October 13th, 2016 Edition

Happy 100th birthday for Frankie

By Rebecca Rivas

“She is grateful to

“She has very strong faith. And being given this much life and the ability to impact so many people, she wants to

Booker stumps for Kander

Outcome of election for senator and president depends on

By Chris King Of

U.S.

n “I need people like Jason who understand urban issues, who know our community’s needs and will advocate for our community.”

– U.S. Senator Cory Booker

victory for Clinton and Kander in this state.

“It all depends on our turnout,” Booker – one of only two African Americans in the U.S. Senate and the only senator in the Congressional Black Caucus – told a group of North County elected officials gathered in Ferguson on Monday, October 10. “It all depends on what we do.” Kander gathered the group of elected officials when Booker told him he wanted to go to Ferguson while he was in St. Louis to speak with him at Harris-Stowe State University. The group included St. Louis County Councilwoman Hazel Erby, Democratic nominee for St. Louis County Council Rochelle Walton Gray, term-limited state Representatives Sharon Pace and Tommie Pierson Sr., Democratic nominees for state representative Cora Faith Walker and Bruce Franks Jr., Dellwood Mayor Reggie Jones, Cool Valley Mayor

CWAH helps woman achieve dream of owning home

Nominations for People Against Poverty Campaign due by Oct. 31

By Gwen Swan

loss of her job. She reflected on what she wanted most in life: to give her kids a home. “I realized I couldn’t move the way I wanted to in the space that I occupied,” she said. Habitat for Humanity was a

Community Women Against Hardship helped Kenya Webster pursue education and keep her family together while out of work. She credits the non-profit with helping her to stabilize her finances to the point where she was qualified to help build and buy a home through Habitat for Humanity.

24, Frankie Muse Freeman, the beloved St. Louis icon, will turn 100 years old.

U.S. Senator Cory Booker posed for a selfie with Democratic nominee for state representative Cora Faith Walker, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Jason Kander and St. Louis County Councilwoman Hazel Erby while stumping for Kander in Ferguson on Monday, October 10.

Photo by Wiley Price

Photo by Wiley Price

Louis icon will turn 100 years old, and she plans to spend the day quietly, said her daughter Shelbe Bullock.

God,” Bullock said.

Drake and Rihanna summer sixteen romance a wrap

In a cryptic post on Instagram, pop star Rihanna unleashed on all of her exes. “None of my exes are married or in happy relationships,” Rihanna posted. “So it’s safe to say I wasn’t da [sic] problem lol.” According to E! News, Drake can now be added to that list.

“Rihanna and Drake are seeing other people at the moment,” the entertainment news and gossip outlet said. “They are not exclusive anymore. They still love each other, but their schedules have gotten in the way.”

Michel’le ready to meet Dr. Dre in court over biopic

Last week, music producer Dr. Dre threatened to sue his ex, R&B singer Michel’le, if her upcoming Lifetime Network biopic portrayed him as a women beater.

Michel’le told The Huffington Post she’ll have no problem if there is a “Dre day” in court.

“If he would like to take me to court and sue me, then we should both do our depositions so we can get the story right,” the singer told Huff Post. “And I have witnesses, so I don’t think people are gonna get up there and say, ‘No we

didn’t see anything.’” What doesn’t make sense is, why would you publicly

apologize for beating women, and then turn around and say, ‘I didn’t beat a woman?’ That doesn’t make any sense to me, that’s an oxymoron…”

Michel’le is referring to the apology Dre issued to “the women he’s hurt” after renewed interest in his abusive past following the success of the N.W.A. biopic, “Straight Outta Compton.”

Renita Hill wants another shot at case against Bill Cosby

Back in January, former teen actress Renita Hill’s defamation of character lawsuit against Bill Cosby was dismissed with prejudice after a judge determined it was within the comedian’s First Amendment rights to call claims that he sexually molested her “untrue” and “ridiculous.

On Friday, Hill submitted legal docs asking the federal appeals court in Philadelphia to revive her lawsuit.

The decision is pending.

Hill has accused Cosby of sexually assaulting her repeatedly over a period of four years while simultaneously paying her tuition, room and board at Spelman College.

Eddie Long moved to Mexico for treatment?

Last month, New Birth

Missionary Baptist Church leader Bishop Eddie Long confirmed rumors he was battling a serious illness.

According to reports, Long has been moved to Mexico for treatment.

Insiders have told Obnoxious Blog that Long has been moved to Oasis of Hope Hospital Cancer Research and Alternative Treatment Center in Mexico.

The source claims Bishop Long has not been back to church since the news broke but has communicated with his congregation via conference calls piped into the sanctuary.

Kim Kardashian sues blog for staged robbery claims

Kim Kardashian West is taking legal action against a popular gossip blog after they claimed she faked being victimized in a terrifying home invasion last week in Paris.

“Kim just filed a federal lawsuit against MediaTakeOut.

com for 3 posts about her ordeal ... one of which alleged there was evidence Kim ‘staged’ the robbery,” TMZ. com said. “In the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Kim says the site used random people off social media as its sources.

The site also posted a story about “French authorities” suspecting Kim had actually “let the robbers in” the apartment. The final indignity, according to the suit by her lawyers Marty Singer and Andrew Brettler, was a post about the insurance claim she says MediaTakeout reported. “If she faked the robbery ... she just committed a FEDERAL CRIME,” the filing read, according to TMZ.

Kevin Hart bears the blame for failed first marriage

Comedian Kevin Hart and ex-wife Torrei Hart ended their marriage after Torrei accused Kevin of cheating with his current wife Eniko Parrish Hart owned up to his role in the end of his first marriage.

“I was young on my first marriage, Chelsea. I’m not ashamed to say it, guys. I got married at the age of 22,” Hart said in a recent interview with Chelsea Handler. “I was still all over the place. I didn’t really understand the definition of marriage. I wasn’t ready for it, so I take responsibility. I can say I messed my first marriage up. I’m man enough to say that.”

Sources: TMZ.com, The Obnoxious Blog, E! News, Instagram

Rihanna

Kevin Hart

THE STUFF THAT HAS PEOPLE TALKING

Michel’le

The American endorses Kander, Koster, Clay, Otto

Jason Kander

Jason Kander has the hottest U.S. Senate race on November 8, according to Roll Call, which covers Capitol Hill. The 35-yearold U.S. Army combat veteran produced a campaign video where he assembled an assault rifle blindfolded, while talking about the Second Amendment – and the need for background checks for gun buyers. That shows the serious challenge he poses for incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Roy Blunt, 66, even on Blunt’s home turf of conservative policy issues. As Blunt continues to cling to his unconscionable endorsement of Donald Trump for U.S. president while Trump craters in the wake of a 2005 tape where he brags about getting away with sexual assault because he is a “star,” Kander has a real chance of stealing an election from a man many consider to be one of the state’s most skilled and seasoned politicians – until Blunt hit some political headwinds. Some are beyond his control – he can’t rescind his support of Trump without roiling a substantial portion of the GOP’s base in Missouri, and he can’t renounce his several family members who are lobbyists in a political season when “Washington insiders” is a demonized category.

National Democrats sense a possible Democratic takeover of a Senate seat, leading to possible Democratic control of the Senate. Kander’s race is one of the most important to Democrats, who must pick up four Senate seats and the White House (with the vice president getting a vote in the Senate) to gain a majority. U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-New Jersey) stumped for Kander this week in Ferguson, where they met privately with local elected officials to discuss policy issues of concern to the African-American community, and in St. Louis, where they talked to HarrisStowe State University students about addressing the student loan debt burden. Booker eloquently defined the crises of our cities and enthused over the boost Kander

Chris Koster

Chris Koster may not be the Democratic candidate for Missouri governor of our dreams, but we do admire his resistance to blatant pandering as he steers a conservative campaign with the conviction that it’s his path to victory over Eric Greitens, a candidate with no political or policy experience to speak of. In the Republican primary, Greitens, a U.S. Navy SEALs combat veteran, talked of issuing “hunting licenses” to kill members of ISIS. Koster has decided you can’t fight Republicans over guns in Missouri and win, and he may be – tragically – correct about that. The Democrat believes it is politically expedient to take a “law and order” stance on Ferguson and was even rewarded by an endorsement from the Fraternal Order of Police. What can our community expect from Koster that compels our vote for him? As a term-limited attorney general and former state

Wm. Lacy Clay

Wm. Lacy Clay faces only a nominal challenge in the November 8 general election, with a Republican opponent who got half of the votes in his primary that Maria ChappelleNadal got in the Democratic primary, when Clay beat Chappelle-Nadal by more than 30,000 votes. We believe Clay has a unique opportunity to lead in his next term, as winds of

Bill Otto

Jason Kander spoke at Harris-Stowe State University on January 9 as part of the kick-off of statewide activities to celebrate Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.

would bring to his efforts in the Senate to reform criminal justice and urban education. He cited Kander’s leadership in removing the “felon check” box from applications to work for the secretary of state’s office under his administration. “With a partner like Jason on legislation, we would be able to get some creative things done,” Booker said. It was a ringing endorsement for Kander, who grew up in Kansas City, to deliver on issues of concern to our community. We will add our ringing endorsement just as loudly – and emphasize, along with Booker, that it’s only an especially strong black voter turnout in this red state on November 8 that can elevate Kander to the Senate. We strongly endorse JASON KANDER FOR U.S. SENATE

senator, he knows state government far better than Greitens and justifies a vote for simple competence and experience. He has shown a depth of knowledge about the necessity of the states’ major urban centers to thrive to drive economic growth in Missouri. A former Republican, his reasons for switching to Democrat include support for abortion rights, stem-cell research, workers’ rights, a higher minimum wage and the Missouri Non-Partisan Court Plan, all of which align with our objectives. He also offered two campaign promises that would be major improvements in public policy: to expand Medicaid (extending needed health-care benefits to thousands and collecting on millions in federal funds that Missouri stupidly continues to leave on the table), and to fully fund the public education funding formula. Unlike Koster, we have not given up the fight to reform Missouri’s lethally lax gun laws, but we share many of his other policy positions. We endorse CHRIS KOSTER FOR MISSOURI GOVERNOR.

change in St. Louis politics are likely to motivate him to spend more time on the ground in his district and engage with a much wider circle of confidantes than he has felt the need to do up until now. Clay has always been a good vote and a great quote in the Congress. We encourage him to act on his potential to add to his efforts in Washington and exercise more dynamic and inclusive collaboration in St. Louis. We endorse WM. LACY CLAY FOR U.S. REPRESENT-ATIVE –DISTRICT 1

Debate does not halt Trump campaign’s death spiral

On the debate stage Sunday night, we saw a lifelong public servant with total grasp of the issues and concrete plans to take the nation forward. And we saw a saw a fraudulent boor who knows nothing about anything and brags about groping women. Let’s not pretend anymore that we have an actual choice.

Let’s not pretend there is any question about who “won” the debate, because only one candidate – Hillary Clinton – actually debated. Donald Trump did nothing but spew dangerous and incoherent nonsense, demonstrating in the process how fortunate we are that his electoral prospects finally seem to be circling the drain.

“If I win, I am going to instruct my attorney general to get a special prosecutor to look into your situation,” Trump told Clinton, referring to how she handled emails from her tenure as secretary of state. I believe those have to be the most shockingly un-American words ever uttered at a presidential debate, and they made me sick to my stomach. That sort of thing happens in banana republics: Newly elected leaders use state institutions to persecute and punish their political rivals. Presidents of the United States do not behave this way, for heaven’s sake. The fact that Trump would threaten Clinton with prison proves he does not begin to understand, let alone respect, the traditions that have sustained our democracy since the time of the founders.

The debate at Washington University in St. Louis came two days after The Washington Post obtained and published video footage in which Trump boasts about subjecting women to sexual assault. If you are a “star” like he is, Trump says in the video, “you can grab them by the [vagina].” He used a vulgar word that I will not repeat.

The video was recorded on an “Access Hollywood” bus in 2005. The cavalier way in which Trump speaks of kissing and groping women – and of trying but failing to get “Access Hollywood” star Nancy O’Dell, a married woman, to have sex with him – led dozens of Republican officeholders to renounce their support for the GOP nominee.

By Sunday evening, the stream of defecting senators, governors and members of Congress threatened to turn into a flood.

So Trump came into the debate needing to halt what looked like a death spiral for his campaign. His remedy was to throw red meat at his most loyal supporters, who constitute a sizable

n The fact that Trump would threaten Clinton with prison proves he does not begin to understand, let alone respect, the traditions that have sustained our democracy since the time of the founders.

percentage of the Republican Party base. The message to the GOP establishment was clear: If you join the exodus, I’ll pull the whole party down with me But Trump’s poll numbers were already sliding before the “Access Hollywood” tape was revealed. During the debate he may have delighted the true believers who flock to his rallies. But he did nothing to change the fundamental dynamics of the race – or

Letters to the Editor

Note no on Amendment 6

The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the current coverage formula of the Voting Rights Act in 2013. Now, on November 8, the Missouri Legislature wants its citizens to vote on Constitutional Amendment 6 that would require documents to prove identity, citizenship, and residence. Really? Nearly one in five citizens over the age of 65 lack the proposed documentation, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. Additionally, the proposed amendment would also disenfranchise minorities, those who are disabled, students, rural voters and others. lf this amendment passes, more than 200,000 individuals would be stripped of the right to cast a ballot. There has been scant proof that voter fraud is rampant in our state - or throughout the country, for that matter. “Voter

fraud’ is a red herring and camouflage to prevent voter turnout targeted at certain groups – like older individuals, who vote religiously. It’s time for all of us to stand up, stand tall, and vote against Constitutional Amendment 6 so that our inalienable right to vote as citizens will be a signal that we believe in a fair and democratic government. Voting rights do matter and it should matter to all Missourians.

Cara Shoals St. Louis

Truly pro-life

Thank you LeBron

let principled Republicans continue to pretend he shares their values or ideals. House Speaker Paul Ryan announced Monday that he will no longer campaign with or defend his party’s nominee. That could be the death knell the Trump campaign so richly deserves.

Asked at the beginning of the debate about the video, Trump said it was just “locker room talk” and then started babbling about “a world where you have ISIS chopping off heads.” No one was fooled by this clumsy attempt to change the subject. Trump was essentially claiming that his moral character does not matter. But of course it does.

Trump’s other defense was, essentially, that however much of a misogynistic lout he might be, Bill Clinton is worse. Just before the debate, Trump staged a photo op with three women who claim to have been sexually assaulted by the former president decades ago and one woman whose rapist Hillary Clinton represented in court as a courtappointed defense lawyer. The Trump campaign seated the women prominently in the debate auditorium, perhaps in an attempt at psychological warfare. It didn’t work. Clinton was relaxed, composed, patient and unruffled. Trump stalked, scowled and at times came up and loomed behind her, like a horror movie villain. She betrayed not a hint of concern. As for substance, she offered plenty and Trump offered none. Campaign aides have tried to get him to learn something about health care policy, or the Syrian conflict, or his own tax plan. Those aides have failed. Trump lost the debate. Now he should lose the election and go away. Eugene Robinson’s email address is eugenerobinson@ washpost.com.

Bill Otto is a long shot to unseat Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner in Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District. He ran unopposed in his primary, yet Wagner nearly doubled his vote total with an opponent drawing votes from her in the Republican primary. Wagner has withdrawn her support from Donald Trump, which is about the only

good thing we can say for her. She opposes raising the minimum wage, favors privatizing Social Security, voted repeatedly to defund Planned Parenthood, and voted against renewing the Violence Against Women Act that protects women from domestic violence and sexual assault. Otto, on the other hand, is a solid liberal Democrat who would be an ally for Clay in Congress. We endorse BILL OTTO FOR U.S. REPRESENTATIVE –DISTRICT 2

James and Freddy Doss for supporting and believing in Hillary Clinton! I would just add that regarding early support for our families, we need paid family leave in America. We are one a few countries (and the richest country!) that don’t have a national policy on paid leave. Less than one quarter of American families get any paid leave, and it is usually only six weeks after a birth of a child. Paid leave for all families would help mothers to be able to stay home longer after the birth of a child, which would help her to breastfeed for longer since many women quit breastfeeding when they return to work. We know that breastfeeding benefits are dose-related, and we know that babies who are breastfed have a greater chance to overcome and withstand the effects of poverty and other social ills. I wish that the “pro-lifers” would redirect their energies to “pro-breastfeeding and baby support”! When we get that right many of our family and reproductive issues will be positively affected. and we will be truly “pro-life.”

Erin O’Reilly, RN,MSNR,IBCLC St. Louis

Chris Koster

Photo by Wiley Price

Great day at the Griot

Salute to the Classes of 2017 was hosted by The Griot Museum of Black History, 2505 St. Louis Ave., on Sunday, September 25. St. Louis-area high school seniors gathered for a gallery activity to study African fabrics while donning traditional African attire. Local educator and Pan African folk artist Mama Lisa spoke on the cultural significance of textiles from Mali, South Africa, Ghana, Congo and other regions in Africa. The students experienced new ways to embellish their college wardrobes for a variety of campus events. For more information on the Griot, call 314-241-7057 or e-mail thegriotmuseum@aol.com.

Breakfast Club hosts fundraiser October 15

The Breakfast Club, Inc. will host the 5th Pink Posse Roundup for a Cure 8 p.m.-midnight Saturday, October 15 at the St. Louis Gateway Classic Sports Foundation Complex, 2012 Dr. Martin Luther King Dr. The Breakfast Club is a not-for-profit breast cancer support group serving low-income uninsured and underinsured

Dutchtown group gets EPA grant to stop dumping

Dutchtown South Community Corporation is one of 10 local community-based organizations across the country awarded $120,000 by the EPA for projects seeking to address local environmental and public health concerns in their communities through collaboration with other stakeholders.

Each organization will receive $120,000 over two years under the EPA Office of Environmental Justice’s Collaborative Problem Solving Cooperative Agreement Program. The Dutchtown group will use the EPA’s Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Model to reduce improper solid waste disposal, littering and illegal dumping while building community capacity.

African-American women by providing education, awareness, resources and support. Pink Posse Roundup for a Cure is their main fundraiser. For more information, call 314-972-8883 or visit www. breakfastclub-stl.org.

UM Extension now open in Kirkwood

University of Missouri Extension in Saint Louis County has relocated to 132 E. Monroe in downtown Kirkwood and is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

University of Missouri Extension is a partnership of the University of Missouri campuses, Lincoln University, the people of Missouri through county extension councils, and the National Institute for Food and Agriculture of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It offers various programming and educational workshops ranging from Gardening and Horticulture, Health and Nutrition, Community Development, Business, Housing and Financial support, and Labor Education.

For more information, visit http://extension. missouri.edu/stlouis or call 314-400-2115.

The masks we wear

By Rebeccah Bennett

We wear the mask that grins and lies, It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes, This debt we pay to human guile’ With torn and bleeding hearts we smile …

One of my favorite poems by Paul Laurence Dunbar, “We Wear The Mask,” captures the reality of many black folks and countless people around the world. Who among us has not had cause to wear a mask – to at some point conceal our thoughts, mute our voices or temper our actions?

While it’s appropriate for us to be sensitive to our environment, we suffer when we repeatedly deny our truth and forfeit our authenticity. Survival, circumstance and fear might compel us to accommodate, but over time we frequently come to identify with our pretense, mistaking the mask for our true face.

Shedding the false selves that imprison us in painful dynamics is central to our well-being. We can do this by asking, “What habitual ways of thinking, speaking and acting drain us of our energy and power?” “What patterns do we need to confront and ultimately transform so that our true selves can emerge?”

Answering these questions honestly helps us to identify our masks. By naming and claiming them, we move our distress out of the shadows to the forefront of our awareness. We can then gain even deeper understanding by exploring the wounds that lie at the center of our distress and asking, “What am I covering up that wants to be revealed and more fully expressed?”

n We can gain even deeper understanding by exploring the wounds that lie at the center of our distress.

When I asked and answered these questions, I was enlightened by what I uncovered. I had spent years playing the role of “Elastigirl” – the one who stretches herself thin to support and rescue others. I donned Elastigirl’s mask early in life in response to a loved one’s addiction. I later came to live in the mask, wearing it almost daily in my interactions with others.

While I was born with a helping spirit, chronically overextending myself made me tired and resentful. It also robbed others of the chance to do their work and grow. At this stage in my life, I’m learning that I don’t have to trade service for love and approval. I’m also coming to accept that there are others who will support me if I ask for their help. Removing my mask made it possible for me to experience these truths. May your efforts to live authentically be so handsomely rewarded.

Rebeccah Bennett is founder of Emerging Wisdom & InPower Institute.

Rebeccah Bennett

Viola Murphy, Ferguson Councilwomen Ella Jones and Laverne Mitchom, and Spanish Lake Township Committeewoman Gwen Reed. “I beseech you,” Booker told them, during a 30-minute private conversation. “Help me get this guy elected.” Booker said he is campaigning for Democratic candidates for Senate, like Kander, who have a chance of taking a seat from a Republican incumbent on November 8. Kander, 35, a Democrat from Kansas City currently serving as Missouri secretary of state, is running against Roy Blunt, 66, a Republican from Springfield who continues to endorse Donald Trump for U.S. president. The day after Booker’s visit, Roll Call, which covers Capitol Hill, ranked Kander as the No. 1 Senate challenger in 2016. Booker explained the tactical advantages for having a party majority in the Senate. The current Republican majority in the Senate has enabled them to block President Obama’s power to make an appointment to the empty seat on the U.S. Supreme Court. Also, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) has refused to move bills proposed by Booker and others that offer reforms on major urban issues like gun control and criminal justice.

“I can’t get anything done,” Booker said. “McConnell refuses to even put my bipartisan bills on the floor.” Now there are 54 Republicans, 44 Democrats and two Independents in the Senate, and the Roll Call ranking of challengers on October 11 listed 11 credible Democratic challengers to Republican incumbents and two credible Republican challengers to Democrats.

CWAH

Continued from A1 program she had previously considered, but her credit rating was too low and her debt ratio too high. It was time for more education.

“When I’m down, education has been the key to getting me together,” she said. “It’s how I get back up.”

While working towards a Democratic Senate majority is critical, Booker said Kander, in particular, would be a valuable ally to him.

“I need people like Jason who understand urban issues, who know our community’s needs and will advocate for our community,” Booker said. When he asked for questions, Booker was besieged by local concerns.

Pierson – who lost his August 2 Democratic primary for lieutenant governor to Russ Carnahan by more than 200,000 votes – asked why

Community Women Against Hardship (CWAH) was instrumental in providing that education. The Financial Literacy Program gave her the framework she needed to get credit-ready for home ownership; fitness and health classes gave her the physical stamina to keep going. Soup for the Soul provided the support of sisterhood and the ability to look truthfully at herself and share her challenges

black politicians are always being asked to rally around white Democrats for statewide office.

“Why are we never rallying around a statewide black candidate?” Pierson asked.

n “It all depends on our turnout. It all depends on what we do.”

– U.S. Senator Cory Booker

Booker promised he would return to North County, before it was time for U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill to defend her seat in 2018, and help strategize in support of “young black leaders coming up.”

Pace, Murphy and others complained that local officials were not adequately including black elected officials in planning meetings for how to benefit from the federal Promise Zone designation announced for north St. Louis city and county. The designation was designed to give applicants from targeted areas an advantage when applying for federal grants.

n If you know of an individual or family that could benefit from services at Community Women Against Hardship, please submit nominations by October 31.

with women who were in similar situations.

She continues to work on her bachelor degree in Social Work at the University of Missouri St. Louis.

Her three sons also reaped the benefits of CWAH. They

participated in job readiness, career assessment, jewelry making, engineering and youth entrepreneurship classes. They had an opportunity to travel to Alabama and study the Civil Rights Movement during the

Kander directed someone from his staff to get involved in finding an immediate solution, though he is a state, not federal, official. If elected to the Senate, he said he would bolster constituent services to offer more technical support for things like grant writing.

Erby said that everyone who attended the meeting was “on board” with Kander and could be expected to volunteer, but they would need to pay people to help get out the vote. She described paying people who worked street teams on the August 2 primary $100 a day

summer program. She submitted her third application to Habitat for Humanity and moved into her new home with four bedrooms and two baths in November of last year. She and her sons participated in the building of their new home. “It was wonderful to see that my struggles hadn’t been in vain and to see my kids succeed,” she said.

Her advice to others: Have faith. Believe in your ability to do better. Set goals, educate

and being told, “Thank you, I am going to go buy groceries.”

“If you want us to get people to go door to door,” Erby said, “people are looking to be paid.” Kander seemed to be on the verge of delegating a staff person on this matter, when Booker interrupted. A spokesperson later told The American that the Democratic coordinated campaign in Missouri is spending resources in North County. Kander faces Blunt on the November 8 ballot.

yourself on how to achieve them; and don’t give up.

If you know of an individual or family that could benefit from services at CWAH, nominate them today for our People Against Poverty Campaign 2016. Please submit nominations by October 31 to: The St. Louis American, People Against Poverty Campaign 2016, 2315 Pine Street, St. Louis, MO. 63103; fax to (314) 533-2332; or email mwinbush2@stlamerican.com.

U.S. Senator Cory Booker and Jason Kander, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, met with North County elected officials – including Democratic nominee for state representative Cora Faith Walker and Spanish Lake Township Committeewoman Gwen Reed – at J&C BBQ in Ferguson on Monday, October 10.

Photo by Wiley Price

FREEMAN

Continued from A1 spend it in contemplation.”

However, on Saturday, October 22, the St. Louis City NAACP is throwing Freeman an anything-but-quiet 100th Birthday Bash at the St. Louis Marriott Grand Hotel, where dignitaries from all over will come to celebrate, and the public is invited to join in as well.

“Attorney Frankie Muse Freeman tackled civil rights issues like the work of a blacksmith, forging a brighter future for society and bending the iron will of those who would oppose such,” said Adolphus Pruitt, president of the St. Louis City NAACP.

Freeman would be the first to say that the festivities are too much, Pruitt said, “when in reality it is probably too little.”

Her “just due” from the NAACP will cumulate in the spring of 2017 in Kiener Plaza downtown with the unveiling of a Frankie Freeman statute, he said. Freeman has received countless awards, including being inducted into the International Civil Rights Hall of Fame in 2007.

President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed her to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in 1964, making her the first woman on the commission. As a commissioner for 16 years, she led hearings throughout the country on issues of segregation, affirmative action and equal rights. Prior to this position, she worked on the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s legal team on important civil rights cases, including Davis et al v. the St. Louis Housing Authority, which ended legal racial discrimination in public housing.

Dr. William H. Danforth, Washington University chancellor emeritus, is a co-chair of the birthday party.

“It’s a big event when she reaches 100,” Danforth said.

“Of all the people, I can’t think of anyone who is more universally admired. She has always been absolutely true to her beliefs and her principles.” Danforth and Freeman co-chaired a committee for monitoring and advising St. Louis Public Schools for over a decade.

“A lot of our recommendations were followed, and without Frankie’s name and her conviction, it wouldn’t have been so successful,” Danforth said. “She’s fearless. She moves in and does what she thinks is right.”

As a student at Howard University Law School, she decided she would become a civil rights lawyer because “someone had to do something,” she said at the Anheuser-Busch talk. Freeman was admitted to the Missouri Bar Association in 1948, and she opened her law office in

1949.

“I opened my own law office because I was not able to get associated with any of the law firms,” she said.

“I’m not sure if it was race or gender. Because if it was one of the white firms, it was definitely race. But for the black firms, it was just that I was female. I happen to be black and female, so therefore I was determined.”

n “I opened my own law office because I was not able to get associated with any of the law firms. I’m not sure if it was race or gender.”

– Frankie Muse Freeman

When she opened the office, she was the sole practitioner.

“That’s how I got a job handling the civil rights cases,” she said. Her work to establish equality in education goes back to the 1960s, when Freeman served as one of the U.S.

commissioners on Civil Rights from 1964 to 1980.

In 1965, President Johnson asked the commission to conduct a study on racial isolation in the public schools. After conducting hearings and studies around the country, the commission gave its report to the president, with a supplementary statement from Freeman.

Freeman stated to the president, “The schools are critical in determining what kind of society this will be.”

She said schools are fertile ground for preventing people from making decisions based on race – decisions like who gets the job, who lives down the block and even the essential

worth of a person.

“They would be less likely to make decisions based on race or class if they get to know one another,” she stated to the president. “The cycle must be broken in classrooms.”

In her statement, she said our country is on a “collision course” created by a divided education system based on economic background and race. It can be resolved by combining resources and efforts. Her statement was made in February 1967 –nearly 50 years ago.

“It could also be said today,” Freeman said, when she accepted the 2011 St. Louis Citizen of the Year Award.

“Nothing is more important to the growth of our region than the strong, healthy and effective education system in the City of St. Louis.”

Just like Freeman, Bullock has a phrase that her mother gave to her, and she’s used

Never forget

A protestor had a message for police blocking off Forest Park Parkway on Sunday, October 9, when a town hall-style presidential debate was held on the adjacent campus of Washington University in St. Louis.

it countless times. She remembers when Freeman gave it to her.

“One time when I was in the midst of a divorce, she came to my dance performance and brought a bottle of wine with a note attached,” Bullock said.

“It said, ‘Keep your hand on the plow and hold on.’” Now she posts it at her office and other places.

“It means don’t give up,” she said. “Do your homework, and don’t give up. Obstacles are just something to go around or go through. Don’t let it stop you.”

Frankie Freeman’s 100th Birthday Bash takes place Saturday, October 22 at the Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel, 800 Washington Ave. The reception begins at 5:30 p.m. and dinner and program at 6:30 p.m. For tickets, call 314-361-8600.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

We are not disillusioned, we are motivated

Liberation Collective at Washington University marching on day of debate

By Christian Ralph Guest columnist

The 2016 presidential election is frustrating for millions of Americans who do not see their interests represented at the ballot box. As a student exercising my right to vote in my first presidential election, I share the sentiment.

All too often in this election, complex issues are avoided, and debate between the candidates from the two major parties is isolated to a few, select topics. However, some of the issues that are avoided are essential for students across the nation. The second debate is taking place on my college campus, Washington University in St. Louis, and I cannot passively watch while the candidates ignore the concerns of Americans. Action must be taken.

The presidential candidates have overlooked and deliberately ignored the issues that impact marginalized communities, both domestically and internationally. A coalition of students at Washington University has united, and we are calling ourselves the Liberation Collective.

The Liberation Collective believes that we, as a nation can no longer ignore the struggles of not only black communities suffering from de-facto police occupations of neighborhoods, but also the role the United States plays in perpetuating, supporting, and participating in global occupations with other imperial powers against communities

within the Global South, such as Palestine, Kashmir and Syria. We also cannot continue to turn a blind eye to statesanctioned violence, economic injustice, and environmental degradation, which are all directly linked.

Both sides of the aisle have historically, and especially in this election, failed to address the declining power of unions. Raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, fighting for better working conditions for workers, and strengthening unions in both the public and private sectors are all causes we value and demand that they be addressed.

And finally, we cannot ignore the environmental degradation and destruction that multinational corporations sow as they poison our land and communities with little afterthought to the marginalized communities they prey on and eventually abandonrecently exemplified by the Native American protests against the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. As a result, we cannot work within systems that perpetuate these injustices and must work to stand with and empower grassroots movements outside of these systems. I am privileged to be at Washington University at a time when a presidential debate will take place on campus. This debate represents a historic moment, not only for the residents who call this city their home, but also the students who belong to the greater St. Louis community. October 9 is an opportunity to make our voices heard. If asked why I am

marching on October 9, I would say that my participation in direct action is key, especially after the events in Tulsa and Charlotte.

There is a narrative that students are overwhelmingly disillusioned at the choices presented. While I would agree that I am not excited at the prospects for this election, I reject that narrative. We are not disillusioned; rather, we are motivated, now more than ever, to make a stand. As a black male living in the United States, I firmly believe we cannot continue with the status quo for another four years, with a leader who will not seriously address the fact that the police continue to murder unarmed black individuals with impunity, while victims and survivors of state terrorism have no process for recourse. It is a non-negotiable fact that the lives of millions of black Americans are not valued, and that needs to change.

The Liberation Collective will gather at Washington University and hold its own on-campus rally at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, October 9, to speak out against the candidates’ complicity in systemic oppression and Washington University for appeasing both sides of issues by not making a stand for human rights, such as Black Lives Matter. By maintaining silence on those issues, they inherently perpetuate an oppressive and exploitative system.

After our rally, we will march to the larger community gathering that will be held at the parking lot behind the Loop by Cicero’s at 5 pm. We march because we demand that the candidates on October 9 talk on issues of substance, not “stamina.”

Christian Ralph is a member of the Student Worker Alliance (SWA) at Washington University

County police officer killed in line of duty

Blake Snyder, 33, leaves wife and son

By Mariah Stewart Of The St. Louis American

St. Louis County Police

Officer Blake Snyder was fatally shot Thursday, October 6 after responding to a disturbance 9-1-1 call in south Affton. Shortly after Snyder, 33, arrived on the 10700 block of Arno in Green Park around 5 a.m., according to police, 18-year-old male suspect Trenton Forster began shooting, striking Snyder. Snyder was wound was immediately fatal.

Snyder’s partner returned fire at Forster. Forster is now in critical condition. Forster allegedly banged on the door of a residence he wanted to enter, which prompted a 9-1-1 disturbance call from the residents.

The officer was and the suspect is a white man.

The shooting had “characteristics” of an ambush, St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said during a press conference October 6.

“I certainly wouldn’t discount the fact that this was an ambush,” Belmar said.

“I have seen that [an ambush] in my career before. You walk up to a car and you’re beginning to engage somebody, there isn’t much that has happened yet, and in moments you’re shot. Within a few seconds – you’re shot.”

Forster, who was charged with first degree murder and armed criminal action, currently has a felony narcotics case pending, according to Belmar.

n Forster, who was charged with irst degree murder and armed criminal action, currently has a felony narcotics case pending. Snyder was involved in Foster’s narcotic case, Belmar said.

Snyder was involved in Forster’s narcotic case, Belmar said.  Forster฀s bail is set to $1  million.

Based on a briefing before the press conference, Belmar said he believes Officer Snyder and his partner acted professionally in their conduct.

Belmar referred to Snyder as a “great guy.”

“I wouldn’t have to know much of Snyder to know that he’s tremendously dedicated, outstanding police officer, and if you asked him why he’s a police officer he would tell you without hesitation ‘because I want to help people,’” Belmar said.

This is the first line-ofduty death the St. Louis County Police Department has experienced in 16 years. The last officer who died on duty was Sergeant Richard Weinhold on October 31, 2000. Snyder leaves behind a twoyear-old son and a wife. Backstoppers is assisting in supporting Officer Snyder’s family. The non-profit is now assisting 80 families of fallen first responders, with 66 dependent children, and have assisted a total of 159 families since 1959. Those who wish to contribute may donate to Backstoppers with the note “For P.O. Blake Snyder” via http://backstoppers.org/. This story is published as part of a partnership between The St. Louis American and The Huffington Post.

Oct. 28 deadlineto file claim for Jennings settlement over warrants

American staff

If you have ever been charged for a warrant by the City of Jennings, you may have some money coming to you, but the deadline to fill out and postmark your claim is Friday, October 28. Between 2009-2014, the City of Jennings illegally charged people fees for issuing warrants that totaled $531,500.

Jennings declared that having and collecting the warrant fee was illegal and entered into the settlement agreement on July 21. There are approximately 6,800 people who are eligible members of this class action settlement.

The class action, Lampkin v City of Jennings, was filed on behalf of victims by ArchCity Defenders, Saint Louis University School of Law and the local Campbell law firm in December 2014. For more information on the settlement, visit https://goo.gl/ Al7UIr.

To fill out a claim form, visit https://goo.gl/rGc5jP or go to ArchCity Defender’s office in the second floor of Christ Church Cathedral, 1210 Locust St. in downtown St. Louis. For more information, call 1-866918-0079.

Slain St. Louis County Police Officer Blake Snyder Murder suspect Trenton Forster

Rasheen wins revote on 5th Ward committee race on Nov. 8

Rasheen Aldridge, the Ferguson protestor who became the youngest Ferguson Commission member, will get another chance to unseat Rodney Hubbard Sr. as 5th Ward Democratic committeeman. Judge Julian L. Bush ruled on October 11 that “there were irregularities of sufficient magnitude to cast doubt on the validity” of the August 2 primary election, when Hubbard beat Aldridge with a preponderance of absentee votes, as is common in the 5th Ward. The judge set the Tuesday, November 8 general election as the date to redo the Aldridge-Hubbard race.

Bruce Franks Jr. won a similar court challenge over his August 2 primary defeat by Penny Hubbard (Rodney’s wife) in House District 78 and went on to win the special election for the Democratic nomination. He is on the November 8 ballot unchallenged.

Penny Hubbard’s primary defeat of Megan Betts for 5th Ward Democratic committeewoman was the only absentee-fueled Hubbard win on August 2 that was not challenged and upended in the courts. Betts is a likely challenger for Tammika Hubbard in the March 2017 election for the much more impactful seat of 5th Ward alderwoman. Absentee ballots have been the path to victory in the 5th Ward since before the Hubbards’ hegemony in the ward and control of Carr Square Village. Before the Hubbards, Louis Ford ran similarly aggressive absentee

ballot campaigns with similar results. It remains to be seen whether the Hubbards can reinvent their absentee ballot program (i.e., hustle) in a way that passes legal scrutiny. The Hubbards are likely to better in the 5th Ward than House District 78, which is larger and includes many neighborhoods where they have less pull.

Dueker fails to ‘smear’ consumer advocate

Cara Spencer did nothing unethical in filing legislation concerning payday lenders with the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, the Missouri Ethics Commission ruled on October 11. Spencer is both 20th Ward alderwoman and executive director of Consumers Council of Missouri. Jane Dueker filed an ethics complaint, alleging that Spencer’s job posed a conflict that she needed to disclose.

“We are gratified by the decision of the Missouri Ethics Commission and believe they made a proper decision based upon the facts and the law,” Spencer’s attorney Hal Goldsmith told The American. “This complaint appears to have been a nottoo-subtle effort to smear the good name and reputation of Alderwoman Cara Spencer, who is simply acting in the best interests of her constituents and all the residents of the City of St. Louis by attempting to pass laws aimed at protecting individuals from predatory lending practices.”

Deuker also was on the losing end of both Hubbards’ attempts to salvage their August 2 primary wins.

Bruce Franks Jr., Megan Betts and Rasheen Aldridge campaigned together against their respective Hubbard opponents for the August 2 Democratic primary election. Franks lost to Penny Hubbard in House District 78, but then won a special election after the court threw out those election results. Betts lost to Penny Hubbard for 5th Ward committeewoman and has not challenged those results. On October 11, a judge threw out the results in Aldridge’s loss to Rodney Hubbard Sr. for 5th Ward committeeman, and a revote was ordered for the November 8 general election.

Donald Trump had a worse week than Jane Dueker, but not many other political players did.

The involvement of Goldsmith – a former federal prosecutor and partner at Bryan Cave – was a real show of legal firepower on behalf of an advocate for all consumers in the state. It’s a good sign for consumer advocates and a bad sign for payday lenders to see him engage on this issue.

McKee wins first round for sales-tax increase

On October 12, a St. Louis

aldermanic committee passed two bills that would establish a one-percent sales tax increase in an area where Northside Regeneration developer Paul McKee Jr. is building a grocery store and gas station –near the intersection of Tucker Boulevard and 13th Street. Board Bill 150, sponsored by Alderwoman Tammika Hubbard (Ward 5), would establish that Community Improvement District (CID) –which would increase the sales tax at the future market and gas station by one percent. The tax will go towards the $20-million project’s infrastructure, site

acquisition, demolition and repairs, according to the bill.

The tax revenue will also go towards paying back the TIF Note, which is another bill Hubbard introduced on October 12. Board Bill 149 would approve the GreenLeaf TIF note, which essentially allows McKee to go to a third-party lender and get a loan for the project.

Already in July, the Board of Aldermen approved a bill to release $2.8 million in TIF bond financing for the project’s infrastructure. A TIF note is a financing alternative to TIF bonds. This is the first development that McKee has sought to use any of the $390 million TIF, which was first approved in 2009 for the largescale Northside Regeneration project in North city.

The Housing and Urban Development and Zoning Committee passed the two bills with a 4-3 vote. Now it will go to the full aldermanic board for a second reading on Friday, October 14.

If the bill passes, the North city gas station will have a 9.68 percent sales tax – making it among the highest sales tax in the country. Chicago is at the top with 10.25 percent, and Seattle sits in sixth place with 9.6 percent, according to the Tax Foundation. The grocery store will have a slightly lower tax but St. Louis Development Corporation representatives could not answer the aldermen’s question of how much lower.

Some North Side residents were appalled to hear about

the potential CID and sales tax increase.

“The problem with the CID is that this is not what we were told,” said Jessica Payne, an Old North resident. “The community wasn’t informed that there would be higher sales taxes, above and beyond the standard city taxes. To expect the residents of this neighborhood to pay extra fees for Mr. McKee’s gas station development is just wrong.”

During the meeting, McKee said that people with foodstamp cards will not pay any sales tax. However, that did not quiet the opposition.

“This is a turd wrapped in a bow,” said Alderman Antonio French, who voted in opposition. “The grocery store is a great thing. We need to subsidize grocery stores in this area because they have a slim profit margin. But wrapping this up with a gas station, it puts us in a tough spot.”

Alderwoman Cara Spencer (Ward 20), who also opposed the bills, said that Community Improvement Districts are intended to be tools for communities “to raise tax dollars and administer them hyper-locally.” And community members themselves should sit on the board for the district. However, the person who chairs the proposed CID is McKee himself. Further, she said McKee’s stated purposes for the CID are basically the exact purposes of the TIF – for infrastructure, site acquisition, etc.

“These should not be redundant,” Spencer said.

Dr. Caldwell James Gaffney Sr., beloved physician

Dr. Caldwell James Gaffney Sr. was born to George Edward Gaffney and Bertha Caldwell Gaffney on March 18, 1922 in Columbia, South Carolina. His loving wife of 66 years, Marie “Weebie” Louise Thomas Gaffney, preceded him in death on June 15, 2016. He was the last surviving sibling of five in his beloved family. Caldwell had a lively spirit and a humbled heart; he was known as “Dad” to many. He was a passionate physician and a patient, kind and wise man with a zest for life. As if his career was not enough to keep him busy, Caldwell also had a passion for performing. He enjoyed singing and acting to an attentive audience, reciting poetry to a listening ear, and dancing with a willing partner. Hand Caldwell a microphone and you were guaranteed a one-man show. His love for entertaining was nourished as a child by his family who appreciated the arts. His eldest brother, George, was a gifted artist/ poet/writer, while his younger brother, Floyd, was a professor emeritus for the Theatre and Dance Department at the University of California, San Diego. Caldwell attended and graduated from Fisk University, earning his undergraduate degree, and from Meharry Medical College earning his medical degree. Shortly after medical school, Caldwell served as a captain in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, and was stationed in Korea.

After serving in the military, he moved to St.

Dr. Caldwell James Gaffney Sr.

Louis, where he practiced medicine. There he met the love of his life, Weebie, married, started his private medical practice, and helped raise his four children. Caldwell was elected chief of Surgery and chairman, of the Surgical Department at Central Medical Center in St. Louis. He was an active member of numerous medical organizations and surgical boards throughout his career.

During his many years of practice, Caldwell was adored by his patients and treated each one as if they were family. He was so committed to providing excellent medical service to his community that he made house calls to his bedridden patients.

After 40 years of dedicated

medical service, Caldwell laid down his stethoscope. In 2004, he and Weebie relocated to Bowie, Maryland to be near their children and grandchildren.

Caldwell was an excellent physician, but he was an even better husband and father. After God, Caldwell’s family always came first. He was a dedicated husband to his loving wife, Weebie, and a role model father to his children, nieces and many others who looked to him for advice or a lively discussion. Caldwell’s achievements and blessings resulted from his strong faith and belief that service to others brings prosperity and happiness.

During his later years, he spent much of his time memorizing poems, teaching himself new piano pieces, singing karaoke, preparing for choir rehearsals, and working out at the gym.

While grieving the loss of his beloved Weebie, Caldwell slipped away peacefully in his sleep on September 8, 2016, and now rests in the loving arms of God where he is joined with his soul mate once again.

Caldwell was predeceased by his loving wife, Marie Louise Gaffney. He is survived by: his loving children, Cynthia Jennings (Bernard), Caldwell Gaffney Jr., Carla Bristol (Stanley), Carmen St. Paul (Roland), Shelley Johnson; six grandchildren, Erika, Caldwell III, Chancellor, Brandon, Marcus and Simone; great grandson, Donovan; his sister-in-law, Yvonne Gaffney, and his many nieces and nephews. March 18, 1922 – SepteMber 8, 2016

Yoga to stress less

Gladys Smith offers fitness for mind and body

By Sandra Jordan

Of The St. Louis American

Fitness for your mind and body – that is one way to describe yoga. Through a series of physical poses that stretch limbs, torso and imagination, yoga can relieve stress and anxiety, control breathing and build better range of motion and strength. It has been around for more than 5,000 years. Think of the rejuvenating nature of yoga as your own ‘woosah’ moment.

The American Psychological Association says yoga increases body awareness, sharpens attention and concentration, and calms and centers the nervous system. Additionally, yoga’s benefits on mental health make it an important tool of psychotherapy.

n Among its health benefits, yoga is also known to reduce blood pressure, muscle tension, inflammation and weight.

Gladys Smith has been a certified yoga instructor for more than a decade. The recent 2016 Salute to Excellence in Education Awardee started practicing yoga while traveling in Asia while serving in the military, and is a proponent of healing feelings.

“I started to love it – I started to notice what it did for stress and stress management,” Smith said. “A few years ago, I became an instructor through Clayton yoga.” Smith said she had an opportunity to lead Canfield Green residents in yoga following the Mike Brown killing and unrest in Ferguson.

“It was wonderful, because it helped them relax just for a minute,” Smith said.

The benefits are

on

that

“It was older people – younger people too; brothers out there doing it – everyone was doing yoga.” The benefits are powerful enough that she teaches a free weekly midday yoga class on Fridays at Webster University, where, as a psychologist, Smith is drug and alcohol and trauma counselor, a sexual assault victims’ advocate and teaches about gender, culture and violence. “If the students would continue to do it consistently and not do it just when it is stress management time, which is right before midterms and finals … you learn to manage your parasympathetic [nervous system] and you

learn to relax and allow things to happen. And you can still stay the same.” Among its health benefits, yoga is also known to reduce blood pressure, muscle tension, inflammation and weight. The American Osteopathic Association states there are more than 100 different types of yoga – and it focuses on the body’s natural tendency toward health and healing. Smith said long-term stress impacts us down the line – via diabetes, heart disease, stroke and all of the endocrine problems, and physical problems – aches in joints and head-

Smart screening for black men

During my medical school training, a memory I will never forget concerned an elderly gentleman who presented to the emergency room experiencing diffuse body pain and 60 pounds of weight loss. His children reported that their father had not been himself for more than a year, so they brought him to the emergency room when he refused to get out of bed.

After an extensive evaluation, including x-rays, the gentleman was found to have abnormal areas throughout most of his bones consistent with cancer. The emergency room team sent off several vials of blood and included a relatively new test called prostate speciic antigen (PSA) to determine if the source of his disease was the prostate gland. A normal value for the PSA is approximately 4 ng/ml. My patient’s PSA returned over 1000 ng/ml. Over the next few years the PSA blood test would be widely adopted as a means of diagnosing early prostate cancer before the onset of advanced malignancy.

n African American men develop prostate cancer 60 percent more frequently and have more than double the mortality of any other racial and ethnic group.

African American men develop prostate cancer 60 percent more frequently and have more than double the mortality of any other racial and ethnic group. Compared to white men, African-American men develop prostate cancer at an earlier age, with more aggressive disease and a higher probability that it will spread to other parts of the body. The PSA blood test, when administered early, has been a remarkable lifesaving tool. Before the routine use of PSA, over 50 percent of African-American men with prostate cancer presented to their physician with advanced disease, when treatment is dificult to withstand, and the window for cure has closed. Now, with routine PSA screening, less than 5 percent of men, regardless of race and ethnicity, present with metastatic disease. Because of PSA screening and improved therapies, there has been a dramatic drop in the mortality rate from prostate cancer, unlike what we have seen in any other solid tumor over the last 25 years.

Unfortunately, there is controversy in offering the PSA test to men. In 2012, the US Preventive Services Task Force issued guidelines recommending that the PSA test should not be administered, regardless of the risk group.

Lannis Hall, M.D.

A14 ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 13 – 19, 2016

Therapist Gladys Smith teaches a free yoga class on Fridays at Webster University.

powerful enough

Gladys Smith teaches a free weekly midday yoga class

Fridays at Webster University.

Photo by Wiley Price

Photo by Wiley Price

HealtH Briefs

Doctors pair up with lawyers to find cures for those in need

By Dourrie Bouscaren

St. Louis Public Radio

Your doctor can refer you to a specialist … but what if she could refer you to free legal help, too?

In St. Louis, attorneys for Legal Services of Eastern Missouri are making the rounds at community health clinics to help patients whose health issues may need a legal remedy.

“I just think it’s the future of where medical care is going. Doctors can treat symptoms but there’s certain social issues that they can’t treat, so that’s where we can step in,” staff attorney Lauren Hamvas said during an outreach session at Family Care Health Centers in the Carondelet neighborhood of St. Louis.

At any point in time, Hamvas and her colleagues represent about a hundred people in the St. Louis region who came to them through the program. Hundreds more have come in for consultations. They handle issues like disputes with landlords, if mold or roaches are affecting a tenant’s health. Sometimes clients ask for help to resolve challenges filing for Medicaid or Social Security benefits.

Sometimes, patients will reveal information to their doctor that they won’t tell anyone else. In one case, program director Amanda Schneider worked with a patient who was trying to leave an abusive relationship.

“We were able to advise her of all of her options, just lay it out there on the table,” Schneider said. “At this time she’s decided to stay, but I think we have empowered her to know what her options are in the future.”

As part of the program, health center employees are also taught how to screen their patients for potential legal needs.

The program is funded by a three-year grant of $665,558 from the Missouri Foundation for Health. Hamvas, Schneider and a social worker rotate between Family Care Health Centers’ two locations in the Carondelet and The Grove neighborhoods, and Affinia Health Care’s clinics on Biddle Street and Lemp Avenue. Another grant offers similar services to children receiving

care at local hospitals and Affinia.

Christine Rohloff, a community health nurse for Family Care Health Centers, said she used to give Legal Services’ 1-800 number to her patients, who are often elderly or living with a chronic condition. Now that the attorneys hold office hours at the center regularly, Rohloff can refer her patients directly to them.

Legal Services of Eastern Missouri attorney Lauren Hamvas, left, chats with project director Amanda Schneider at Family Care Health Centers, in the Carondelet neighborhood of St. Louis.

Q: During Medicare Open Enrollment periods, especially, fraudulent activity happens more often as Medicare beneficiaries are inundated with communications from organizations vying for their business. What should Medicare beneficiaries know to help protect themselves from being a victim of Medicare fraud?

A: Health care fraud drives up costs for everyone in the health care system. Fraud schemes often depend on identity thieves getting hold of people’s Medicare numbers. So guard your Medicare num-

YOGA

Continued from A14

“All of those things can be traced back to stress or trauma,” Smith said. “It becomes toxic when it is untreated … unnoticed. It’s the larger things – sexual abuse, being raised in an alcoholic family … in a one-parent family… in a toxic family; being bullied; thoughts of suicide; anger – all those unresolved emotions.”

DOCTOR

Continued from A14

“I’m just thrilled to have them here,” she said. “I can make the referral, not depend on a person making a phone call.”

More than 120 legal aid agencies have medical-legal programs around the country, including one in Springfield, Missouri, according to the National Center for Medical Legal Partnership.

Avoiding Medicare fraud

ber. Treat it as you would a credit card.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said that most Medicare Health Plan marketing materials that you receive in the mail are legitimate promotions to educate you on the different Medicare Health Plan options in your area as they are companies who contract with the federal Medicare agency to provide options. However, if a sales representative does any of the following, please know that you can and should report them.

CMS said follow these important steps to protect your-

If you want to try yoga, consider what works best with your individual health conditions and abilities. Experts say do not go beyond your physical limits, don’t cause strain or injury to an already problem area and if it hurts, don’t do it. Trained yoga instructors should be able to help modify poses or identify ones to stay away from based on your personal health needs.

Smith said breathing while listening to relaxing music is a simple stress buster to clear your head and figure out

self from fraud:

• Don’t share your Medicare number or other personal information with anyone who contacts you by telephone, email or by approaching you in person, unless you’ve given them permission in advance.

Medicare will NEVER contact you for your Medicare number or other personal information as we have your number.

• Tell your friends and neighbors to guard their Medicare number.

• Don’t ever let anyone borrow or pay to use your Medicare number.

• Review your Medicare Summary Notice to be sure you

where you are and what you want to say or do.

and Medicare are only being charged for actual services that you received.

• Be wary of salespeople who knock on your door or call you uninvited and try to sell you a product or service.

• Don’t accept products received through the mail that you didn’t order. You should refuse the delivery and/or return it to the sender. Keep a record of the sender’s name and the date you returned the items.

• And if you’re looking to enroll in a Medicare plan: Be suspicious of anyone who contacts you about Medicare plans unless you gave them permis-

sion.

• There are no “early bird discounts” or “limited time offers.”

• Don’t let anyone rush you to enroll by claiming you need to “act now for the best deal.”

• Be skeptical of free gifts, free medical services, discount packages or any offer that sounds “too good to be true.”

• Any promotional items you’re offered to enroll in a plan must be worth no more than $15, and these items can’t be given on the condition that you enroll in a plan.

If you are a veteran or service member who has had thoughts of suicide, or a family member or friend of a veteran who is struggling, the VA can help through a comprehensive and extensive suicide prevention program. Access to resources listed below do not require enrollment in VA health care.

• Get immediate help if you or a veteran you care about is in crisis by calling the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 and pressing 1.

• Connect to #BeThere for veterans to find support and other resources available to veterans and service members.

• For family members or friends, watch YouTube video at http://bit.ly/2c07bov and learn how small actions can make a huge difference to those in crisis.

• Talk to a Suicide Prevention Coordinator located at any VA Medical Center. Find your facility’s coordinator and other suicide prevention resources near you by using the Resource Locator Tool at http://bit.ly/2cRJ3TX.

• Access a VA Vet Center or mobile clinic for readjustment counseling and referral services at http://bit. ly/2dlp2F1.

To learn more about VA benefits useful to Veterans in need, visit Explore VA today at http://bit.ly/2dDAMqH. VA offers veterans in crisis help and support

A common ploy of identity thieves is to say they can send you your free gift right away –they just need your Medicare number to confirm. Decline politely but firmly. Remember, it’s not rude to be shrewd! Call 1-800-MEDICARE [1-800-633-4227] to report suspected fraud. Learn more about protecting yourself from health care fraud by visiting www.Medicare.gov or by contacting your local Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP). To find the SMP in your state, go to the SMP Locator at www. smpresource.org. or call their Nationwide toll-free number: 1-877-808-2468 and ask for the number in your state.

Breakfast Club’s Pink Posse Roundup October 15

The Task Force based the decision on two randomized trials with conlicting results. One of the trials, a European Study, indicated a survival beneit for men who participated in routine PSA screening. The other trial, an American study, showed no survival beneit with the routine

use of PSA. Neither study had adequate participation of high risk men who have the most to lose from the current guidelines. Less than 5 percent of the men in the American Study were African American, making it impossible to determine the risks and beneits of PSA screening in this population. Because of the current guidelines, health care providers worry that the steady improvement in prostate cancer aches.

“If you keep your sympathetic nervous system engaged, your system soon starts to wear down because all those toxins are in your body,” she said. “As soon as you learn how to be stressfree, or stress less … physically, you’re a little bit better and psychologically, you are a lot better and you start to improve, because you start to make healthier choices.”

survival would be lost without early detection. Recent data suggest this is a legitimate concern. The prostate cancer screening rates have dropped every year since 2012.

The Prostate Cancer Coalition is composed of doctors, survivors and community health organizations who support Smart Screening, a thoughtful individualized discussion of the risks and beneits of prostate cancer screening for

The St. Louis area breast cancer support group The Breakfast Club will have its fundraiser, “Pink Posse Roundup for a Cure” on Saturday, October 15, from 8 p.m. until midnight at the St. Louis Gateway Classic Sports Complex, 2012 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive in St. Louis (63106). The Breakfast Club serves low-income, uninsured and underinsured African American women by providing education, awareness, resources and support. The Breakfast Club holds monthly support group meetings; a breast health buddy one-on-one navigation program that pairs a survivor with a newly diagnosed breast cancer patient; a Faith on The Move

high risk men. The Coalition supports the American Cancer Society’s position that there should be a discussion about the risks and beneits of screening, beginning at the age of 45 for African American men and younger if a family history. Our goals are to educate health care providers about the importance of prostate cancer screening. We are also committed to educating the community through church

information sessions, a bus and billboard campaign, a website with educational materials and partnering with other organizations that have already made a substantial difference in men’s health, like The Empowerment Network and 100 Black Men. Ultimately, we want to promote change in the US Preventive Services Task Force Guidelines on screening high risk men.

When prostate cancer is detected early, the survival rate is

program that connects Saint Louis University and mammography vans for screening of women at area churches; comfort kits for women undergoing treatment; and breast health education to incarcerated women. For more information, call 314-972-8883 or visit www. breakfastclub-stl.org.

outstanding regardless of race and ethnicity. Our efforts to end racial disparity in health care depends on making evidence based recommendations that beneit and include all Americans. We recommend Smart Screening for African American men. Lannis Hall, M.D. is medical director of Radiation Oncology at Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes Jewish St. Peters Hospital

Photo by Durrie Bouscaren

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PRESENT:

Healthy Kids Kids

When your family is in a hurry and going through a fast-food drive-thru, how are you supposed to eat healthy? Here are a few tips to remember:

q Select grilled instead of fried options. Often the healthiest option is a nice salad of greens and veggies, along with grilled chicken.

w Instead of fries or onion rings, see if you can have a fresh fruit cup or side salad instead.

e Be mindful of liquid calories (soda, shakes, slushes, etc.). Choose water or zero-calorie drinks whenever possible.

Too busy to exercise? Then schedule it! Just like you would put anything else important on your calendar (sports practice, school events, doctor appointments) so that you don’t forget — do the same for exercise. Try to schedule at least thirty minutes

According to the National Fire Protection Association, space heaters cause about 35% of all winter house fires and 80% of all winter winter heating fire deaths.

Let’s discuss some ways to be safe while using space heaters.

> The best space heaters are the ones with a safety switch that automatically turns off if the heater falls over. If yours does not have this, be sure to turn

r Condiments can contribute unhealthy calories, especially full-fat dressings, sauces and mayonnaise. Just think before you order — and you could eliminate hundreds of calories from sugar and fat!

t Most (if not all) fast-food restaurants can now provide nutrition information for all menu items.

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

(but aim for sixty!) at least four days a week. What are some creative ways to mark your calendar?

Try putting “Me Time!” or “Explore the Neighborhood” on your

it off when you leave.

> Do not use a space heater if the chord is frayed or damaged

> Keep anything flammable away from the space heater including blankets, curtains, newspapers, etc.

> Can you think of any other space heater safety tips?

Learning Standards: HPE 5, NH 5

calendar. Regular exercise is good for your heart and lungs. But don’t forget the bonus benefits. Exercise burns calories, increases your metabolism and even improves your mood. So, put it on your calendar!

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

Healthcare Careers

Dana Edwards, Director of Care Coordination and Population Health

Where do you work? I work at BJC — Christian Hospital.

Where did you go to school? I graduated from Alton High School and earned a Master of Science in Social Work and a Master of Science in Public Health from Saint Louis University.

What does a director of care coordination and population health do? My role is to make sure my team helps patients and families when they prepare to leave the hospital, and help patients and families work through difficult challenges. I also work with doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals to find ways to make our community healthier.

Why did you choose this career? I chose this career because I have always wanted to help others. This career allows me to assist others in working through challenges to reach their health goals, work with other healthcare professionals to find solutions to improve healthcare, and give back to the community I live and work in. What is your favorite part of the job you have? My favorite part of the job is when I know that I have helped my team make a difference in the lives of others, and when I know that I am helping to make our community to be healthier and stronger.

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

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

An evening of purpose & celebration

29th Salute awards more than half-million in scholarships

The sold-out 29th Anniversary Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship and Awards Gala provided a memorable evening of elegance and inspiration, from lively receptions to outstanding varied musical entertainment and splendid dining. Nearly 1,200 attendees filled America’s Center to pay tribute to Lifetime Achiever Dr. Charlene Lofton Jones and Education Advocate of the Year Deborah Patterson and to honor the outstanding accomplishments of individual educators and scholarship recipients.

With more than a half-million dollars in scholarships being awarded at the gala this year, the foundation, together with its education partners, has fostered more than $4.5 million in scholarships and community grants since 1994.

Education Advocate of the Year Deborah Patterson

Lynn Beckwith, Scott Spurgeon, Traci Nave and Darius Kirk receive the Monsanto School of Excellence Award on behalf of Riverview Gardens High with Al Mitchell of Monsanto (far right).

Southest Missouri State University Counselor of the Year Erica Snelson, right, with Dr. Carlos Vargas, president of SEMO

Salute photo coverage by Wiley Price, Lois Ingrum and Maurice Meredith

Emcee Carol Daniel and Golden Apple Award

winner Carmen Little

Dr. Carlos Vargas, president of SEMO, SEMO Suggs Scholar Trenden Everett and Donald M. Suggs

Excellence in Education Award recipients (L to R): Cynthia D. Warren, Ph.D., Ed.D, Dr. Gladys Smith, Dr. Kacy Seals, Dr. Stacy Hollins, Kathleen Foster, Cori Cloyd, Dr. Sarah Briscoe and Kimberly D. Berry

Lifetime Achiever in Education Dr. Charlene Lofton Jones

PNC Bank Early Childhood Education Award winner Aurdeen Clarkson with PNC Regional President Michael Scully

In addition to the many scholarships, The St. Louis American Foundation and Wells Fargo Advisors also provided laptop computers for many of the scholarship recipients.

of Wells Fargo

the St. Louis American Foundation.

Michael Middleton (left) and Garnett Stokes (right) presented the UM-Columbia Dr. Donald M. Suggs Dissertation Fellowships to Kenneth Bryant and Ashley Price (center).

Anheuser-Busch Scholars Briana Wilson, Alexxus Santano, Kevin Redmond, Courtney Graham, Christina Gardner and Brynn Burns

Fontbonne University President Michael Pressimone with Fontbonne University Donald M. Suggs Multicultural Leadership Scholars Naliyah Whitfield and Maria Torres.

Darius Kirk, Richard Mansfield, and Domonic Lenoir

George and Patricia Edwards with awardee Cynthia Warren Mary Elizabeth Grimes

Virvus Jones and Cory Elliott

Julio Suarez, senior director of community affairs at Anheuser-Busch

Taylor Foreman and Derrick Wallace

Salute volunteer Sheryl Rogers

Guests enjoyed the Old School Dance Party featuring DJ Sir Thurl

Cardell and Sandra Jordan

Adrian Whitten, Devonda Ball, Tierwey Smays and Chris Atkinson St.

Lofton Jones with a portrait.

Brett Lattrell and Elllen Earley

St. Louis City Treasurer

Tisaura Jones and Cora Faith Walker

Felicia Pearson (left) won a 5-day cruise courtesy of Bubbling Brown Sugar Productions, pictured with St. Louis City Comptroller Darlene Green and Treasurer Tishaura Jones

Webster University President Beth Stroble with Webster Suggs Scholars Lelani Gooch and Bradley White

Eugene Owens and Dr. Doris Graham

Vida and Aaron Medina

Mavis Thompson

Alexandria Davie, Erica Jones and Raquel Evans

A group of Omegas enjoying the Gala

Dr. Stefan Bradley and Dr. Traice Webb-Bradley

Kimberly Merrell, Nicole Gonsalves and Kimberly Edwards

Vernon Buckner and Melanie Truleove

Michael Whitley, Melissa Jones, and Salise and Cedric Cobb

Ron Wilkinson and Marsha Evans of The Jazz Edge

Keith Williams, Rebeccah Bennett and Salim Kenyatta

Previous Salute awardee Terrance Freeman with Jeffrey Lewis, Rosalind Lewis, Stacy Hollins and George Hollins

Francea Bolden, Michael Ward and Queen AgnewEmcee Carol Daniel of KMOX NewsRadio 1120

Melvin and Melva Moore

St. Louis Community College Chancellor Jeff Pittman and STLCC Suggs Scholar Vera Stidmon

Laraine Davis of Wells Fargo Advisors

Ishmael and Ebony Sistrunk

Darius Clark, Darlene and Richard King, and James Tatum

Joseph and Ethel Scoggin

Guests attend the Wells Fargo Advisors VIP Reception Webster University administrators, Webster Suggs Scholars and their families at the Webster University table

Tyrell Rodgers and Jeanice Baker

Missouri State University President Clif Smart, MSU Suggs Scholar Justin McMullen and Donald M. Suggs

Sharonda Blount, Sarah Brisco, Telly Wright, Jr. and LaShonda Davis

Maxine Birdsong, Terry Holiday, Melissa Hill and awardee Deborah Patterson

Sonia Dulaney and scholarship

recipient Courtney Graham

SEMO Counselor of the Year Erica Snelson (center) and her guests

Sandra and Eric Moore

Harris-Stowe State University President Dr. Dwaun Warmack, HSSU Suggs Scholar Aaron Batiste and Donald M. Suggs Will Ross and Arlene Moore

A few members of the dedicated team of Salute to Excellence volunteers

Excellence in Education Awardee Kacy Seals

Ivy and Ezell Grant

John buck, Rob Paknewt, John Mussena and Him Meyers

Ivory and Kenneth Woolhouse

TV show host Mr. Gary entertains some of the guests.

Joy Delaney, Angelia Bills and Tephanie Delaney

Old School Dance Party

Denise Thimes, DJ Sir Thurl make it an afterset to remember

The dance floor was packed at the post-banquet Old School Party sponsored by Premiere Production Choice.

The ladies were line dancing all night at the Old School Party.

DJ Sir Thurl’s hype man DJ Roze

Kim Burke, LaDawn Barnett and Michelle Berry

More line dancing at the Old School Party.

Photos by Wiley Price and Lois Ingrum

A group of Deltas pose at the after party.

The St. Louis American’s Mary Easter and Eric Easter on the dance floor

Songstress Denise Thimes performed at the J. Hill Jazz Cabaret presented by Personal Touches by Jeanetta, after the banquet.

LaShonda Davis and Tiffany Loveland share photos at the after party.

A guest moves to the beat.

Hot 104.1’s DJ Sir Thurl was on the 1s and 2s.

Cedric’s gala is back with Smokey and George

3rd Annual benefit show at Peabody Opera House on October 22

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

For more than 20 years (and counting) Cedric The Entertainer has been doing his part to uphold the comedic legacy of St. Louis with his presence on stage, film and television.

And for just about as long as he’s been in the comedy game on a national scale, he’s been using his celebrity to pay back.

n People ask if I started at “Def Jam,” and I say, ‘I started at The Wiz. I was at Hunter’s Lounge and Ced’s Backyard at Mannie’s.’”

– Cedric The Entertainer

“It’s part of the things that were instilled in me by my mom,” Cedric said. “She taught us ‘If you’ve got it, it’s better to help someone else out instead of it being all about you.’” When he returns to St. Louis on Saturday, October 22 for the 3rd Annual An Evening with Cedric The Entertainer and Friends Gala starring Smokey Robinson and featuring himself and George Lopez, it will be all about her.

The annual concert and comedy show hybrid at The Peabody Opera House has the purpose of raising funds for the Rosetta Boyce Kyles Women’s Health Pavilion at St. Mary’s.

It’s a project that his mother was actively involved in until she passed away last June after a lengthy battle with cancer.

“It’s indescribable to know that my

See CEDRIC, C4

A look inside Mvstermind

Rapper to celebrate release of ‘Cusp’ EP with performance at Delmar Hall

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

The haunting track for St. Louis rapper Mvstermind’s song “Mali Moolah” is as original as it comes. But at first listen one would think he’s following the popular lyrical format that has millennials believing there’s not much more to life than flossing on Instagram.

“Money, money, money, money, money, money, money” is pretty much all you hear initially.

Luckily, the track is so fire that you’ll want to listen again. That’s when you’ll tune in to the subliminal messaging at play.

“Give it to the po’ (money). [I got] so much you probably think I sold my soul (money), but

I knew my worth since birth, I don’t need no money.”

“I did that on purpose,” Mvstermind said. “I tried to make sure that I could get my word out and at the same time make it appeal to the masses. I want to attain wealth. But I also want people to know that when you know your worth, you’re good no matter what.”

The song’s title pays tribute to Mansa Musa, ruler of the Mali Empire during the 11th century, and the richest man in recorded history.

“Mali Moolah” is the lead single for his upcoming EP “Cusp,” which drops later this month. He will celebrate the release with a special performance at the all-new Delmar Hall

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

“‘Every 28 Hours’is an invitation to a different kind of witnessing of many different perspectives in the wake of what some have called ‘The Ferguson Moment,’ following the death of Mike Brown,” said Joan Lipkin, Producing Artistic Director of That Uppity Theatre Company. For those who crammed into the Dellwood Community Center last October for the “Every 28 Hours” debut, it was easy to see themselves in the moment, which ultimately became a movement. The series of 71 one-minute plays were a relection of the outrage in Ferguson, but also covered the series of tragedies – and responses –that birthed the Black Lives Matter trajectory.

Director,

by

the play is the work of a national partnership that focuses on the widely shared

that every 28 hours in America, a black person falls target to systemic violence and is killed by the police, vigilante, or security guard.

Just after the one-year anniversary of its national debut in St. Louis, local audiences will have another opportunity to see the production when two area arts institutions host performances of the production starting this weekend.

“Every 28 Hours” will come to the Center of Creative Arts (COCA) on October 15. The

Cedric the Entertainer

Founded

One-Minute Play Festival Artistic

Dominic D’Andrea and Oregon Shakespeare Festival Producer, Claudia Alick,

statistic

Photos by Lawrence Bryant

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. 14, 7 p.m., National Blues Museum presents the Take Me to the River Concert. This unique event will feature a live performance by the Take Me to the River Memphis All-Star Band, including: William Bell, Frayser Boy, Al Kapone, Legendary Hi Rhythm Section, and the Stax Academy Alumni Band. 615 Washington Ave., 63101. For more information, call (314) 925-0016 or visit www.facebook.com.

Sat., Oct. 15, The Ambassador welcomes Gucci Mane. The Ambassador, 9800 Halls Ferry. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.

Fri., Oct. 21, 7 p.m., Delmar Hall presents the Mvstermind EP Release Show. With Danté Wolfe, J’Demul, Arshad Goods + Special Guests. 6133 Delmar Blvd., 63112. For more information, visit www. thepageant.com/event.

Sat. Oct. 22, An Evening With Cedric The Entertainer and Friends featuring Smokey Robinson and George Lopez. Peabody Opera House. For more information visit www.cedricandfriends. org.

Sun., Nov. 6, Community Women Against Hardship Concert and Gala”Jazz in PinkS,” this year the already

awesome group adds Harpist and Top 5 Billboard Magazine artist Mariea Antoinette. She joins keyboardist Gail Jhonson, violinist Karen Briggs, drummer Danielle Thompson, bassist Robin Bramlett and flautist Althea Rene. For tickets call Metro Tix at 314- 534-1111 or Community Women Against Hardship direct a 314- 289-7523

Nov. 19, The Ambassador welcomes Meek Mill, 9800 Halls Ferry. For more information visit www. metrotix.com.

special events

Fri., Oct. 14, 9 a.m., St. Louis World Food Day 2016. A food-packaging program providing nutritious meals to help feed hungry children and families living locally and internationally. Packaging Partners register for a one-hour packaging session and their registration fees along with sponsorships and donations, help defray the cost of the ingredients, supplies, and distribution of food to people in need. Leadership Volunteers sign up at no cost to volunteer in four-hour shifts, assisting with event execution. 755 S. Price Rd., 63124. For more information, call (314) 7862785 or visit www.STLWFD. org.

Featured Event

Sat., Oct. 15, 1 p.m., “Take Me to the River” Film

Screening A feature documentary and record celebrating the inter-generational, inter-racial, inter-gender musical influence of Memphis in the face of pervasive discrimination and segregation. National Blues Musuem, 615 Washington Ave., 63101. For more information, call (314) 925-0016 or visit www.tmttr.com.

Sat., Oct. 15, 8 p.m., The Fabulous Fox presents AC2. Join Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen for an unscripted, uncensored and unforgettable night of conversation. The late night talk show host and the journalist, longtime friends, interview each other and take questions from the audience. 527 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, visit www.fabulousfox.com.

Sun., Oct. 16, 3 p.m., The Meramec Community Orchestra and Symphonic Band presents Scout Remembers Harper Lee’s

“To Kill A Mockingbird”

The band will perform the music to the soundtrack of this classic film and Mary Badham, the actress who played Scout in the movie, will narrate. This concert honors the artistic achievement of Harper Lee and all those involved with this extraordinary book and film. The concert will include projected images and artwork. Meramec Community College Theatre, 11333 Big Bend Blvd., 63122. For more information, call (314) 9847639.

Mon., Oct. 17, 7:30 p.m.,

River Styx and Brick City Poetry Festival feat. Sandra Beasley, Justin Phillip Reed, and Jon Tribble Contemporary Art Museum, 3750 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www.riverstyx.com.

Thur., Oct. 20, 6 p.m., The Young Friends of North Side present Rollin’ with North Side. An evening of fun to benefit North Side Community School. Price includes 2 hours of bowling, food and drinks. Pin Up Bowl, 6191 Delmar Blvd., 63112. For more information, call (314) 385-9502 or visit www. northsidecommunityschool. org.

Sat., Oct. 22, 11 a.m., Helping Hands Food Pantry Inaugural Luncheon: “Living Your Life to Leave a Legacy.” Entertainment, door prizes and a silent option will be part of the event. Crown Plaza Hotel, 11228 Long Eagle Dr., 63044. For more information, call (314) 8396591 or (314) 795-4753.

Sat., Oct. 22, 11 a.m., The Girl Talk Outreach Project Summit 2016. Our mission is to help empower, encourage, motivate and positively build the self-esteem within teen girls and teen moms, through mentorship, motivational conference events and more. This year’s event will talk about goal setting and include a goal setting activity to help young girls set and organize their goals, which in return will help them reach their dreams. Black Jack Community Fire Protection District, 5675 N Hwy 67, 63034. For more information, visit www.entertainment.com.

Sat., Oct. 29, 12 p.m., Imagery International’s 5th Annual Women’s Empowerment Tea. You are invited to join us for tea, a delicious meal, empowerment, and encouragement. Miss Aimee B’s Tea Room, 837 First Capitol Dr., 63301. For more information or to register, call (314) 707-8103 or visit www.imageryintl.org/ imagery-events.

Sun., Oct. 16, 2 p.m., St. Louis Public Library presents An Afternoon with Juan Felipe Herrera, U.S. Poet Laureate. Also featuring poets Laureate of St. Louis Michael Castro and East St. Louis Eugene B. Redmond. Central Branch, 1301 Olive St., 63103. For more information, call (314) 539-0348 or visit www. slpl.org.

Mon., Oct. 17, 7:30 p.m., River Styx and Brick City Poetry Festival feat. Sandra Beasley, Justin Phillip Reed, and Jon Tribble Contemporary Art Museum, 3750 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www.riverstyx.com.

Fox Theatre presents Love Jones The Musical starring Musiq Soulchild. See

THEATRE for additional details.

Through Oct. 30, COCA presents Outside In: Paint for Peace. Showcasing the power of the arts, the exhibition presents a selection of the murals painted on the boardedup storefronts by amateur and professional artists in the days and weeks following the 2014 protests in Ferguson. 524 Trinity Ave., 63130. For more information, call (314) 7256555 or visit www.cocastl.org.

theatre

Sat., Oct. 15, 2 & 8 p.m., UMSL International Studies and Programs Department presents Shanghai Nights. The show features 40 awardwinning acrobats. With stunning new interpretations of classic Chinese acrobatic feats such as aerial silk, pole climbing, hoop diving, contortion artists and trampoline drums, Shanghai Nights builds a storyline around a dreaming boy who enters a fantasy world. Touhill Performing Arts Center, One University Blvd., 63121. For more information, call (314) 516-4949 or visit www.touhill. org.

Oct. 21 – 23, Variety

Children’s Theatre presents Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Touhill Performing Arts Center, One University Blvd., 63121.

Thur., Oct. 20, 7:30 p.m., Touhill Performing Arts Center presents A Night of Love & Betrayal. Join soprano Stella Markou for an eclectic evening of music devoted to love and betrayal. Featuring the works of Bernstein, Handel, Rossini, Pergolesi, Williams and Puccini. One University Blvd., 63121.

Oct. 21 – 30, Washington University Performing Arts Department presents Passing Strange. A semiautobiographical account of a young brother’s encounters with sex, drugs, and rock and roll as he searches for “the real.” A rock musical that is equal parts comedy and drama, Passing Strange follows “the Youth” on his pilgrimage of self-discovery from Los Angeles to Amsterdam, Berlin and beyond. Directed by Ron Himes. Edison Theatre, 6465 Forsyth Blvd., 63105. For more information, call (314) 935-6543 or visit www.edison. wustl.edu.

Sat., Oct. 22, 3 p.m., Civic Arts Company presents RACE. A play based on the real-life interviews of Studs Terkel. RACE empowers the audience to reimagine itself through theatre, championing a great reflection on our national identity and pushing us to rewrite our future together in America. Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112. For more information, call (314) 746-4599 or visit www.mohistory.org.

Oct. 29 – 30, Fox Theatre presents Love Jones The Musical. 527 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, visit www.fabulousfox.com.

Through Nov. 6, Repertory Theatre St. Louis presents Until the Flood. Celebrated writer, performer and Pulitzer Prize finalist Dael Orlandersmith spent a week in St. Louis interviewing people from every corner of the region about recent social unrest. From these conversations, she has crafted a stunning piece that reflects the complexity of St. Louis. The play is a mosaic of voices that tells our region’s story without advancing any one viewpoint above others. 130 Edgar Rd., 63119. For more information, call (314) 968-4925 or visit www.repstl. org.

lectures and workshops

Thur., Oct. 13, The History of Policing and the Changing Landscape. This program examines the history of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the current state of policing in the region. Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112.

Tues., Oct. 18, 1 p.m., The Election Series with Terry Jones. Noted political consultant Terry Jones will lead a series of panel discussions that will expand your understanding of the issues affecting the 2016 election. Speakers include Dr. J. Martin Rochester, University of Missouri; Dr. Warren Rosenblum, Webster University; Dr. Jeremy Caddel, Washington University. Center of Clayton, 50 Gay Ave., 63105. For more information, call (314) 862-4859.

Thur., Oct. 13, The History of Policing and the Changing Landscape. This program examines the history of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the current state of policing in the region. Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112.

Fri., Oct. 21, 5:30 p.m., CJT Consulting LLC presents Mosaic Ceiling: A Panel Discussion for AfricanAmerican Women. This gathering is for AfricanAmerican women with diverse educational, professional, entrepreneurial, and creative backgrounds to share their knowledge and to brainstorm how and why women must connect their resources via mentorship, patronage, and health & wellness. Dennis & Judith Jones Visitor and Education Center, 5595 Grand Dr., 63112. For more information, visit www.evite. me/2SMhr2gRUA.

Sat., Oct. 22, 1 p.m., The ABCs of Getting a J-O-B: Resume Writing and Job Training Programs. Learn how to write effective resumes

and apply for jobs online.

St. Louis Public Library, Walnut Park Branch, 5760 W. Florissant Ave., 63120. For more information, call (314) 383-1210 or visit www.slpl. org.

Sun., Oct. 23, 2:30 p.m., Missouri History Museum presents Black Military Service and Free Labor in Civil War Missouri. Dr. Miller Williams Boyd, University of Mississippi, demystifies an important aspect of black life during the Civil War and provides new pathways to think about the varied and complex ways African American men viewed the war and their freedom. 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112. For more information, visit www. mohistory.org.

Wed., Oct. 26, 6:30 p.m., Displacement, Museums, and Memory: Lessons from South Africa. A panel of leading museum professionals and scholars from South Africa discuss how painful memories of forced displacement under the apartheid regime have been recovered and preserved.

Wednesdays through Nov. 9, 7 p.m., The Missouri Bar presents the Fall 2016 Mini Law School for the Public. The more you know about the laws that affect you, the easier it is to make good decisions about your life, your family, and your finances. St. Louis County Council, 41 S. Central Ave., 63105. For more information, call (866) 366-0270 or visit www. missourilawyershelp.org/minilaw-school.

health

Sat., Oct. 15, 9 a.m., National Kidney Foundation hosts Free Kidney Screening. Free

call (314) 448-7373.

Fri., Oct. 21, 6 p.m., Sickle Cell Association’s Fall Folly. If you or your child is living with sickle cell disease, you are invited to join us for camaraderie, costumes, and candy. Allow the kids to search our costume closet while you join the Get Connected Registry. 5616 Pershing Ave., Ste. 29, 63112. For more information or to RSVP, call (314) 833-6751 or visit www.getconnected.org.

Sat., Oct. 22, 7:30 a.m., American Cancer Society hosts the 8th annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk. Forest Park Lower Muny Lot, 1 Theatre Dr., 63112. For more information, call (314) 2688185 or visit www.main. acsevents.org.

Sat., Oct. 22, 10 a.m., Alzheimer’s Association presents the Care and Conquer Education Series. John F. Kennedy Community Center, 315 Howdershell Rd., 63031. For more information or to register, visit www.alz.org/stl/in_my_ community_103550.asp.

kidney screening through KEEP Healthy program. This will be held as a part of a larger health fair put on by Shalom Church City of Peace. Hazelwood East High School, 11300 Dunn Rd., 63138. For more information, call (314) 961-2828 x 482.

Sat., Oct. 15, 9 a.m., SSM Health DePaul Hospital presents Diabetes 1-1: Staying Healthy, Cooking Healthy Registration required. May Conference Center, DePaul Hospital, 12303 DePaul Dr., 63044. For more information or to register, call (314) 3446691 or visit www.ssmhealth. com/depaul.

Sat., Oct. 15, 9 a.m., Health Protection & Education Services presents Free Health Screenings and EKG. No appointment necessary. University City Library, 63130. For more information,

Sat., Oct. 22, 12 p.m., Valeda’s Hope 5 th Annual Pink & Pearls Luncheon. Hilton St. Louis Frontenac, 1335 S. Lindbergh Blvd., 63131. For more information, call (314) 384-6563 or visit www.valedashope.org.

Sun., Oct. 23, 12 p.m., 2016 St Louis NephCure Walk: Love our Kidneys. Help us create awareness, support and the funds needed to find a cure for FSGS and the diseases that cause Nephrotic Syndrome and kidney failure. Meet other families in your area, enjoy children’s activities, and learn more about how NephCure Kidney International can support you. Tremayne Shelter, Creve Coeur Park, 13725 Marine Ave., 63043. For more information, visit www.give.nephcure.org/ stlouis.

Tuesdays & Thursdays, 7:30 p.m., Get Sexy Movement Boot Camp. Station styled boot camp with 1 minute at each station for three rounds. North County Recreation Center, 2577 Redman Rd., 63136.For more information, call (314) 898-8898.

Sat., Oct. 15, 7 a.m. – 2 p.m., Greater St. Mark Family Church BBQ and Yard Sale, 9950 Glen Owen Dr (@ Chambers Rd), St. Louis MO 63136

Sat., Oct. 22, 11 a.m., Centennial Christian Church Jazz Brunch. The brunch will feature the Coleman-Hughes Project featuring Adrianne Felton-King and a Silent Auction. The Atrium, 4950 Fountain Ave., 63113. For more information, call (314) 276-7702.

Sun., Oct. 23, Festival of Praise Tour starring Fred Hammond, Karen ClarkSheard and many more. The Fox Theatre. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.

Fri., Oct. 14, Kevin Hart: What Now? opens in theatres nationwide.

Sat., Oct. 15, 1 p.m., “Take Me to the River” Film Screening National Blues Musuem, 615 Washington Ave., 63101. For more information, call (314) 9250016 or visit www.tmttr.com.

Mon., Oct. 17, 7 p.m., “The Safe Side of the Fence” Film Screening. Q&A with Anthony West, the film’s director, and Denise Brock, an advocate for Mallinckrodt workers and families whose father was a Mallinckrodt employee. Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112. For more information, visit www. mohistory.org.

The Ambassador welcomes Meek Mill. For more information, see CONCERTS.

Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

will host a performance on Monday, October 24th at 8pm..

“Working together as a community of theatre artists, perhaps we can do some small part to help our hometown laugh, cry, and heal through the power of our art form,” said Seth Gordon, Associate Artistic Director of the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.

Watching the original production during its premiere proved to be a transformative experience. The audience saw art imitate the moment in our backyard that captured the world’s attention. Acclaimed playwrights expressed and validated the experiences of those caught up in what could only be described as “history in real time.” And their creative response to our community’s turmoil was authentic, yet non-exploitive. Each of the minute-long glimpses layered on insight and perspective.

“This collection of short plays unfolds like a kaleidoscope, building upon each other,” Lipkin said. Acclaimed playwrights Keith Josef Adkins, Migdalia Cruz, Kristoffer Diaz, Colman Domingo, Idris Goodwin, Kirsten Greenidge, David Henry Hwang, Neil LaBute, Jacqueline E. Lawton, Lisa Loomer, Tarell Alvin MacCraney, Dominique Morisseau, Stew and Lynn Nottage, Jerome A. Parker, Aaron Posner, Robert Schenkkan, Universes, Anu Yadav were among those who added the layers of color via

their storytelling for “Every 28 Hours.” The fear, the heartbreak, the anger – and the disgust and frustration with the scenario constantly repeating itself were included in the diverse mix of narratives.

Nine of the plays were written by St. Louis natives –including Lipkin. Other local playwrights include Nancy Bell, Marty Casey, Basmin Red Deer, Matthew Kerns, Stephen Peirick, Mariah Richardson, Rick Trumble, and Kelley Weber.

The Black Rep, Center of Creative Arts (COCA), Mustard Seed Theatre, OneMinute Play Festival, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, Show Me Arts Academy, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble, That Uppity Theatre Company, Washington University Dance Collective, Claudia Alick, Marty C. Casey, Dominic D’Andrea, Adam Flores, Seth Gordon, Joan Lipkin, Carl Overly, Cecil Slaughter, Ashley Tate and Jacqueline Thompson are just some of the local collaborating partners.

“I am touched by the efforts of many different local groups to add these events to their busy fall schedules so we can be part of both a local and national conversation,” Lipkin said.

“Every 28 Hours” will come to the Center of Creative Arts (COCA), 524 Trinity Ave, St. Louis, MO 63130at 8 p.m. on October 15. The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (130 Edgar Rd, Webster Groves, MO 63119) will be hosting a performance on Monday, October 24th at 8pm. Both performances will be free of charge.

unveiled.

mom’s name and her legacy – and the work that we put in to raise the money, and the spirit in which she wanted to help others, even while she was sick – is becoming a reality, ” Cedric said.

Her wonderful experience with St. Mary’s while she was a patient there motivated her and her family to work towards providing the type of care to others by way of the center.

Three years ago they kicked off the efforts with the inaugural gala. This year on the eve of the event, Cedric will see the signage for the center

“I’m extremely excited about knowing it will be there as people ride by and see the name and ask questions about her,” Cedric said. “It represents the woman that she was and how she affected my sister and I – and so many others. “The idea that we will be able to see the name on the building is something that touches me very deeply.”

He estimates the center will be fully operational by next spring.

“I hope that they are encouraged by the work that we’re doing,” Cedric said.

“And they recognize that the Rosetta Boyce Kyles Women’s Pavilion at St. Mary’s is going to be a place where the women of St. Louis, of all social

classes, can go and get the help that they need.”

Smokey’s ‘Quiet Storm’ at The Peabody Opera House

“He’s still a fantastic performer,” Cedric said of headliner Smokey Robinson. “I was on a trip with him recently and he sang a song a capella and his voice was just …. melted butter.”

Cedric’s such a fan that he found it impossible to nail down a favorite from Robinson’s famed catalog –that stretches six decades – and can’t wait to see his set.

“He has so many great songs,” Cedric said.

“Remember “‘I Don’t

Care’ (‘Being with You’) in Spanish?” I was like, ‘I don’t know what you’re singing Smokey, but it sounds good!’”

Aretha Franklin was originally slated to headline the show, but she was forced to bow out as per doctor’s orders for health reasons.

“We all wanted to see Aretha, but to be able to get Smokey to come in and rock the stage, it’s just something that feels good,” Cedric said. “I’m just so blessed that I’m able to get these returned phone calls.”

Cedric rightfully refers to Robinson as one of the greatest American songwriters in popular music.

He cited the Temptations’ classic “My Girl” and songs from other artists known for their contributions to The Motown Sound and is eager to give them a taste of Robinson’s live show.

“I want people to come out, have a good time and real get a taste of that Motown vibe – and how we heard good music and wanted to fall in love,” Cedric said. “Hopefully, that’s the energy that happens that night.” He has some special guests in store in addition to Robinson.

“A couple of my partners are coming through,” Cedric said. “But that’s a surprise.”

Cedric’s latest work with the Women’s Pavilion named in honor of his mother is his way of paying it forward to the place that where he grew up, and made his bones in the funny business.

“There’s a closeness I feel with the city. I’m a guy that started in little clubs all around St. Louis. I tell people that all the time,” Cedric said. “People ask if I started at “Def Jam,” and I say, ‘I started at The Wiz. I was at Hunter’s Lounge and Ced’s Backyard at Mannie’s.’” He’ll be on one of St. Louis’ major stages when he and his friends come for the worthy cause in his mother’s honor on October 22.

“I’m St. Louis’ own and we’re doing great work for the city – this is not a vanity project,” Cedric said. “This is about helping the people of the city. We want people to come out support this initiative and have a good time.”

The 3rd Annual An Evening with Cedric The Entertainer and Friends will take place at 8 p.m. on Saturday, October 22 at The Peabody Opera House. Visit Ticketmaster.com for tickets and visit http://www. ssmstmarys.org/cedric-andfriends/ for more information.

Continued from C1

on Friday, October 21.

The show will also feature Dante Wolfe, J’Demul, Arshad Goods and more special guests.

“When we get to the show and do what we do, there will be some intense magical moments up in there because of all of the energy that people have poured into this all of these years – and all of the supporters,” Mvstermind said. “Hopefully, I can stage-dive – just let the people know that they have to catch a brother.”

Born Muhammad Austin and reared on the North side near Grand and Natural Bridge, Mvstermind has been making music since he was 12 years old. He started out making beats and producing – which he still does, for himself and others.

It’s clear when speaking to him that he’s a hip-hop oxymoron. Does he want all of the trappings that come with being a rap superstar? Who wouldn’t? But his intentions separate Mvstermind from the pack.

“In this industry you always hear about artists having to sell their soul. I really strive to keep a balance,” Mvstermind said. “I want to maintain my spiritual health, but also acquire wealth – and use it to inspire some change throughout the world.”

Everything from meditation to the impact of gun violence on the inner city is addressed in the nine-track project.

“I want to people to listen to my music and really see that other side of blackness that they really don’t show,”

said. “My pops made me clean up the neighborhood. I feel like it’s an interesting narrative –and one that’s more common than mainstream media leads us to believe.”

But more than anything, he wants to inspire others to tap into their creativity and encourage them to pursue their passions as well. He created a program called “Studybreaks and Beats” that he uses to teach music –and use the process of making music to develop tangible tools for problem solving in life. The program has been used in schools and community centers, including Kingdom House and Bates Community Center. Through Studybreaks and Beats, he was enlisted by the Ferguson Commission to facilitate a program with youth. Their song was presented to the DOJ during a visit to Ferguson. Over the course of facilitating Studybreaks and Beats, Mvstermind learned a lot about himself and his need to help others make a living through their art – which led him to moonlight in music licensing.

He also wants to show a different side of life in the inner city than the typical tales from the ‘hood.

“I want people to see me trying to make it out, but also see my parents actually giving a [expletive],” Mvstermind

Mvstermind said. “Like, I was a product of the deseg program –and I talk about that a lot in my rap. While some people expect me to be like, ‘Deseg saved my life,’ there’s also the awkwardness of that experience. Some of the teachers didn’t want you there –or the students, or the parents.”

“I’m all about impacting our community and monetizing creative endeavors,” Mvstermind said. “I want to create a culture shift in St. Louis. I mean, if all of our creatives are starving, how are we going to feed our city?” Mvstermind EP Release Concert featuring Dante Wolfe, J’Demul, Arshad Goods and more special guests will take place at 8 p.m. (7 p.m. doors) on Friday, October 21 at the all-new Delmar Hall, 6133 Delmar. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com. For more information on the artist, visit www.mvstermind.com.

The 3rd Annual An Evening with Cedric The Entertainer and Friends Gala will feature Smokey Robinson and George Lopez.

n “I knew my worth since birth. I don’t need no money.”

Business Diversity Initiative graduates 10th fellowship class

Valerie Patton: ‘You are about the business of influencing the lives of others’

By Rebecca Rivas

The St. Louis American

Six years ago, Isaac Butler graduated from the St. Louis Business Diversity Initiative Fellows Program, which is like a professional-leadership boot camp for minorities.

“Who I was before the amazing, life-changing transformational program was, quite frankly, a person who followed,” said Butler, interim vice president of inclusion, diversity and community liaison at St. Louis College of Pharmacy.

“Unless you know your own mission, you’re always going to be following someone else’s.” Butler left the program knowing exactly what his mission was, he said, and that’s “to serve.” His advice for this year’s graduating class was, “Don’t chase income. Chase impact, and

n “Don’t chase income. Chase impact, and everything else will fall into place.”

– Isaac Butler, St. Louis College of Pharmacy

everything else will fall into place.”

On September 15, the initiative celebrated its 10th graduating class at Emerson’s headquarters in Ferguson. Now more than 500 people have graduated from the program, and about 92 percent of them still live in our region. More than 69 percent of them have been promoted or

Kander meets

with

have had an increase in responsibilities.

“This program is not about checking the box, but about raising the bar,” said Rebeccah Bennett, founder and principal of Emerging Wisdom LLC.

Bennett moderated a 10-person panel, which included one alum from every graduating class. The professionals spoke about the journey that the Fellows program has taken over the last 10 years. Butler was among the panelists, along with people from BJC HealthCare, MasterCard, LaunchCode and other organizations.

Throughout the graduation, various panelists spoke about the deep soul-searching they did with the help of their peers and program leaders.

“I found out how afraid I was of being great,”

See CLASS, B2

black chamber in campaign home stretch

Steele: ‘He came in with an attitude of listening and understanding’

By Chris King

Brief, private group meetings on the campaign trail late in a general election race do not typically yield specific policy proposals or commitments. At best, what the candidate can communicate is that he or she is willing to listen to that group and try to understand their concerns.

In the case of Jason Kander, Democratic candidate for U.S. senator, and his private group meeting with members of the St. Louis Black Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, October 6, that mission was accomplished.

“I get that he gets it,” said Kevin Bryant, CEO of Conversions Global Marketing who attended the meeting, which was held in a conference room at Kwame Building Group in downtown St. Louis. The meeting, which lasted about an hour, was attended by about a dozen local black business owners and professionals.

See KANDER, B2

Grace Link was promoted to the rank of colonel in the Missouri Air National Guard. Previously she was the deputy mission support group commander and civil engineer squadron commander with the 139th Airlift Wing in St. Joseph. As the director of staff for the Missouri Air National Guard, Link is the principle advisor to Maj. Gen. Steve Danner, the adjutant general

Paul Faber was appointed executive director of the Youth & Family Center. Previously he served as director of Diversity for Missouri Baptist University. The mission of the center is to help youth, families and older adults attain self-sustaining lives by providing innovative social, educational and recreational resources and to serve as an anchor for the near north side of St. Louis.

Jonelle Harris is the new coordinator of Diversity and Inclusivity at Community School, an independent school in Ladue for ages 3 through Grade 6. She will lead implementation of the school’s diversity efforts, including faculty recruit-ment, development, and retention; student recruitment and retention; faculty and staff diversity and inclusivity initiatives; and working to promote inclusion among students, faculty, staff and families.

Terry Wilson has been promoted to Annual Fund director with Beyond Housing. He previously served as the Youth Programs manager at the Beyond Housing Pagedale Family Support Center. He will be responsible for supporting the planning and implementation of annual fund activities for Beyond Housing. Beyond Housing is community development organization working in North St. Louis County.

Mondi Ghasedi was appointed associate circuit judge for the 21st Circuit, which covers St. Louis County, by Gov. Jay Nixon. She has operated The Ghasedi Law Firm in St. Louis since 2004 and previously was an attorney with the law firm of Lashly & Baer, where she has handled a variety of litigation matters, including complex business litigation, probate litigation, real estate litigation, and guardianship and mental health matters.

Jason Kander, Democratic candidate for U.S. senator, met privately with members of the St. Louis Black Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, October 6 in a conference room at Kwame Building Group in downtown St. Louis.

Peter Jones will be honored by his alma mater, North Central College, as an “Outstanding Alumni” award recipient at this year’s 2016 Homecoming festivities. He is president and CEO of Mind Safety Management. He graduated from the college in 1976 with degrees in Political Science and Speech Communication and has served on its Board of Directors for the past 25 years. On the move? Congratulations! Send your professional news and a color

Grace

Jonelle Harris Terry Wilson

Mondi Ghasedi

Paul Faber

Peter Jones

Of

Photo: St. Louis Business Diversity Initiative

Valerie Patton, executive director of the St. Louis Business Diversity Initiative, connected with David Steward, founder and chairman of World Wide Technology, when the initiative celebrated its 10th graduating class at Emerson’s headquarters in Ferguson on September 15. In the background is Rosalind Reese, program manager.

Of The St. Louis American

Photo by Chris King

By Nathaniel Sillin

Fall is here and school is back in session but for many graduates, it’s out for good. If you’re a recent high school or college graduate, this might be the first time you’re on your own. Living away from home and paying for your own housing, food and other necessities can be a tough adjustment. But being on your own for the first time is a new and exciting experience and it offers a perfect opportunity to set yourself up for success.

Make sure you have the right bank account for you. A lot may have changed since you opened your account, so consider changing your account to find the best one for your needs. If you are still sharing a bank account with your parents, consider opening your own. Opening an account can be simple and it’s possible to do so online or over the phone – but you’ll need a minimum deposit amount and documentation like your Social Security Number. For helpful tips, see the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) guide on opening a checking account.

Live within your means.

As you begin your career it’s essential to have reliable income and use it responsibly. A good budgeting guideline to start with is the 50/20/30 rule. Allot 50 percent of your income to necessary costs like housing, 20 percent to financial goals like repaying student loans and 30 percent to spending money. Remember that this is a rule of thumb and you can adjust it to fit your needs. Never spend more than you have, and always pay your bills on time.

Graduated and on your own: now what?

Figure out taxes. The most important thing to know about taxes is that you must pay them on time or request a six month extension. If you’ve missed the deadline, don’t ignore the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) – follow their guidelines for repayment. There are multiple ways to pay your taxes and you can download the IRS2Go mobile app to make payments. Check with your parents before filing: if they claim you as a dependent, you won’t be

KANDER

continued from page B1 Kander, 35, a Democrat from Kansas City currently serving as Missouri secretary

able to claim tax exemptions. Finally, check if you qualify for special

of state, is running against Roy Blunt, 66, a Republican from Springfield. For Bryant, Kander’s youth and evident comfort in a majority-black group were encouraging.

“I’m excited to see there are younger politicians like

this coming up in Missouri,” Bryant said of Kander. “Conversations like this give me hope that we can get something done.”

The American was invited to join the tail end of the meeting. At that point, Marvin Steele, a black chamber board member, was talking about black businesses’ relative difficulty acquiring capital.

“I believe there is a market opportunity that the banking industry hasn’t identified,” Kander said. “I don’t think the problem is a lack of business opportunity. There is something else going on. I think that folks outside the black community don’t recognize the economic opportunity in the black community.”

Alex Fennoy, executive vice president and Community & Economic Development director at Midwest BankCentre, who attended the meeting, agreed with Kander.

make the minimum payments on time, and if you’re having trouble paying off your loans, don’t ignore them. Contact your lender, explain your situation and pay as much as you can immediately while prioritizing paying off the rest.

Check up on your healthcare. Under the Affordable Care Act, you can stay on your parents’ plan

“It’s smart business going after that market,” Fennoy said. “The perception is it’s so different doing business in the black community, compared to the way banks normally do business, but it’s not.”

Fennoy has been

n “There’s this sense that entrepreneurs are separate from small businesses, as if small businesses are not entrepreneurial.”

– Jason Kander

instrumental in Midwest BankCentre opening new branches in Pagedale, in partnership with Beyond Housing, and in North St. Louis, in partnership with Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church.

In a commentary in The American in August, Fennoy

your parents’ plan or wish to leave their plan, you have several options to explore. Under federal law, if you’re not covered by health insurance you must pay a fee on your next federal tax return You can explore the different levels of coverage available and estimate how much a plan will cost you at Healthcare. gov, the federal healthcare website.

acknowledged that the bank increased its business in black communities pursuant to an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice in 2011, but were pleasantly surprised with the results. “In banking, we expect a retail branch to show profits in five years,” Fennoy said in May when the bank was breaking ground in North St. Louis.

“That branch in Pagedale showed profit in less than three years.”

These are the business advisors whom Kander is seeking out in the home stretch of his campaign for U.S. Senate.

The group also discussed the struggles of small businesses. Kander said that entrepreneurs with new business ideas frequently get an outsized share of attention and support compared to existing business owners.

“There’s this sense that entrepreneurs are separate from small businesses, as if small businesses are not entrepreneurial,” Kander said. “A new business gets attention because it’s disruptive. But a company that stays in business, day in and day out, and manages not to get disrupted – that’s an entrepreneurial endeavor.”

Bryant was impressed.

“Dialogues like this at least get to the root of some problems,” he told Kander during the meeting.

After the meeting, Kander said that groups like the black chamber don’t often get focused attention from a statewide candidate a month before the general election.

“Their issues don’t get the attention they should in the last stretch,” Kander said. “It was important for me to do this now.”

The meeting concluded with handshakes, hugs and selfies.

“We are gratified by the

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attention we are receiving from Jason,” Steele said. “We had a lot of questions for him, and we did not get snap answers. He came in with an attitude of listening and understanding.” Kander’s campaign did subsequently release some policy stands, following this meeting and another with St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura O. Jones and St. Louis citizens at the city’s Financial Empowerment Center she opened in City Hall. Kander proposes allowing post offices the ability to partner with banks to offer basic financial services, which would allow lowincome residents the ability to avoid check-cashing and other predatory financial services. This would not only help expand banks’ markets to areas where they have no presence, but could help alleviate the Postal Service’s budget problems, he said in a statement.

He also proposes allowing local and state governments to provide the start-up funds for banks to establish new branches in underserved areas, and offering tax breaks and other incentives to banks that open these branches.

Finally, he proposes supporting the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) program run by the U.S. Treasury. CDFIs are financial institutions that create access to capital and other financial services to low-income and underserved areas.

“It’s a great start,” Jones said of the proposals. “And I applaud Jason for paying attention to the plight of people who are vulnerable financially. This needs attention, because it’s expensive to be poor. These are steps in the right direction to mitigate that.” Kander faces Blunt on the November 8 ballot.

STUDENTS

continued from page B1

said Fred Burdell of Emerson, who graduated in the first class. “Sometimes your parents can only take you so far.”

Launched in 2001, the St. Louis Business Diversity Initiative is made up of companies and organizations committed to attracting, retaining and advancing talented, diverse employees.

In 2012, the initiative became part of the St. Louis Regional Chamber. Its flagship is a yearlong fellows program, where professionals of color meet monthly to sharpen their leadership skills and explore aspects of inclusion.

n “When you do not invest in the talent we have, we are doing a disservice and we are crippling not only our present but our future.”

– Rebeccah Bennett

“Why is this image of exceptional excellence important?” Bennett said of the panelists.

“Right now, the majority of children in our country are children of color. That’s 20 years before the majority of adults are expected to be people of color.”

Fortune reported in February 2014 that just over 4 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs at that time were minorities, including African Americans, Asians, and Latin Americans. The heart of the initiative’s mission is to help area companies in building successful diversity and inclusion programs through training, convening and consulting.

“When you do not invest in the talent we have, we are doing a disservice and we are crippling not only our present but our future,” Bennett said. “We are not going to get the shift we want without programs like this. Being the first does not matter if there is not a second. The power of this investment is that coming behind it is a tidal wave. If it’s only a trickle, it would be devastating to our region.” Bennett said programs like the diversity initiative offer a path forward and put in place a cadre of leaders who are ready and prepared to open doors for the

next generation.

The house was full at the Emerson auditorium with present and past participants and their families, along with other supporters.

“Because of your participation, you are supporting us in doing our part in unleashing your authentic purpose and power to be more impactful leaders in our

Oct. 14 deadline for FBI’s 2016 Collegiate Hiring Initiative

Opportunity to apply before completing college degree

American staff

If you are a graduating college senior, the FBI wants you – to apply, at least.

Friday, October 14 is the deadline for the FBI’s 2016 Collegiate Hiring Initiative, a rare opportunity for graduating college seniors to apply to the FBI before they get their diploma. The agency is recruiting more than 700 students nationwide for entry level non-agent positions This opportunity is open to college students who will graduate within next 12 months and those who have graduated since December 2014.

n The application process takes about a year to complete. While seniors are completing their last year in school, their background check is being conducted at the same time.

community,” said Valerie Patton, executive director of the initiative and vice president of inclusion at the Regional Chamber. “As impactful leaders, you are about the business of influencing the lives of others in and around our community.”

For more information, visit http://stlbizdiversity.com/. Follow this reporter on Twitter @rebeccarivas.

Other minimum requirements include U.S. citizen, minimum 2.95 cumulative GPA, and passage of all FBI employment background investigation requirements. The application process, including background check, takes about a year to complete. While seniors are completing their last year in school, their background check is being conducted at the same time. So, when they graduate, they can start at the agency without the one-year delay. At any other time of the year, you have to have a college degree before you can apply for these positions, said an FBI spokesperson. To apply on-line, visit https://www. fbijobs.gov/students/undergrad and look for “Collegiate Hiring Initiative.”

The St. Louis Business Diversity Initiative Fellows Program celebrated its 10th graduating class at Emerson’s headquarters in Ferguson on September 15. They were joined by Valerie Patton, executive director of the initiative, and Rosalind Reese, program manager.

Photo: St. Louis Business Diversity Initiative

Girl Scout Honors

Keziah Smith, Helena Seymour and Kiden Smith of Girl Scout Troop 4000 are recipients of the Girl Scout Silver Award, the highest award attainable for Girl Scout Cadettes. For their award project, the girls created “period purses”—bags filled with feminine hygiene products and a $10 gift certificate for underwear given to local young women in need.

Reunions

Beaumont High School, 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.

Harrison School All Class Reunion has been changed to Saturday October 22,

Birthdays

I would like to wish my outgoing, smart, funny, beautiful daughter, Janiya LovettDavis, a Happy 7th Birthday on October 14. You bring us so much joy, and we love you so much!

Celebrations

Anniversary

Happy 5th Birthday to Thomas jay Butler on October 18! Love, Jerry, Tiffany and Timothy

2016, 6:00 pm-11:00 pm at Ambruster Great Hall, 6633 Clayton Rd. For more info contact Judy Darris at 314443-6741.

Sumner Class of 1965 is planning a “70th” Birthday Cruise for October 2017. If you’re interested and want to receive more information, please contact Luther Maufas (314) 541-4556, Brenda Smith Randall (314)382-1528, or Laura Young (314) 328-3512 with name, address so the info can be mailed to you.

Sumner Class of 1967 is planning its 50-year reunion and need contact information from those classmates. Please contact Carlotte Algee Stancil at algee1999@

yahoo.com; DonnaYoung Rycraw at donnarycraw@ aol.com or Stella Smith Hunt at stellalhunt58@sbcglobal. net, 314-381-5104 with email, address and phone number.

The Sumner Alumni Association presents it’s Maroon & White Homecoming Week Oct. 10-15, 2016. Bowling Mon. @ Crest Bowl, 70’s Theme Adult Skate Party Tues. @ Skate King, Alumni Happy Hour Wed. @ Dejavu II Cafe, Ladies Kick Ball Game(s) Thurs. @ SHS, Alumni Dance Fri., 8pm – 1am @ the Machinist Hall; $15/$20 Parade Sat. 10am (Cars, floats, SUV’s, Marching Bands), etc.; Tailgate noon, Sumner’s Homecoming Football Game @ Sumner’s Tuskegee Airmen

Congratulations to Kevin and Barbara Lee, who will celebrate 13 years of marriage on October 24.

Nuptials

Dominick “Nick” Lane and Donna Braxton became friends in high school and eventually high school sweethearts. Over the last 13 years they have overcome so many things and were lead back together by God in Holy Matrimony on September 25, 2016. Congratulations!

Field @ 1pm Sumner vs. Vashon. For more info, contact Ms Prissy @ 314.556.3944, Michelle Elgin @ 314.452.1275, Sheila Goodwin SHS 314.371.1048 (Parade) or email: sumneralumniassn@ yahoo.com.

Vashon Class of 1957 is having its 60-year reunion on May 20, 2017 at the Atrium at the rear of Christian N.E. Hospital on Dunn Road. Classes 1955-1959 are welcomed. For more information, please contact Lovely (Green) Deloch at 314867-1470, Marlene (Randall) Porter at 314-653-0107, Mae (Simmons) Mahone at 314653-0818 or Phyllis (Bolden) Washington at 314-531-9925.

Vashon Class of 1967 is planning its 50-year reunion and is need of contact information for all interested alumni. Please contact JoAnn Alvoid at alvoidjoe8@gmail. com; Sarah (Taylor) Robinson at srobinson647@hotmail. com; or Sonya (Walker) Smith at 314.381.8221, with your address, email and phone number.

St. Louis Community College needs your help identifying STLCC alumni. Alumni are encouraged to visit the website: www.stlcc.edu/foundation/, to become members or update information. For more information, contact Ashley Budde, coordinator of alumni relations, at abudde6@stlcc. edu, or 314-539-5145.

OF

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:

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.,

“Let’s go.”

– Colin Kaepernick, when told he would start at QB in the San Francisco 49ers’ October 16 game against the Buffalo Bills

PreP Football Notebook

With Earl Austin Jr.

Over 50 years, Blues are among NHL’s most diverse franchises

~ See ‘Sports Eye’ page C10 ~

Bulldogs bite way to 7-0

Last week of regular season in Missouri

The McCluer South-Berkeley Bulldogs have displayed plenty of bite this season in rolling to a 7-0 record.

The Bulldogs have dominated their competition this season, averaging more than 40 points a game while surrendering only seven points. McCluer SouthBerkeley’s defense has shut out its last three opponents. They are currently the No. 1 seed in Class 3, District 5 by a wide margin.

McCluer SouthBerkeley’s top player is senior two-way standout Jordan Cole, who has 15 receptions for 264 yards and five touchdowns on offense and 53 tackles on defense. He is a prime-time Division I prospect who makes big plays for the Bulldogs. Junior quarterback Tavian Willis has passed for 831 yards and 14 touchdowns. He has also scored four rushing touchdowns. In addition to Cole, Willis’ other top receivers are sophomore Nathan Smith and senior Mark Tutt. Junior Devon Blanchard has scored eight rushing touchdowns while averaging more than nine yards per carry.

The Bulldogs’ top defensive players are senior DeShawn Barnes and junior Lorenzo Phillips, who both have six quarterback sacks and Antonio Nelson, who leads the team with eight sacks. Tyriq Arties leads the team with four interceptions.

Earl’s Pick Game of the Week

Ritenour (7-1) at Kirkwood (6-1), Friday, 7 p.m. – Another big clash in the Suburban XII-South Conference.

Kirkwood is currently undefeated in league play, but Ritenour can grab a share of the lead with a victory on Friday night. The Huskies are led by senior two-way performer Carl Garmon, who has rushed for 1,221 yards and 26 yards on offense. Garmon has also recorded 63 tackles and four sacks on defense. Quarterback Mann McGruder has more than 1,500 yards of total offense and 11 touchdowns. Rashaad Hughes leads the defense with six sacks while senior Robyion Hughes has a teamhigh four interceptions. Kirkwood is led by standout quarterback

NFL ratings tumble, Kaepernick to the rescue

“Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered. When you try to take it too far, people turn the other way. I’m just telling you, when you’ve got a good thing and you get greedy, it always, always, always, always, always turns on you. That’s rule No. 1 of business.” – Mark Cuban, March 2014

Mark Cuban may be a lot of things, but the billionaire Dallas Mavericks owner and Shark Tank star is not stupid. As the news of the NFL ratings tumble circles the interwebs and beyond, we are all reminded of Cuban’s warning to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and the league’s head honchos.

This week, several media outlets reported that the NFL’s overall ratings are down more

than 10 percent this season. The numbers for Sunday and Monday Night Football are down almost 20 percent. SportsBusiness Daily’s Adam Karp reported via Twitter that the 6.5 Nielsen rating in Monday night’s game between the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers was the lowest rating for a MNF game since ESPN acquired the series in 2006. As league executives scramble to figure out the reason(s), it all points back to the focus of Cuban’s ominous warning: greed. The league should have been focusing on entertainment value, player safety and fan loyalty. Instead, over the past decade, the focus has remained on player discipline, an arms

Earl Austin Jr.

Ladue Ram’s Chino Davis (1) ran for 52 yards against the University

to defeat the Lions 69-0 at University City.

Photo by Wiley Price

Ishmael H. Sistrunk

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

Over 50 years, Blues are among NHL’s most diverse franchises

The St. Louis Blues franchise is celebrating its 50th year in the NHL, and during those five decades the team has a rich history of diversity.

Tony McKegney became the Blues’ first player of color in 1987, and eight others have worn the “Blue Note,” including current defenseman rough-and-tumble Ryan Reaves. The total of nine puts the Blues with Calgary, Vancouver and Washington tied for fourth overall in black and mixed-race players. They trail only the Edmonton (12), New York Rangers (11) and Boston, Buffalo and Winnipeg Jets/Arizona (10) franchises.

Minnesota; Malcolm Subban, Boston; P.K. Subban, Nashville; and Joel Ward, San Jose.

Two of the NHL’s brightest minor-league prospects, goalie Chris Gibson (New York Islanders) and defenseman Oliver Kylington (Calgary), are also players of color.

Former Blue Chris Stewart visits tonight (October 13), and check here for monthly updates when other black and bi-racial players will take on the Blues at home. By the way, must-see

superstar defenseman

As the NHL season opens this week, it features players of color Justin Bailey, Buffalo; Pierre-Édouard Bellemare Philadelphia; J.T. Brown, Tampa Bay; Dustin Byfuglien, Winnipeg; Trevor Daley, Pittsburgh; Anthony Duclair, Arizona; Emerson Etem; Vancouver; Mark Fraser, Edmonton; Jarome Iginla, Colorado; Seth Jones, Columbus; Evander Kane, Buffalo; Darnell Nurse, Edmonton; Johnny Oduya, Dallas; Kyle Okposo, Buffalo; Wayne Simmonds, Philadelphia; Devante Smith-Pelly, New Jersey; Chris Stewart,

P.K. Subban was traded on June 29 from Montreal to Nashville. He will visit Central Divisionrival St. Louis on November 19, December 30 and April 2, 2017.

Brown down on Tortorella

n Former Blue Chris Stewart visits tonight (October 13), and check here for monthly updates when other black and bi-racial players will take on the Blues at home.

J.T. Brown, Tampa Bay right winger, rightfully called out Team USA coach John Tortorella for his hypocrisy in saying during the World Cup of Hockey that he would bench any player that did not stand for the national anthem.

“Wouldn’t benching a black man for taking a stance only further prove (Colin Kaepernick’s) point of oppression? But hey,”

Brown said via Twitter. “What if I took a stance to promote awareness for one

of the many injustices still occurring in our country and was punished despite there being no rule or law against it? My tweet was a response to that question,” Brown told the Tampa Bay Times “I don’t want young minorities who love the game of hockey to think that what’s going on in America today is going unnoticed by the hockey community.”

Tortorella also shouldered most of the blame for the questionable roster decisions that led to Team USA going an embarrassing 0-3 in the tournament and failing to advance from the qualifying round.

He also didn’t dress one of his best players – and the only player of color on the team –

defenseman Dustin Byfuglien in an opening game loss to Team Europe. Respected NHL analyst Ken Campbell Tweeted, “I can’t think of a single coach in the NHL, save for John Tortorella apparently, who would choose Jack Johnson over Dustin Byfuglien.”

It will be interesting to see how Tortorella, the Columbus Blue Jackets coach, gets along with his black star, defenseman Seth Jones, during this season.

Ginsburg goes off

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg called kneeling protests during the national anthem “dumb and disrespectful.”

When asked about Colin

Kaepernick’s actions on Monday, she said, “I think it’s dumb and disrespectful. I would have the same answer if you asked me about flag burning. I think it’s a terrible thing to do, but I wouldn’t lock a person up for doing it. I would point out how ridiculous it seems to me to do such an act.”

When I heard she called something dumb and disrespectful, I figured she was talking about fellow Justice Clarence Thomas.

Alvin A. Reid is a panelist on the Nine Network program, Donnybrook and appears on ABC’s The Allman Report and several sports radio shows. His Twitter handle is @aareid1.

Alvin A. Reid

St. Louis Blues

defenseman Ryan Reaves

Reece Goddard, who has passed for 1,636 yards and 13 touchdowns. He has also rushed for seven touchdowns. His top receivers are Joseph Jordan, who has 636 yards and six touchdowns, and 6’5” Tahj Telfair, who has 413 yards and four touchdowns. Telfair is also a standout defensive end. Senior linebacker Ivan Barnett leads a very stingy Kirkwood defense.

The last weekend

Believe it or not, we are already at the final weekend of the regular season on the Missouri side. Not only are teams competing for conference championships, but they are trying to improve their seeds for the upcoming district playoffs, which will begin next weekend. The district playoffs are single-elimination, so everyone is guaranteed at least one more game with everyone starting over with a clean slate at 0-0.

Top games of the week

Cahokia at Althoff, Friday, 7 p.m.

CBC at Vianney, Friday, 7 p.m. Fort Zumwalt North at Timberland, Friday, 7 p.m.

MICDS at Hillsboro, Friday, 7 p.m.

Pattonville at Parkway North, Friday, 7 p.m.

SLUH at Jackson, Friday, 7 p.m.

Cardinal Ritter at St. Mary’s, Friday, 7 p.m. Lutheran South at Sullivan, Friday, 7 p.m. Marquette at Lindbergh, Friday, 7 p.m. Fort Zumwalt South vs. Ladue at SLUH, Saturday, 1 p.m.

Riverview Gardens at Hazelwood Central, Saturday, 1 p.m.

John Burroughs vs. Miller Career Academy, Saturday, 1 p.m.

Pittsburgh Steelers star wide receiver Antonio Brown has been ined over $36k this season by the No Fun League for touchdown celebrations deemed inappropriate or excessive. Meanwhile NFL ratings are plummeting as the game struggles to entertain fans.

next week and that was a recipe for ratings gold.

whose backs the owners are riding all the way to the bank.

respect the flag.”

Just as the story began fading away (like the 49ers playoff chances with Blaine Gabbert under center) from the mainstream media, Chip Kelly announced that Kaepernick will start at QB for the 1-4 49ers in Week 6 against the Buffalo Bills. Normally a matchup

Continued from C9

a rough and dangerous game with some bad dudes.

While certain heinous criminal offenses certainly warrant fines and/or suspensions, other minor offenses or controversial statements should be left to the team to handle. Fans like to boo as much as they like to cheer. Just look at the astronomical debate ratings, despite fielding two of the most-disliked presidential candidates in the history of American politics. Football needs bad guys as much as it needs lovable stars (and the commissioner doesn’t count).

Another obvious issue, and the one to which Cuban was focused on two years ago, is the one of oversaturation. Think about America’s insatiable lust for Jordans and iPhones. What do they have in common? Limited availability. When Jordan Brand’s signature shoes are released, only a limited number are made available and people go crazy to get them while they can. When new model iPhones hit the market, Apple stocks just enough in stores to ensure that every store in town will sell out. Dedicated iPhone fans camp out in front of stores days and sometime weeks ahead of a launch to ensure they get their new and fancy phone on Day 1. The NFL used to be that shiny new iPhone or that fresh pair of 11s. It was only on television Sunday afternoon or Monday night. If you didn’t tune in (or DVR) then, you were out of luck. There was a full week to pontificate and ponder what would happen the

Now the NFL is on all day Sunday (including some mornings) as well as Monday and Thursday nights. During the playoffs, the league schedule expands to Saturdays. With the rise in cord-cutting and the popularity of streaming video services such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and others, the NFL has more entertainment competition than ever. Bucs vs Panthers without Cam Newton in prime time or Luke Cage? No competition.

Goodell and the NFL’s other top executives need to take their eyes off the nearly $50B in TV contracts through the year 2022. Instead they need to focus on making the on-field product entertaining to the fans whose eyes the advertisers are buying and to the players on

Kap to the rescue

One reason often overlooked about the NFL’s plummeting ratings is the impact of the #BoycottNFL movement.

The boycott features mostly white men who are angry that the league has not punished San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick or other players for peacefully protesting injustice against black Americans by kneeling during the national anthem.

The boycott NFL movement has been growing silently as right-wing media personalities such as Rush Limbaugh and Mark Levin have encouraged their supporters to boycott the NFL and its sponsors as long as players are allowed to “dis-

between the Bills and 49ers wouldn’t capture too much attention outside of the two teams’ home markets, however, with Kaepernick back in the spotlight, expect this game to be a badly needed boost in the ratings department.

I have a feeling that Kaepernick supporters (who vaulted his jersey sales to the top of the league while he was a backup) and Kaepernick haters will both be tuned in Sunday afternoon. Both groups will be yelling at the screen, but what comes out of their mouths will be very different.

Follow Ishmael and In the Clutch on Twitter @ IshmaelSistrunk

The ST. LouiS

Leketor Member-Meneh

Lutheran South – Girls Volleyball

The senior outside hitter powered the Lancers to its biggest victory of the season when they defeated No. 1-ranked St. Pius X last Thursday night.

Member-Meneh put away 23 kills as South pulled out a tough three-set match in a showdown of top area small schools.

The 5’7” Member-Meneh is currently averaging nearly seven kills a game, which is first in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Behind her stellar play, Lutheran South has compiled a record of 24-3-2. The Lancers are currently on a nine-game winning streak.

A two-sport standout, Member-Meneh was also one of the St. Louis area’s leading scorers in basketball as a junior. She will be attending the University of Missouri on a volleyball scholarship next year.

Andrew Clair

SLUH – Football

The senior running back enjoyed a big night in leading the Jr. Billikens to a non-conference victory over Columbia Rock Bridge. Clair rushed for 253 yards on 22 carries and scored two touchdowns in SLUH’s 45-7 victory. Clair scored on runs of four and 41 yards. For the season, Clair has rushed for 1,077 yards on 143 carries and has scored 11 touchdowns. He is averaging 7.5 yards per carry. He has already committed to Bowling Green University.

SLUH (4-4) will visit Jackson in its regular-season finale on Friday night.

Two-time NHRA Top Fuel Dragster champion Antron Brown assists his children, Arianna and Anson, during the Ranken

Technical College presents Halloween Haunting VIII for NHRA Jr. Dragsters at Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Illinois.

Antron’s children competing in the event for racers 5 to 17 years of age. The event runs through Sunday at the track.

Dragster daddy

Photo by John Bisci

Swag Snap of the Week

Totally 90s 2016. I made my way to Chaifetz for the “I Love the 90s” musical revue on Friday night featuring Young MC, Coolio, All 4 One, Kid N Play, Salt N Pepa and Vanilla Ice Friday night. While the lineup was extremely diverse, the audience…well… not so much. But those folks came dressed like their favorite “Party of Five” cast member had it way more packed (and turned up) than I expected. And they went all out and dusted of their retro 90s gear – that mostly included cutoff jeans, plaid shirts and long sleeve belly blouses. Now listen, I’m not judging anyone…but if you were grown enough to wear a belly shirt in the 90s, chances are the window has closed for you to be half-shirt ready in 2016. But these ladies showcased their three-baby bodies with confidence and I really couldn’t be mad. Okay, on with the show. The concert itself was pretty regular, but everybody had an absolute blast – well for most of the night. I’ll get to that in a bit. Two of the acts I didn’t even recognize. Young MC is not so young anymore, and time has not been kind. He kicked off the show and I kept saying “who is that?” until “Bust a Move,” came on. Coolio and those four plaits that appear to be running from his face looked a mess, but he always did. But when I tell you he was a fan favorite, you would have had to see it to believe it. My favorite from the night was All 4 One. They’re no Boyz II Men which became especially apparent when they tried to cover one of their tunes, but it was a cute little effort. Kid N Play were okay, albeit a bit corny. Salt N Pepa came next. I thought they should’ve closed the show considering their catalog of hits, but it was indeed for the best that they didn’t after they tried to get political. Pep looked like Wendy Williams and a Braxton had a baby in the face, but she was in FANTASTIC shape. Though there show could’ve used some toning up, it was better than usual. But all “you know what” broke loose when Salt told the folks they should vote for HillaryClinton. They got booed mercilessly to the point where I thought the show might have to be stopped. This brings me to a point that is normally reserved for Political Eye. These boos came

petty…even in the truth booth.

By Delores Shante dshante@stlamerican.com

well after Trump accidently outed himself as a sexual predator, so don’t think for one second that he doesn’t have a strong base of ride or die disciples for the country not to need your vote to keep him out. The show closed out with Vanilla Ice – and even with a full band and some creepy clown hype folks on stage he was still a snooze. You know you don’t have much to work with if you’re teasing your one hit through the whole set…I’m just sayin’. Art and truth. After getting my fill of 90s music, I scooted on over to the First Friday Gallery Walk along the stretch of storefront creative spaces along 14th Street in Old North St. Louis. I was shocked with how uncharacteristically light the crowd was, but the folks who were on the scene really enjoyed themselves. You couldn’t have told me in a million years that someone wearing green lipstick would give me life, but Bloom and her Oscar the Grouch pouty mouth was absolutely everything as she tore up the dance floor. They had a special guest in the international endeavor The Truth Booth perched outside Urb Arts. Folks, including me, lined up to share. My big truth at the moment was that one of the truth sharer’s blouse was so see-through that she shouldn’t have even bothered. Leave it to me to keep it

Time was playing tricks on me. Speaking of 90s music, the Marquee had a huge win on their hands thanks to a visit from Geto Boys front man Scarface. It was more packed than it has been in a minute up in there with all of the retro gangsta rap fans aching for a taste of the music from the bad old days. What I’ve realized after countless experiences with these later than late show starts is that my body refuses to allow me to full enjoy a show that begins after 1:30 a.m. So while Scarface went all out with a live band and all of that, I was like ‘“My Mind is Playin’ Tricks On Me,’” how cute?” instead of tossing a VIP table over in order to make room for me to “g-walk’’ from start to finish – which is what would’ve gone down had had the show been kicked off at a decent hour.

Comedy show throwback. I promise you, by the end of the weekend I thought that I had accidently been transported back to 1993 while under the hairdryer at Shi Salon. On Saturday night I headed to the Laughs in the Lou Comedy Explosion at The Ambassador. If it weren’t for J.J. Williamson, I Love the 90s: The Comedy Edition would have totally applied as a title. Michael Colyar told the same jokes he was doing on Def Jam –which actually worked if you took the show for a retro experience like I did. There’s no point in me reciting any of his bits, because we know them all by memory at this point. He’s a master at performing them in a way that still seems fresh, I’ll give him that. The same could not be said for headliner T.K. Kirkland Honestly, Colyar should have been the headliner. Because of his high impact delivery, Kirkland’s laidback style appeared to come across to the crowd as lazy. It’s just the way he tells his jokes, but after whoopin’ and hollering as Colyar hopped all across the stage, the folks were lookin’ at T.K. like “now, you’re gonna have to at least raise your voice to get some chuckles out of me!”

Photos by Lawrence Bryant & John Scott

Rap legend Scarface performed some of his greatest hits to a packed house that included comedy veteran T.K. Kirkland (who was in town to headline Laughs in the Lou) Friday night at The Marquee.

Rachele and Brittiany said goodbye to the weekend Sunday night @ HG

Keisha and Tez Saturday @ Rustic Goat

Chad and Lachelle celebrated her birthday with plenty of other Libras @ The Scale Party Saturday @ Rustic Goat

Promoters Herb and T Smiity were in the building to catch hip-hop legend Scarface Friday night @ The Marquee

Nichelle and Sadie celebrated Sadie’s birthday Sunday @ HG

Teneka, Da’nisha and Dominique were on deck to take in Goosed Saturday night @ The OBar

Lexie, Leticia, and Jasmine set their weekend off Friday night @ Mood

Angela, Tenicha, Theresa and Tori took in the sights, sounds and spirits @ Goosed Saturday night @ The OBar