyline, let me give a shout out to the team of TLT Productions for a season well done. They closed their inaugural run with the musical “Chasing Waterfalls” that featured music from the 90s through the mid-2000s. I caught the show Saturday afternoon at .Zack and the set list gave me life. I just wish they would consider working in Willow Smith’s “Whip My Hair” so that Golliday can really cut loose flinging those dangling honey blonde ringlets though he might fracture his neck if a song actually instructs him to do what already comes naturally. But seriously, I want to give the whole cast props for powering through despite technical difficulties. And Lauron Thompson and TreG, the creative minds behind TLT deserve some love for putting in work to make their mark on the local theatre scene with content that speaks to the young folks.

@isurvivecampaign, Breonna and Roxann enjoyed their girl’s night during Simth’s II pop up party: RED @ The Fashion Fund on Saturday

Bryton, Brandon and Ryan with NBA Star Jayson Tatum before he greeted members of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater St. Louis Saturday morning

Tekiah, Ashlei and Ariel were all the way live @ ENGERY @ Friday night @ The OBar

Dana, Mike, Mia and MeMi soaked up a little sun on the patio of Siam during “AFRO SEXY COOL” Sunday afternoon

Angelo supported fellow artist Kevin Hopkins for the opening of his art exhibition “Sometimes Things Get Personal” @ UrbArts Friday

Jayvnize and MC Tres checked out the “Goin Nowhere” Hip Hop Show Friday @ Blank Space on Friday

Marsha kicked back with rap star Webbie before he had the crowd chanting the lyrics to his classic “I-N-D-E-P-E-ND-EN-T” Friday @ The Marquee

Siata and Larry were dressed to the nines for the CFA Gala Saturday night

Kyra and Rob kicked it until Mood closed Saturday night

St. Louis’ own funnyman Jessie Taylor celebrated his birthday with a bang by having internet sensation and television personality Jess Hilarious headline a soldout weekend run at his Laugh Lounge Comedy Club in North County.

Photos by V. Lang

Stevon and Alisa paused from the party to snag a pic @ The Marquee Saturday

Christian Hospital to host Career Fair Oct. 19

Christian Hospital is hosting a career fair for job seekers who would like to join a compassionate and dedicated team at BJC HealthCare. The fair will take place 4 p.m. -7:30 p.m., Oct. 19 at the Paul F. Detrick Building Atrium, 11133 Dunn Road, St. Louis (63136).

Employment opportunities are available for nurses interested in ICU, neurology, oncology, perioperative, cardiac care and other specialties. There are also jobs available for patient care technicians, lab, food and nutrition, housekeeping,

Career Fair

imaging services, patient access, rehab/ therapy and more. Job seekers are encouraged to visit BJC.org/ CareerFair to register for the event in advance and attend for a chance to win one of two $50 Target gift cards. Registrants will receive emails before the event with parking and location details.

Guests can attend the career fair anytime between 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. to visit booths, speak oneon-one with hiring managers and learn more about the benefits of working at a BJC HealthCare hospital.

Technology meets consumer and community service at St. Johns Bank

Some 91 years after its founding, St. Johns Bank is still serving local customers and businesses. It is overseen by Chairman and CEO W. Douglas Branneky, the third generation of the Branneky family to run the bank. Numerous other family members are also involved in running the bank. The bank remains headquartered in St. John, Mo.

While the same friendly customer service available in 1926 is still the hallmark of St. Johns Bank, customers also have access to the latest trends in banking like a dedicated app for smart phones and tablets as well as the ability to deposit checks through the app.

“We are proud to offer the latest technology to our customers while maintaining our core values of customer and community service,” Branneky said.

n “We are proud to offer the latest technology to our customers while maintaining our core values of customer and community service.”

–

W. Douglas Branneky

St. Johns Bank stays involved in many community activities like the United Way, KidSmart Push for Pencils, food drives for St. Louis Area Foodbank, the Shower of Love for local children’s agencies and many other local fundraisers and drives throughout the year. Bank employees also volunteer their time to “Teach Children to Save” each

year in local school districts.

St. Johns Bank serves small businesses through both lending and banking services tailored to their needs. The bank is continually recognized as a top lender by the Small Business Administration, as well as a Best Bank by Small Business Monthly.

“We take our role in the community seriously and take pride in providing quality banking services in our community to both our personal and business customers,” Branneky said.

St. Johns Bank remains a locally owned, full-service community bank with five locations in St. Louis and St. Charles counties that serve the entire metropolitan St. Louis area. For more information on the bank or our services, please call (314) 428-1000 or visit www. stjohnsbank.com.

Puppy Scams

How to protect yourself from fake online pet sellers

Better Business Bureau

If you are looking for a pet to add to your family, be on the lookout for scams. As more consumers turn to the internet to find new pets, more scams are popping up online. Experts say a shocking 80 percent of sponsored advertisements about pets may be fake.

BBB ScamTracker has 907 reports on this type of fraud and a Federal Trade Commission report found some 37,000 complaints involving pets. A vast majority of those were believed to be puppy sale scams. When you consider that FTC finds that less than 10 percent of victims of fraud actually complain, you can see that the problem is even larger than the numbers indicate.

The BBB International Investigations Initiative conducted an extensive study of online puppy scams. The study looks at the scope of this problem,

who is behind it, and the need for law enforcement consumer education to address the issue. You can read the full study here or download a PDF here.

The study also has tips for avoiding puppy scams:

• Don’t buy a pet without seeing it in person. Do an internet search of the picture of the pet you are considering. If the same picture appears on multiple websites, you may be dealing with a fraud. You also can search for text from ads or testimonials to see if the seller copied it from another site.

• Never pay a stranger with a money order or through Western Union or Moneygram

• Always use a credit card in case you need to dispute the charges.

• Research prices for the breed you are interested in adopting. If someone is advertising a purebred dog for free or at a deeply discounted price, you could be dealing with a fraudulent offer.

• The Humane Society of the United States refers consumers to local shelters. They also have tips for finding a

reputable breeder.

• Learn about fraud in your area at BBB Scam Tracker.

What if you have been a victim of a puppy scam?

• File a report with BBB’s Scam Tracker

• Complain at Petscams.com

• Complain to the Federal Trade Commission. Call 1-877-FTC-HELP

• Homeland Security Investigations at the Department of Homeland Security also handles international fraud. Call 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-3472423) (from U.S. and Canada)

• In Canada, call the Canadian Antifraud Centre: Toll Free 1-888-495-8501

•If you sent money through Western Union, MoneyGram or a Green Dot MoneyPak, contact those companies directly for information about the transactions.

They also download their complaints into the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel database, which police around the country can access.

Green Dot 800-795-7597

Western Union 1-800-448-1492

MoneyGram 1-800-926-9400

The study is available at https://www. bbb.org/puppyscamstudy.

Give wisely during Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Better Business Bureau

In 2017, a national breast cancer charity that operated for six years and brought-in nearly $3M annually was forced to repay $350K to real charities. The unethical behavior of this charity highlight the reasons that donors need to research breast cancer charities before making donations.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so it’s prime time for “pink ribbon” products and appeals to donate to breast cancer charities. Better Business Bureau (BBB) advises consumers to research charities and cause-related products carefully before giving.

According to the American Cancer Society, there will 252,710 new cases of invasive breast cancer diagnosed this year, and 40,610 people will die from the disease. Other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, and it is second to lung cancer as a leading cause of cancer death for women.

Breast cancer is one of the mostpublicized cancers to afflict women, and a significant number of men have been diagnosed as well. Some fraudulent charities try to cash in on the pink ribbon frenzy, so donors should do their homework before they make a donation

or buy a pink-ribbon product.

BBB offers BBB Charity Reviews of more than 11,000 charities nationwide, including several BBB Accredited Charities that support research on cancer or who provide support to cancer survivors. Some charities have names that resemble well-known breast cancer charities, so it’s a good idea to research charities at bbb.org before making a donation.

In addition, a number of companies have produced products that claim to support cancer charities. BBB advises consumers to check the products over carefully to determine how much support goes to charity and whether the charity meets BBB standards.

If you want to support breast cancer charities by purchasing products, BBB

WGU Missouri offers Women in Technology Scholarships

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, careers in the male-dominated IT field are projected to grow by 12 percent (about 488,500 new jobs) through 2024. In an effort to help women gain the education they need to help fill these positions, nonprofit, online university WGU Missouri has announced it will offer 50 scholarships for women enrolling in any of its bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in the College of Information Technology.

Each Women in Technology Scholarship is valued at up to $2,000, or $500 per six-month term for up to four terms. Applications are now being accepted for these scholarships through Dec. 31, 2017.

“We hope that this scholarship will encourage women to think of

an IT career as attainable,” said Angie Besendorfer, WGU Missouri Chancellor. “Missouri is home to two of the country’s fastest growing tech cities – Kansas City and St. Louis – and providing educational opportunities for women in this field is an important step toward meeting the needs and demands of this industry.”

To be eligible for one of these scholarships, female applicants must be officially admitted to WGU Missouri, complete the scholarship application, and be interviewed by a WGU Missouri scholarship counselor. While WGU Missouri will award up to 50 scholarships, recipients will be selected based on their academic records, financial needs, and readiness for online study, among other considerations.

advises that you look into how that purchase will benefit a charity and which charity will get the money. More tips:

• Inspect the product for information. Many companies clearly report on labels how much of their sales go to charity and specifically where the money goes.

• Check the company’s website. If the information isn’t on the product itself, it often can be found at the website address printed on the product packaging

• If you still can’t find the information, call the company and ask for it. Firms that use charity tieins to market their products should be transparent to consumers.

• Contact the charity directly if you have doubts they are receiving proceeds.

• Check out the charity to decide whether you believe it is worthy of your support. One way to do this is by contacting BBB to determine whether the charity meets BBB’s 20 Standards for Accountability.

• Be wary of appeals that are long on emotion, but short on describing what the charity will do.

• If you contribute, do not give cash. Make a check or money order out to the name of the charitable organization, not to the individual collecting the donation.

• Watch out for excessive pressure for on-the-spot donations. Be wary of any requests to send a “runner” to pick up your donation.

• Be wary of charities that are reluctant to answer reasonable questions about their operations, finances and programs. Ask how much of your gift will be used for the activity mentioned in the appeal and how much will go toward other programs and administrative and fundraising costs.

Before you do business with a charity or company, check it out at bbb.org or by calling 888-996-3887. Give but give wisely.

WGU Missouri’s online, competencybased programs allow working professionals to study and learn on their own schedules and advance as soon as they demonstrate mastery of course materials. When paired with the university’s affordable tuition of about $6,000 per year, WGU Missouri’s flexible learning model makes it possible

for working adults to earn an accredited degree and recognized industry certifications.

To learn more about WGU Missouri’s Women in Technology Scholarship, visit https://missouri.wgu.edu/tuition_ financial_aid/scholarships/women_in_ technology.

Black America’s dreams of homeownership still deferred

By Charlene Crowell

For The St. Louis American

The late Langston Hughes created a masterful body of poetry in the 20th Century that spoke about and to Black America’s unique experiences. Also an author and playwright, his words in all media pricked our consciousness to wonder and ponder how we somehow remained so different from others after living more than 200 years in this land.

One of my favorite Hughes poems asks the question, “What happens to a dream deferred?” Today, that one question is as timeless as it is timely.

Why is it that in 2017 Black homeownership is still deferred for so many?

Every year, the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) report provides an update on mortgage lending over the past year. It is the only national report that examines lending by race and incomes. In 2016, an analysis of mortgage lending by the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) underscores how once again dreams of homeownership are still being deferred nationwide:

§ Blacks had the highest denial rate in mortgage applications of any ethnic group, and was double the denial rate experienced by Whites;

§ Black consumers received just 3.1 percent or 65,451 of the 2,123,000 conventional mortgage purchase loans made in 2016;

§ When Black and Latino conventional mortgage purchase loans were combined, the percentage increased to only 9 percent for the year; and

§ FHA purchase mortgages performed a bit better for Black consumers at 10.6 percent -- 142,329 out of 866,000.

“It is troubling to see the continued trend of mortgage lenders abdicating their responsibility to serve the full universe of credit-worthy borrowers,” said Nikitra Bailey, a CRL Executive Vice President.

“During the financial crisis, taxpayers of all colors together paid for the bailout of banks,” continued Bailey. “Now and years later to see that African-Americans and Latinos remain overly dependent upon FHA to access mortgages is a sign of unfair treatment,” continued Bailey. “Whites continue to unfairly receive more favorable access to affordable loans, despite our nation’s fair lending laws.”

For decades, Black consumers were given a litany of excuses as to why they did not qualify for the most affordable mortgages: not enough income, not enough of an employment record, too many bills, and more.

But it was just last year that Nielsen released a report that found “a decade of economic and educational prosperity” from 2004 to 2014. During these years, Nielsen found that Blacks had a collective $162 billion in buying power. By 2020, that purchasing power was projected to rise to $1.4 trillion, thanks in part, to the number of Blacks earning $100,000 or more. Over the decade reviewed, Black earnings in this income range grew 95 percent, compared to the rest of the nation. Even solid middle class incomes of $50,000 to $75,000 grew at a rate of 18 percent.

So if Black America is better educated and earnings are growing – what is the

problem with gaining access to mortgage loans? And if America is a land of laws, why is financial justice so elusive for Black America?

“As we move beyond the sub-prime crisis, we continue to see the housing and credit market systematically either deny or send less attractive products to the Black and Latino community,” noted john. a. powell, an internationally acclaimed Professor of Law and Professor of African American Studies and Ethnic Studies at the University of California, Berkeley.

“This problem which is both historical, structural and interpersonal will not be addressed unless we face and make

affirmative interventions,” continued powell. “As useful as the data is, it is not enough. The nature of structures is to reproduce the current condition. We can and most do better than that.”

“The fact that borrowers of color face higher interest rates and are less likely to be granted conventional loans is directly responsible for the wealth gap that continues to plague our nation, as well as the wide gap between the percentage of African Americans who own their homes (42 percent) and the percentage of whites who do (73 percent),” said Julianne Malveaux, a noted economist, author and President Emerita of Bennett College for Women. “It is imperative that bankers cease these unfair and discriminatory lending practices, and that activists target this lending discrimination.”

For Lisa Rice, Executive Vice President of the National Fair Housing Alliance, the 2016 data do not reflect a changing America.

“These stark racial and ethnic divisions in mortgage lending, said Rice, “come at a time when our nation’s demographics are in transformation. By 2025 will be even more diverse with households of color representing nearly half of all firsttime homebuyers.”

“The private market has a duty to serve everyone fairly,” she continued. “The average family deserves the opportunity to pursue their own American Dream.”

But as Hughes eloquently wrote so many years ago in another poem entitled, “I, Too, Sing America”:

“I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes, But I laugh, And eat well, And grow strong.

Tomorrow, I’ll be at the table When company comes. Nobody’ll dare Say to me, ‘Eat in the kitchen,’ Then.”

In 2017, is it - then - yet for Black America?

Charlene Crowell is the deputy communications director for the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at Charlene.crowell@ responsiblelending.org.

Seeking solutions to income volatility

St. Louis treasurer partners with Finance Forward in public event on Oct. 17

St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura Jones

American staff

St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura Jones will join local and national experts from multiple sectors 5:30 -7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, October 17 at Mad Art Gallery & Events, 2727 S 12th St., to publicly discuss solutions to income volatility, a growing financial problem facing workers in St. Louis and across the U.S. The open-to-the-public event will be followed by a closed-door working session with local business owners, educators, and others from the community.

The event is one of the primary stops for Finance Forward, a multicity dialogue series that for the first time brings local elected officials, businesses, community members, and nonprofit leaders together with national organizations to identify and advance innovative, actionable solutions to

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income volatility. The series is powered by the Aspen Institute Financial Security Program and LendUp, a socially responsible lender for the emerging middle class.

“The events that have transpired in St. Louis since the Stockley verdict show we need to be talking about issues like income volatility now more than ever,” said Treasurer Jones. “Too many people feel trapped by a system that punishes them for being poor and unbanked or underbanked. Reports like Forward Thru Ferguson and For the Sake of All don’t just stop at police reform. We, as a community, can and need to have conversations about issues like income volatility at the same time.”

“We know that, like other issues of this magnitude, financial insecurity can’t be solved by any one group or sector alone,” said Jotaka Eaddy, LendUp VP of Policy, Strategic Engagement,

and Impact. “We’re thrilled to be partnering with the city of St. Louis, the Aspen Institute, and others, to identify actionable solutions to one of today’s most pressing economic challenges. I look forward to sharing, listening, learning and taking action as a result of these sessions.”

“Income volatility significantly impacts the financial lives of individuals making it hard for them to meet monthly expenses, save, pay down debt, qualify for a loan, or handle a major unexpected expense,” said Joanna Smith-Ramani, Director of the Expanding Prosperity Impact Collaborative (EPIC) at the Aspen Institute. “We are identifying leaders who will take these solutions to action and are excited to bring Finance Forward to St. Louis and work with Treasurer Jones to empower community leaders to help households tackle this growing problem.”