August 13th, 2026 edition

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St. Louis American The

AUGUST 13 – 19, 2026

Serving, empowering and advocating for equity in St. Louis since 1928

Vol. 98 No. 18 COMPLIMENTARY

12 years after Ferguson stlamerican.com

Mike Brown Sr. finds purpose in helping grieving parents

By Sylvester Brown Jr. St. Louis American

Twelve years after 18-year-old Mike Brown was shot and killed by a Ferguson police officer, his father, Mike Brown Sr., still grieves. But not like before.

Today, Brown and his wife, Cal, operate “Chosen for Change,” a nonprofit that supports families grieving the loss of a child from tragic circumstances. The organization was founded as Brown Sr. tried to grapple with loss, guilt and even revenge.

That day, Aug. Today, 9, 2014, still Brown and haunts his soul. his wife, Brown Cal, operate received a call “Chosen for telling him his son had been shot Change,” and was lying in a nonprofit the street. After a that supports brief but frantic families drive, Brown and Cal arrived at grieving the Canfield Drive. loss of a Even though it child from was almost 100 tragic cirdegrees outside, cumstances. a huge crowd had gathered. Police had the area cordoned off and used police dogs to keep everyone, including Brown, from approaching the body.

He vividly remembers warnings from two officers as he tried to get to his son.

“They said if I came any closer, they would shoot me,” Brown recalled.

Those were the hours that Brown revisits most. Standing in that crowd, he was in denial. His son’s body was covered, but the familiar Cardinals hat and flip-flops near the body weren’t enough to convince him Mike was gone.

Then he recognized a unique pair of his socks the sheet didn’t cover.

“That’s when I knew it was him,” Brown said. “That’s when it became

Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American

Mike Brown Sr. adjusts a candle at the memorial for his son, Michael Brown Jr., on Canfield Drive during a remembrance marking 12 years since his death in Ferguson.

30 for 30

Michael Brown’s mother honors her son’s legacy with 30 scholarships for his 30th year

By Kenya Vaughn St. Louis American August 9, 2014. It is a day the St. Louis region — and the world — will never forget. It was on that day that unarmed teen Michael Brown was fatally shot by a then-Ferguson police officer. His death sparked more than a year of relentless protest and launched a global discourse on the relationship between law enforcement and the Black community.

Photo courtesy of Michael O.D. Brown Foundation

Lezley McSpadden-Head (center) with the 30 recipients who make up the 2026 cohort of Michael O.D. Brown Scholars at their banquet on May 29 at Barnett’s On Washington.

See Scholarships, A10

See Brown, A10

Taxing decision

Failed online shopping tax raised pocketbook concerns for county voters

By Na’Porsha Williams St. Louis American For Camelia Bass, voting against St. Louis County’s proposed use tax came down to a simple concern: People are already struggling to make ends meet.

“People don’t have it,” Bass said. “We just don’t have it — the community doesn’t have it.”

Bass was among the

65% of St. Louis County voters who rejected Proposition U in the Aug. 4 primary election. The measure, which would have applied the county’s existing sales tax rate to qualifying purchases from out-of-state vendors, received just 35% support.

It was the second time in four years county voters rejected a use tax, although the measure lost by a much narrower margin in

2022.

The tax was designed in part to address the growing shift toward online shopping. But for Bass and other consumers, the debate was also about what another tax collected at checkout would mean for household budgets.

Bass pointed to residents who may depend on online shopping because

See Tax, A11

A shopper reviews the final cost of an online purchase at checkout.

Editorial / Commentary

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ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • AUGUST 13 – 19, 2026

Editorial

Money can’t trick Missourians at ballot box

where and vote no on both.

They didn’t.

Amendment 1 received about 82% Missouri Republicans have been of the vote. So on the same trip to the making the case for years that our state polls, Missouri voters gave one sales tax constitution is getting hijacked by outamendment 82% support and another of-state interests. Gov. Mike Kehoe said 16%. it plainly in a video backing Amendment Then there’s Amendment 4.

4, the proposal that would have Its supporters wanted citimade it virtually impossible for zen-led constitutional amendments voters to amend the Missouri to win not just statewide, but in Constitution. every congressional district, citing “Our constitution,” he said, the complaint over wealthy inter“shouldn’t be the victim of outests spending millions to manipuof-state special interests who late voters. spend millions to deceive voters Voters don’t seem to have and pass out-of-touch policies.” a problem with the system.

To hear him tell it, cash pours Columnist Amendment 4 couldn’t muster into our politics to bankroll 20% of the vote.

Jason initiative petition campaigns, Hancock That’s what I think Jefferson buying signatures and TV time.

City sometimes misses about the Missourians — decent people initiative petition process. Republicans with jobs and kids and no particular tend to study the amendments voters interest in reading a 30-page, proposed have approved and conclude something constitutional amendment — get talked has gone wrong with the process. into things.

Democrats have their own version And before you know it, voters have of this. They see that same list, decide expanded Medicaid, legalized marijuana Missouri is a secretly progresor guaranteed abortion rights sive state waiting on the right over the objections of the candidate, and then watch votRepublican supermajority they The implicit ers hand Republicans another sent to Jefferson City. supermajority. message: The implicit message: Both parties keep concluding Missourians keep getting duped. Missourians the electorate must have meant But it’s hard to square that keep getting something other than what it with Tuesday’s primary election duped. said. Whatever you think of results.

Medicaid expansion, marijuaA political action committee na, minimum wage or abortion called Missouri Promise raised rights, voters had opportunities $23 million to boost a GOPto hear arguments, watch milbacked tax overhaul on the ballot as lions get spent and make choices.

Amendment 5. It did so through a founSometimes they said yes. tain of cash flowing through a pipeline of Tuesday they said no. Loudly. nonprofits — two with Missouri addressNone of this makes Missouri voters es, one of them a Jefferson City post uniquely wise. They’ve made decisions office box, and others at private mailboxthey’ll regret. So have legislators. So es in Ohio, Virginia and Maryland. have governors. That’s democracy’s rathIt flooded the airwaves with ads, er inconvenient feature: Nobody gets a promising to take on data centers, put monopoly on good judgment. more money in taxpayers’ pockets and, That doesn’t mean money doesn’t down the home stretch, give the middle matter. Of course it does. Nobody spends finger to the commies. $20 million on political advertising It lost by 67 percentage points statebecause political advertising doesn’t wide and was defeated in every county. work.

On the same ballot was Amendment But Tuesday was a useful reminder of 1, renewing the one-tenth-cent sales tax the difference between voters being perthat pays for state parks and soil and suaded and voters being stupid. water conservation.

Missourians may keep making choices Supporters of Amendment 1 had been Jefferson City wishes they wouldn’t. nervous about Amendment 5. Their fear That doesn’t mean they don’t know was pretty understandable: Spend weeks what they’re doing. telling voters that one amendment could Jason Hancock is editor-in-chief of the lead to higher sales taxes and maybe they Missouri Independent. start seeing the words “sales tax” everyBy Jason Hancock

St. Louis American stlamerican.com

Nathan B. Young (1894 - 1993) • Founder N.A. Sweets (1901 - 1988) • Publisher

Bennie G. Rodgers (1914 - 2000) • Executive Editor Melba Sweets (1909 - 2006) • Editor

Donald M. Suggs Publisher

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

ADMINISTRATION Dina M. Suggs – Sr. Vice President Julie Erickson – Chief Operating Officer Raven Whitener – Director, The St. Louis American Foundation and Special Events Reba Smith – Executive Assistant-Coordinator EDITORIAL Rod Hicks – Executive Editor Alvin A. Reid – City Editor Kenya Vaughn – Arts and Entertainment Editor Earl Austin Jr. – Sports Editor Lawrence Bryant – Visual Journalist Sylvester Brown Jr. – Deaconess Advocacy Fellow Na’Porsha Williams – Breaking News Reporter

Fred Sweets • Ellen Sweets PRODUCTION Mike Terhaar – Art Director DIGITAL Dawn Suggs – Digital Director James LeBine – Multimedia Specialist Lawrence Bryant – Social Media Manager SALES Pam Simmons – Senior Account Executive Angelita F. Houston – Classified Manager Ashley Simmons – Account Executive

The St. Louis American 2315 Pine St. St. Louis, MO 63103 314-533-8000

The second-largest weekly newspaper in Missouri

100% independently owned & operated continuously published, without interruption since 1928

Commentary

Shaping the economic future with our dollars measurable marketplace consequences for customer loyalty, brand reputation, and long-term revenue.

“I believe in destiny. But I also And we’re understanding the value of believe that you can’t just sit back and let supporting one another. We found that destiny happen. You are going to have to 58% of Black consumers say supporting get out there and make it happen.”

Black-owned businesses is important to – Spike Lee them, compared with 31% of nonBlack consumers. Price and prodBlack Americans are tired of uct quality remain important, but being disrespected at the cash they are no longer enough. Trust register, and we’re taking our and respect are drivers. grievances to the bank.

And we’re not just buying; A year into the call to boywe’re building. We found that cott Target for retreating on its Black respondents were more diversity, equity, and inclusion interested in business savings commitments, the Urban League Columnist accounts (19% vs. 14%), busimovement commissioned a ness checking accounts (17% vs. report to understand where our Candese 12%), and Individual Retirement dollars are going today and why. Monteil Accounts (16% vs. 11%). And Titled Economic & among Black adults ages 18 to 34, Psychographic Research on interest rises to 29% for business savings Black America, this study accompaaccounts and 25% for business checking nied our 2026 State of Black America accounts.

Report as a special section.

For our young people, these investThe research included focus ments have extended into the groups and polling of Black future of industry. 41% of Americans from every age Black consumers spent money group and region in the country, “[O]ur comon content creation during as well as sets of non-Black munity is no the past year, compared with peers with the same demolonger show- 33% of non-Black consumers. graphics. The findings across Among Black consumers ages five categories- groceries, ing up for 18 to 34, average spending on health and wellness, saving and companies content creation reached $1,920, investing, beauty, and traveland brands compared with $1,530 among painted a picture of where our that aren’t non-Black consumers. dollars are going today and My takeaway from this why. showing up research is that much of our The key takeaway was that for us.” influence is nothing new. We’ve our community is no longer shaped fashion and beauty showing up for companies and trends, music consumption, and brands that aren’t showing up turned the Box Office on its for us, and we’re taking our $2.1 trillion head, as we saw last year with the perforin spending power, just shy of the entire mance of Sinners.

GDP of Canada ($2.5T), with us.

Today we’re coalescing that influence The report found that 45% of Black and our dollars around an economy that consumers say they would reduce spendserves us better than the one that has ing or actively seek alternative brands been handed to us for centuries. We have if a company reduced or eliminated its a generation of people who are taking commitment to diversity, equity, and their futures into their hands and creating inclusion, compared with 31% of nona world that works for all of us.

Black consumers.

Candece Monteil is National Urban Online backlash and boycotts are no League manager of special projects/execlonger simply a public relations issue. utive assistant to senior vice president.

They are growing business issues with

By Candece Monteil

Commentary

Counting the real number of Black unemployment in the last four weeks. Stop looking, and you are not counted as unemployed. You are not counted at all.

Three weeks before he was killed, Nearly 6 million Americans say they Martin Luther King Jr. stood up in a high want a job and are not counted. school gym in Michigan and argued with They are not lazy. They stopped looka number. ing because looking stopped working.

It was March 1968. The government They did not stop wanting a job. They said unemployment in the Black comstopped believing one was coming. munity was 8.8 percent. King said it was Thirty years ago, I and many others almost twice that. argued against NAFTA. Corporate Not because anybody was lobbyists said we sounded like cooking the books.

Chicken Little. Two decades and The country felt good about 63,000 shuttered factories later, jobs that spring. The national every exaggeration they accused unemployment rate was 3.6 perus of had come true. cent, near the lowest since the Those factories did not close Korean War. Washington called on Black towns or white towns. that full employment.

They closed on both.

Columnist King was telling them the King had marched to desegnumber was hiding people.

Ben Jealous regate the lunch counter. That He explained how the count fight was won. The fight left was worked. It counted people out of whether a man could afford what was on work and still looking. It did not count it. the people who had stopped looking.

In December 1967 he announced the He described them plainly. People who Poor People’s Campaign. The demand had lost hope. People who had so many was jobs or income for all. doors shut in their faces that they quit He meant to bring the poorest families knocking. in America to Washington and set them “These people are considered the diswhere the country could not couraged,” he said. look away. Not only Black famAdd them back, he argued, ilies. White families out of the and the true figure was closer to mountains. Mexican American 16 or 17 percent.

Presidents families. Native families. Puerto That was 58 years ago. The have come Rican families. One caravan left count still works much the same and gone.

Chicago on May 8, 1968. way. Presidents have come King never saw it. He was The count and gone. The count has not killed in Memphis on April 4. changed. has not The campaign went on withLast week the government changed. out him and mostly failed. They released the July jobs report. built a camp on the National The country lost 23,000 jobs. It Mall and called it Resurrection corrected May and June, erasing City. Rain turned it to mud.

103,000 jobs we thought we Police cleared it in June. No jobs bill had. Over the past year we have averaged passed. Nobody got a guaranteed income. about 34,000 new jobs a month.

But King was right about the count. A Almost nobody is being hired. Outside country that stops counting people finds it a few industries, almost nobody is being easy to forget them. fired either. If you have a job, you are If you know somebody who quit lookprobably safe. If you need one, the door ing, walk with them back to the door. Say will not open. their name to somebody who is hiring.

Then came the number that would If you belong to a church or a union or have gotten King out of his chair. a lodge, find out this month who among The unemployment rate went down. It you is out of work. Do not stop at praying fell from 4.2 percent to 4.1 percent. for them. Make the call.

That happened because 264,000 peoDr. King argued with a number ple left the labor force. They did not find because he knew a number can hide a work. They stopped being counted. person.

You are counted as unemployed only Count them. Then hire them. if you have no job and you looked for one

By Ben Jealous

“We’re not going to let Delaware go back to an era where decisions are made by only one group of people.”

— Delaware House Speaker Melissa Minor-Brown at the signing of a state version of the federal Voting Rights Act

News

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AUGUST 13 – 19, 2026

Brickline brings public art to North St. Louis

Murals and sculptures will become part of the expanding greenway

By Kenya Vaughn St. Louis American On a gloomy Wednesday, the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis was packed as young musicians from the HEAL Center for the Arts played in the background. But the crowd wasn’t there for the exhibitions inside the museum.

It came for a preview of art that will soon meet St. Louis residents where they live, walk and gather.

Guests of the Brickline Greenway Art Party received a preview of the public art installations underway in North St. Louis as part of Great Rivers Greenway’s Brickline Greenway project. The work will continue over the next two years, stretching from Fairground Park to the Grand Center Arts District.

“What makes this project special is that it is not just being built for us — it is being built with us,” said St. Louis resident Karen Greer, a member of the Brickline Greenway Community Advisory Committee. “As a neighbor, I see a connective tissue that is finally weaving our neighborhood back together.”

The Brickline Greenway could be one of the city’s most transfor-

mative projects, bringing art beyond museum walls and into the public spaces people encounter in their everyday lives, said Lisa Melandri, executive director of CAM, which hosted the event.

“Brickline Greenway is more than just a trail,” said St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer. “It’s an investment in our neighborhoods.”

Great Rivers Greenway CEO Mark Perkins said the project is intended to connect St. Louis through sustainable infrastructure while incorporating public art that creates “beauty and meaning — and a sense of place.”

Greer referenced the May 16, 2025, tornado, but noted that the unraveling began long before the storm.

“Our communities have been separated by physical and historical barriers. The Greenway is a change,” Greer said. “It’s bringing art to our backyards — helping create a vibrant, safe and beautiful space where we can all gather, talk and watch our families grow.”

She also highlighted artists whose work will appear through murals, sculptures and ground-level installations.

“It brings a new sense of pride, accessibility and

Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American

Corey Jones with PARC works on a screen printing demonstration during the Brickline Greenway Art Party at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis. community health right to our doorsteps,” Greer said.

Edward Jones managing partner Penny Pennington spoke to the role public art plays in community life.

“Public art interrupts us in a really good way,” Pennington said. “It creates space for us to slow down, to reflect and maybe see things differently.”

Pennington’s remarks were an ideal precursor to artist Christine Corday,

whose sculpture and seating installation for the northern portion of the Brickline Greenway is a gift from Edward Jones.

“Art is a place where we meet,” Corday said. “It is democratic, informed and equitable. It is illimitable as a wellspring.”

Her installation will be titled “Finney Plaza: A Place to Dream.”

“We are bringing neighborhoods, institutions and

communities together in historic scale,” Corday said. “It’s not furniture — it’s foundation. It’s the human experience.”

Vanessa Cooksey, president and CEO of the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis, spoke to the accessibility of public art.

“Initiatives like the Brickline Greenway show us what’s possible when art becomes a part of our everyday lives,” Cooksey

said. “Public art is special because you don’t need a ticket, an invitation or permission to experience it.”

Cooksey said public art can foster belonging, unity and sustainable economic growth.

“I am grateful to Great Rivers Greenway — and the Brickline Greenway — for ensuring that art isn’t just behind doors,” she said. “It meets us where we are and imagines where we can go together.”

St. Louis Poet Laureate Pacia Elaine Anderson closed the program with three stories that led into a poem reflecting the importance of public art and the Brickline Greenway.

She shared a moment when “life was lifing,” and she found herself at a car wash, where a mural on Jefferson Avenue caught her eye.

“Instantly, I felt settled,” Anderson said. “I felt protected. I felt like everything was going to be okay.”

Her poem, “Connection,” reinforced her message.

“A walkway to the beautiful parts of ourselves,” Anderson said of the Brickline Greenway.

“Where wonder and delight dance down corridors that stretch us beyond our comfort zone.”

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ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • AUGUST 13 – 19, 2026

Commentary

Estate planning can ease future burdens

provides a “Getting Your Affairs in Order Checklist,” with tips on which documents to prepare for the future.

End-of-life planning can feel Their checklist covers illness and uneasy. Many people avoid it altoend of life. It includes tasks such as gether, because they thought they planning for your estate and finances, had more time or they would just planning for health care, giving somerather not talk about it. one permission to speak to your docThe estates of entertaintor or lawyer on your behalf, estabers Chadwick Boseman and lishing a will and telling someone Malcolm Jamal Warner have been where your important papers are. in the news recently because there What saddens me most is are discrepancies between that when disputes happen what they planned and following a loss, instead of how that has been executreflecting on fond memories, ed since their passing. families often argue over Boseman died without who got the jewelry, the a will and Warner died watches, the car, the house, without updating his will or the payout, if there was to include his wife and one. daughter, according to My grandmother had a court documents. horse statue in her living These men were wellroom when I was growing known and reportedly up. More than any other had considerable assets Camike Jones item she owned, that horse in their estates. Still, their reminded me of her hosting loved ones were left to holiday dinners, family gatherings, figure out what to do. We know and the good memories we made. these scenarios don’t just happen to I told her many times that I wanted people in the spotlight. According to the horse when she transitioned. She a 2025 survey by caring.com, only told me to get the horse now. It meant 22% of Americans have a will. more to me than any other family Nearly every time I or someone I know has experienced a loss, there member, and she didn’t have any special attachment to it. is some dispute that follows. Where After multiple directives from her, will the funeral be? Is there enough I finally took the horse home. money for a funeral? Who will write Thankfully, she is still with us, the obituary? Who should give the but unlike in many other cases, she eulogy? and I talked about what to do before And then there is the real and necessary work needed to get some- it was too late. The conversation was one’s affairs in order. Somehow, we still uncomfortable; I was not excited to talk about her leaving this world. muddle through this while we are Also, that was a small thing, and I freshly grieving. doubt anyone else even thought twice Then come the big questions. about that horse.

What do we do with the house?

But we talked on a good day, What do we do about the debt, the when she was in good health and had car, or the belongings? Who is the beneficiary of the life insurance pol- a clear mind, and she told me what icy? Is there a life insurance policy? she wanted me to do. And that makes all the difference.

Who is in charge and who can Camike Jones is Indianapolis we really trust?

Recorder editor-in-chief The National Institute on Aging

By Camike Jones

Photo courtesy of St. Louis Public Schools

SLPS Superintendent Myra M. Berry recently met with families in the district’s English for Speakers of Other Languages program during a community discussion with interpretation in Arabic, Dari, Pashto, Spanish and Swahili. The first day of school for SLPS is Monday, Aug. 24.

‘Ready for Day 1’

SLPS prepares for first day of school With the first day of classes approaching, St. Louis Public Schools is helping families complete registration, meet health requirements and address transportation and technology needs before students return Aug. 24.

Those preparations included the district’s “Ready for Day 1” Health and Resource Fair last week, where students received health screenings, dental exams and immunizations and families received assistance with school registration, transportation and technology.

“Every student deserves to begin the school year healthy, prepared and connected to the resources they need to succeed,” the SLPS Back to School Committee said in a press statement.

The district also has held outreach sessions with families, including a recent discussion with families in its English for Speakers of Other Languages program that offered interpretation in Arabic, Dari, Pashto, Spanish and Swahili.

The fair brought school services, health

resources and community support together in one location before classes begin, district officials said.

District headquarters to fully reopen All floors of the SLPS headquarters building are scheduled to reopen Aug. 17 as restoration work concludes.

Employees began returning to the building in phases beginning Aug. 3.

The Board of Education meeting held Tuesday and the July 28 meeting were at district headquarters in areas that had been cleared for use.

An SLPS employee contracted Legionnaires’ disease earlier this summer, prompting the district to test the building’s water system for Legionella, the bacteria that can cause the disease.

According to SLPS, its contractor has completed required water-system testing, sanitization and restoration work throughout the building.

Business AUGUST 13 – 19, 2026

Brought to you by

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Milestone reached, legacy remains Mural honors Collier Brothers Auto Body’s 80 years of history

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PEOPLE On The Move

Earls elected Pattonville union vice president Tanya R. Earls has been elected vice president of the Pattonville Education Support Professionals union.

Earls coordinates the Guidance Counseling Department at Pattonville High School and has more than 25 years Tanya R. of experience in Earls early childhood and higher education.

She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in industrial-organizational psychology and an associate degree in early childhood education. ***************************

Banks, Dailey named to board of directors

Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American

Larry Smith takes a photo as members of Delmar Main Street and the Collier family gather in front of the newly unveiled Collier Brothers Auto Body mural during the shop’s 80th anniversary celebration.

St. Louis American staff Collier Brothers Auto Body made it to the milestone its owners hoped to reach.

Five years ago, as the historic Black-owned St. Louis business celebrated its 75th anniversary, co-owner Craig Collier said he hoped to keep the shop going another five years — long enough to reach 80 years.

It did.

Collier Brothers, founded in 1946 and operated by generations of the same family, marked its 80th year before closing its doors June 1.

The family and community celebrated that history Saturday with the Common Ground Community Car

Show & Block Party at the served in the Navy and Elie shop’s longtime home, 4561 in the Army.

Delmar Blvd. The event In segregated St. Louis, included the unveiling of a the brothers established mural honortheir business ing the busiin Mill Creek ness.

Valley, the Collier Brothers, Brothers predomifounded in 1946 Raymond nantly Black Collier Sr. neighborhood and operated by and Elie that was later generations of “Bud” Collier demolished the same family, founded the as part of the marked its 80th business in city’s urban March 1946 year before closing renewal proafter returning its doors June 1. gram. from military Collier service. Each Brothers contributed moved five $350 in mustering-out pay times before settling in — money provided to ser1958 at 4561 Delmar, vice members leaving the where it would operate for military — to help launch nearly seven decades. the shop. Raymond had By the 1970s and ’80s,

the shop was thriving.

“I remember my dad coming down here, seeing it really full,” Craig Collier, Elie Collier’s son, told The St. Louis American in 2021.

“Back in the ’70s, you know, you couldn’t even walk inside the shop, it was just back-toback cars.”

Collier had been coming to the shop since he was 3 years old and knew by about age 11 that he liked working with cars.

His cousin Wayne Jackson, Raymond Collier’s grandson, took a different path. Jackson spent 10 years working with computers for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department before joining the See Collier, A6

Building Black innovation

Sip & Tech Mixer brings creators together for candid conversations

By Kenya Vaughn St. Louis American On Thursday evening inside The Post Building, Entrepreneurs, creatives, founders and learners came ready to listen, ready to ask questions. They were ready to talk about what it means to build something meaningful in Black tech — and to build it together. Black Tech Midwest’s latest Sip & Tech Mixer was a space where people showed up with their stories, their ideas and their willingness to learn from one

another.

Founder Omar Perkins Jr. said that was intentional.

“When I got into this tech world, I started meeting people who had so much invested into this community,” he said. “What we are trying to do with Black Tech Midwest is make sure your voice is heard — and you can hear other stories. I guarantee you that everybody in here didn’t have a linear path.”

Moderated by Brianna Tobias, the panel featured See Mixer, A6

Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American

Moderated by Brianna Tobias, the panel featured Kristy Jackson, founder of SheCan Connect Global Network; Teri Green, CIO and vice president of Lite Technology Solutions; and James Christian Hill, CEO of Alambda Systems participate in a panel discusion Black Tech Midwest’s Sip & Tech Mixer on Thursday, July 30 at The Post Building.

Attorney Eric Kendall Banks and housing advocate Linda Dailey have joined the Legal Services of Eastern Missouri board of directors.

Banks, a transactional and trial attorney at Banks Eric Kendall Law LLC, has more Banks than four decades of experience representing individuals and businesses in litigation, mediation and business matters. He also has worked as a mediator and educator.

Dailey is president of the Cambridge Heights Linda Dailey Tenant Affairs Board. She previously worked with Legal Services on a community effort challenging illegal resident displacements by a property management company.

Legal Services provides free civil legal assistance to low-income individuals and families. ***************************

Ayele, Ndunguru showcase Lincoln quinoa research Lincoln University assistant professor Dr. Addissu Ayele and research technician Grato Ndunguru recently presented the university’s quinoa research during its 2026 Quinoa Field Day at George Washington Carver Farm in Jefferson City.

Ayele, an assistant professor of Dr. Addissu plant physioloAyele gy, leads a study supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture examining how nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium affect quinoa growth and yield. The research Grato is intended to develNdunguru op fertilizer recommendations for Midwest growers.

Ndunguru used plants in research plots to identify seed heads and explain how the grain is removed after harvest. He also introduced Lincoln University’s dual-purpose quinoa harvesting method to attendees at the George Washington Carver Farm in Jefferson City.

Promotion, board appointment, new hire, award... please submit your People on the Move item (including photo) to areid@stlamerican.com.

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ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • AUGUST 13 – 19, 2026

Collier

to work on a succession plan.”

One possibility was Jackson’s daughter, Sydney, who was then finishing college at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. With the COVID-

19 pandemic keeping her in St. Louis, she was helping answer phones at the shop and had begun thinking seriously about its future.

“It’s always been a family business,” she said

in 2021. “We want to uphold that culture and the legacy that was set there by our forefathers.”

She also acknowledged that taking over an auto body shop had not been part of her original plans.

“I am not a business person,” she said. “But I don’t want to let the legacy go down.”

Craig Collier, meanwhile, was thinking about how much longer he could physically continue doing auto body work. He told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in 2021 that he hoped the business could make it another five years and reach its 80th anniversary.

Sydney Jackson declined Saturday to discuss the circumstances surrounding the shop’s closure.

The shop’s history received renewed attention through the Missouri History Museum’s “Mill Creek: A Black Metropolis” exhibit, which included Collier Brothers in its examination of the once-thriving Black neighborhood.

Saturday’s celebration included the unveiling of a mural by artist Jen Everett.

The mural was commissioned by Delmar Main Street through a public arts initiative funded by a grant from the city of St. Louis Community Development Administration.

he said. “Dollars are promissory notes. If you want to build an economy that is selfsustainable, you need to be patient and have an understanding heart.”

Jackson said the challenge isn’t a lack of resources — it’s participation. “We don’t run short on infrastructure and resources,” she said.

“What we run short on is engaging and people showing up. You have to show up and participate — and invest.”

She pointed to Perkins’ work as an example of what it looks like to build infrastructure with intention. “It costs to grow. It costs to be in the room,”

Jackson said. “I want to recognize Omar for showing us what it looks like to create that infrastructure.

Continue showing up, because the resources are out there.”

Perkins said he created Black Tech Midwest because he saw how different communities talk about technology based on their socioeconomic positions — and how those differences shape opportunity. “In some places, they use it for propaganda to spew hate,” he said. “Other places say, ‘We’re going to use it, and we’re going to be a community.’ When I saw how much technology means

for scaling — and making sure we don’t just become consumers — I got excited and intentional.”

He said naming the organization Black Tech Midwest was deliberate.

“I felt that calling it Black Tech Midwest would give it a broader perspective,” Perkins said. “I love St. Louis to the fullest.

It keeps me sharp as a knife.”

During the Q&A portion, tech startup entrepreneur Vernon Johnson asked the panel for advice.

Jackson encouraged founders to gain experience inside established companies. “I think it is important for entrepreneurs to work in a corporate environment,” she said. “If you are running a business, you need to understand how a business runs. The best training is to do it.”

She said her own corporate experience — which didn’t come until her 40s — changed how she coached entrepreneurs.

“It was a game changer for me,” Jackson said. “I could speak the language.”

Another attendee asked the panel to imagine what a Black innovation district could look like in St. Louis. Hill pointed to Kinloch. “Missouri is home to one of the nation’s oldest fully autonomous Black towns,” he

said. “We are working with the mayor and the city manager there to have an innovation workshop — building microchips, LED systems, supplying the streets and the fire department.”

Hill says that it looks like small steps – from within.

“Don’t let somebody tell you that you need to go talk to white people to get permission to work within your community,” Hill said. “Build your own IP, protect your information technology and take action.”

Jackson said earlystage founders often skip a critical step: market research.

“You talk about this app you have, and it’s probably amazing — but how do you know that the app is needed in this time and space?” she said. “You are not your customer.

Sometimes you have to follow the market to figure out where you can get that proof.”

She added that founders often overspend too early.

“Make sure you are starting lean,” she said. “So often in the early stages, founders put money into expenses that aren’t even necessary yet.”

One guest offered advice instead of a question.

“Make sure that you

Continued from A5 family business.

The cousins officially took over the shop in 1996, although the founders remained involved for years afterward.

Raymond Collier continued working well into his 70s before his death in 2014. Elie Collier, who devoted more of his later years to ministry, died in 2015.

As the decades passed, the business changed.

Competition increased, and the shop was no longer packed with cars as it had been during its busiest years.

By its 75th anniversary in 2021, Collier and Jackson were considering what would happen when they were ready to step away.

“That’s what we’re kind of in limbo about,” Jackson told The American at the time. “They have a desire, but we haven’t mapped it all out yet. We haven’t decided what we’re doing. We’re trying

Mixer Continued from A5 Kristy Jackson, founder of SheCan Connect Global Network; Teri Green, CIO and vice president of Lite Technology Solutions; and James Christian Hill, CEO of Alambda Systems.

Their conversation moved across trust, infrastructure, market research, corporate experience and the realities of building in tech as Black professionals.

Hill discussed the role trust plays in any ecosystem. “Trust is really important — even the economy is built on trust,”

Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American

The Clay family gathers beside a classic car during the Common Ground Community Car Show & Block Party celebrating the 80 year legacy of Collier Brothers Auto Body on Delmar Boulevard.

The event comes as the Delmar corridor continues recovering from the May 2025 tornado, which caused extensive damage in North St. Louis and other parts of the city.

Sydney Jackson, who hosted Saturday’s event, said she hoped the car show would help bring people together and support efforts to revitalize the corridor.

“There’s community here, there’s love here, there’s entrepreneurship possibilities here,” she said.

Jackson said Delmar continues to represent two different experiences.

“There’s two different experiences going on on the North and the South side of the street at this point in history,” she said.

“I think we need to realize that we both have value.”

Jackson said that means making space for both sides and “encouraging those on the North side to remember that they matter too.”

St. Louis American visual journalist Lawrence Bryant contributed to this report.

solve a problem,” said Tanikka Dennison, director of operations for Cross Tech Consulting, LLC. “Business isn’t about you — it’s about what problem you are solving and how you can do it more, differently and better than anybody else. You have to be willing to do the work – and be willing to pivot.”

Perkins said Black Tech Midwest is expanding its reach to connect innovators across regions and continents. “We’ve done mixers in Indianapolis, Louisville and Nairobi, Kenya,” he said. “We’re actually acquiring this company from Nairobi called Hack House Africa. We’re going to bring Hack House to America.”

He said the goal is to create a workforce that connects ideas across borders. “Instead of a seat at the table, we’re just trying to create a table,” Perkins said. “Tech professionals and innovators and creatives that really can change the world.”

The next Sip & Tech Mixer presented by Black Tech Midwest will take place at 6 p.m. on Thursday, August 20 at The Post Building, 1190 Cole Street. For more information, visit www.eventbrite. com/o/115810944321

HealthMatters your

‘Taking Care of You’ AUGUST 13 – 19, 2026

Removing barriers to care

Free prostate cancer screenings coming to Delmar DivINe

A7

First Black woman takes helm of CDC

By Jennifer Porter Gore St. Louis American

Men can receive free prostate cancer screenings and other health tests Aug. 29 at Delmar DivINe. No insurance is required.

Checks of testosterone, cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose are also provided.

St. Louis American staff St. Louis-area men can receive free prostate cancer screenings and other health tests Aug. 29 at Delmar DivINe. The St. Louis Men’s Health Education & Screening Event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Berges Conference Center, 5501 Delmar Blvd. The free event is being organized by the Prostate Conditions Education Council.

Testing will include PSA blood tests used to help screen for prostate cancer, along with checks of testosterone, cholesterol, triglycerides and

glucose.

PCEC is especially hoping to reach African American men, veterans, men 40 and older and those with a family history of prostate cancer. Women and other family members and caregivers also can attend.

Black men are about 70% more likely than White men to develop prostate cancer and more than twice as likely to die from it. Because of the higher risk, the American Cancer Society recommends that Black men talk with their doctor about PSA screening starting at age 45 — and as early as 40 for those with a strong family history of the disease.

Envato photo

The PCEC screenings do not require participants to have insurance.

“Our goal is to remove barriers to care by bringing trusted physicians, community organizations and free health services together in one welcoming location,” PCEC Outreach Coordinator Lizzy Townsend said.

Attendees also can talk informally with Dr. Lannis Hall and local urologists, hear from prostate cancer survivors and connect with community health resources. Boxed lunches will be provided.

Registration is free but space is limited. To register, scan the QR code at left.

A highly credentialed Black woman has made history at an agency in turmoil — and the central question is whether she will have the independence to lead it.

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the agency mandated to protect Americans’ health from preventable threats. She’s the first Black woman to head the agency, and fills a critical public Dr. Erica health position.

Schwartz Schwartz takes over a CDC that has been without a permanent director for nearly a year and has endured significant staff reductions and leadership turmoil under the Trump administration.

Her confirmation also comes amid questions about Schwartz whether she will takes over a be willing to challenge Health and CDC that has Human Services been without Secretary Robert a permanent F. Kennedy Jr. director for on vaccines and other public nearly a year. health policies.

Confirmed on a party-line vote, Schwartz becomes the 22nd leader of the agency and the second Black American. Dr. David Satcher was the agency’s first Black director from 1993 to 1998. He later became the nation’s 16th surgeon general.

Schwartz brings an unusual combination of medical, legal and military experience to the job. She holds medical and law degrees and spent much of her career in the U.S. Coast Guard, See CDC, A8

Sponsored Content

In 2021, 397 people lost their lives to drug-related overdose in Saint Louis County. In the years since then, community members have been responding to overdoses, and that number fell to 217 in 2024.

This’s why it’s so important for all of us to take care of others in our community. Every one of us has the power to make a difference and save lives; you don’t have to be a doctor or social worker or have any formal training. All you need is a little information so you’re prepared to respond when it counts.

When an overdose occurs, you make the difference What are the signs and symptoms of an overdose?

There are a number of indicators that can help you spot an overdose as it’s happening. Here’s what to look for.

Pinpoint pupils Opioids often make a person’s pupils constrict or become smaller.

Limp body During an overdose, the person will often slump over, stop moving, or lose consciousness altogether.

If they are unable to hold their head up, grip your hand, or respond to your voice or touch, that’s a

strong signal they may be having an overdose.

Slow, weak, or no breathing Opioid overdose typically involves trouble breathing or not breathing at all. A person’s brain can only go a few minutes without oxygen, so it’s important to help them quickly.

Opioids often make a person’s pupils constrict or become smaller.

Choking, gurgling, or vomiting Opioids can suppress a person’s gag reflex, affecting their ability to swallow or spit. This can lead to choking, vomiting, or even what sounds like See Overdose, A8

Envato photo

HealthMatters your

‘Taking Care of You’

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • AUGUST 13 – 19, 2026

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CDC Continued from A7 where she oversaw a health care system of 41 clinics and 150 sick bays.

She also served as deputy U.S. surgeon general.

The CDC was reputedly the gold standard in public health care and was known for helping to end the polio epidemic and all but eradicating measles from the U.S. and a significant part of the world. But under the Trump administration, the agency has lost more than a quarter of its workforce during rounds of mass firings, primarily aimed at new and temporary workers.

Overdose Continued from A7 snoring, and is a sure sign the person needs medical attention fast.

Discoloration of lips and/or fingernails An opioid overdose can damage the veins in the body, making the lips and the skin around the fingernails look blue or purple.

What should you do if you spot an overdose?

If you witness an overdose, take action immediately. Every second counts, and your decisions in the moment can make all the difference.

Step 1: Call 9-1-1 Act quickly, but calmly.

The first thing a 9-1-1 dis-

Five of the agency’s top-level staffers — including a Black health equity specialist—were dismissed after appearing on a right-wing “DEI Watchlist.”

Schwartz is the third nominee for CDC director in the past 18 months.

Since then, there have been a series of HHS officials as acting CDC directors.

In a statement, Dr. Georges C. Benjamin, chief executive officer of the American Public Health Association, said Schwartz “possesses the medical background and public health knowledge” to lead the CDC after a tumultuous two years.

The agency “des-

perately needs stability, experienced leadership and a steadfast commitment to science” and Schwartz fits the bill, he said. The APHA, Benjamin added, will work with Schwartz “to rebuild trust in public health leaders” and “improve the public’s health by preventing and controlling diseases and injuries so that everyone can live their healthiest lives.”

Concerns about independence Despite her extensive credentials, Schwartz’s nomination hit a speed bump last month when Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican, and

other lawmakers pressed Schwartz on whether she would challenge Kennedy on vaccine policy.

Schwartz’s responses didn’t imbue confidence.

Though Benjamin’s statement gives Schwartz the benefit of the doubt, several public health advocates weren’t as heartened by her confirmation and the National Public Health Coalition opposed it.

Shaughnessy Naughton, president of the nonprofit 314 Action, has called Schwartz “a loyal foot soldier” for Trump and Kennedy — a worrisome assessment as “dangerous outbreaks spread across the country, threatening our schools, our farmers, and our children.”

During an overdose, the person will often slump over, stop moving, or lose consciousness altogether.

If they are unable to hold their head up, grip your hand, or respond to your voice or touch, that’s a strong signal they may be having an overdose. patcher will ask you is the address of the emergency. Provide details about your location, the number you’re calling from, and what type of emergency it is. The dispatcher will con-

The nation needs “public health leaders who are willing to stand up to Trump, RFK Jr. and their co-conspirators, and put science back in charge,” Naughton said in a statement. “Dr. Schwartz should have been a step in the right direction” but failed to differentiate herself from “the Trump agenda.”

“If she couldn’t answer basic questions honestly and directly before Congress, it’s difficult to imagine how she can serve effectively,” Naughton said. “Americans deserve a leader who will defend public health and follow the science, even when it’s politically inconvenient.”

As the nation confronts

six foodborne illness outbreaks, including two outbreaks of cyclosporiasis food contamination that have sickened thousands and killed two Americans, the position of Food and Drug Administration commissioner is still vacant.

The previous commissioner, Marty Makary, resigned from the role in mid-May after serving for just 13 months. Kyle Diamantas, who had been the FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Food, is currently serving as Acting Commissioner.

No formal nomination for FDA Commissioner has been sent to the Senate.

substance in your possession.

operator can give you instructions to administer rescue breaths if needed.

Lay the person on their side with their top leg bent. This is the recovery position and helps to prevent choking.

Once medical help arrives, they’ll be able to take over, but they may have questions you can answer to give them the best chance at saving the person.

Step 2: Use Naloxone If available, administer naloxone (brand name Narcan) to the person overdosing. It’s a nasal spray medication that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose. Naloxone is safe to use even if they are not experiencing an overdose. Free naloxone kits are available through the St. Louis City and County Health Departments. Keeping this life-saving medication on you at all times makes sure you’re ready when the moment comes. tinue to ask you questions, but this initial information is crucial for them to get the right people out to you as soon as possible.

And don’t worry about getting in trouble with the

law. Missouri is a Good Samaritan state, meaning you will not be punished for helping someone get medical attention in the event of an overdose -even if you have an illicit

Step 3: Stay until help arrives Stay with the person until medical help arrives.

Try to keep the person awake and breathing.

When you are on the phone with 9-1-1, the

You can make the difference Our community is stronger when we keep an eye out for each other and are prepared to help in an emergency. When it comes to drug overdoses in our community, we all have a part to play. Learn more about overdose prevention, including where to get and how to use naloxone at ThinkHealthSTL.org.

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ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • AUGUST 13 – 19, 2026

Tina Campbell claps back at Teddy’s divorce petition

Jedda ‘Mrs. Dupree’ Jones dies at 73

Nearly four months after Glendon “Teddy” Campbell moved to end their 25-year marriage, Trecina “Tina” Campbell – best known as half of the gospel duo Mary Mary – has filed her response. She has placed custody of their two minor children at the center of the case.

According to legal documents obtained by TMZ, Tina is asking a Los Angeles County judge to award her legal and physical custody of the children. However, she is open to Teddy receiving visitation.

The request represents Tina’s position, not a final custody ruling. A judge will ultimately decide on any disputed parenting arrangement based on the children’s best interests, unless the estranged spouses reach an agreement first.

Tina also asked the court to block spousal support for both sides.

Tina Campbell Tina listed August 8, 2024, as the date of separation. Teddy previously identified June 2024 when he filed for divorce on April 13, 2026, citing irreconcilable differences. The two-month discrepancy may appear minor, but separation dates can become important when courts evaluate finances, property or obligations accumulated during a marriage.

Jedda Jones, the comedienne, radio personality and creator of the popular “Ms. Dupree” character from The Tom Joyner Morning Show, has passed away. She was 73. Her cause of death has not yet been disclosed.

Jones’ unmistakable voice as “Ms. Dupree” became one of the highlights of the nationally syndicated morning show, which ran from 1994 to 2019. Her chemistry with Tom Joyner, Sybil Wilkes, J. Anthony Brown and the rest of the cast helped create many of the program’s most memorable moments.

Jedda ‘Mrs. Together, they built a show that entertained Dupree’ Jones while celebrating Black culture, community and conversation. Jones’ contributions helped make The Tom Joyner Morning Show appointment listening for millions of Americans throughout its 25-year run.

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Mattel honors Whitney Houston with signature Barbie

Mattel is paying tribute to superstar Whitney Houston with a new Barbie doll. The company introduced the Whitney Houston Barbie Signature Doll on Sunday, August 9.

Capturing her iconic look from Houston’s 1987 “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” music video, the doll honors the single’s historic success and anniversary, which is hailed as one of the greatest pop songs of all time. Houston is styled in a replica of the purple tank dress with colorful drop earrings and vibrant eye makeup she wears in the video, and is performance-ready with a microphone stand.

“It’s a dream come true,” said Dr. Pat Houston, who is the executor of Whitney Houston’s estate and her sister-in-law, declared on a radio interview with WSB 95.5 over the weekend.

Whitney Houston

Page Six pioneer Flo Anthony dies at 74 Flo Anthony, the trailblazing entertainment journalist known for becoming the first Black woman to work in the New York Post’s entertainment and Page Six departments, died Thursday, August 6, after a battle with cancer. She was 74.

The news was first reported by the New York Amsterdam News. Jack Hirsch — biographer of Anthony’s husband, boxing legend and St. Louis native Michael Spinks — announced her passing.

Before entering journalism, Anthony built her career as a publicist for some of boxing’s biggest figures, including Muhammad Ali, Larry Holmes, Butch Lewis, Mike Flo Anthony McCallum and her future husband, Michael Spinks.

She later became the first Black woman to write for a supermarket tabloid through her National Examiner column, “Eye on the Stars.”

Anthony and Spinks became romantically linked in 1987. The couple married in January of this year.

Hot Sheet Sources:

CNN.com, BlackAmericaweb.com, New York Amsterdam News, TMZ.com, WSB 95.5 FM

A10

Brown Continued from A1 real.”

During the following days, months and years, Brown said he was in various stages of shock, grief and fantasies of revenge.

“It was a long process, man,” Brown admitted. “I was angry and confused … asking myself over and over again, ‘Why did something so traumatic have to happen to my family?’”

Brown said media portrayals of Mike Jr. as a violent criminal or drug dealer hit him hard.

“The public or the media really didn’t know my son,” Brown stressed.

“He was a bright young man who knew what he wanted out of life. … He was stripped of all that.”

Brown began blaming himself.

“You know, men are supposed to protect their families. I felt like I failed him.”

Brown said his son’s killer, Officer Darren Wilson, had a previous encounter with Brown Jr. months before the shooting — an encounter Brown learned about from his son.

“He called me on his

Scholarships Continued from A1 For the past twelve years, commemorative programming has taken place. When it comes around again on Sunday, one of the people most impacted by the tragedy won’t be involved.

“I don’t even like talking about it — August 9 — period,” Lezley McSpadden-Head said last year on the critically acclaimed Still My Baby podcast. For season four of The Untold Story, Lemonada Media teamed up with Campaign Zero to

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • AUGUST 13 – 19, 2026 way back from his grandmother’s house, saying that an officer with the nametag, ‘D. Wilson’ had stopped him and threatened to beat him with his nightstick,” Brown said.

Although his son insisted it was no big deal, Brown, in retrospect, still has regrets.

“I feel some kind of way because I didn’t file a police report. To learn — years later — that this was the person who murdered my son …”

Then there were the reappearing happy memories of Mike.

“I remember my son smiling, being silly,” Brown Sr. told St. Louis Public Radio in 2025.

“Just a fun guy. Loved his grandparents. Treated them like they were his girlfriends. He just loved different. His character was just amazing.”

The father reluctantly revisited a conversation he’d had eight days before his son’s death. Mike had shared his ambitions for the future with his father after graduating from Normandy High School.

He was two days from starting a training program for heating and air conditioning repair at Vatterott College technical school.

Brown said he fully sup-

ported his son’s plans.

“I thought it was a good idea. Everybody needs heat and everybody needs air conditioning.”

Brown said he’d also had “the talk” with his son.

He, too, had been harassed by police in his younger days. Because Mike had the look of an adult, he warned him to always be aware of his surroundings and to be extra cautious if police ever approached him in a threatening way.

Brown said the entire family underwent therapy which, he said, put him on the path to healing.

Searching for a way to continue Mike Jr.’s legacy in 2014, Brown saw a

poster featuring his son’s photos beneath the words “Chosen for Change.”

Months later, he and Cal founded the Michael Brown Sr. Chosen for Change Organization.

The nonprofit initially set out to help fathers.

For Brown, it also became a way to rebuild his own life.

“Actually, my purpose was to reinvent myself and then help other fathers like me.”

The founding duo later expanded its services to any grieving parent who had lost a child to unimaginable violence.

Phyliss Adams, whose

20-year-old son, Ezell Walker Jr., was fatally shot in 2015, said Chosen for Change helped her find a path through grief.

“I’ve come a long way, thanks to Chosen for Change,” Adams said. “If it had not been for them, I don’t know where I’d be today.”

Adams isn’t alone. Atif Mahr, whose 19-yearold daughter, Isis, was killed in a 2021 drive-by shooting, also found support through Chosen for Change and now leads its Chosen Fathers program.

“It has brought my life full circle ... and I’m so grateful,” Mahr said.

Last weekend, Chosen

tell an often forgotten side of a story that played out before the world’s eyes — the mother who lost her son.

She celebrates him on the day he came into the world, May 20, instead of the sweltering August day when his life was taken.

For the past three years, McSpadden-Head has held a scholarship banquet where students from throughout the region are recognized in her son’s name. Nine days after what would have been Michael Brown’s 30th birthday, she spent the evening honoring his legacy by presenting 30 students with scholarships

that bear his name.

“Michael’s life was cut short, but his story doesn’t end there. It lives on in every student we support,” McSpadden-Head said.

“Every scholarship is a way of giving back and investing in a future my son never got to see. That gives me hope, and we’re grateful to everyone who invests in it alongside us.”

Since 2024, the Michael O.D. Brown We Love Our Sons & Daughters Foundation — in partnership with Campaign Zero — has provided more than $200,000 in scholarships and nearly $20,000 in care packages to 63 St. Louisarea students. The last

three award cycles included 15 students in 2024, 18 in 2025, and 30 for the 2026–27 school year. This year’s class was expanded to 30 in honor of what would have been Michael Brown’s 30th birthday.

“This year holds special meaning. Mike would have celebrated his 30th birthday in 2026,” McSpadden-Head said. “In his honor, we expanded the class to 30 scholarship awardees — the largest in the program’s history — and set out to support 30 young people whose talent, vision, and drive reflect the future the Foundation is working to build.”

For the 2025–26 school year, in partnership with Campaign Zero, the Foundation named thirty awardees from more than a dozen schools, including her son’s alma mater, Normandy High School.

Each student received $3,000 toward their education as they pursue passions in social justice, the performing arts, and the trades.

“They come from schools across St. Louis City and County, each bringing distinct talents and ambitions for the future,” McSpadden-Head said. “Their determination, creativity, and commitment keep Mike’s legacy in motion.”

The Foundation will launch its 2027–28 scholarship cycle at the beginning of the school year this fall. It will mark the program’s fourth year, and the goal is to expand the scholarship class again.

Dorm-ready care packages will also be sent to scholarship recipients during

August and September, extending support beyond the ceremony and into the students’ first weeks on campus.

The Foundation works at the intersection of justice, health, education, and family. Its flagship Michael O.D. Brown Memorial Scholarship supports students who demonstrate academic achievement, financial need, and a commitment to social justice, the performing arts, or the skilled trades.

Campaign Zero has partnered with the Foundation on scholarship selection, the annual dinner, care packages, storytelling, and fundraising support.

“Campaign Zero exists because of what happened in Ferguson. We were built on the demand that came out of those streets: show us the data, then change the policy because young people deserve to survive and to thrive,” said DeRay McKesson, Executive Director of Campaign Zero. “These scholarship recipients, carrying Michael’s name toward college, a certification, or a trade, are proof that what started as a protest is still building something. That’s what we’re proud to be part of.”

McSpadden-Head said the work is rooted in the same love she had for her son long before the world knew his name.

“There were a lot of people around when I had Mike Mike just the same as when he left,” she said.

“I always felt that God gave me that baby for a

The Brown family at the memorial for Michael Brown Jr. on Canfield Drive during a remembrance marking 12 years since his death in Ferguson.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American

for Change hosted its “Legacy Weekend,” a series of events that included a fundraising fashion show, a rally and remembrance on Canfield Drive in Ferguson and a panel discussion exploring what real “justice” looks like.

“Our family never really got justice from the system,” Brown said.

The annual remembrances, the outpouring of support, the media’s attention each year and his work with other grieving parents have helped him cope, Brown said.

“My emotions have just returned. I’ve learned how to deal with grief and loss,” Brown said. “I’ve learned how to shield my heart from being so angry, so upset and so sad.”

Every year around this time, Brown said he’s surrounded by people who honor his son’s legacy. It helps him not dwell on the “death part.” he said.

“It does get sad, but every year, I can just think about the good parts of my son’s life. And I can hang onto that until I leave this earth.”

Sylvester Brown Jr. is the Deaconess Foundation Community Advocacy Fellow.

reason.”

While he was taken from her, she has made a difference in his name by founding the Michael O.D. Brown We Love Our Sons & Daughters Foundation.

“Through this work, Mike’s legacy lives on,” McSpadden-Head said.

“Not just in memory, but in motion.”

Campaign Zero — a data-driven organization focused on ending police violence and mass incarceration — was birthed out of the movement that her son’s death sparked.

“The work that Lezley and her foundation are doing is a powerful reminder that real change starts with community,” McKesson said. “We are proud to stand alongside this work because ending police violence isn’t just a policy fight, it’s a fight for lives, futures, and truth.”

McSpadden-Head said her mission is rooted in the future her son deserved.

“I didn’t birth him to bury him. I birthed him to live, to grow, to become,” she said. “That was stolen from him, from me and the world. But I will never stop fighting for justice — to make his legacy live on.”

She said her son’s legacy is not just remembrance — it’s action.

“We carry Michael’s name. We carry his story,” McSpadden-Head said.

“Together, we carry his legacy forward.”

For more information on the Michael O.D. Brown We Love Our Sons & Daughters Foundation and its annual scholarship, visit www.michaelodbrown.org.

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ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • AUGUST 13 – 19, 2026

Working like a champ

One man’s career change led him to CHAMPIONS Initiative Carlton Prince was ready for a change.

After building a career as a youth development specialist, Prince was eager to pivot to a trade that would allow him to provide for his family.

He was drawn to the construction industry, where he knew a handful of people pursuing successful careers.

Prince’s search for such work led him to the CHAMPIONS Initiative, a partnership between Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 562 and the Mechanical Contractors Association (MCA) that is designed to bring underrepresented populations into the pipe trades.

Prince entered the CHAMPIONS Initiative last year. Now employed with Jarrell Contracting Company as a pre-apprentice plumber with Local 562, he is working hard to skill up and build a successful life as a skilled tradesperson.

“I have learned and grown so much,” he said.

“I had no idea there was so much to plumbing. It has been an eye-opening experience.”

The CHAMPIONS Initiative is part of a growing movement of partnerships between labor and employers that are opening doors to life-changing employment for minorities, women, people who have experienced incarceration and otherswith relatively little or no historical ties to the skilled trades.

The program offers six weeks of hands-on technical training and professional development specific to the pipe trades, concluding with placement as a pre-apprentice with an

MCA member contractor.

Participants also receive a weekly stipend to support their living expenses while they participate in this full-time educational opportunity.

In addition, the CHAMPIONS Initiative provides peer groups and intentional mentorship to participants as they progress into apprenticeship and beyond.

More than 75 participants are currently employed as union plumbers or pipefitters. The seventh cohort began its journey in June; the first cohort, which launched in 2020, graduated from Local 562’s apprenticeship program in July.

While the CHAMPIONS Initiative is focused on the pipe trades, other programs seek to provide a broader introduction to the building trades as well as manufacturing.

Now in its 12th year, Missouri Apprenticeship Ready Programs (ARP) is an intensive program designed to introduce participants to construction and manufacturing careers.

The program, which is sponsored by the Missouri AFL-CIO’s Missouri Works Initiative (MWI), is offered statewide at no charge to selected individuals who meet the admission requirements.

Hundreds of graduates, representing dozens of cohorts, have been placed in every building trades union in the St. Louis region. ARP coordinates with individualized training programs in many unions, such as the CHAMPIONS Initiative, to provide additional specialized training in gradu-

Tax

Charlie Hinderliter, senior vice president of government affairs at St. Louis Realtors, said his organization supported Prop U both to help local businesses compete with large online retailers and to raise money for public services.

“For us, the reason we supported it is twofold,” Hinderliter said. “First, it puts local businesses on an even playing field as out-of-state, billion-dollar companies like Amazon.

Second, it’s about services.”

Hinderliter said the county’s tax structure has not kept pace with changes in how people shop.

“Technology is always faster than the law,” he said.

North County resident Ketrice Skinner said she understands the concerns of local businesses but ultimately has to consider what she can afford.

“I prefer the price of tax to be much cheaper because you still gotta pay for delivery fees,” Skinner said. “And then when you go to the store, you gotta travel to go get it and you’re spending money, traveling, spending more money paying for taxes.”

St. Louis County officials expect a budget deficit of at least $50 million next year. County

Continued from A1 they do not have transportation to reach brick-andmortar stores.

“Some people don’t have cars to go to the store, so that’s their only means of getting what it is that they need,” she said.

Prop U would have applied St. Louis County’s existing 3.513% sales tax rate to qualifying purchases from out-of-state vendors. Online retailers would have collected the tax from shoppers at checkout and sent it to the Missouri Department of Revenue. The use tax would not have been charged on purchases already subject to the corresponding county sales tax.

On a qualifying $100 purchase, the county tax would have been about $3.51; on a $500 purchase, about $17.57.

Missouri already has a state use tax, and some municipalities in St. Louis County have their own voter-approved use taxes.

Prop U would have established the county-level tax.

Supporters described Prop U as a way to put local retailers on more even footing with out-ofstate online sellers.

Sponsored Content

Courtesy photo

Carlton Prince’s eagerness to pivot to a trade led him to the CHAMPIONS Initiative. ates’ chosen trade before starting work.

Recognized as a comprehensive apprenticeship readiness program by North America’s Building Trades Union, the program offers enrollees a comprehensive introduction to construction or manufacturing employment by using NABTU’s nationally recognized Multi-Craft Core Curriculum providing relevant national skills certification training, with a particular focus on job safety.

The three-part training model includes classroom coursework that covers both technical skills and life skills such as financial

literacy; hands-on training; and placement advising to help participants find a place in one of a wide variety of skilled trades.

The program also provides financial and in-kind support, including a weekly stipend, a bus pass, free work gear, and a tool allotment.

This approach “connects Missourians with the skills, training, and support they need to build lasting careers,” said Megan Price, MWI executive director.

ARP has broadened its development of the skilled workforce within the last year, introducing a six-week Apprenticeship

the county.

Executive The measure Sam Page included a has warned Prop U would mechanism that without have applied St. to distribute additional Louis County’s some of the dependable existing 3.513% money to revenue, cuts municipalicould fall sales tax rate to ties, with the heavily on qualifying purrevenue going parks mainchases from out- into their gentenance, road of-state vendors. eral funds. and street County repairs and Online retailers officials public safety, would have colestimated with nearly lected the tax the measure 100 police from shoppers would generofficers ate between potentially at checkout $50 million losing their and sent it to and $100 miljobs. the Missouri lion annually “Without Department of countywide. additional County recurring rev- Revenue. leaders could enue, we have eventually about a year ask voters to left before the reconsider NFL settlement funds run out and we the use tax. Page has said the County Council could will no longer be able to operate county government normally, without a significant source of revenue or painful budget cuts,” Page said the day after the election.

St. Louis County received about $169 million from the region’s $519 million Rams lawsuit settlement. At the time of the election, about $56.2 million had been allocated, leaving more than $100 million unassigned.

Prop U revenue would not have gone solely to

Ready Program in with hands-on construcManufacturing alongside tion projects and tours of its longstanding five-week local contractor shops.

Apprenticeship Ready This is the fifth year Program in Construction. in St. Louis for HMSE, Candy Harrison was which has hosted 85 local struggling to make ends youth in the program. meet before learning about “We’re proud that a the Apprenticeship Ready growing number of our Program in Manufacturing. former campers have Thanks to the program’s become sheet metal specialized skill training apprentices,” said Susan and wraparound support, Miller, SMACNA’s execshe was able utive director. to secure a job “Seeing stuas an electridents discover cal assembly The CHAMPIONS rewarding technician careers in the Initiative proat Darwin skilled trades vides peer Chambers and helping Company, a build our groups and maker of cold future workintentional storage units force is why mentorship to for research we’re proud participants as and medical to bring this they progress care. program to St. “This Louis.” into apprenprogram has As handsticeship and helped me in on trades beyond. a major way,” struggle to Harrison said. find the work“I have a job ready talent that is great for needed to my health, it has full benmeet increasing demand, efits, and I can afford to pre-apprenticeship prosupport my family.” grams both general and Harrison added that the specialized are working multifaceted exploration of to close the gap – while different trades was critical connecting local workers to finding the right career with skills that build a path: “It’s OK to try difmeaningful life. ferent things until you find “This work benefits a good fit for yourself.” both the individuals we Some sectors of the serve and the employers skilled trades are expandwho need them,” Price ing their outreach to youth. said.

The Heavy Metal Summer For more information Experience brings togethon the Apprentice Ready er Sheet Metal Workers Program, visit moworkSMART Local 36 and sinitiative.org. the Sheet Metal and Air For more information Conditioning Contractors on the CHAMPIONS National Association Initiative, visit mca-emo.

(SMACNA) to host high org. school students – particFor more information ularly young women and on Heavy Metal Summer students from underrepreExperience, visit smacsented communities – for nastlouis.org. a two-week summer camp

seek a voter-approved property tax increase, use more of the remaining Rams settlement money to support the budget or put a use tax before voters again.

Page said county leaders would have to do a better job explaining what the loss of additional revenue could mean for county services.

“We need to put resources into educating the voters on what service cuts mean to St. Louis County,” Page said. “If the council wants to see this pass, they should approve some money to help educate the voters on what it means to choose between cutting police officers or having an online sales tax like most jurisdictions in St. Louis County.”

Bass said voters may

hear the word “tax” and think first about the money coming out of their own pockets rather than the services the revenue could fund.

“When people hear taxes, they are not thinking about our roads or our cities,” Bass said. “They are thinking about their pockets.”

Still, Bass said she understands the concern about what online shopping means for local businesses.

“I realized that there’s a lot of small businesses around, and I would much rather keep them,” she said. “If we start buying everything online, we’re gonna lose stores.”

St. Louis American reporter Sylvester Brown, Jr. contributed to this report.

A12

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • AUGUST 13 – 19, 2026

The Way I See It

Primary was a dry run for the November election

By Jamala Rogers The August primaries were revealing, bringing both disappointments and successes. Can we get past the slings and arrows that typically go airborne after tough races and contentious ballot initiatives?

We must have a sober discussion about how to move forward if we want to save our struggling democracy and the rights and liberties that accompany it. We must protect our gains and expand our victories.

We can learn from the bitterly fought races between Cori Bush and Wesley Bell and between Abdul El-Sayed and Haley Stevens, where corporate money gushed in. We can draw inspiration from the voter smackdown of Amendments 4 and 5 in Missouri. We saw a young Justin Pearson beat the odds by winning the Democratic nomination for a Tennessee congressional seat despite the GOP rigging the map in hopes of seizing all nine seats after the midterms.

With billionaires empowered by all three branches of government, true defenders of democracy must confront the reality that money will heavily influence our elections until we collectively say it will not. This means our ground game must be nearly flawless to offset the limited budget we’re working with. Campaign organizations must be disciplined, energetic and focused. We have to Jamala deal with widespread cheating, rigging, and stealing Rogers on top of lies and deception.

This playbook includes an ongoing voter education campaign that projects a vision of what our city, our state, and our country can look like. It means exposing the people, corporations and laws that are obstacles to an inclusive and just democracy that reinforces the human needs of its people. It means having a clear and concise message that motivates your people to act on that vision.

Some believe candidates or campaigns should not be talking about the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) or defunding law enforcement. But these two don’t fit in a democratic vision.

Candidates who accept AIPAC support should be pressed on whether that support affects their willingness to challenge the Israeli government’s agenda. That is no small matter for those of us who view Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide and the destruction of Palestinian land and communities as indefensible. The Trump regime has poured billions of dollars into the control and containment of citizens, while drastically cutting back on critical social services and programs. The demand to defund U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is consistent with a democratic agenda.

The August primaries affirmed that we could win even if it looks impossible. It showed us where we should fortify our campaign tactics. We must prioritize engaging a vigilant electorate as we roll into November. Trump and the MAGA monsters are putting into place unprecedented obstacles to our full participation in the voting process.

Voters don’t like billionaires telling them who to vote for, where they can vote, when they can vote, or how to vote. So you know how we’ll respond if we cannot vote or the election is stolen.

Voting is one component of our democracy, but not the only one that needs serious protection under the current regime. Still, I believe the November elections can change the trajectory of this country. We who believe in freedom have our assignment. Now it’s time to soldier up for the battles ahead.

What comes next?

from the May 2025 tornado. More than a year later, recovery is still visible in the streets, August has a way of in the homes, and in the making us take stock. lives of our neighbors.

Maybe it is the heat— Yet our children that particular St. Louis are still preparing to heat that makes you go to school. Teachers move a little slower, are still preparing their even as everything around classrooms.

Families are still you seems to be speeding showing up. That is resilience. up. Back-to-school signs And for African Americans, are everywhere. Teachers resilience is not a slogan. It is an are preparing classrooms. inheritance.

Parents are checking lists.

So when I think about a Students are preparing to new school year, I think about trade summer freedom what those who came before us for schedules, bells, and fought to make possible—and books. And underneath what we are responsible for all that preparation is a carrying forward. question: What comes African Americans built St. next?

Louis. And we are still building.

I think about that That is why I am looking question differently this forward to Thursday Nights at August because I keep the Museum on August 20, when Lyah LeFlore-Ituen thinking about buildings.

Cbabi Bayoc and Dr. Amber As a proud graduate of Saint Louis Public Schools (SLPS), I know Howlett Bayoc join us for “Bridging Worlds Through Art, Part 2,” at 6:30pm. that a school is never just a school. I spent Their story is about art, but it is also my final year of high school at Central about place. About building a creative Visual and Performing Arts in the historic business in East St. Louis. About Garrison Avenue building. That building partnership. About building Black love. had already lived several lives before I Building is a form of believing. walked through its doors. Central High A teacher preparing a classroom is School opened in 1853 as St. Louis’s first believing. A student walking into a historic coeducational public high school. After the 1927 tornado damaged its original building, school is believing. An artist building a studio is believing. A historian preserving a Central moved into the former Yeatman story is believing. A community investing in High School building on Garrison Avenue. its cultural institutions is believing.

The 1950s brought another significant So as we prepare for another school year milestone: the integration of Saint Louis and another chapter of St. Louis history, Public Schools, including Central High perhaps we should pause.

School. But integration on paper was not Look around. Remember what has been the same as equality in practice. I was carried for us. Then ask what we will carry walking through history and didn’t always forward. For our children. For today’s know it. That is the thing about historic buildings. They hold stories whether we are generation. For those who will come after us. ready to hear them or not.

That is the resilient spirit of African So as Saint Louis Public Schools Americans. navigates declining enrollment, difficult And that is what August is for: Getting decisions about school buildings, and centered. Taking stock. the future of public education, I want to And preparing for what comes next. acknowledge the courage it takes for SLPS leadership to make decisions that will Lyah B. LeFlore-Ituen is the director of shape generations of children.

African-American History And I think about our North City families, many of whom are still reeling

By Lyah B. LeFloreItuen

“Becoming yourself is not a branding exercise. It’s a life-long process of paying attention.”

- Misty Copeland

Living It B1 • AUGUST 13 – 19, 2026

Akon and Ne-yo

Duo remind St. Louis

of their staying power

Hometown-hero welcome for Akon at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre

By Kenya Vaughn St. Louis American Even with the big-ticket co-headlining trend in full swing, a shared bill featuring Akon and Ne-Yo wasn’t on anyone’s bingo card when it was announced early this winter. Not top of mind or bottom of mind. That’s not a shot at either of them.

Individually, they’re verified hitmakers who deliver solid live shows. They’re also urban artists who crossed over heavily

A runway for justice and a legacy born from grief

Chosen For Change marks 12 years of healing, hope and honoring Michael Brown

By Kenya Vaughn St. Louis American While the two dozen awards were the culminating event of Chosen For Change’s BlackBall 2026, fashion was the featured attraction.

Rip the Runway for Justice: Fashion is the Statement was the theme of this year’s event, supported by a fashion show directed by Torrie Danielle Sanders.

“If you know me, you know I love fashion,” Sanders said. “I love the confidence, the creativity, the beauty, the individuality and of course the attitude.”

But as models prepared to highlight styles from six designers, Sanders reminded guests of the deeper purpose.

“Tonight, we are using this runway to tell a story,” she said. “A story about legacy, justice, healing, mental health, wellness and the power of knowing that our voices matter.”

Some outfits carried words and images tied to the theme — including a skirt printed with black-and-white images of Michael Brown.

His death — at the hands of a then-Ferguson police officer — brought the nonprofit organization to fruition. On the eve of the twelfth anniversary of his passing, guests gathered at the Touhill Performing Arts Center for BlackBall 2026. The evening commemorated his life and raised funds for the organization founded in his honor.

“After losing my son, Michael Brown Jr., I never imagined this journey would grow into a movement focused on healing, hope and opportunity for others,” Michael Brown Sr. said. “What came from one of the hardest moments of my life is now helping fami-

lies and communities every day.”

Atif Mahr spoke about the support he received through Chosen Fathers.

“I lost my daughter October 21, 2021,” Mahr said. “When Mike Brown reached out to me in January, I was crashing out. CFC saved my life. Grief kills — and if you have a child taken from you, it can kill you.”

Brown Sr. envisioned Chosen Fathers after marching in Ohio with the family of Tamir Rice.

“I noticed mothers were given a voice, but fathers were being left behind,” he said.

“Life for me before Chosen Fathers was pain and turmoil,” Mahr added.

“This group has given me tools to help navigate this journey.”

Guests also witnessed the growth of the organization. The Browns announced C.O.P.E. (Children Overcoming Painful Experiences), which provides care and support to See Brown, B3

Torrie Danielle Sanders directed the fashion element of Chosen For Change’s BlackBall 2026 at the Touhill on Saturday, August 8. This year’s theme, “Fashion is the Statement,” anchored the annual event honoring the legacy of Michael Brown.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American

into the pop arena.

Still, their “Night Like This Tour” sparked more curiosity than anticipation for this reporter. After a twoand-a-half-hour experience that was as visually stunning as it was strong in its live performance elements, it’s clear the summer concert season would have been incomplete without them.

The promotional tagline promised: See Akon & Ne-Yo, B3

Honoring golden era of Black St. Louis radio Hall of Fame pays tribute to Doug Eason and the voices that shaped a culture

By Kenya Vaughn St. Louis American Black radio personalities are shapers of contemporary Black culture. They were the blueprint for present-day social media influencers.

Before the internet existed, millions of listeners tuned in to these voices. They curated the music that came through the airwaves — but they were so much more.

They were cultural ambassadors who defined cool, and whose influence stretched from music to After guests walked fashion, awareness, and the red carpet, shared self-love. stories about their Saturday aftercontributions to Black noon, the St. Louis radio in St. Louis, and National Black Radio mingled, it was time to Hall of Fame issued a reminder of that honor Doug Eason. legacy with The Golden Era of Black Radio fundraiser and tribute to its board member, the late radio legend Doug Eason.

“Today we celebrate the pioneers, personalities, broadcasters and visionaries whose voices helped shape communities and influence culture,” said National Black See Radio, B3

B2

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • AUGUST 13 – 19, 2026

St. Louis American Calendar

CONCERTS Aug. 14-Aug.15, Eric Roberson, City Winery, 3730 Foundry Way, St. Louis, MO. For more information, visit www. citywinery.com.

Sun., Aug. 23, 7 p.m., Trey Daniels, City Winery, 3730 Foundry Way, St. Louis, MO. For more information, visit www.citywinery.com.

Sun., Aug. 23, 7:30 p.m., Alabama Shakes and Tedeschi Trucks Band, Hollywood Casino Amphitheater. For more information, visit www. ticketmaster.com.

Tues., Aug. 25-Wed. Aug. 26, 7:30 p.m., Kenny Lattimore, City Winery, 3730 Foundry Way, St. Louis, MO. For more information, visit www.citywinery.com.

Sat., Aug. 29, 8 p.m., The Muny presents Lionel Richie, The Muny at Forest Park. For tickets visit metrotix.com.

Sat., Aug. 29 – Sun., Aug. 30, Esperanza Spalding, City Winery, 3730 Foundry Way, St. Louis, MO. For more information, visit www. citywinery.com.

Thurs., Sept. 3, 7:30 p.m., Myles Smith: My Mess, My Life Tour, Saint Louis Music Park.

For more information, visit livenation.com Sun., Sept. 6, 8 p.m., Isaiah Rhashad: Lil Sunny’s Awful Road Trip, The Pageant, 6161 Delmar. For more infor-

mation, visit livenation. com.

Wed., Sept. 16, 8 p.m., Shaboozey Outlaws Never Die Tour, The Factory at The District.

For more information, visit www.ticketmaster.com.

Veteran comedienne Sommore returns to St. Louis next weekend with a run of shows at Helium Comedy Club.

See COMEDY for details.

Sat., Sept. 18, 8 p.m., Pitbull with special guest Lil Jon, Hollywood Casino Amphitheater. For more information, visit www.livenation.com.

Wed., Sept. 23, 8 p.m., Teddy Swims: The Ugly Tour. Enterprise Center.

For more information, visit www.ticketmaster.com.

The Muny presents Something Rotten, The Muny, 1 Theatre Dr, St. Louis, MO 63112. For more information, visit https://muny.org.

Sat., Aug. 22, 3 p.m., J.P.E.K. Productions presents Exposed, The Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square. For tickets, visit www.jpek.org.

Wed., Sept. 9 – Sept.

27, The Black Rep opens their 50th Anniversary Season with The Color Purple, Washington University’s Edison Theatre. For more information, visit www.theblackrep.org.

SPECIAL EVENTS

ART

Fri., Aug. 14-Aug.16, Black Pride St. Louis presents Black Pride STL Weekend, Marriot St. Louis Grand, 800 Washington Ave. For more information, visit www. blackpridestl.org.

Fri., Aug. 14, 6 p.m.

Opening reception for the juried exhibition A Hum Beneath the Surface

by Lillian Stephen, on display through November 8. The Kranzberg Gallery, 501 N. Grand Blvd.

For more information, visit kranzbergartsfoundation.org

Wed., Sept. 2 – Sun., Sept. 13, UniverSoul Circus, Galleria Mall. For more information, visit www.ticketmaster.com.

Sun., Sept. 13, 2 p.m., The Chase – Enjoy IL 300, World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison IL. For more information, visit www. ticketmaster.com.

Fri., Sept. 25, 7 p.m., Disney On Ice, Chaifetz Arena. For tickets, visit www.ticketmaster.com Sat., October 17, St. Louis American Foundation’s 39th Annual Salute to Excellence in

Education Scholarship and Awards Gala, Cardinal Ritter President Tamiko Armstead will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, Jennings School District Superintendent Dr. Paula Knight will receive the Stellar Performer Award and Richard “Rich” McClure will receive the Champion in Education Award . St. Louis Union Station Hotel.

For more information, call 314.533.8000 or visit www.stlamerican.com.

COMEDY Fri., Aug. 21 – Sun., Aug. 23, Sommore, Helium Comedy Club, 1151 St Louis Galleria Street, St Louis MO 63117. For more information, visit st-louis.helium-

comedy.com Thurs., Sept. 10, 7:30 p.m., A Special Night with T.K. Kirkland, City Winery, 3730 Foundry Way, St. Louis, MO. For more information, visit www.citywinery.com.

Sat., Sept. 26, 8 p.m.

Martin Lawrence’s Y’all Still Know What It Is Tour, Stifel Theatre, 1400 Market. For tickets or more information, visit www.stifeltheatre.com.

ST. LOUIS MUSIC SPOTLIGHT Fri., Aug. 14, 8 p.m.

Scooter Brown Live at The Dark Room, 3610 Grandel Square. For more information, visit kranzbergartsfoundation.org/ the-dark-room

Sat., Aug. 15, 1 p.m.

CWE Jazz and Blues Festival, Euclid and Laclede in the Central West End. For more information, visit cwescene. com.

Wed., Sept. 9, 730 p.m., TGBTG: A Reggie Son Live Experience presented by TownsendX3 Live, City Winery, 3730 Foundry Way, St. Louis, MO. For more information, visit www.citywinery.com.

THEATRE Through Aug. 13, The Muny presents Meet Me In St. Louis, The Muny, 1 Theatre Dr, St. Louis, MO 63112. For more information, visit https://muny.org.

Aug. 17 – Aug. 23,

Thurs., Aug. 20, 5 p.m., Bridging Worlds Through Art: An Evening with Cbabi Bayoc in Conversation with Dr. Amber Howlett Bayoc, Missouri History Museum. For more information, visit www.mohistory.org.

Sept. 4 – Sept. 6, Paint Louis 2026, at the historic flood wall located at 1000 S. Wharf St. in St. Louis, Missouri. For full schedule of related programming and activations, visit paintlouis.com.

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • AUGUST 13 – 19, 2026

B3

Akon & Ne-Yo Continued from B1 “Every City. Every Night.

Every Vibe – A Party.”

While I can’t speak for every city, St. Louis got all four.

Two weeks after Chris Brown and Usher handled their business at The Dome at America’s Center, Ne-Yo and Akon made their own case as a live performance super duo at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre. They delivered a marathon show that stimulated three of the five senses nonstop.

They entered and exited on a multitier hydraulic stage. Their sets included pyrotechnics, cold sparks, massive screens with crisp visuals, multiple wardrobe changes, floating pole dancers and twerking aerialists.

The audience rewarded them with uninterrupted energy as explosive as the fire and sparks shooting from the stage. Except for a ten-minute intermission, the party never stopped.

It would be hard to find a concert crowd having more fun than the thousands who showed up for Akon and Ne-Yo — and the fun was infectious.

Emerging Trinidadian artist Sej opened the show with an unannounced miniset featuring three songs from her debut EP, “Unveiling of Sej,” including “Body.”

Ne-Yo emerged first, opening with his pop hit “Closer.” By his third song, the lapel of his burgundy suit was drenched with sweat — a result of precise Michael Jacksoninspired choreography paired with topnotch vocals. He powered

Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American

through two more selections before the stage went black.

Akon appeared next in a white trench and gloves that fluoresced against his skin. The contrast was striking as he sang “Akon’s Beautiful Day” from a secondtier platform that lowered to the main stage. Like Ne-Yo, he opened with massive hits — “Smack That” and “Locked Up.” He paused before starting “I’m So Paid.”

“Akon. Akon. Akon,” the crowd erupted. From

the front seats to the lawn, they chanted in unison.

Akon was visibly moved.

“Man, it’s so good to be home,” he said.

He was born in St. Louis and spent his childhood between University City — where he attended middle school with fellow superstar Nelly — and East St. Louis.

His East St. Louis connection came through his father, Mor Thiam, the Senegalese musician who led Katherine Dunham’s percussion ensemble.

The “Akon” chants

continued throughout the night as he was embraced as a hometown hero. He changed lyrics and added commentary referencing St. Louis and East St. Louis, including during the early-2000s hiphop classic “Soul Survivor.”

Fans also noticed familiar faces in his segment.

Les Twins — the French identical duo known for touring with Beyoncé — were major elements of his dance squad. The duo often became a trio when Akon joined them for sequences.

While NeYo is respected as a singer and songwriter, he doesn’t always get his due as a live performer until he reminds audiences. Tuesday was one of those reminders.

The show was mostly uptempo, but he offered ballad teases with “So Sick” and “Mad.” His dancers — curvaceous women in provocative clothing — delivered more than one NSFW moment.

Both artists opened with big hits, but as the night went on, the audience was reminded

just how many they have between them.

“Champagne Life,” “Sexy Love,” “Time of Our Lives” and “Miss Independent” were among NeYo’s best showings. “Don’t Matter,” “Bananza” and “I Wanna Love You” were major crowd pleasers for Akon.

In one of the night’s many well-received moments, they appeared together to highlight hits they’ve written for others.

NeYo’s medley included Mario’s “Let Me Love You,” Rihanna’s “Take a Bow” and Beyoncé’s “Irreplaceable.” Akon offered a micdrop moment with Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance.” He also performed “Body on Me,” the hit he shares with former classmate Nelly and Nelly’s wife Ashanti.

NeYo used part of the night to promote his new album “Highway 79.”

“Imagine if R&B had a baby,” he told the crowd. “‘Highway 79’ would be said baby.” He gave samples with “Up Out & Gone” and “Ms. Tundra,” performing the latter among the audience.

Akon also interacted heavily with fans — singing from a bed carried through the venue during “Beautiful,” performing atop seats, and taking selfies with fans’ phones.

“You’ll never forget a night like this,” Akon and NeYo said in sync before closing with their duet of Akon and David Guetta’s “Play Hard.”

The statement was audacious — and absolutely true. They earned the right to make that claim with how hard they worked to prove themselves right.

Radio Continued from B1

Photo courtesy of Anthony Jones

Brown Continued from B1 fathers and families who are processing trauma.

“It hasn’t been easy for our family,” Cal Brown said. “The best way I can describe it is, ‘But God.’ So many people see the glory, but they don’t know our story.”

She reflected on the months leading up to August 9, 2014. In June, she and Brown Sr. lost their home in a fire. The next month, she and Michael Brown Sr. were married. On August 1, Michael Brown graduated from Normandy High School. Eight days later, his life was taken.

“This is what I mean when I say, ‘You don’t know my story,’” she said. “But tonight, you will see my life’s work on this stage.”

She shared that she and Brown Sr. were childhood sweethearts who reunited in 2011.

“I truly believe it was for this moment,” she said. “Everything my mother taught me prepared me to help carry my husband, my family and this nation toward healing.”

The event introduced Jada Jamerson, who read the essay that earned her the distinction of being the 12th Michael Brown Jr. Chosen For Change Scholarship recipient.

Applicants were asked, “What does justice mean to you?”

“Justice is indivisible,” Jamerson said. “True justice is universal — it has to be or it ceases to be justice at all. It cannot live only in words. Real justice must be indivisible in daily life, woven into people’s experiences rather than confined to promises or ideals.”

Keynote speaker Rev. Michelle Higgins said ripping the runway for justice required acknowledging that their gathering was “fashioned by an event that could have overcome us.”

“You could have called what you are going through a life sentence, but you chose to realize that you are chosen to carry a legacy,” Higgins said. “A burden you never deserved, but a legacy that is yours to preach about, to live through and, yes, to demand attention.”

The evening culminated with the Change Agent Visionary Awards presentation, which recognized

25 individuals and institutions for their service to the region.

Deanna Joseph, widow of Chosen Fathers member Andrew Joseph Jr., was surprised with the Legacy Award.

“Mike is the face of Chosen Fathers, but Andrew Joseph was the heart and soul,” Cal Brown said.

Deanna Joseph was overcome with emotion as she honored her husband, who died in May. “My husband loved St. Louis,” Joseph said.

“And he loved his Chosen Fathers. He isn’t here with us tonight, but he is here in spirit. “I thank this family, I thank this city and I thank all of you for the support you have shown me and my family.”

Change Agent Visionary Award recipient Farrakhan Shegog of Young Voices With Action thanked the Browns for their service.

“Mike and Cal, y’all are doing the work of the Lord,” Shegog said.

“I know for the past 12 years y’all have stayed consistent. The world can never forget that. Y’all are recognizing us on this stage, but it should be us recognizing y’all.”

Radio Hall of Fame co-founder and National President Bernie Hayes.

Legendary personalities and their descendants walked a red carpet into the program. Seven decades were represented — from Hayes, who represented the 1950s and 1960s, to Tameka “Lady Jock” Harvey, who represented the modern era and also attended on behalf of her father and namesake, the legendary Dr. Jockenstein.

Another representative of both past and present was Robin Boyce. Her smooth voice and signature silver hair have been her calling card since Majic 108 FM was located on DeBaliviere in the 1990s. She now serves as Associate Director of Underwriting for SIUE’s WSIE The Sound.

“It’s so great to see everyone,” Boyce said.

“This is such a special moment.”

It was the best kind of walk down memory lane. People idolized for their on-air personalities chatted about the good old days like cousins at a family reunion.

Those who are no longer here were not left out of the conversation.

“I remember when my father was let go after years of service — and his response was, ‘That’s radio,’” Lou “The Real JR” Thimes Jr. said about his dad, Black St. Louis radio icon Lou “Fatha” Thimes.

That moment didn’t stop JR from following in his father’s footsteps.

“I can proudly announce that I have been fired from every radio station in St. Louis,” JR said. “That’s radio.”

After guests walked the red carpet, shared stories about their contributions to Black radio in St. Louis, and mingled, it was time to honor Eason.

Eason passed away last fall after several

Photo courtesy of Anthony Jones

Legendary broadcaster and media executive Doug Eason, who passed away last fall, was remembered during the St. Louis National Black Radio Hall of Fame’s ‘Golden Era of Black Radio’. health issues. His legacy within the field stretched more than six decades.

He used his voice while serving in the U.S. Army, then returned home to St. Louis and built a career as a personality and broadcast executive that spanned more than 40 years. Instead of hanging up his microphone, he passed it along to the next generation as an educator for Saint Louis Public Schools.

“When Doug was on air, you could hear the smile in his voice,” his daughter Bridget Eason said in the video tribute she made for her father.

“He made every listener feel like family.”

She noted that he wasn’t just a voice — he was a leader. His decades as Vice President and General Manager at KATZ and WESL prove her right.

“He was shaping young broadcasters and providing mentorship that would shape St. Louis radio for decades,” she said.

Among those he mentored was Deneen Busby.

She started out as a receptionist for KATZ FM and rose through the ranks, ultimately landing on air

alongside Tony Scott and Marc Clarke. Before leaving the media industry for communications, she served as both Director of Public Affairs and on-air talent.

“He taught young people how to use their voice, not just on air but in life,” Bridget Eason said. “For him, broadcasting was never just a job — it was a calling.”

Eason was a 2011 inductee into the St. Louis Media Hall of Fame.

Bridget also described her father as a historian.

“That was who my dad was — a keeper of stories,” she said. “He understood that history matters and that our community matters. He wanted younger generations to know where they came from.”

She said he loved his music, his city, and his family — and he showed up with patience, humor, and grace.

It was never more apparent than in the line he signed off with each shift.

“Put the pot on, Juanita,” he said. “Doug Eason is coming home.”

B4

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • AUGUST 13 – 19, 2026

Photos by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American The Color Purple is coming! I was minding my business ordering a family meal for myself in the Lee’s Chicken drive through Tuesday night when I noticed The Black Rep parking lot was full of cars. I decided to go over there to see what the fuss was about. Now let me start by saying that I am a professional and no one should try this at home – unless you want to encounter the police, or worse. And by worse, I mean Heather Beal. Those kicks are not just for dancing.

Anyway, I popped my head in there and got downright excited about what they have in store for us as they open their 50th anniversary season with “The Color Purple.” I didn’t catch any of the rehearsal, but the energy amongst the cast was giving epic. I’m talking “The Wiz” 2000 epic. It will take place September 9 – 27 at The Edison Theatre. Y’all better get your tickets NOW. Anybody who tried to get a seat for the last two weeks that turn-of-the-millennium run of “The Wiz” will tell you first-hand about a sold-out run. I know I’m gonna have a front row seat. I’m also gonna clear my schedule in case they need me to step in as Sophia.

Alisha and Tepra took part in Wednesday’s Brickline Greenway Art Party at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis.

Education Salute 2026 is almost here. Now I know y’all are judging me for claiming I went to town on a ten-piece with a side of potato salad. It was my last cheat meal before my annual Education Salute diet. Can you believe it’s only two months (and a few days) away? And for the first time in 39 years, we have a new location. That’s right, The St. Louis American Foundation’s Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship and Awards Gala will move from America’s Center to St. Louis Union Station Hotel. Expect the usual elegance overload as we honor those doing the work in the world’s most honorable – and unsung – field. It’s going down October 17th. Tamiko Armstead is this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and Dr. Paula Knight is the 2026 Stellar Performer. Y’all better get these tickets before the Cardinal Ritter mafia has y’all on the outside looking in. When I tell y’all that Cardinal Ritter is running neck and neck with U. City when it comes to supporting their alma mater by any means necessary. More details will be announced in the coming weeks, but stay posted on www.stlamerican.com for updates on the 39th Education Salute– and to get your tickets. All the analogs can use your landline to get the 411 by calling 314.533.8000.

Levitt Vibes was all the way live. I thought I had some friends out here in these streets. Why didn’t at least one of y’all tell me about the Levitt Vibes STL Concert Series that has been happening every second and fourth Sunday since MAY! I stopped through last weekend to catch Kalonda Kay take the stage at Phillip Lucier Park. It’s located at Delmar and Hamilton, but it felt like it was at the intersection of broil and air fryer. Kalonda Kay and ‘nem put on a show worth burning up for! When I tell you that band was cooking! It was to the point where I wasn’t even that mad that I left the park more brown and crispy than the top of my big granny’s macaroni and cheese. As y’all know Kalonda Kay is a part of the popular St. Louis band Fat Pocket. Most of them were on stage for her headlining set at Levitt Vibes. And when I tell you that Ozempic Wallet (my name for the modified version that performed with) tore it up! I knew that I wasn’t the only one who felt it when I saw J. Ross have the same reaction to the opening notes of Aretha Franklin’s “Rock Steady” as me when I hear “Cash Money takin’ over

Cbabi Bayoc and Dr. Amber Howlett Bayoc were among hundreds at the Brickline Greenway Art Party Wednesday at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis.

Media personality Jade Harrell joined the celebration of STL radio legends during The Golden Era of Black Radio fundraiser Saturday afternoon at The Post Building.

the 99 and the 2000s…” He was right to cut up like that! When I tell you my boy Mello was KILLING it on the bass. The whole set was cute. I’ll be back down there before the concerts wrap up at the end of September. I ran into a few of my favorite former radio divas, and I’m convinced that working in radio is the ultimate anti-aging method. Arika Parr, I’m gonna need that skincare routine.

After catching up with Arika, I saw this lady and said to myself, “She looks like she could be Carol Mayfield’s daughter.” It was Carol Mayfield. Help! I know she is now Carol Fletcher. But I say Carol Mayfield, because she has no business looking the same as she did back when she was at Majic 108 on DeBaliviere… on DeBaliviere y’all!

“We have the potential to be really good. But we also have the potential to be really bad.”

— Chicago Bulls guard Norman Powell

Sports

B5

AUGUST 13 – 19, 2026

Inside Sports With Earl Austin Jr.

Collier’s World Cup invite leads a big week in St. Louis sports

rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.7 Napheesa Collier has steals and 1.1 blocks per been a fixture in the USA game. She is also shootBasketball program since ing 51 percent from the high school, when she field and 50 percent from was an All-American at 3-point range.

Incarnate Word Academy.

Joining Collier on The Minnesota Lynx the World Cup team are forward received another Aliyah Boston (Indiana international assignment Fever), Paige Bueckers last week when she was (Dallas Wings), Caitlin selected to the USA Clark (Indiana Fever), World Cup team that will Kahleah Copper compete next (Phoenix Mercury), month at the FIBA Chelsea Gray (Las Women’s World Vegas Aces), Rhyne Cup Tournament Howard (Atlanta in Berlin, Dream), Kelsey Germany.

Plum (Phoenix The USA womMercury), Angel en’s basketball Reese (Atlanta team, which has Earl Dream), Breanna dominated the Austin Jr. Stewart (New international cirYork Liberty), cuit for decades, A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas is seeking its fifth conAces) and Jackie Young secutive gold medal at (Las Vegas Aces). the World Cup and its 12th overall. This will East St. Louis be Collier’s first FIBA football has another Women’s World Cup blockbuster slate appearance. She has won five international gold The East St. Louis medals during her USA Flyers will begin another Basketball career, includprep football season with ing two Olympic golds. In an excellent non-confer2014, Collier won gold at ence schedule against the FIBA Americas U18 national opponents. East Championship and the Side will begin the seaYouth Olympic Games. In son on August 22 against 2015, she won gold at the Chicago area powerhouse FIBA U19 World Cup. Mount Carmel. The The St. Louisan just matchup is scheduled for returned to WNBA action Illinois State University in with the Lynx three weeks Normal, roughly midway ago after missing nearly a year due to an ankle injury between the two schools.

Mount Carmel won the that required two surgerIHSA Class 8A state ies. Although the Lynx championship last season. held the fort well, posting In Week 2, the Flyers the best record in the will travel to Florida league during her absence, Collier’s return has made a to face two-time state champion American strong team even stronger.

They became the first team Heritage in the Broward County National Football to clinch a playoff berth Showcase. Then, on over the weekend.

September 4, East St. In seven games, Collier has averaged 19 points, 7.3 Louis will host Gainesville

world record time of 38.16 seconds. Blake Hamilton, Dillon Mitchell and Kyler Brown joined Taylor on the world-record 4x100 team.

Jimmy McKinney commits to Saint Louis U. Vashon High basketball standout Jimmy McKinney III has committed to Saint Louis University as a Class of 2027 recruit.

A 6’2” guard, the rising senior is one of the top prospects in Missouri. A four-year standout, he has helped the Wolverines to a pair of Class 4 state championships. As a junior guard, McKinney averaged 17.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.2 steals while making 68 3-pointers and shooting better than 40 percent from long distance. He led the Wolverines to a 24-5 record and a fourth-place finish in the state tournament.

Bailey Hensgens places eighth at the Worlds in the high jump

AP photo

Former high school All-American at Incarnate Word Academy and current forward for the Minnesota Lynx has been named to the USA World Cup basketball team that will compete next month in Berlin, Germany.

High from Georgia, another powerhouse program from the South.

Tate Taylor proves to be the next big thing in USA sprinting Teenage track and field phenom Tate Taylor was one of the big individual stars at last week’s World

U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon. The 18-year-old superstar won three gold medals, setting a championship record in the 200 and a world U20 record in the 4x100 relay.

He swept both the 100and 200-meter dash races, then anchored the USA to a world-record victory in the 4x100-meter relay.

Taylor posted a winning time of 9.94 seconds in the 100. He became the first American sprinter to win gold at the U20 championships in 10 years. He followed with a 19.83-second victory in the 200.

In the 4x100, he turned in a blistering 8.7-second anchor leg to help the USA win the race in a U20

Rising senior Bailey Hensgens of Incarnate Word Academy advanced to the finals of the high jump and placed eighth at the World U20 Championships in Oregon.

Hensgens was the top American performer in the competition. It was the culmination of a tremendous season for Hensgens, who was a three-time Class 4 state champion in the high jump, triple jump and long jump in Jefferson City.

Sports Eye With Alvin A. Reid

Donald could return to NFL – and St. Louis In their bitterness certainly would welcome toward the Rams’ move Donald back — even at 35 back to Los Angeles, years old. many fans have forgotten But which Donald they were treated to the would be returning to the first two seasons of Aaron field? The dominant one Donald’s Hall of Fame who disrupted defenses career. throughout his 10-year Drafted in 2014 by the career or the one who may St. Louis Rams, Donald have lost a step — and the recorded nine and 11 passion — to play in the quarterback sacks, brutal NFL? respectively, during 2Tenths Speed his first two sea& Agility, a sports sons, accounting for performance train20 of the 111 (so ing company, far) in his career. released a pair of He was NFL videos Monday Defensive Rookie showing Donald of the Year in 2014, still has the phyAlvin A. a First-Team Allsique and skills to Reid Pro selection in play in the NFL. 2015, and earned Of course, we can’t Pro Bowl honors in both know his stamina or desire seasons. until he’s back on a field.

After a “tryout” in L.A. Mike Florio of Rams gear last week folProFootballTalk, my lowing a two-year absence favorite NFL pundit, from the game after his reported Sunday that a retirement, the winds seem Donald decision will come to be blowing in the direc- by “the end of this week.” tion of a Donald return to There is a money quothe NFL with his former tient too. When Donald team. retired, he walked away The Rams, who became from $30 million he was the Super Bowl champiset to receive in 2024. on favorites when Myles The Rams are likely Garrett was acquired in a thrilled at the thought trade with the Cleveland of having Donald on the Browns this summer, 53-man roster but not at

Photo courtesy of givemesport.com

Aaron Donald, seen here as a St. Louis Ram, could end retirement and return to the NFL. that price. It would be virtually impossible because, according to Overthecap. com, the Rams are currently just $15.2 million below the salary cap.

I doubt the Rams would pay him half that without knowing how much gas he has left in the proverbial tank.

While it would be

fascinating to see Donald return to action, I would rather see him focus on his goal of building a media empire.

Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports reported last week that Donald hired Jon Rosen of Envisionary, a sports and entertainment management firm, to “grow his busi-

nesses, brand partnerships, and overall profile in the media and entertainment industries.”

The Envisionary website states that “after three decades in the industry, [Rosen] maintains unparalleled relationships, a dynamic and powerful roster of clients, and firsthand experience on how to build a successful media company.”

St. Louis’ rapidly changing media landscape could use a major AfricanAmerican entrepreneur such as Donald. Why be a small fish based in L.A. when you could be a shark in the Midwest waters of St. Louis?

It would be a full-circle moment for the former ferocious member of the St. Louis Rams.

The Reid Roundup A bit of bad luck has intercepted Luther Burden’s outstanding pre-season. The former East St. Louis High School and Missouri blue-chip receiver suffered a groin injury that will keep him out of all Chicago Bears practices and preseason

games. The team is hopeful he will return for the season opener at Carolina on Sept. 13…Richard Chaifetz, the mega SLU benefactor whose name is on the Chaifetz Arena and its business school, is a minority owner of the Portland Trailblazers. The team’s new frugal owner Tom Dundon has done nothing to quell rumors of relocation. For what it is worth, Kalshi places the chance of STL landing the team at 13%. There is a 76% chance it remains in Portland…Eric Bieniemy, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator, has returned to the team after dealing with the tragic situation in which his son, Elijah, allegedly shot his wife, Mia, on July 26 in Loudoun County, Va. She remains hospitalized and listed in stable condition. The couple’s son is undergoing mental health evaluations…Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers center and former MVP, has lost weight and Mike Gansey, 76ers president of basketball operations, says Embiid is “extra motivated.” Let’s call it “The LeBron James impact”…

B6

AUGUST 13 – 19, 2026

Turning science students into problem solvers BELIEVE Academy helps students discover the scientist within

By Lauren Marisol Preston St. Louis American BELIEVE Academy science teacher Seyi Akoko can trace his love of science back to a seventh-grade classroom.

Curious about a lesson on evaporation, he went home and mixed BELIEVE Academy salt with in an is a pub- water attempt to lic charrecreate the experiment ter high for himself. school expercentered His iment may on health have gotten sciences. him into trouble at home, but it also ignited a lifelong curiosity that ultimately led him back to the classroom, this time as the teacher.

This fall, Akoko hopes his students will discover that same sense of wonder as BELIEVE Academy launches its first year in the Science Coach program, a national initiative that helps teachers bring authentic scientific research into the classroom.

“I see my students becoming problem solvers,” Akoko said.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American

Cassidy Watson, Class of 2027, works on a hands on manufacturing project at Clyde C. Miller Career Academy.

From Legos to graduate school Clyde C. Miller engineering program helps student turn childhood curiosity into a path toward engineering

By Lauren Marisol Preston For The St. Louis American Photo courtesy of BELIEVE Academy

BELIEVE Academy science teacher Seyi Akoko (center right) participates in a plant identification and field research workshop led by Ben Martin (right), a lead teacher at Little Creek in the Ferguson-Florissant School District, during the Science Coach Academy at the University of Saint Mary in Leavenworth, Kansas. Akoko attended the summer training before bringing hands-on research experiences to students at BELIEVE Academy this fall.

BELIEVE Academy, a public charter high school centered on health sciences, is joining 16 middle and high schools participating in

the Science Coach program across the St. Louis metro region this school year.

Supported through the school’s partnership with

BJC, Akoko spent part of his summer at the Science Coach Academy at the

As a child, Camille White rarely sat still.

She loved building with Legos, could solve a Rubik’s Cube in less than a minute and spent her summers in robotics camps. Her mother, a math teacher, intentionally sought out opportunities to nurture her daughters’ curiosity, while her father, a chemist, encouraged an early love of science.

Camille and her twin sister both gravitated toward STEM, eventually attending different historically Black

See Believe, B8

See Miller, B9

Suited for success

A tailor assists incoming Washington University freshman Ivan Wilson during a custom suit fitting. The tailored suit was designed to help prepare Wilson for internships, interviews and other professional opportunities.

Community helps students step confidently into their next chapter

By Lauren Marisol Preston St. Louis American In just a few days, Ivan Wilson will pack up his dorm room essentials and move into Washington University as a freshman with dreams of becoming a lawyer. Alongside his books, laptop and bedding will be something he’s never owned before — a custom-made suit.

When Wilson slipped into it for the first time this

“This is my first suit. Receiving this means there’s a community.”

– Ivan Wilson

summer, he didn’t just see a new outfit staring back at him in the mirror.

“I felt like a star,” he

said.

For many students, back-to-school shopping means notebooks, backpacks and dorm supplies.

For Wilson, one of the most meaningful additions to his college wardrobe came from a community determined to help him begin this next chapter with confidence.

“This is my first suit,” Wilson said. “Receiving

See Suits, B8

Photo by Videll Philip

BACK TO SCHOOL • AUGUST 13 – 19, 2026

B7

‘Every student needs to feel loved’

Friendly Academy builds stability, trust and growth for families

By Lawrence Bryant St. Louis American Dr. Tesha Robinson has spent her career creating the kind of school she needed when she was a child. At 39, she has earned a doctorate, worked as a social worker, served as a principal and now leads Friendly Academy — a public charter school built on the belief that every student deserves to be seen, supported and loved.

Robinson, founder and CEO of Friendly Academy, said some of her own experiences as a student left her feeling overlooked. Instead of allowing those moments to limit her, she used them to shape a school where children feel connected to the adults responsible for their education.

“I know the impact that feeling overlooked can have on people,” Robinson said. “Every student needs to feel loved and like they belong, and that they have people they can count on.”

Friendly Academy opened its doors a year ago with 75 kindergarten and first-grade students. This month, the tuition-free North St. Louis charter school expects to welcome more than 200 students for its second year.

Robinson said 99% of families are returning, growth she believes reflects the school’s emphasis on academics, relationships and support for families.

“I feel honored,” she said. “My faith is very

Kimora Brown receives help from her grandmother, Terry Givens, during Friendly Academy’s Uniform and Ice Cream Social, where families received uniforms, school supplies and community resources ahead of the new school year.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American

important to me, and I believe I am walking in obedience by serving people in this way.”

Robinson and school leaders celebrated that progress recently during Friendly Academy’s Uniform and Ice Cream Social. Students received uniform shirts donated through a partnership with Clayco BRG — more than 300 shirts in total — helping families begin the school year with consistency and confidence.

Families also received book bags, books, school supplies and information from eight community organizations offering support services.

The celebration came as many families in the surrounding community continue recovering from the May 2025 tornado.

More than half of Friendly

Academy’s families were stop here. That’s another directly affected, according reason we came back. We to the school. Robinson can depend on them.” said creating stability has Bibbs’ daughter, Venus required more than reopen- Woods, will enter first ing classrooms. grade. Bibbs said “The goal is she wants to see to get them back her daughter con“I know to stability,” tinue advancing the impact academically Robinson said. that feeling while enjoying a “We do that by giving them overlooked school environlove, giving them ment where she is can have a high-quality treated well. on people.” education and For Robinson, surrounding them serving families with support from – Dr. Tesha begins with the Robinson our community school’s central partners.” message — love Returning yourself, love parent Sherrell Bibbs said others and love learning.

Friendly Academy was She said students perform there for her family after at higher levels when they the tornado. feel safe, supported and “It’s been hard, but valued. they have been there for “We are not looking at me from the beginning them as just a number,” to the end,” Bibbs said.

Robinson said. “We’re “Resources have been non- looking at them for who

Salute to Excellence in Education Saturday, October 17th

they are — and who we believe they are called to be.”

Friendly Academy combines grade-level curriculum, teacher professional development, literacy instruction based on the science of reading and family support through community partnerships.

Robinson said 89% of kindergarten students finished the first year performing on grade level.

Students who entered two grade levels behind made enough progress to close significant gaps by the end of the school year.

Robinson earned her doctorate from Capella University in her 20s before building a career in social work and education. She said each stage prepared her to remove barriers for herself — and create opportunities for

others. “My whole life has set me up to break barriers, starting with my own,” Robinson said. “This is my way of giving back to the community and being for students what I needed when I was a student.”

New parent Jaqelle Brown said she was initially drawn to the school’s curriculum and resources, but the relationships convinced her to enroll her children. She previously knew Friendly Academy student recruitment and retention specialist Te’Ara Arman, who had been one of her teachers at University City High School.

“She was someone I could talk to and trust,” Brown said. “Once I got in the school and found out about everything, it was a win-win.”

Brown said the school’s investment in Black families and the surrounding neighborhood also influenced her decision.

“They care about us,” Brown said. “They care about Black people and the community we are in. It’s a safe environment, and they care.”

As Friendly Academy prepares to begin classes Aug. 18, Robinson said the school’s growth will not change its commitment to knowing students individually and meeting families where they are.

“Students deserve a quality education,” Robinson said. “But they also deserve someone who is going to deeply care for them and give them what they need.”

BACK TO SCHOOL • AUGUST 13 – 19, 2026

B8

Suits

EmpowerHer Tea Party, an annual leadership event founded by educator Conchita Hughes to celebrate and inspire young women while also recognizing a select group of young men who volunteer as greeters and servers.

What began with students from KIPP St. Louis High School has grown to include participants from Normandy High School, Rosati-Kain Academy and BELIEVE Academy, creating a space where students from across the region build relationships,

hear from community leaders and celebrate one another.

Hughes originally reached out hoping to secure black pants and white dress shirts for the young men volunteering at the event.

Instead, community leader Ricky Whittington partnered with David Corbett of Bespoke Apparel to provide each student with a professionally tailored suit, complete with a custom dress shirt and the student’s name stitched inside the jacket.

“I was floored,” Hughes said. “Watching those young men glow and put on clothing that had their name in it made just for them — it was amazing.”

For Hughes, the young men are selected because they’ve already demonstrated leadership.

“They are young men who have shown strong leadership,” she said.

“They’re respectful.

They’re responsible.”

For Whittington, the investment was about much more than clothing.

“I was one of those

kids,” he said. “I know how it feels to grow up wanting to look the part but not having the resources.”

Through his Dress Up & Suit Up Workforce Initiative, Whittington has expanded that mission into a workforce development effort that goes far beyond professional attire.

Hosted at Harris-Stowe State University, the initiative has distributed 1,200 custom suits, 250 pairs of athletic shoes and 100 Mac laptops, while connecting students with

employers, career fairs and scholarship opportunities designed to prepare them for college and careers.

He believes a well-tailored suit does more than change a student’s appearance.

“That custom suit represents him,” Whittington said. “It represents his future. It represents opportunity.”

But perhaps the greatest gift wasn’t the suit itself.

It was knowing someone believed in him before he ever stepped onto a college campus.

Next week, Wilson will unpack his belongings inside a Washington University residence hall.

Somewhere between orientation, internships and his first professional interview, he’ll likely reach for the first suit he’s ever owned.

Hughes hopes to continue that investment when the third annual EmpowerHer Tea Party returns on Feb. 27, 2027, at the Phyllis Wheatley Heritage Center, with a goal of welcoming 10 schools and awarding its first student scholarship.

For Wilson, however, the story can still be summed up in five simple words: “It means I’m not alone.”

es, respiratory care and perioperative services.

“Our students having a very, very strong foundation in science is extremely important,” Manning said.

While only one teacher is participating this year, Manning expects the impact to reach far beyond a single classroom. Akoko plans to launch BELIEVE Academy’s first Science Club, where students will investigate questions in biotechnology, chemistry and physics through

hands-on research er considered instead of relying giving up science solely on textfair coaching books. because, unlike “I know when athletic coaches, a professional those guiding studevelopment is dent researchers good when the often volunteered teacher comes their time. Today, back and says, ‘I Science Coach need some time provides particiwith you to talk pating educators Seyi Akoko about all these with year-round ideas,’” Manning mentoring, prosaid. fessional development, Science Coach was classroom resources and founded in St. Louis in stipends so they can guide 2007 after a veteran teach- students through original scientific research.

“We’re trying to show

schools that teachers coaching science are worth the same investment as teachers coaching athletics,” said Dr. Kristine Callis, the organization’s executive director.

Science Coach has expanded from 48 teachers last year to 98 this year and now serves schools in 20 states. More than 90% of participating teachers return to the program each year, and 98% of students who participate say they enjoy STEM because they get to experience science firsthand rather than simply read about it.

“Science isn’t a collection of facts,” Callis said. “Science is a process of solving problems and understanding phenomena.”

Akoko said many young people shy away from STEM because science can feel intimidating. Through hands-on research, he hopes students will gain the confidence to ask their own questions, experiment, make mistakes and try again.

“They need to see the exciting part where they can put into practice what they’ve learned,” he said.

Empower Her Tea Party founder Conchita Hughes (front center), community leader Ricky Whittington (back row, center) and community partners pose with student participants and their families during the custom suit presentation at Bespoke Apparel. The initiative equips young men with professional attire and confidence as they prepare for college and careers.

Continued from A1 this means there’s a community. It means I’m not alone. It means the community sees kids who don’t have the same resources as other communities, and there are people out there doing what they can to help.”

The recent KIPP St. Louis High School graduate plans to study political science before attending law school, and he already knows the suit will become one of the most valuable items he takes to campus.

“A suit is a must-have for me,” he said. “I’m definitely thinking about internships and interviews.”

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, internship experience is one of the strongest predictors of career readiness, with employers consistently valuing hands-on experience when hiring new graduates. For students like Wilson, preparing for college today means preparing for the opportunities that happen outside the classroom as much as inside it.

Wilson’s suit came through an unlikely partnership born from the

Believe Continued from A1 University of Saint Mary in Leavenworth, Kansas, learning alongside educators from across the country before bringing new ideas back to his students.

Principal Jawn Manning said the program aligns with BELIEVE Academy’s mission of preparing students for careers in nursing, radiology, clinical laboratory scienc-

Photo by Videll Philip

BACK TO SCHOOL • AUGUST 13 – 19, 2026

B9

Small School. Big Dreams

Lift For Life connects learning with hands-on career opportunities For more than 25 years, Lift For Life Academy has worked with St. Louis City students to help them build brighter futures. Our philosophy is simple: students are motivated to learn when they can connect their knowledge to their own interests and goals.

Lift encourages its students to dream big by combining academic learning with meaningful career exploration. That commitment comes to life through the school’s signature workforce development initiative, called SOAR (Student Ownership, Autonomy and Relevance).

The program gives high school students hands-on opportunities to explore fields that match their interests through worksite visits, internships, and certification programs.

SOAR is key to Lift’s approach to shaping the “Ideal Graduate,” said Dr. Katrice Noble, the school’s Deputy Director.

“Our Ideal Graduates are impactful leaders, innovators and change-makers, and good citizens,” Dr. Noble said.

The SOAR program combines classroom learning with real-world experience in fields such as Computer Sciences, Health Sciences, Art & Design, Culinary Arts, and Construction Trades. Over the course of the two-year program, students move from the classroom into the workplace, securing internships, earning industry certifications, and shadowing professionals – all thanks to the school’s partnerships with local companies, colleges, and

Miller

White’s story illustrates what educators at Clyde C. Miller hope every student discovers through career and technical education — not simply a career pathway, but the confidence to pursue it.

One assignment still stands out to White. In Derwin Crosby’s class, she designed a block of Swiss cheese using computer-aided design software.

Years later, she’s still using many of the same design principles in graduate school.

“It was nice to be able to create something, build something, work on it,” she said.

That hands-on approach is intentional.

Before becoming an educator, Crosby built a career in manufacturing, industrial engineering

Continued from A1 universities to pursue scientific fields.

Today, White is pursuing a master’s degree in mechanical engineering at Tuskegee University. If all goes according to plan, her dream job is working with NASA. Looking back, she credits one stop along the way with giving her confidence before she ever stepped onto a college campus: Clyde C. Miller Career Academy’s Manufacturing Engineering program.

“That program prepared me very well for engineering in academia,” White said.

As students prepare to return to school this fall,

Sponsored Content industry leaders.

In 2025, Lift’s SOAR program earned the St. Louis Charter Schools Innovation Award, presented by the Missouri Charter Public School Association.

That recognition is especially impressive for a small school. As a public charter school, Lift enrolls a total of about 850 students in grades K-12, and the high school, with 380 students, is half the size of most neighborhood high schools in the city of St. Louis. Lift’s student-to-teacher ratio is 12:1, and most classrooms have fewer than 25 students. Because of its small size, Lift can offer

high-quality programs like SOAR in an environment where every student feels valued.

The impact of SOAR is already evident in students’ lives and experiences after graduation. In a recent survey of SOAR graduates, 86% said that they had continued pursuing the career path that they explored in SOAR. More than 90% reported that their experience in SOAR prepared them for their current job, education or training.

“Coming into college, people are just now figuring out what they want to do with their life, and I feel like I’m already two steps ahead,” one Lift

Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American

Derwin Crosby, manufacturing engineering instructor at Clyde C. Miller Career Academy, works with Cassidy Watson, Class of 2027, and Makhia Williams, Class of 2028, as they operate equipment. and logistics, holding leadership roles with companies including Kraft Foods, Nestlé/Sunmark and Cummins. Today, he brings that real-world experience into the class-

room, introducing students to the same engineering processes professionals use every day.

For Crosby, the goal isn’t simply to teach engineering. It’s to help stu-

graduate reported.

Encouraged by these results, Lift will expand workplace exposure activities throughout the school this fall, so that students as young as kindergarten can learn about teamwork, community roles, public service, and future careers.

The expanded program will provide age-appropriate career exploration at every grade level.

Elementary school students will participate in job-themed literacy activities, and take field trips to places as diverse as fire stations, broadcasting outlets, and science labs.

Middle school students will learn how to match their strengths, interests, and talents to their career pursuits. High school students will develop soft skills such as resume-writ-

ing and professional communications, and create a Career Portfolio to show the steps they have taken toward their post-graduate aspirations. By graduation, SOAR participants will have earned Market Value Assets (MVAs) such as advanced industry certifications and college credits.

Preparation.

Connections. Guidance.

Experience. These four elements define Lift’s approach to preparing students for economic empowerment and lasting success.

“We’re creating tomorrow’s leaders, workers, citizens, and success stories,” Dr. Noble said. “By connecting classroom learning to real-world learning, we can help our students see the power of their dreams in action.”

dents see themselves in it.

“That’s how you bring the next one up,” he said.

“You teach them.”

His classroom reflects a different image of manufacturing than many people might expect. Students design personalized projects, explore robotics, use computer-aided design software and manufacture their ideas into finished products, discovering along the way that engineering blends creativity with math, technology and problem-solving.

The program’s impact extends beyond technical skills.

Judith Sams, Clyde C. Miller’s career and technical education specialist, said the school’s philosophy is to prepare students for whatever path best fits their goals —

whether that’s a four-year university, community college, military service, an apprenticeship or entering the workforce.

“When they get ready to graduate, they have a diploma in one hand and an industry-recognized credential in the other that’s tied to the career path they’ve chosen,” Sams said.

White’s experience shows that career and technical education and college can go hand in hand.

She says the program not only strengthened her engineering knowledge but also taught her how to manage projects, meet deadlines and persevere through difficult work.

“You can’t do it halfway,” she said. “You have to be in it, focus, do the work. And it pays off.”

THE

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ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

•

Grant Specialist II (Hybrid) - Department of Developmental Biology The Department of Developmental Biology in the School of Medicine seeks a Grant Specialist II to support a portfolio of research active faculty in a hybrid role based in St. Louis, MO. This position provides comprehensive pre award and post award support across the sponsored project lifecycle, including proposal preparation and submission, budget development, subaward coordination, regulatory compliance, and collaboration with faculty, department administrators, and central offices.

In this role you will partner closely with faculty, department administrators, and central offices to ensure accurate, timely proposal and award management, while supporting payroll sourcing and budget monitoring after award. The ideal candidate has experience in research administration or budgeting, strong attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple deadlines in a collaborative academic environment.

• Pre award coordination — partners with faculty to prepare and submit proposals; develops budgets and justifications; gathers protocol and non technical components; prepares and reviews agency forms; enters budgeting documents; secures required signatures; ensures regulatory compliance; stays current on federal/university research administration policies; and serves as liaison among faculty, Chair, and department administrators.

• Subaward & submission management — coordinates full proposal assembly with PIs; obtains pricing quotes; initiates subaward setup in the SUBS system; uploads pre award documents; and collaborates with Post Award and OSRS to ensure timely contract and subcontract implementation.

• Award, compliance & reporting oversight — issues internal notices of award; coordinates annual agency reporting (e.g., RPPRs); partners with Post Award on revised budgets and PI grant transfers; manages compliance documentation (biosketches, trainee info, protocol approvals, other support); maintains databases of submissions/awards; and leads closeout activities including final reports, invention statements, and resolution of delinquent technical or outcomes reports.

• Financial monitoring & post award support — monitors spending and reconciles sponsored project accounts; approves purchasing and guides staff on allowable costs; troubleshoots complex fund profile and financial reporting issues; prepares monthly financial reports for PIs and senior leadership; and assists with overdraft monitoring, cost sharing commitments, and other post award tasks as needed.

WashU is committed to providing you with a comprehensive and competitive benefits package. You and your family have access to benefits and resources, such as health care coverage, employee wellness program, tuition assistance and help in establishing your financial future.

For the full job description and to apply, visit jobs.washu.edu, JR95838.

The City of Bellefontaine Neighbors is seeking a part-time driver who will be responsible for the safe operation of City of Bellefontaine Neighbors transportation vehicles used to transport senior citizens and individuals with disabilities to designated destinations according to established schedules and routes while ensuring passenger safety and comfort. Starting pay $15 per hour. Visit our website for a detailed job description www.cityofbn.org

GUARDIAN AD LITEM – FAMILY COURT - JUVENILE DIVISION Family Court (Juvenile Division) of St. Louis County is seeking an attorney to serve as guardian ad litem (GAL) in the Family Court to handle juvenile matters/ parent attorney. A GAL who serves the Court must commit to serve on various Family Court (Juvenile) cases on an as needed basis for a monthly retainer to be paid by public funds. The current retainer is in the amount of $2,500.00 per month. Payments for time expended in adoption, guardianship of minor, and termination of parental rights matters may be made over and above the retainer fee.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Graduation from an accredited law school, possession of a current license to practice law in the State of Missouri, up to three (3) years of trial experience preferred; preferably in juvenile or family law (additional years of trial experience and guardian ad litem experience are highly preferred), and completion of necessary guardian ad litem training as required by the Supreme Court of Missouri. Note: This position is subject to continued availability of funding.

To apply, please send a current resume, along with a cover letter, to SLCCourtJobs@courts.mo.gov or to the following address (application materials must be postmarked by August 31, 2026): Family Court of St. Louis County, Attn: Human Resources Department, 105 S. Central Ave., Clayton, MO 63105. EOE. Please contact the Human Resources Department at 615-4471 (voice) or RelayMo 711 or 800-735-2966 if you need any accommodations in the application process, or if you would like this posting in an alternative form.

We seek people from diverse backgrounds to join us in a supportive environment that encourages boldness, inclusion, and creativity.

EEO/AA/VET/Disability Employer

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

ASSISTANT CONTROLLER

PARIC is seeking proposals for the following project: ST. CHARLES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS PHASE 3 – DIRECT SUPERVISION, located at 301 N. 2nd St., St. Charles, MO 63301.

The St. Louis Mental Health Board is seeking a full-time Assistant Controller with a CPA to support MHB’s Controller in all aspects of the accounting and financial management of the organization.

For the full job positing, visit www.stlmhb.org/ about-us/careers/.

Access to documents is available from our BuildingConnected link. If you do not receive a bid invitation, please send your company information to tlalexander@paric. com.

A virtual PREBID meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 18, 2026 at 2:00pm. The meeting link can be found on our Building Connected site.

Questions / RFI’s are due to PARIC by Friday, August 21, 2026.

BIDS WILL BE DUE ON Thursday September 3rd, 2026 @ 10:00am.

Send all questions to Kelly Summers (ksummers@paric.com).

This project will have prevailing wage requirements.

All bids should be delivered to PARIC via e-mail (bids@paric.com) or fax (636-561-9501).

PARIC CORPORATION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

THE

To Advertise your Job Opportunity or or to place a bid email ahouston@stlamerican.com

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

St. Louis american

AUGUST 13 - 19, 2026

PART TIME BUS DRIVER

The project consists of 37,812 SF of renovations of 8 housing units Scope includes combining 4 housing units into 2 larger units and minor renovations/updates to the other units. Majority of the upgrades involves MEP upgrades.

THE

Career Center

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CITY OF PINE LAWN – SEEKS SEALED BIDS FOR: • Roof tear-off and replacement with new roofing and gutters on two buildings, AND replacement of existing roof truss system and install a new roof on one building.

• Complete bathroom remodel/replacement, including roof and exterior components at Pelton Jackson Park.

• Commercial air conditioning for City Hall Board Room and Public Works building Bids to be opened 5:30pm Thursday-August 20, 2026 @ Pine Lawn City Hall (6250 Steve Marre Ave. 63121). Visit City Hall or Call 314-261-5500 (press 1) for Bid specifications.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ORAL HEALTH CARE The City of St. Louis Department of Health (DOH) is seeking proposals for organizations to provide ORAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES in the Missouri portion of the St. Louis Transitional Grant Area (TGA), which include dental health care services, outpatient diagnosis, prevention, and other oral health therapy to persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA).

These services are funded by Ryan White Part A funding, which is distributed by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The funding supports medical and support services for PLWHA, with the primary objective of improving access to and retention in care.

Request for Proposals may be obtained beginning Tuesday, August 04, 2026, by downloading from the City of St. Louis website at https://www. stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/health/ documents/procurement/ryan-white-oral-healthrfp.cfm?cs_forceReadMode=1. Contact: Sylvia JacksonBell for questions at DOHGA @stlouis-mo.gov, or (314) 657-1581 (email preferred).

The deadline for submitting proposals is Friday, August 21, 2026, by 4:00 pm via email at DOHGA@stlouis-mo.gov. Respondents must submit an application via one email with a clearly marked subject heading of “RFP – RYAN WHITE ORAL HEALTH CARE” and only in standard (8 x 11-inch letter sized) page size in both Microsoft Word and PDF formats.

The Department of Health reserves the right to reject any and all responses with or without cause.

We Publish every Thursday Newspaperand Online reaching over150,000 People per Week

PUBLIC NOTICE Plaintiff Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company has brought a declaratory judgement action against Defendant Kalvin Richardson, arising out of a dispute over a life insurance policy issued on the life of Eric Chineth in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Eastern Division, Case No. 4:26-cv-000614JMD. Plaintiff Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company is represented by the following attorneys of record: Ali R. Olszeski Attorney-in-Charge State Bar No. 66168(MO) ali.olszeski@faegredrinker.com FAEGRE DRINKER BIDDLE & REATH LLP 320 South Canal Street, Suite 3300 Chicago, Illinois 60606, USA Telephone: (312) 569 1219 Of Counsel: Sara Inman (admitted pro hac vice) State Bar No. 24073098(TX) Sara.Inman@faegredrinker.com FAEGRE DRINKER BIDDLE & REATH LLP 2323 Ross Ave, Suite 1700 Dallas, TX 75201-7367 Telephone: (469) 357-2500 Facsimile: (469) 327-0860 On May 27, 2026, Plaintiff filed, and the Court subsequently granted, Plaintiff’s Motion for Alternative Service on Defendant Kalvin Richardson finding that despite Plaintiff’s reasonable efforts, personal service of Defendant Kalvin Richardson cannot be reasonably made. The Court therefore permitted Plaintiff to make service upon Defendant Kalvin Richardson by publication as described in Missouri Rule of Civil Procedure 506.106.

Notice is hereby given to Defendant Kalvin Richardson that he must file an answer or other pleading or shall otherwise appear and defend against the petition within forty-five days after the date of the first publication, this the 6th day of August, 2026, provided, the court or judge thereof may extend the date within which he may plead or otherwise appear to a date certain beyond such forty-five day limit judgment by default will be rendered against him. If he fails to do so, a default judgement may be entered against him for the relief demanded in the complaint filed in this case.

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Bids & Public Notices ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS PARIC LLC is seeking proposals for the following project: ARCHVIEW APARTMENTS, located at 200/220 N. 4th Street, St. Louis, MO 63102.

This project includes the rehabilitation and conversion of approximately 398,164 SF in a 28-story affordable housing development with existing below-grade parking, landscaping amenities, and site improvements. The project will utilize state and historic tax credits. We are currently soliciting bids for the following scopes: demolition; abatement (to be contracted directly by the owner); elevators; and Fire Protection, Plumbing, HVAC, and Electrical. All remaining scopes of work will be bid at a later date. Access to documents is available through our Building Connected link. If you do not receive a bid invitation, please send your company information to tlalexander@paric.com.

A pre-bid meeting will be held on September 9, 2026 at the project site.

Questions and RFIs are due to PARIC by September 11, 2026.

Bids are due no later than September 24, 2026.

Send all questions to Jake McClain (jmcclain@paric.com).

•

E.M. Harris Construction Company (EMH) seeks subcontractor and supplier bids for the DeSales Preservation II project located at various addresses in south St. Louis, MO. The project consists of renovations to 26 apartment buildings, comprising 71 units. Work includes, but is not limited to, sitework, selective demolition, concrete, masonry, roofing and sheet metal, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, carpentry, drywall, flooring, painting, specialties, appliances, cabinets, countertops, and window treatments. Minority and Women Business Enterprises and Section 3 Businesses are strongly encouraged to bid. All workers must be OSHA 10 certified. EMH is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Project plans and specifications are available for viewing online through an invitation to bid (email request to bidassist@ emharris.com or call 314-436-4426).

All bids due to EMH office by 5 P.M., Monday, September 7, 2026.

Current goals for Construction Business Enterprise participation: • 21% African American • 11% Women • .5% Asian American • .5% Native American • 2% Hispanic American Current goals for Workforce Field participation: • 25% Minority • 7% Women • 20% Apprentice • 23% City of St. Louis residents All bids should be delivered to PARIC via email (bids@paric.com) or fax at 636-561-9501.

PARIC CORPORATION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

PARKING AND REVENUE CONTROL SYSTEM REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

KITCHEN EQUIPMENT REPAIR SERVICES II RFP 2026 The Saint Louis Zoo seeks bids from qualified vendors. Bid documents are available as of 8/12/26 on the Saint Louis Zoo website: stlzoo.org/vendor.

www.stltreasurer.org/ request-for-proposals/ stlouis-mo.gov/govern ment/procurement/

�@�

55+ SENIOR LIVING

Charless Place provides income-eligible individuals and families with affordable, quality housing within the community.

The one bedroom rent $875.00 - the monthly income must be at least $2,187.00/ two bedrooms rent $975.00 the monthly income must be at least-$2,500.00 Call for more information.

314-352-1362

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS Great Rivers Greenway is requesting qualifications for Prequalification for Civic/Community Engagement Professional Services.

Go to www. greatriv ersgreenway.org/ vendors/ for details and submit by September 14, 2026.

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given that The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District Requests for Quotes, Bids, Proposals and Single Source Procurements are posted on-line for public download.

Please navigate to: > www.msdprojectclear.org > Doing Business With Us > View Bid Opportunities The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer

BID NOTICE

Project Information: Name: Concourse D Renovation at St. Louis Lambert Airport (EWA90002-27) Date Bidding: Bids Due August 24th East-West Gateway at 11:00am RFI’s are Council of Governments Due 8/19/26 eod is seeking submittals Contact for Bid Documents and RFI’s: from consultants to philf@interfacestl.com; develop a detailed plan cell: 636-208-1324 Sub bid through email for the Olive Boulevard to: Philf@ corridor in University interfacestl.com City, MO. Submittals Bid documents are at buildingconnected are due no later than https://app.build 1:00 p.m. on September ingconnected.com/ public/55b29d2cedaf 11, 2026. Submittal 520800ff1eb1/proj details and specifications ects/6a6a747ccefe40c 0478dc2f8 can be obtained at

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS MO GREAT STREETS

www.ewgateway.org.

FOR RENT

ROOMS FOR RENT

ROOMS FOR RENT

1, 3 & 4 Bed Apts & Rooms for Rent $600 - $1,000/mo Plus $500/Dep Section 8 Accepted

Upscale, WiFi, All Utilities, W&D Call

314-518-1629

Upscale, Very Clean, Good heating and cooling. Cable 314-484-3147

618-781-7968

1 BEDROOM APT FOR RENT

314-736-9503

--•f:0 <-?•- ­ CHAR LESS PLACE --·WW·--

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To Advertise Real Estate, Angelita Houston at ahouston@stlamerican.com 314-289-5430

Stove, Fridge, A/C, 5128 Wabada, 1st Floor, $550 / mo

4431 South Broadway I St. Louis, MO 63111

THE

AUGUST 13 - 19, 2026

INVITATION TO BID

This project will have prevailing wage requirements.

St. Louis american

1 BEDROOM APARTMENT FOR RENT Section 8, South City, Stove, Fridge, leave a message

314-283-5874

FOR RENT

1, 2 & 3 Bedrooms & Rooms for Rent $550 - $1,300/mo No Credit Check Criminal Hist Ok

314-657-5713

Religion

B12

AUGUST 13 – 19, 2026

A pastor’s son builds a church of his own

Rev. Joshua Thomas creates a church without traditional barriers

By Rev. Dorothy S. Boulware Word In Black As the son of the man who leads one of the most influential Black churches in the country, Rev. Joshua Thomas spent years avoiding the call to ministry.

It’s not that he didn’t love the church; he preferred to stay behind the scenes, making sure the audio, lighting and other technology worked.

“Growing up in a pastor’s family, it was definitely not my dream” to stand at the pulpit, said Thomas, whose father, Bishop Walter Scott Thomas Sr., is pastor emeritus of Baltimore’s New Psalmist Baptist Church and whose brother, Dr. Walter Scott Thomas Jr., is senior pastor. “I did not want to be a pastor.”

But God, he said, had other plans.

After preaching his first sermon in 2008 and serving in multiple ministry roles, Thomas heeded the pastoral call. Now, four years into senior pastoral leadership, he has launched Freedom Church in metro Atlanta — a congregation shaped by his upbringing and his own vision for ministry.

“I will forever be unapologetically a son of New Psalmist,” he said.

“New Psalmist is in my DNA. When God blesses

you with something so great, the worst thing you can do is pour water on that fire.”

‘We’re creating something new’

While New Psalmist influences Thomas’ new venture, he said Freedom is not simply recreating the practices he inherited.

Instead, the congregation aims to create space for people who have struggled to find a spiritual home.

Freedom Church officially launched late last year and has held weekly worship services throughout 2026. This fall, it is moving from Saturday worship in Lawrenceville, Georgia, to Sunday morning services in nearby Duluth.

“There’s no handbook on what Freedom is because we’re writing it as we go,” Thomas said.

“Every chapter we’re creating something new.”

For Thomas, planting a church begins with one essential question.

“It starts with a why,” he said. “Some people start churches just because they want to say they have a church, and that’s not enough.”

As he heard from more people searching for a place to worship, Thomas said he felt called to act.

“The Lord began speaking, saying, ‘That’s what

Rev. Joshua Thomas, who once resisted the ministry, planted Freedom Church near Atlanta and is carrying his family’s ministry legacy into a new generation.

Photo courtesy of Rev. Joshua Thomas

I’m calling you to do.’”

Those conversations have grown into a congregation.

“People have found us,” Thomas said. “Our sheep know our voice, even if we didn’t know them.”

Healing the ‘church hurt’ Thomas said Freedom is intended to welcome people carrying “church hurt” and those who have never felt comfortable with traditional church expectations.

“If someone’s a new believer, they can feel safe at Freedom,” he said. “If someone’s been in church for 40 years, they can feel safe. If someone’s looking to heal from past church hurt, they can find their place.”

That emphasis begins before worship starts.

“When you come to Freedom for the first time, the first thing you encounter are smiling faces,” Thomas said. “People that are welcoming you there.”

He described a congregation where visitors are not questioned about

where they belong or whose seat they occupy.

“You can be fully you and continue to grow,” he said. “You don’t have to put on a front.”

Thomas said his sermons are designed to send worshippers home eager to study Scripture beyond Sunday morning.

“You can’t grow just in Sunday service,” he said.

Even as Freedom builds its in-person congregation, Thomas is committed to those who may never walk through its doors. About 200 people worship online each week through the

church’s livestream.

“The world has changed,” he said.

“There’s no longer this great separation between the physical and the digital space.”

Thomas believes churches that continue treating digital ministry as an afterthought risk missing an entire generation of online worshippers.

“The faster the church accepts that, the more ministry we can do,” he said.

For Thomas, Freedom Church is less about creating another congregation than creating new possibilities for ministry. He recalls helping feed more than 500 people despite having no church kitchen because members found another way.

“So often we have the ideas, but we have all the reasons … why we can’t,” he said. “Anything is possible.”

Thomas believes a church without generations of traditions can become a laboratory for fresh ministry, provided it remains anchored in the gospel.

The son of one of Baltimore’s best-known pastors is writing his own chapter in Georgia, carrying forward a rich inheritance while making room for people who have long wondered whether there was a place for them at the table.