August 21st, 2025 edition

St. LouiS AmericAn

‘Cascading failures’

Spencer slams city’s

By Sylvester Brown Jr.

the storm.”

The Carmody MacDonald law firm wrote the investigative report, which delivers a blistering review of city failures in response to the storm that killed five people, injured 38, damaged thousands of buildings and will require more than $1billion See SPENCER, A8

The criminalization of pregnancy has long targeted communities of color, beginning in the 1980s. ~ Page A10 ~

St. Louis prep football players to

Nick McClellan of CBC, above, has committed to Kansas State. He is just one of dozens of talented

will

Waiting game

10 years after son’s death, city has yet to pay the judgment

By Sylvester Brown, Jr. St. Louis American

• Poor design and implementation of siren equipment

• Ineffective testing protocols

• 22 of 60 sirens weren’t working

AniTA Bond

“I always had a pressure to succeed; … we’ve been a success-oriented family. This became a problem for others … to adjust to their stereotypes, that Blacks could compete with or surpass whites, … that Blacks were individuals and personalities, some you liked and some you didn’t.”

– In a 1975 interview

By Sylvester Brown, Jr. and Dawn Suggs St. Louis American

Family lawyers told The American they fear the Spencer administration will appeal the decision.

On Aug. 19, 2015, one year and 10 days after police fatally shot Mike Brown in Ferguson, another 18-year-old, Mansur Ball-Bey, was fatally shot by St. Louis police officers in the Fountain Park area. On Jan. 31, nearly a decade after the shooting and following a five-day trial, a jury awarded the BallBey family almost $19 million for Mansur’s death. So far, not a single dollar has been paid.

Family lawyers told The American they fear the Spencer administration will appeal the decision, which would further delay any payout to the Ball-Bey family. Last week Mansur‘s father, Dennis Ball-Bey, and two family lawyers — John Waldron and Jermaine Wooten — sat down with The American. Ball-Bey re-lived the agony that he, his wife and children endured after learning what happened to his son, both on the streets and in court, starting on that fateful day in August 2015.

A little before noon, while working his

See WAITING, A8

“Never give up on your dreams, no matter how big they seem.”

— Entrepreneur Joshua Danrich, 16

Mr. Fresh goes national

By Ashley Winters St. Louis American

Danrich, along with his mother and business partner, Shay Danrich, has signed a deal with Walmart to carry their “Mr. Fresh” line of natural, oilbased air fresheners.

Joshua Danrich isn’t your typical 16-year-old. While many of his peers are thinking about getting a driver’s license or chasing the next trend in video games, Danrich is striving to get his air fresheners placed on shelves around the world. His quest, apparently, is a lot closer to being successful. Danrich, along with his mother and business partner, Shay Danrich, has signed a deal with Walmart to carry their “Mr. Fresh” line of natural, oilbased air fresheners in the retail giant’s automotive departments worldwide. The products are also available through Walmart’s online store, placing Joshua among fewer than 100 teenage entrepreneurs in history to have their products sold by the company. Mr. Fresh is in Walmart across Missouri and in select Walmarts in Illinois.

“I’m the only kid in the world with my own air fresheners in Walmart,” the teen proudly said. His partnership with the global retail

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Mayor Cara Spencer on Tuesday addressed findings of an external investigation into the city’s response to

Photo courtesy of the Bond Family

Gladys Knight denies son’s abuse claims

Days after abuse allegations were mounted by her son, Gladys Knight spoke out to dispute the claims.

In a statement, she assured fans she’s “healthy and happy” after her son publicly accused the music legend’s husband of mental and financial abuse — and lodged a complaint with authorities in North Carolina over her care.

Knight, 81, has been on The Queens Tour since May with fellow legends Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle and Stephanie Mills. She currently has 11 shows scheduled from September through December.

In an interview with PEOPLE, her son Shanga Hankerson expressed concern for his mother. He claimed her busy touring schedule was “detrimental” to her health, and came mostly at the urging of her husband, William McDowell

In a statement shared with PEOPLE, Knight

painted a different picture, saying she has enjoyed her time on the road and is doing well.

“I’m sorry that my health and performances have been misrepresented. I want my fans and those concerned to rest assured I am doing very well for someone who has been on stage for three quarters of a century, hard to believe, right?” she said. “I’m excited to get back on the road with my sisters and on stage with The Queens Tour.”

St. Louis-born SZA named artistic director of Vans

Less than a year after she made her big screen debut as a film star in “One of Them Days,” St. Louis-born music star SZA is branching out into fashion and footwear. Popular footwear brand Vans announced via Instagram that SZA will serve as their artistic director.

“Meet our Artistic Director: SZA,” Vans said. The photo was captioned with SZA’s own words about her new role with the company.

“In Vans, I feel free!” says SZA. “I’ve been wearing Knu Skools and other styles for years, they’ve always had an ethos I connect with. As Artistic Director, my mission is to show that joy, community,

creativity and fashion are all still intersectional. That humanity, culture, and connection are still the access points.”

In a post of her own, SZA discussed her newest venture outside of music.

“I’ve learned that bravery and curiosity are the cures for uncertainty, it’s a lifestyle and Vans champions that spirit,” SZA said. “They stand where I stand and I’m honored to invite a whole bunch of people to stand Off the Wall with us.

Tamar Braxton shares injuries from ‘near death experience’ Singer and reality television personality Tamar Braxton shared shocking news with fans over the weekend.

Although she didn’t disclose details of what led to the injury – and implied that she was unclear of the circumstances – Braxton said she experienced a near fatal facial injury.

She took to her Instagram story on Aug. 19 to share that she suffered a broken nose, “lost some teeth” and experienced impaired mobility over the weekend.

“I struggled to write this but everyone keeps calling me and honestly, I can’t even really talk anymore I’m so weak,” she wrote. “I almost died Sunday.”

Braxton said she was found in a pool of blood by a friend.

“As the days go by the worse it is,”

she continued. “I fractured my nose, lost some teeth and mobility.”

Braxton said the injury has caused her to have a new perspective on life.

“As my health is on the mend my mental journey begins.. pray for me for real,” Braxton said. “I don’t even know what happened to me.”

Sharon Stone admits to date with Nelly

Actress Sharon Stone revealed that she had gone on a date with St. Louis rap star Nelly. Stone appeared on last week’s episode of fellow St. Louis native Andy Cohen’s “Watch What Happens Live” to promote her film “Nobody 2” with co-star Bob Odenkirk.

Cohen asked her if she ever went on a date with Nelly.

“I mean, this is crazy enough that I actually might believe it,” Cohen said before he presented the question to Stone. “Sharon, did you go on a date with Nelly?”

Stone responded by bursting out into laughter as she said, “Yes, I did.”

Asked whether she had a follow-up date with the rapper – who is 17 years her junior – Stone responded simply, “No, I did not.”

Sources: Instagram, People.com, TMZ. com, USA Today, YouTube.com

SZA

“You can’t learn from history if you don’t know what actually happened. So, it’s a way of keeping people ignorant of the past.”

- Harvard historian Annette Gordon-Reed on President Trump’s “growing threats of censorship against US museums.”

Rising above the storm

Roofing academy recruits 55 to help rebuild

St. Louis homes

By Ashley Winters

St. Louis American

In the wake of the tornado that left parts of St. Louis in ruin, one roofing company is swapping tarps for tools — and hope. Last month, GAF’s St. Louis Mega Roofing Academy equipped residents with more than just skills needed to do a job. It also paved a path to rebuild homes, restore livelihoods and reshape a community one rooftop at a time. Academy graduates recently attended a job fair held to connect them with immediate employment opportunities and help strengthen the local roofing workforce, accelerating recovery efforts across the region.

Roderick Colvin, a national recruiter for GAF, says the company’s St. Louis Mega Roofing initiative was born from the tragedy of the May 16 tornado.

“I was inspired to get my company involved to re-root St. Louis,” Colvin said. Colvin’s vision was

to bring in people who came from the impacted neighborhoods of the north and west sides. “To use it as an opportunity for employment.”

Colvin says contractors are coming to St. Louis to aid in the rebuilding efforts, but many lack the bandwidth to handle the overwhelming volume of storm-related repairs.

“We are offering the students an opportunity to be employed by the contractors who are coming in to do the work,” Colvin said. “It just makes sense to me to involve people from the community.”

The roofing industry has a long way to go when it comes to diversity, Colvin says. One key challenge, he notes, is the lack of visible representation, which makes it harder to attract the next generation of skilled workers from underrepresented communities.

The partnership with the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and the Family & Workforce Centers of America played

workers is between 7.8% and 11.1%, according to the Construction Employers Association. Colvin, who is formerly incarcerated, sees the initiative as a way to give back.

Christopher Gajewski joined the program to have more opportunities in the roofing field. Gajewski, who was formerly incarcerated, says GAF is giving him and others like him a chance to help those distressed neighborhoods.

“This program is helping us to help others,” he said. “And it’s going to open doors for a lot of these young guys to help keep them off the streets and give them something beneficial to do with their lives.”

Gary Pierson, who has been with GAF for six years, says he’s excited about the impact the Roofing Academy is making. He describes the week the academy was held as “special.” Pierson says the initiative is about giving back to those who need it the most.

interest and enrollment in vocational training programs.

“Money is one thing, but the way you feel when you walk away from taking something that was traumatizing for this family and get to be a part of rebuilding it — it does something for you that money can’t buy.”

— Gary Pierson, GAF employee

a key role in recruiting 55 students, Colvin says. According to the National

Student Clearinghouse, rising college costs are fueling increased

Since launching its free Roofing Academy in 2020, GAF has trained more than 4,400 people, placing more than 2,500 of them into jobs.

The roofing academy emphasizes untapped talent pools, including veterans, women, people with prior criminal justice contact and other groups in the roofing trade.

The percentage of Black or African American

“There is not a soul here who doesn’t know at least one person who was affected by this tornado,” Pierson said. “This is going to do so much for their community and spirit.

Money is one thing, but the way you feel when you walk away from taking something that was traumatizing for this family and get to be a part of rebuilding it — it does something for you that money can’t buy.”

Photo by Ashley Winters / St. Louis American

Gary Pierson, center, teaches roofing installation to residents affected by the May 16 tornado during GAF’s St. Louis Mega Roofing Academy.

Editorial/CommEntary

GuEst Editorial As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues

From protest lines to tornado relief, BLM has always shown up

By Rasheen Aldridge

There are many quotes about showing up, from the anonymously sourced, “The world is run by those who show up” to Woody Allen’s “90% of success is showing up,” to Aaron Sorkin’s “Decisions are made by those who show up.” What all these quotes have in common is the importance of being present.

Anyone who has faced a personal trial or tragedy knows that you remember who was there to help and support you — as well as who wasn’t. As a frontline activist in the Black Lives Matter movement, I have witnessed this repeatedly.

That’s why I must respond to the recent op-ed in the Post-Dispatch that asked, “Where was BLM?” I have an answer: They have been showing up every day.

When Ferguson erupted after Michael Brown’s murder, Kayla Reed, Ohun Ashe, Tef Poe, Mike Avery, Karissa Whitted, Kristian Blackmon, Alderman Alisha Sonnier, Shellie Robinson, and former Councilwoman Fran Griffin and others organized everything from legal support to bail funds to community meetings to policy advocacy.

disaster.

Karissa, Kristian, and Alisha Sonnier stepped up again, organizing money, volunteers, and relief efforts with the same dedication they brought to fighting police violence. This list is just some of the countless movement leaders, supporters, and believers who showed up.

Closing public schools without public input is wrong

By Ray Cummings

As St. Louis families continue to process and address the destruction from the May tornado, they are being hit with another withering blow — a proposal to shutter half of all St. Louis’ public schools.

Those schools are mostly in the northern part of the city, which is overwhelmingly home to Black families.

These weren’t just protesters; they were builders, organizers, and leaders who understood that fighting for Black lives meant fighting for the wholeness of our community.

When the tornado ripped through our city’s most vulnerable neighborhoods, many of the same organizers from Ferguson didn’t hesitate.

Kayla Reed and her organization, Action St. Louis, in partnership with Ohun Ashe and her organization, For the Culture, immediately organized volunteers and started building platforms to amplify Black voices demanding that city resources be used quickly and equitably.

Tef Poe and Crow Life Records poured resources into community resilience through music.

Mike Avery and Operation ANY MEANS Necessary turned words into direct action, organizing construction work every day since the tornado hit.

Shellie Robinson and Fran Griffin created a resource hub, located within the heart of the destruction, where tornado victims could find food, resources, and community to help get them through this

This consistency exposes the false contradiction that critics try to create. The BLM movement has always been about holistically supporting, loving, and being there for our community. Just because police violence sparked the movement, doesn’t mean it ended once that moment ended. Sometimes, being a part of the movement means rinsing tear gas from a community member’s eyes, and sometimes it means wiping tears from a community member who lost their home. Sometimes it means raising bail funds, and sometimes it means raising construction funds. Sometimes it means helping a mother with childcare so she can attend a community meeting to advocate for better policing, and sometimes it means helping her with childcare so she can advocate for more city funds for tornado victims.

There are no contradictions here, no twisting of words, and no tricky semantics — the BLM movement means supporting Black people through every crisis or injustice they face.

To see this yourself, look at the photos of tornado relief volunteers if you want proof that the BLM movement showed up. It’s like a family reunion; the same faces that demanded justice for Michael Brown, the same hands that held signs calling for police accountability (which are now holding hammers and nails), the same hands holding petitions and fundraising forms, the same hands rebuilding what the storm destroyed.

I am grateful to be surrounded by BLM movement leaders who have consistently shown up, no matter what the challenge and no matter what the current moment demands.

That is the movement I know, the movement I wholeheartedly love and the movement that continues to fight for our community when the cameras are gone and the headlines have moved on.

Rasheen Aldridge is alderman for the 14th Ward in St. Louis.

Superintendent Millicent Borishade would have the public believe that the only way to deal with a diminishing student population and deteriorating school buildings is to close 37 public schools — going from 68 to 31 — starting in the 2026-27 school year. Let’s take a breath.

Instead of abandoning St. Louis communities by closing their public schools, the superintendent should be working with the community to offer a vision for thriving neighborhood public schools that are safe, welcoming and well-resourced. Shouldn’t this be job number one?

Other than the seven public schools that were hit directly by the tornado, there should be a moratorium on school closures until the community has been meaningfully included in discussions about the problems our schools face, the district’s plan and alternative solutions. Borishade’s plan should not be accepted as a given. We won’t let that happen.

that passed in 2022 by 87% because most St. Louis schools are in varying states of disrepair. It is intended for facility acquisition, renovations, upgrades and improvements across St. Louis public schools and buildings. Given that nearly half of all public schools are over 100 years old, the public agreed there was an urgent need for facility upgrades and enhanced security. The superintendent shouldn’t act as if this money doesn’t exist.

The third problem is that Borishade’s plan could be a desire to close public schools and clear the way for more charter schools. The district is using the tornado as an excuse, and New Orleans’ post-Hurricane Katrina policy of replacing most public schools with charters as an example.

Opening charters was used as a solution to whatever ailed New Orleans schools, but they didn’t bring about the promised academic improvements and now the city is bringing back public schools. During that era, students paid a heavy price.

There are three major problems with the district’s plan, which was developed by a consultant to the school district without an ounce of public input.

The first problem is that it leaves entire communities without access to a public school by walking or a reasonable bus ride. Public schools are more than just buildings — they are the foundations of a democratic society where every child, no matter their ZIP code, has the right to learn, grow and thrive. Closing schools in predominantly Black communities just months after a natural disaster, is cruel.

The second problem is that the plan ignores the $160 million bond measure

The just-released state audit of St. Louis public schools shows an astounding amount of financial impropriety over the last few years — money that should have been used to lift up our schools. The audit demonstrates that financial accountability of public funds is essential, something that isn’t usually required for publicly funded charter schools. It would be a disaster to waste more public school dollars.

While Borishade’s plan primarily affects the Black communities in the northern part of the city, which is bad enough, it would have a devastating ripple effect on the broader St. Louis community. Who would want to live in communities without schools? That becomes an economic issue. Our students deserve an investment in public schools — both physically and academically.

Ray Cummings is president of AFT St Louis, Local 420.

As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues

The only option is a righteous victory

By Jamala Rogers

Much of the chaos swirling around us is a deliberate distraction. Some of it is pure incompetence on the part of elected and appointed officials. What has become increasingly clear is that, regardless of the source of the chaos, The People must be the captains of our destiny.

Our current dilemma is how to determine the balance between self-reliance and holding our government accountable. For the time being, we should lower our expectations that lawmakers and the courts will be our saviors, as they have succumbed to the toxic influence of the dictator in the White House.

Trump and his lawless MAGA supporters are undermining the U.S. Constitution. The nation is increasingly resembling a police state, with ICE, local law enforcement and the National Guard operating unchecked in urban areas. Working families are beginning to feel the effects of the Big Ugly Bill, facing rising costs for food, utilities and other essential household expenses. Meanwhile, the deficit is climbing and inflation is slowly making its way into the economy.

dominantly Black districts in the state. Cleaver has been an outspoken critic of Trump, and this appears to be the payback.

The Texas House Democrats have sounded the alarm that the country is under siege by its own government. Laws are being disregarded and replaced by executive orders. The rules of engagement are that there are no rules. The country is sliding into authoritarianism. This is serious. No more playing nice.

It has been 90 days since a tornado ripped through the St. Louis region, and there is still no short-term recovery plan or long-term rebuilding plan from the Spencer administration. As cold weather approaches, tornado survivors will encounter a new set of challenges.

Missouri MAGA clones are beating their chests in testosterone-fueled triumph. They have nullified the will of Missouri voters in a blatant power grab of women’s right to an abortion, an increase in minimum wages, earned paid sick days and control of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

To make America white again, state legislatures are bowing to the demands of a bully-president who is calling for mid-decade emergency gerrymandering that would lead to one-party rule.

In Missouri, the target is Emanuel Cleaver, the representative of the 5th Congressional District, one of two pre-

The situation requires bold and innovative strategies. Democrats left Texas to thwart a special session aimed at eliminating five House seats. This move has prompted California Gov. Gavin Newsom to respond with redistricting efforts in his state. He has encouraged other Democratic governors to take similar actions to help secure Blue victories in the 2026 midterm elections. Defenders of democracy are engaged in a critical struggle. Concerned citizens and “woke” organizations are uniting to launch a coordinated response against the aggressive attacks on our democratic systems. These individuals are the same ones who passionately contributed to tornado relief efforts while Black neighborhoods faced delays in receiving support from local, state and federal governments. This neglect and insensitivity of government officials have been evident throughout this process. These deteriorating conditions will cause the chaos to escalate. We should get prepared. It will get ugly before we can create a new dawn. Our nontraditional response to the fight will be blamed for the anarchy initiated by MAGA. The absolute defeat of the tyrants who lust for power and wealth is essential to rebuilding a nation that values the rising, mighty majority. We must return the government of the people to the people. A resounding victory is our only option to restoring democracy for the U.S. working class.

and

Guest Columnist Rasheen Aldridge

Guest Columnist Ray Cummings

Guest Columnist Jamala Rogers

Missouri set to close 12 schools for disabled students

By Annelise Hanshaw Missouri Independent

Twelve state schools serving students with disabilities, including one in St. Louis, will close next year as part of a plan approved last week by the Missouri State Board of Education.

There was little discussion about the plan to consolidate the Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled, or MSSD. Board members delved into the plan during a May meeting and a retreat last month.

“The State Board of Education believes this is the first step in providing more opportunities and strengthening education for all students enrolled in Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled,” Board President Mary Schrag said in a statement. “This decision is not taken lightly but will result in a more efficient program that enriches resources provided to students and their families.”

The following schools will be required to close by the end of June 2026: Briarwood in Harrisonville, Citadel in Potosi, College View in Joplin, Crowley Ridge in Dexter, Delmar Cobble in Columbia, Dogwood Hills

in Eldon, Gateway/Hubert Wheeler in St. Louis, Lakeview Woods in Lee’s Summit, Lillian Schaper in Bowling Green, Ozark Hills in Salem, Prairie View in Marshall and Rolling Meadow in Higginsville.

Six of the schools were already under “temporary emergency closure” because of staffing issues. The other six buildings set to close have a combined enrollment of 64 students and were at risk of closure, Mark Wheatley, the department’s assistant commissioner of special education, told the board.

The change comes as MSSD struggles with declining enrollment, with 36% fewer students over the past 16 years, and $50 million in deferred maintenance between 34 school buildings.

Missouri is the only state that operates separate day schools for special education, though the practice was once commonplace nationwide.

Despite a nationwide push to better integrate students with learning disabilities, some parents say Missouri’s model works for their students. When consultants polled parents about their satisfaction, 85% said they felt that MSSD met their child’s needs.

A solemn anniversary

By Marian Wright Edelman

This month marks the solemn 80th anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the only time nuclear weapons have been used in war. In 1962, Trappist monk and social justice activist Thomas Merton published the prose poem, “Original Child Bomb,” the title using a rough translation of the root characters in the Japanese term for “atom.” This work inspired the searing 2004 documentary with the same name.

Merton subtitled his “anti-poem” “Points for meditation to be scratched in the walls of a cave,” and it consists of a numbered list of 41 comments on the bomb’s creation, the decision to drop the first bomb on Hiroshima and the aftermath, including these:

“3: President Truman formed a committee of men to tell him if this bomb would work, and if so, what he should do with it. Some members of this committee felt that the bomb would jeopardize the future of civilization. They were against its use. Others wanted it to be used in demonstration on a forest of cryptomeria trees, but not against a civilian or military target. Many atomic scientists warned that the use of atomic power in war would be difficult and even impossible to control. The danger would be very great. Finally, there were others who believed that if the bomb were used just once or twice, on one or two Japanese cities, there would be no more war. They believed the new bomb would produce eternal peace.”

“32: The bomb exploded within 100 feet of the aiming point. The fireball was 18,000 feet across. The temperature at the center of the fireball was 100 million degrees. The people who were near the center became nothing. The whole city was blown to bits and the ruins all caught fire instantly everywhere, burning briskly. Seventy thousand people were killed right away or died within a few hours. Those who did not die at once suffered great pain. Few of them were soldiers.”

“33: The men in the plane perceived that the raid had been successful, but they thought of the people in the city and they were not perfectly happy. Some felt they had done wrong. But in any case they had obeyed orders. ‘It was war.’”

It was war, and despite the reaction U.S. Air Force bomber Enola Gay co-pilot Capt. Robert Lewis wrote in his log after dropping the bomb on Hiroshima — “My God, what have we done?” — pilots and crew members stressed again and again they believed they did what they had to do. But the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki did not produce eternal peace.

Instead, they opened a Pandora’s box that can never be fully locked back up. I have visited Hiroshima with my family, and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome), created from the ruins of the only structure left standing near the bomb’s hypocenter, is a reminder of how far we still have to go to make this a world worthy of and safe for all of our children.

The young people writing the world’s next chapter will have the chance to make new choices.

Marian Wright Edelman is founder and president emerita of the Children’s Defense Fund.

Missouri Commissioner of Education Karla Eslinger reacts to a presentation on a plan to rework the Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled during a State Board of Education meeting in May.

Photo by Annelise Hanshaw / Missouri Independent

Marian Wright Edelman

job as a sanitation worker for a food and beverage company, Dennis Ball-Bey received an urgent phone call from a relative. She told him police had shot his son, Mansur, near a cousin’s house. She didn’t know if he was dead or alive, only that he’d been taken away in an ambulance.

Ball-Bey quickly drove to the scene, describing it as “chaos.” A crowd engulfed him, shouting, “The police done shot …” and “They murdered your son.” But Mansur was no longer there.

Ball-Bey drove to the closest hospital, Barnes-Jewish, where he was told no one matching his son’s description had been admitted. At the police department, officers gave their version of events: Mansur pointed a gun at police and ran before they opened fire, killing him instantly. He was then sent to the morgue, where relatives and members of his faith, the Moorish Science Temple of America, had gathered. There, Ball-Bey identified his son’s body and called his wife to tell her they had lost one of their four children.

of the house into an alley, and Mansur pointed a gun at officers. Preliminary autopsy results showed that Mansur died from a gunshot wound to the back, which confirmed for the family that he was running from police.

None of that story aligned with Ball-Bey’s memory of his son, who had gotten a job at FedEx after graduating high school, who attended temple three days a week and who was trying to “break into the music industry.” In fact, days after Mansur’s death, a package containing instruments his son had ordered arrived at Ball-Bey’s home

Ball-Bey’s niece had contacted attorney Wooten who, days after the shooting, had already started de-constructing the police version of events. He convinced the mother of Mansur’s 14-year-old friend to have her son make a statement to police and the circuit attorney’s office.

The boy said neither he nor Mansur were inside the house when police served the search warrant. He said two men “with guns,” who didn’t identify themselves as police, approached them in an alley behind the house — which belonged to Mansur’s aunt — and they took off running.

Ball-Bey said he assumed the outcome of the tragedy would favor police. They told the press that a special operations unit had invaded a home near Page Boulevard and Walton Avenue searching for drugs and weapons. Mansur and a 14-year-old friend fled from the back

Spencer

Continued from A1

for cleanup, repairs and rebuilding.

Wooten pointed to inconsistencies in the story and said that during such raids, a “tactical team” would be stationed at the back door to ensure the safety of the officers inside. “Mansur would have never gotten past the back porch — especially armed — if he was inside the house,” Wooten said.

It found the design and implementation of the city’s siren equipment made it unnecessarily difficult — if not impossible — to fully activate the siren system during the

Also, the bullet severed Mansur’s spine and went straight through an artery leading to the heart, which meant Mansur died instantly and it would have been “impossible” for him to run two lots away, as police claimed, after being shot, Wooten said.

This year, the case finally made it to federal court. In less than 90 minutes, an all-white jury returned with a judgment favoring Ball-Bey, who had sued Officer Kyle Chandler, whom jurors believed had unjustly taken his son’s life.

Jurors awarded the family $6.25 million for the loss of Mansur, plus another $12.5 million to punish the city based on evidence against Officer Chandler.

“The officer had lied before; he had killed another man in a very similar manner as Mansur,” Waldron said. “The jury heard all this evidence, and that’s why they awarded an additional $12 million.”

Ball-Bey was happy with the judgment but said he wasn’t focused so much on the money.

“I didn’t even dwell on what they had awarded me,” he said. “I just felt good that Mansur’s name was cleared and they had found the police to be corrupt. I didn’t even trip off the money.”

Ball-Bey has learned that winning a favorable judgment and actually receiving the cash from that judgment are two different things.

The St. Louis PostDispatch reported that next year’s proposed city budget allocates $10.3 million to a “judgment fund,” which already receives $6 million annually from elsewhere in the budget.

The city counselor’s office under former Mayor Tishaura Jones had indicated plans to appeal BallBey’s case. In response to a question from The

storm. Ineffective testing protocols prevented city officials from detecting the deficiencies before the storm, investigators found.

“The report itself will serve as a guidepost to

A league of their own

See story page A10

American, Mayor Cara Spencer’s spokesman, Rasmus S. Jorgensen, said the city had filed “post-trial motions” but could not comment further on pending litigation.

The decision to pay the award should be easy, Waldron said.

“They could have paid Dennis the morning after the verdict, and they’d be done with it. But instead, they continue to drag it out while every month that goes by another $60,000 in interest accrues for the city.”

help us understand the deeper problems within the emergency management system, and we’re going to use it to help us resolve these issues,” Spencer said.

“I called for this investiga-

The money doesn’t have to be paid in one lump sum, Waldron added. He has seen such judgments spread over several fiscal years.

Wooten said the main issue they want to convey to Spencer is that “this family has waited 10 years for justice.” While the Jan. 31 judgment addressed part of that, he added, “Now it’s time for the city to fulfill its obligation and pay this family so they can get some real closure for this tragedy.”

Although the unprec-

tion the day following the tornado because I want to get to the bottom of these issues.”

Despite early storm warnings, the city’s emergency management staff was at an off-site workshop and away from the agency’s siren equipment when the devastating tornado tore through the city.

The report noted that a test of the siren system determined 22 of the 60 sirens in the city weren’t working, including in several north St. Louis neighborhoods that were heavily damaged by the tornado. Many people in those neighborhoods — some who lost loved ones — said they didn’t hear any sirens go off.

Investigators said key protocols were not followed, “leading to widespread confusion, disorganization, and operational breakdown across City Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) and among responding agencies.”

edented judgment isn’t Ball-Bey’s main concern, any delay or withholding of payment is, in itself, another form of injustice, he said.

“The jury has awarded me this, but now we have a problem getting the award. So, we still have to wait after waiting 10 years. … We’re still at a standstill. For me, it’s still about injustice.”

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

in my lifetime. … We had partners who stepped in [during] our time of need, and I’m really grateful to everyone.”

Investigators said key protocols were not followed, “leading to widespread confusion, disorganization, and operational breakdown across City Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) and among responding agencies.”

Early in her statements, Spencer segued away from the report to chastise the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for an Aug. 17 commentary written by Lynn Schmidt titled, “The tornado devastated Black neighborhoods. Where was the BLM organization?”

“I’m really disappointed in the editorial on that matter,” Spencer said after acknowledging those involved in the rescue and cleanup efforts. “There’s been so many members of the Black Lives Matter community who stepped up, particularly when city government wasn’t able to serve this community in [the ways] it needed. Our community came together in a way I have not seen

The investigative report highlighted “human failures” and singled out Sarah Russell, the head of CEMA whom Spencer placed on leave after the storm for failing to update emergency response plans as needed and criticized her leadership afterward. When asked Tuesday about Russell’s future as CEMA head, Spencer said the time was not right to answer that question or comment on “personnel issues.” However, on Wednesday, the Department of Public Safety confirmed that Russell no longer leads CEMA as of the previous day. The report also shows progress has been made in correcting some of the biggest CEMA issues. For example, Spencer noted how the siren system now automatically activates when the National Weather Service issues an alert, which will limit the risk of human error. The city also has fixed its signal relay equipment — which helps coordinate emergency alerts — along with many of the broken sirens. The report says the city also is working to make the entire system “functional and reliable in ways it has not been for years.”

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

Photo courtesy of NFL Flag Football

Push Flag Football will begin a girls flag football season at the BGSTL Mathews-Dickey location on Aug. 23.

Dennis Ball-Bey

Urban League Expo brings resources, hope to tornadoscarred north St. Louis

By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American

Three months after the May 16 tornado ripped apart lives and structures in neighborhoods surrounding the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis headquarters, the historic building at 1408 North Kingshighway was a haven of happiness, health care and economic empowerment.

The organization’s annual Urban Expo moved from America’s Center this year and was held on Saturday, Aug. 16 at the Urban League — closer to thousands of residents impacted by the tornado.

“We are always proud to host the Urban Expo. To do it here at our headquarters is extremely special for us,” Michael P. McMillan, Urban League president and CEO, said as hallways buzzed with activity.

Outside, hundreds of children and family members picked up school supplies, played in bounce houses, enjoyed food truck cuisine and participated in other recreational activities. The 100-plus degree heat index didn’t damper the enthusiasm.

“To bring together fun, health, economic empowerment, back to school giveaways — it is an amazing day,” McMillan said . The Urban League’s Disaster Relief effort has been the anchor of the region’s response to the catastrophic storm.

Mental health, health challenges in the Black community, wealth building and home buying were among the seminar topics at the daylong event. Community organizations and not-for-profits filled almost every space in the headquarters, offering resources and information.

Bond

Continued from A1

In the 1975 interview with St. Louis PostDispatch columnist Jake McCarthy, Bond talked about her life growing up in segregated St. Louis, her family’s Christian values, her educational goals and her strong commitment to public education — shaped by her prophetic warning about what could happen if schools were neglected.

“If we lose the public schools, or let them keep failing, we will lose the whole concept of a democratic society, and then you will have an elitist group and an alienated group and then you have to deal with the alienated,” Bond told McCarthy.

Anita Grace Lyons was born in St. Louis, on July 6, 1930, to Alvin and Beatrice Lyons. She was the eldest of six children. She married Dr. Leslie Fee Bond, a surgeon, and they had three children: Leslie Jr., Erik and Candace.

“She made our family proud and inspired generations of students, parents and teachers to use education as a way to uplift individuals, families and the city of St. Louis,” her daughter said in an interview two years ago.

McCarthy wrote that Bond and her late husband lived in a “stately home” on Lindell Avenue at the time. However, she told him she grew up on Lucas Avenue in north St. Louis.

Bond was the valedictorian of her graduating Sumner High School class and the first Black undergraduate student at Saint Louis University to graduate with honors.

“I was preoccupied. I had a goal,” Bond said, describing her high school years. “I was prepared at Sumner to be the first Black undergraduate (at

Mr. Fresh

Continued from A1

America campaign fight hunger. Danrich is proving to his peers that anything is possible with hard work and determination.

“Never give up on your dreams, no matter how big they seem,” he said. “With hard work, faith and the right support, anything is possible. I’m incredibly grateful to Legal Services of Eastern Missouri for believing in me and help-

The recovery effort in many parts of the city’s northside “will take at least a decade,” McMillan predicted.

“Most importantly, the community displayed how incredible it can be. St. Louis showed up with its time, its talent, its resources. It demonstrates how truly special St. Louis can be and will be.”

The tornado claimed five lives and caused an estimated $1.6 billion in property damage. Over 5,000 homes, businesses and churches were damaged, and many were destroyed. An estimated 70% of homes and businesses impacted by the tornado in north St. Louis did not have insurance or were under-insured.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency extended its deadline to apply for federal assistance to Aug. 26. The city, which sought an extension

until October, announced last week that up to 700 eligible households had yet to apply.

FEMA disaster recovery centers remain open at the Urban League Entrepreneurship and Businesswomen’s Center at 4401 Natural Bridge, and Union Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church, 626 North Newstead.

Both centers are open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and the Urban League FEMA center is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

The state Department of Public Safety said this week that tornado cleanup in the St. Louis area will cost at least $730 million, twice as much as the original estimate. The federal government will cover about 75% of that total, leaving about $180 million in the state’s hands.

The state approved $100 million in tornado aid for the region during a special session of the Missouri legislature in June. The funds could be used to cover part of the new cleanup balance.

The St. Louis Board of Aldermen has allocated $30 million from interest on the $250 million Rams Relocation Settlement to a tornado relief fund to support home repairs, community services and disaster relief. The amount could be increased with the cost estimate for cleanup rising.

James Clark, Urban League vice president of public safety, said his organization is focused on delivering services to the community as the summer nears its end and schools open.

“We must respond to the critical needs of our community now. We are cutting through the red tape and doing anything for families that are in need,” he said. Clark said the ongoing tornado recovery effort “has got to lift from the bottom and work its way to the top,” and he also issued advice for future discussions.

SLU) because we knew the time was coming.”

In 1950, Bond earned her bachelor’s degree and became the first female African American student at St. Louis University admitted into three societies: Pi Lambda Theta, the National Jesuit Honor Society, and Gamma Phi Epsilon now known as Alpha Sigma Nu. In 2015, SLU awarded Bond an honorary doctorate.

Although she grew up in an era of segregation and racial oppression, Bond said her family’s Christian values helped her navigate bias and racism.

“My attitude toward them was ‘Father forgive them for they know not what they do.’ I knew that if whites allowed themselves to become part of a Black family, they would be changed by the contact,” she said.

Bond’s son, Les Bond Jr., discussed his mother with The St. Louis American 10 years ago, recalling how she took him to a Jefferson Bank demonstration in 1963

ing Mr. Fresh become a global brand.”

Danrich attended Walmart’s Open Call in Bentonville, Arkansas, which is an annual event that allows entrepreneurs to pitch their products for consideration on store shelves nationwide. There, he presented his idea to five different Walmart departments. With confidence and passion, he persuasively shared his vision.

“I sealed the deal that day; they loved my air fresheners,” Danrich said, describing the whole expe-

when he was 6. He was struck by her unwavering courage and how images of his mother and William Clay, Sr., who went on to become Missouri’s first Black congressman, impacted his young consciousness.

“It was this visual optic of our mother and Rep. William Clay as a revolutionary that we all saw as kids and admired in our mother,” he told The American. “It wasn’t as if she was just talking about social justice. She was showing us what it took to achieve social justice and the courage you had to have to be out there on the frontlines pushing for civil rights.”

Clay, also a SLU alum, died last month at age 94.

“The passing of Anita Bond and Congressman Clay within weeks is the passing of two real serious St. Louis icons,” said Virvus Jones, a former city comptroller and civil rights activist. “Both of them were trailblazers at Saint Louis University.”

Jones recalled that

rience as amazing.

His journey started when he was just 10 years old, with an idea sparked by his love of luxury sports cars. He wanted every car to smell brand new, and he began sketching out a business plan with his mom. In 2019, they were referred to Legal Services of Eastern Missouri’s Microenterprise Program — becoming the program’s youngest clients ever.

From that first meeting, “Mr. Fresh” was born. The name stands for Faith to

in the 1970s, Bond was instrumental in getting funds from Jack and Jill of America, Inc. for a St. Louis after-school program to help Black students prepare for the ACT and ACT tests. “She used to get Jack and Jill to give us $30,000 a year… and $30,000, in 1971, was a lot of money!”

In 1965, Bond challenged the Missouri Board of Education’s elections. Her lawsuit, contending civil rights violations, went to the state Supreme Court and ultimately resulted in changes in election procedures. She established the Citizens Education Task Force, an organization funded through the Danforth Foundation that functioned as an independent critical body of the Board of Education.

The St. Louis Globe Democrat honored Bond in 1968, as a “Woman of Achievement in Human Relations. She was elected president of the St. Louis Board of Education in 1974 and was involved with helping Harris-Stowe become established as a

Rescue Every Son from Hurt, a mission dedicated to promoting the emotional, mental, physical and financial well-being of African American boys. With help from Legal Services, Joshua and Shay received legal guidance on business formation, contracts, trademarks and liability protection.

“This is the type of success many of our clients dream about — and we’re honored to have been able to help Joshua and Shay turn

“We must not attack each other. We must attack the problems left behind by the tornado.”

Throughout the summer, the Urban League held large resource distribution events, which served up to 3,000 people on Saturdays. Two Food Truck Saturdays were held in July, and they will return this Saturday and on Aug. 30.

“Our community has never dealt with something as devastating as this tornado. This community has responded in spectacular fashion. We must continue in the coming days, weeks, and years ahead,” McMillan said.

The Bond family, circa 1966, left to right, Eric Lyons Bond (deceased), Leslie F. Bond, Jr., Anita Lyons Bond, Leslie F. Bond, Sr., MD (deceased), and Candace Bond McKeever.

state college rather than a secondary school.

In 1981, federal Judge James Meredith appointed Bond to serve on the committee that wrote the St. Louis Public Schools desegregation plan.

Michael McMillan, president and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, said Bond was a founding member of the Urban League Guild and its first president as well as an Urban League board member.

“She embodied grace, class, elegance and sophistication in everything that she did,” McMillan said.

“She was a devoted wife, mother and mentor to countless people locally and nationally. Her legacy will never be forgotten.”

Former St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones, the first Black woman to hold the position, praised Bond for “blazing a trail for women like me.”

“She was the epitome of Black Girl Magic before it became such a popular catchphrase, and women

their dream into a reality,” said Marlene Elliott, managing attorney for the Microenterprise Program.

“Mr. Fresh is a testament to what entrepreneurs can accomplish when they’re given the chance and the legal resources to get their ideas off the ground.”

Since 2011, Legal Services’ Community Economic DevelopmentMicroenterprise Program has provided free legal assistance to more than 950 small businesses and nonprofits across a 21-county area, reaching

leaders in St. Louis and beyond owe a debt of gratitude to the glass ceilings Mrs. Bond shattered in her lifetime,” Jones said.

St. Louis American Publisher Donald M. Suggs praised Bond for her leadership and the depth of her influence.

“Anita was a consequential leader who challenged prevailing racial biases and practices in education and other economic and social spheres,” Suggs said. “She will always be remembered as an outspoken visionary, activist and advocate who used her considerable intellectual gifts and organizational skills to benefit others. I, like so many others, was a beneficiary of her counsel and empathy and held her in the highest regard and esteem.” Bond lectured on the topic of Black Studies at St. Louis University, Fontbonne College, Maryville College and many other colleges, community groups and institutions. During an interview for a journalism project in 2014, Bond urged SLU students to keep steadfastly working toward equality.

“Start where you are. Work where you are,” she said. “If you see discrimination, if you see somebody hurting, ask them what’s bothering them.” Bond leaves behind a legacy as a fearless proponent of equal rights, arts and education, political and criminal justice and church and family. In a public statement her family wrote:

“Her strong voice and sweet spirit will remain etched in our hearts forever.”

Sylvester Brown, Jr. is the Deaconess Foundation Community Advocacy Fellow. The St. Louis American will provide information about services when available.

thousands more through outreach events. For his mom, the Walmart deal is more than a business milestone — it’s a message.

“Walmart saw the unique value of Mr. Fresh products, and we’re excited to share them with the world,” she said. “But just as important, this shows young people — especially young Black boys — that their ideas matter, and they can achieve things they never imagined.”

Photo courtesy of the Bond Family

HealthMattersHealthMattersHealthMatters

Rising pregnancy prosecutions threaten rights and health care access

Pregnancy-related prosecutions

By Tashi McQueen The AFro

ince the fall of Roe v. Wade in 2022, women have faced arrest and prosecution following pregnancy loss — part of a concerning rise in the criminalization of miscarriages. The growing legal risks in states with strict abortion bans are reshaping reproductive care and threatening the rights of pregnant women across the country.

“Each of these cases is a pregnant person who has been incarcerated or separated from their children, who has experienced a pregnancy loss, or maybe they’ve had law enforcement called on them when they’re seeking health care,” said Michele Ko, a project manager of the research team at Pregnancy Justice. “These cases can be deeply traumatic experiences that really strip pregnant women of their dignity and their humanity.”

See PREGNANCY, A11

RFK Jr.’s mixed signals put schoolkids at risk

With childhood vaccine rates falling, unvaccinated Black children are at risk of infection and could be sent home.

By Jennifer Porter Gore Word in Black

Months of mixed messages from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., including remarks casting doubt on routine childhood vaccines, have fueled nationwide confusion about back-to-school shots — a problem that could leave Black families disproportionately facing the fallout.

As parents and school districts scramble to interpret shifting federal guidance, experts warn that ongoing vaccine skepticism at the top of the nation’s health policy agency — coupled with a deadly measles outbreak, the worst in a quarter century — could deepen racial health disparities and put Black children at greater risk of falling further behind in their

See VACCINATIONS, A11

Why young Americans dread turning 26

The Affordable Care Act allows dependents to stay on a parent’s insurance until 26 — but after that, young Americans are on their own.

By Elisabeth Rosenthal and Hannah Norman KFF Health News

Amid the challenges of adulthood, one rite of passage is unique to the United States: the need to find your own health insurance by the time you turn 26.

That is the age at which the Affordable Care Act declares that young adults generally must get off their family’s plan and figure out their coverage themselves.

The erosion of the law has now created an “insurance cliff” for Americans who are turning 26 and don’t have a job that provides medical coverage.

When the ACA was voted into law in 2010, what’s known as its dependent coverage expansion was immediately effective, guaranteeing health insurance to millions of young Americans up to age 26 who would otherwise not have had coverage. But for years, Republicans have whittled away at the infrastructure of the original ACA. Long gone is the requirement to buy insurance. Plans sold in the ACA’s See INSURANCE, A11

Since the fall of Roe v. Wade, at least 210 women have faced prosecution for pregnancy outcomes — many involving substance use allegations or miscarriage. Advocates warn the trend is worsening maternal health and civil rights.

Photo by Unsplash / Mustafa Omar Your Health Matters is provided in partnership with

Photo by Susannah Lohr / St. Louis Public Radio

once they lose cover-

health insurance plan.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

HealthMattersHealthMattersHealthMatters

Insurance

online insurance marketplaces have no stringent quality standards. Costs keep rising, and eligibility requirements and subsidies are moving targets.

The erosion of the law has now created an “insurance cliff” for Americans who are turning 26 and don’t have a job that provides medical coverage.

Some, scared off by the complexity of picking a policy and by the price tags, tumble over the edge and go without insurance in a health system where the rate for an emergency room visit can be thousands, if not tens of thousands, of dollars.

Today, an estimated 15% of 26-year-olds go uninsured, which, according to a KFF analysis, is the highest rate among Americans of any age. If they qualify, young adults can sign up for Medicaid, the federal-state program for Americans with low incomes or disabilities, in most but not all states. Otherwise, many buy

Pregnancy

Continued from A10

To capture the impact in the year following the rollback of Roe v. Wade, Pregnancy Justice, a nonprofit that tracks pregnancy-related prosecutions in the U.S., released a report highlighting the increased trend of criminalizing pregnancy.

The report documented 210 pregnancy-related prosecutions during the year post Roe v. Wade’s overruling, which Ko notes is the highest number of cases documented by researchers in a single year. The study also found that the majority of the cases involve allegations of substance use during pregnancy. In 133 cases, substance use was the sole allegation.

“The vast majority of pregnancy-related prosecutions involve prosecutors actually using existing laws like child endangerment, neglect and abuse statutes beyond their original intent to criminalize pregnancy,” Ko said.

She described

Vaccinations

Continued from A10

Continued from A10 education.

Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says childhood vaccine rates continue to slide, an ongoing multiyear trend that is raising concerns among public health experts. Coupled with silence from Kennedy and HHS leadership about back-to-school vaccines, experts say that slide likely will continue.

Silence on back-to-school vaccines

“Every fall, as kids go back to school, we usually have pretty robust back-to-school [vaccine] campaigns,” Dr. Georges Benjamin, president of the American Public Health Association, tells Word In Black. “But we don’t see the usual fall back-toschool campaigns, encouraging kids to get their shots, including annual flu shots. Nothing has come out of HHS at the national

cheap subpar insurance that leaves them with insurmountable debt following a medical crisis. Others choose plans with extremely limited networks, losing access to longtime doctors and medicines.

They often find those policies online, in what has become a dizzyingly complicated system of government-regulated insurance marketplaces created by the ACA.

The marketplaces vary in quality from state to state; some are far better than others. But they generally offer few easily identifiable, affordable and workable choices.

“The good news is that the ACA gave young people more options,” said Karen Pollitz, who directed consumer information and insurance oversight at the Department of Health and Human Services during the Obama administration.

“The bad news is the good stuff is hidden in a minefield of really bad options that’ll leave you broke if you get sick.”

Publicly funded counselors called “navigators” or “assisters” can help

Pregnancy Justice as one of the top leaders in tracking pregnancy-related prosecutions for many years.

“Pregnancy Justice has data going all the way back to 1973 — the Roe decision — which includes over 400 documented cases between 1973 and 2005 and nearly 1,400 cases between 2006 and June 2022, the date of the Dobbs ruling, which overturned Roe,” said Ko.

The larger problem these cases present is deterring people away from seeking health care, inevitably producing worse maternal health outcomes.

“Since the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the legal landscape has shifted significantly,” said Ross Goodman, a criminal defense attorney and founder of Goodman Law Group in Las Vegas. “As a criminal defense attorney, I’m seeing legal risks increase in both volume and ambiguity, which can have serious consequences.”

The report also highlights a significant vulnerability for Black mothers

level.”

Besides being more susceptible to illnesses like COVID-19 and the flu, “what often happens if they don’t have their shots, they don’t get to go to school,” Benjamin says. Given that Black children often face educational disparities, he says, “that’s a problem.”

With a new school year and flu season both fast approaching, knowing which official vaccine schedule to follow, and whom to trust, are critical for everyone in general, and the Black community in particular. That’s because Black Americans tend to have lower vaccination rates, due in part to a disproportionate lack of access to health insurance and concerns about the medical profession’s racist history.

Since taking control of HHS, however, Kennedy — a longtime, high-profile vaccine skeptic — has steered the department away from its role of delivering consistent, reliable recommendations on vaccines.

insurance seekers choose a plan. But those programs vary by state, and often customers don’t realize that the help is available. The Trump administration has cut funding to publicize and operate those navigator programs.

In addition, changes to Medicaid eligibility in the policy bill recently passed by Congress could mean that millions more ACA enrollees lose their insurance, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Those changes threaten the very viability of the ACA marketplaces, which currently provide insurance to 24 million Americans.

In dozens of interviews, young adults described the unsettling and devastating consequences of having inadequate insurance, or no insurance at all.

Damian Phillips, 26, a reporter at a West Virginia newspaper, considered joining the Navy to get insurance as his 26th birthday approached. Instead, he felt he “didn’t make enough to justify having health insurance” and has reluctantly gone without it.

Ethan Evans, a 27-yearold aspiring actor in

Chicago who works in retail, fell off his parents’ plan and temporarily signed up for Medicaid. But the diminished mental health coverage meant cutting back on visits to his longtime therapist.

Rep. Maxwell Frost, a Florida Democrat and the first Gen Z member of Congress, was able to quit his job and run for office at 25 only because he could stay on his mother’s plan until he turned 26, he said.

Now 28, he is insured through his federal job.

“The ACA was groundbreaking legislation, including the idea that every American needs health care,” he said. “But there are pitfalls, and one of them is that when young adults turn 26, they fall into this abyss.”

Why 26?

Back in 2010, the decision to make 26 the cutoff age for staying on a parent’s insurance was “kind of arbitrary,” recalled Nancy-Ann DeParle, deputy chief of staff for policy in the Obama White House.

Before that time, chil-

Case Count by State

dren were often kicked off family plans at much younger ages, typically 18.

The Obama administration’s idea was that young adults were most likely settling into careers and jobs with insurance by 26. If they still didn’t have access to job-based insurance, Medicaid and the ACA marketplaces would offer alternatives, the thinking went.

But over the years, the courts, Congress and the first Trump administration eviscerated provisions of the ACA. By 2022, a shopper on a federal government-run marketplace had more than 100 choices, many of which included expensive trade-offs, presented in a way that made comparisons difficult without spreadsheets.

Jack Galanty, 26, a freelance designer in Los Angeles, tried to plan for his 26th birthday by seeking coverage on the California insurance marketplace that would ensure treatment for his mild cerebral palsy and for HIV prevention.

“You’re scrolling for what feels like years, looking at 450 little slides, at the little bars, and trying

since Dobbs. Of the 210 women impacted, 30 were Black.

The criminalization of pregnancy has long targeted communities of color, beginning in the 1980s with debunked claims about cocaine’s effects on unborn children. As drug trends shifted, prosecutions expanded to poor white communities, though low-income people of all backgrounds remain

Shifting recommendations

For example, under longtime HHS guidelines, most children older than 6 months have been eligible for a COVID-19 booster.

But in May, Kennedy said the government would no longer recommend that children and healthy pregnant women get vaccinated against COVID-19.

A month later, Kennedy dismissed all 17 members of the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices, an esteemed, longstanding panel that issued guidance on vaccine schedules. Calling the old panel a “rubber stamp” for any and all vaccines, Kennedy replaced them with a handpicked group of what he asserts are “highly credentialed physicians and scientists.”

Yet at its first meeting in late July, the new ACIP panel announced it would review childhood vaccines and shots not studied in decades. Experts warned that the decision could open the door to changes

most affected.

Brittany Watts and Amari Marsh, both Black women, faced criminal charges after experiencing miscarriages — Watts in Warren, Ohio, in September 2023, and Marsh in Orangeburg County, S.C., in early 2023. Watts was charged with “abuse of a corpse,” while Marsh faced a “homicide by child abuse” charge. Both cases were

on how and when children are immunized, further adding to the confusion around childhood vaccines. And on Tuesday, HHS went even further by preventing the medical groups that advised ACIP from even doing that.

Medicaid coverage questions

Already, pediatricians have reported that many parents whose children are Medicaid enrollees are worried about having access to routine childhood immunizations. The government insurance program for low-income families and people with disabilities covers 40% of U.S. children, and close to half of all Black Americans are on Medicaid or other public health insurance.

Traditional Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program both need the advisory panel’s recommendation to cover vaccinations. But Benjamin says while vaccines are available now, there’s no predicting what

to remember, ‘Was the one I liked No. 12 or 13?’” he recalled. “It feels like it’s nearly impossible to make a good choice in this scenario.”

Out-of-pocket expenses have soared. Complex plans in the lightly regulated marketplaces featured rising premiums, high deductibles and requirements that patients pay a significant portion of the cost of care, often 20% — a charge known as coinsurance.

Subsidies to help Americans buy insurance, adopted during the Biden administration, are set to expire at the end of 2025 unless the Republican-led Congress extends them. If the subsidies expire, premiums are likely to rise sharply for plans sold on the marketplaces, leaving insurance out of reach for many more young adults.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF — an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.

not seeking medical care ‘soon enough’ or simply because the circumstances of the pregnancy loss raised suspicion among people who are not medical professionals.

“We’re watching due process and bodily autonomy being pushed aside,” added Goodman. “In states with strict abortion bans, the state’s interest in a pregnancy outweighs the rights of the person carrying it. That creates a situation where pregnant women are treated more as vessels under surveillance rather than people experiencing a medical event.”

Ko said the solution lies in policy advocacy.

ultimately dropped after grand juries declined to indict — Marsh in March 2023 after spending 22 days in jail, and Watts in February 2024.

“In states with strict abortion bans, a miscarriage is treated less like a medical event and more like a potential crime scene,” said Goodman. “We’ve seen cases where women have been investigated or even charged for

Kennedy’s HHS may do.

“The risk, of course, is that kids who aren’t up to date on their shots — may not have the full [immunization] series yet, and can get measles, they can get COVID,” Benjamin says. He noted that outcomes for Black children who come down with COVID or the flu are disproportionately worse than for their white peers, partly because of unequal access to healthcare.

While Kennedy said parents should consult their doctors, “if a kid does not have a [healthcare] provider or has trouble getting into the doctor’s office, that conversation is not going to happen,” Benjamin says.

Leadership from HHS and local authorities is essential, he says, because “lower-quality schools don’t have the preparations”

New vaccine schedule, old disparities

Issued in November 2024, the vaccination schedule included

“We need to be changing policy and practices to ensure that pregnant women have access to the health care and support they need without fear of criminalization,” said Ko. “It’s really going to take all of us to ensure that all people — regardless of pregnancy status or outcome — have the freedom to make decisions about their bodies and experience a life of dignity and respect.”

COVID-19, influenza, measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), chickenpox, hepatitis A and B, pneumonia, HPV and other shots timed by age and risk level. But MMR vaccination rates for kindergarteners declined again during the most recent school year and are expected to drop again. During the pandemic, Black people made up roughly 20% of COVID19 deaths, despite being just 13% of the U.S. population. Black children who became infected were twice as likely as white kids to be hospitalized and more than five times as likely to be treated in an intensive care unit.

The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends vaccinating children against the flu. The AAP is among the organizations suing Kennedy over the announced changes to vaccine schedules. The American Academy of Family Physicians has a complete list of recommended vaccines for children.

Locations throughout the U.S. where pregnancyrelated prosecutions occur.

Head Start celebrates

60 years of shaping young lives

By Ashley Winters St. Louis American

The St. Louis region is celebrating a milestone that has shaped generations of families. Head Start, the federally funded early childhood education program, is marking its 60th anniversary, and four of the region’s largest providers, alumni and supporters came together this week to honor its legacy and impact.

That impact demonstrates just how imperative quality early childhood education is.

At just 4 years old, Tony Thompson entered St. Louis’ first Head Start class in 1965. Today, he is a respected business leader, serving on the Regional Business Council and chairing its K-12 Education Committee.

Looking back, he credits Head Start with sparking his early love of math, science and building — a foundation that led to an architecture degree from the University of Kansas and a career defined by leadership and advocacy.

For him, Head Start was not just the beginning of school — it was the begin-

ning of opportunity.

“Education has always been important to me,” Thompson said. “You have to have a great education if you want to compete in this world.”

On Tuesday, Thompson participated in the celebration of Head Start, which has touched generations of families. Four of the region’s largest providers — YWCA Metro

St. Louis, the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, Youth In Need and the Jefferson Franklin Community Action Corp. — came together at the South County Head Start Center to honor the program’s six-decade legacy.

Since its founding, Head Start has served nearly 40 million children nationwide, providing not only education but also

health, nutrition and family support services. Locally, the reach is just as significant. In 2024 alone, the four organizations invested more than $74 million into communities across the region — educating nearly 5,000 children, supporting 3,000 working parents and creating 860 jobs.

Dr. Cheryl Watkins, President and CEO of YWCA Metro St. Louis,

Metro St. Louis YWCA Executive Director Dr. Cheryl Watkins making remarks at the Head Start Luncheon Tue. Aug. 19, 2025.

Photo By Wiley Price I St. Louis American

called the milestone “a celebration of opportunity, resilience and the power of community.” She said that the program supports families even before children are born.

“We go upstream and serve pregnant moms as well,” Watkins said. “We make sure they have safe deliveries and then teach them how to become the first teacher to their child.”

The results, she noted, are striking: Head Start graduates in the St. Louis region are entering kindergarten scoring in the 90th

Take a step towards better health! Join us for Walk with a Doc!

AARP St. Louis will be hosting Walk with a Doc, Saturday, April 13th at Forest Park. This doctor-guided group is a fun and safe place to go for a walk, learn about health, and meet new friends.

Participants walk at their own pace, engage in a discussion on the featured health topic while walking, and are encouraged to ask questions during the discussion. Walks take place monthly.

percentile in both math and reading.

U.S. Representative Wesley Bell underscored that impact, recalling his own years as an educator.

“I saw the difference in students who received a strong educational foundation and those who did not,” he said. “Programs like Head Start give that foundation from the very beginning. If you want every child to have a fair shot, start investing in them early.”

Research supports what leaders like Bell and Thompson have witnessed firsthand. The National Head Start Association reports that every dollar invested in the program returns $7 to $9 in longterm social and economic benefits — showing that early investment in children can strengthen entire communities.”

Thompson believes Head Start helped him defy the odds as a young Black child growing up in St. Louis in the 1960s.

“Head Start is so important in helping get kids on the right path,” he said. “It taught me to be fearless and to enjoy learning.”

American Staff

The Mathews-Dickey location of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis is partnering with the Push Flag Football League, and an inaugural girls flag football season will begin on Saturday, Aug. 23.

Push Flag Football Commissioner and former NFL player Pierre Desir says girls flag football is a rapidly growing sport that provides players with an inclusive and affordable way to play football.

“It teaches sportsmanship, teamwork and promotes physical fitness,” Desir said. “In partnership with the Boys & Girls Club, we’re building something special.” Desir played college football for the Lindenwood Lions and Washburn Ichabods before being selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL draft.

Walk with a Doc is a fun and safe place to go for a walk, learn about health, and meet new friends.

AARP St. Louis will be hosting Walk with a Doc, Saturday, April 13th at Forest Park. This doctor-guided group is a fun and safe place to go for a walk, learn about health, and meet new friends.

The event is free, and all are welcome! Registration is required. Walk with a Doc Saturday, April 13, 2024, 9:00AM – 10:00AM

Participants walk at their own pace, engage in a discussion on the featured health topic while walking, and are encouraged to ask questions during the discussion. Walks take place monthly.

Dennis & Judith Jones Visitor & Education Center 5595 Grand Drive, St. Louis, MO 63112

Participants walk at their own pace, engage in a discussion on the featured health topic while walking, and are encouraged to ask questions during the discussion. Walks take place monthly. The event is free, and all are welcome!

The event is free, and all are welcome! Registration is required.

He also played for the San Diego Chargers, Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The game is played in a 7-on-7 format, where players use flags instead of tackling. The sport is steadily expanding into high schools and colleges.

Walk with a Doc

To register and learn more about Walk with a Doc events, visit aarp.org/stlouis.

Saturday, April 13, 2024, 9:00AM – 10:00AM

Dennis & Judith Jones Visitor & Education Center

5595 Grand Drive, St. Louis, MO 63112

/aarpmo @aarpmo

To learn more about Walk with a Doc events, visit aarp.org/stlouis.

To register and learn more about Walk with a Doc events, visit aarp.org/stlouis.

“We’re excited to partner with my former NFL colleague, Pierre Desir, to provide flag football at Mathews-Dickey. This is a fantastic opportunity to be at the forefront of a growing sport,” said Brandon Williams,

/aarpmo @aarpmo

Black women have seen a significant increase in unemployment since last year, with it rising from 5.5% to 6.3% nationwide.

Disappearing act

High unemployment rates among Black women have St. Louis-area economists concerned.

By Andrea Y. Henderson

nemployment rates across the nation are rising among Black Americans, but particularly for Black women. Some economists say it is concerning because many Black Americans have been barely getting by for decades.

According to the most recent U.S. Labor Department jobs report, the unemployment rate for Black Americans in July was 7.2%, up from 6.3% a year ago. The rate for Black Americans is nearly twice the total unemployment rate, which is 4.2%.

Within the Black unemployment rate, Black women have seen a significant increase in unemployment since last year. It went from 5.5% to 6.3% nationwide. Although the most recent data for the area is unavailable, economists say the rise in the unemployment rate in the St. Louis metropolitan area for Black Americans typically mirrors the national rate.

Researchers have found that many Black St. Louisans are living in the red by the end of the month, and over the past few decades, reports show they are working harder and not being compensated accurately, said Bill Rogers, vice president and director of community development research at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

By Aimee D. Griffin Washington Informer

Each

unnecessary, or out of reach. That feeling is understandable — but dangerous. According to a recent Caring.com survey, over 75% of Black Americans do not have any estate planning documents in place. That means no will, no trust, no power of attorney — nothing.

Vasser to serve on national review panel

Carlita Vasser, CEO of At Home Care, has been selected to serve on the NCLEX Differential Item Functioning Review Panel, which is convening Aug. 20-21, 2025, at the National Council of State Boards of Nursing office in Chicago. The panel is composed of nursing professionals who are tasked with ensuring the fairness and legal defensibility of the NCLEX examination. It reviews test items that have been flagged for potential bias, a process for maintaining the integrity of the national licensure exam for nurses. In addition to her work at At Home Care, she has developed healthcare programs for nonprofit, church and charity groups.

East St. Louis 189 welcomes new principal, two interim principals

Devon McCallum has been named principal of the Wyvetter Younge School of Excellence. McCallum most recently served as principal of Vivian Adams Early Childhood Center from October 2023 through May 2025. The school earned multiple ExceleRate Illinois Gold Circle of Quality designations, which is awarded by the State of Illinois to early childhood programs in recognition of excellence in learning environments, instructional practice, family engagement and leadership.

Dr. Lawrence Rainey has been named interim principal of Dr. Katie Harper Wright Elementary School. Rainey is a former assistant principal in the district and has served other districts as a principal, special education supervisor and district-level director. In addition, he has served as a regional director for therapeutic day schools in the private sector.

Dr. Sheryl Coleman has been named interim principal of Vivian Adams Early Childhood Center. Coleman, who had served as assistant principal at Adams Early Childhood Center since 2023, is recognized “for building strong, trusting relationships with staff, students and families,” according to District 189. Adams has been honored for achieving ExceleRate Gold Circle of Quality standards and is a recent recipient of a Preschool for All Expansion grant.

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

Photo courtesy of St. Louis Public Radio

Carlita

Carlita Vasser

St. Louis Public Radio

Devon McCallum

Dr. Lawrence Rainey

Dr. Sheryl Coleman

Photo by Danilevich / Pexels

“Take those plus some other challenges families are facing, and then you layer on a bout of inflation that these families have experienced, and that was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” he said.

The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis serves the Eighth District, which includes all of Arkansas and parts of Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and Mississippi.

Rogers said that in April 2023, unemployment rates were at their lowest, and Black women in the Federal Reserve’s Eighth District and at the national level saw the same level of unemployment.

“Subsequently, since then, it’s risen to my estimate for July of this year, it’s now 10.7% for Black women in the Eighth District states, and for comparable estimates for Black women nationally, it was 4.2% back in April 2023, now up to 7.8%,” he said.

“When the economy starts to slow down, many of the occupations and industries in which Black people are concentrated in — retail, trade and sales — they’re the last ones to get hired as the economy strengthens,” he said.

Data shows that hiring is falling off and layoffs are continuing to rise. Over the past few months, thousands of federal workers were placed on administrative leave or laid off. The Trump administration forced private companies, colleges and universities and federal agencies to do away with their diversity, equity and inclusion programs in order to receive federal dollars. And many Black Americans held jobs within the diversity sector and within the federal government. Black Americans make up 18% of the federal workforce.

In the metro area, there are over 23,500 federal workers who could be

According to census data, Black women in the St. Louis region in 2023 had a 6.8% unemployment rate. African Americans are often the first group of people who are affected when the economy takes a downward turn. Rogers said Black Americans with no more than a high school diploma are at the lowest rung of the ladder.

impacted by future job cuts. Many work at Scott Air Force Base, which employs about 13,000 people, more than 5,000 of whom are civilians.

Rogers said the data shows that some women are leaving the labor force while others are still stick-

The result is chaos, confusion, and often loss of wealth when a loved one passes away. Here’s what many people don’t realize: A will does not avoid probate. In fact, it guarantees it. Probate is a court process that becomes public record, opens the door for creditors and even distant family members to make

claims, and often leads to unnecessary conflict and delay — especially when emotions are high and hearts are hurting. For families already grieving, probate can feel like a second loss. And when we consider that Black Americans disproportionately suffer from wealth gaps, property loss, and systemic barriers to asset protection, the impact of not having a comprehensive plan is multiplied.

At Life & Legacy

Counselors, we are committed to educating our community beyond the basics. We believe in building strong communities one family at a time, and that means giving people the tools to pass on wealth — not just memories.

A will is a useful tool, but it is not enough. It does not protect assets from creditors or predators. It does not keep your affairs private. It does not guarantee that your family can avoid court

Unemployment is rising nationwide among Black Americans, with Black women especially hard hit.

sional class that have the ability to leave, they will probably look at Kansas City, they’ll look at other markets where those opportunities are still available.”

He added that although it is too early to tell the magnitude of the impact of doing away with DEI and jobs with a heavy presence of Black Americans, the region can anticipate losing residents to Atlanta or Charlotte because of what those cities offer.

In the Eighth District, Rogers said the data is suggesting that Black men are still looking for jobs as well, but what is most discouraging is that for Black men and women between 16 and 24 who have no more than a high school diploma, their unemployment rate has jumped to over 15% in the last few months.

ing it out and looking for more opportunities. He added that job openings have decreased, but they have not moved to recessionary-type levels.

As jobs continue to wane in various sectors, the St. Louis region might begin to see more Black

intervention. And it does not cover disability or incapacity during life.

That’s where trustbased estate planning comes in. A well-drafted trust allows you to name beneficiaries, control how and when assets are distributed, avoid probate, reduce taxes, and protect generational wealth from division or depletion.

Many families avoid estate planning out of fear, confusion, or cost concerns. But knowledge is power. We want to

Americans move out of the region, said Ness Sandoval, a professor of sociology and demography at St. Louis University.

“You might see African Americans leave the region and look for opportunities,” Sandoval said.

“Especially the profes-

dismantle the myths that estate planning is only for the wealthy or elderly. In fact, it’s one of the most powerful tools a working-class Black family can use to create economic security for the next generation.

During National MakeA-Will Month, don’t stop at just creating a will.

Start a conversation with a trusted estate planning professional who understands your values, your vision, and your community. At Life &

“The hope is that these are people going back and trying to get into school or training,” Rogers said.

“But again, research has shown that that’s not always happening when you see the unemployment rate rise and these young people leave the labor force.”

Legacy Counselors, we take pride in walking with you through that journey — educating, empowering, and building lasting legacies. Don’t let limited knowledge or outdated assumptions freeze your progress. You deserve more than a will. You deserve a plan. Let us walk with you through the journey of building a legacy through estate planning.

Photo by Pixels

“I need a ring.”

– STL’s Bradely Beal on why he chose the L.A. Clippers over a return to the Washington Wizards.

Sports

InSIdE SportS

With

St. Louis area prep football players to watch

We are a week away from the beginning of another exciting season of high school football in the St. Louis metropolitan area. As a new season is upon us, here is a look at some of the top players to watch for the upcoming year.

Terrell Berryhill (East St. Louis): A 6’6” 270pound offensive lineman who has given a commitment to Purdue. He was part of a dominant Flyers’ offensive line on an IHSA Class 6A state championship team.

Jack Brown (Francis Howell Central): A 6’5” 215-pound junior who is one of the top tight end prospects in the state. As a sophomore, he caught 26 passes for 674 yards and six touchdowns.

line play last season. As a junior, he had 46 tackles, nine sacks and one interception in helping DeSmet to a Class 6 state championship. He has committed to Michigan.

Garrick Dixon (Fort Zumwalt West): A 6’0” 170-pound senior defensive back who has committed to Kansas State. As a junior, he recorded 45 solo tackles along with two interceptions.

Jacob Eberhart (Kirkwood): A 6’3” 215pound senior receiver who had 42 receptions for 795 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior for the Class 6 state semifinalists. He has committed to the University of Illinois.

Michael Clark (Lutheran North): A speedy senior wide receiver who caught 43 passes for 812 yards and 14 touchdowns as a junior to help the Crusaders to the Class 4 state championship. He is also a standout sprinter in track and field.

Myson Johnson-Cook (East St. Louis): A talented junior running back who transferred to East St. Louis from DeSoto (Texas). As a sophomore, he rushed for 911 yards and 14 touchdowns. He has numerous high-level Division I scholarship offers.

Titan Davis (DeSmet): A 6’5” 266-pound defensive lineman who anchored the Spartans’

Jayden Ellington (Althoff): A talented junior quarterback who passed for 2,078 yards and 36 touchdowns while rushing for 378 yards and nine touchdowns in helping lead the Crusaders to the IHSA Class 1A state championship.

Nick Hankins (Belleville West): A 6’0” 190-pound defensive back who has given a commitment to the University of Illinois. As a junior, he had a team-high four interceptions on defense. On offense, he had 27 receptions for 622 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Keenan Harris (SLUH): A 6’1” 220pound senior linebacker who has already committed to the University of Missouri. As a junior, he had 72 solo tackles, two sacks and three intercep-

and 26 tackles for losses.

Kam Hurst (Lift for Life): A 6’0” 170-pound senior defensive back who has given a commitment to Washington State. As a junior, he had 38 tackles and five interceptions, including two touchdown returns in helping the Hawks to the Class 3 semifinals.

Greg Hollis (St. Mary’s): A standout junior defensive back who had eight interceptions last season to lead the St. Louis metro area. He returned two of those interceptions for touchdowns. He also registered 77 tackles as a sophomore.

Marshaun Ivy (Cardinal Ritter): A 6’3” 215-pound junior linebacker who is a three-star recruit who has more than

two dozen scholarship offers from major collegiate programs. As a sophomore, he had 65 tackles and one sack.

Xavier Jackson (Fort Zumwalt North): A 6’3” 270-pound senior defensive lineman who is one of the top prospects in the St. Charles area. As a junior, he had 42 solo tackles and six sacks to help lead the Panthers to a 9-1 record.

Devyon Hill-Lomax (Edwardsville): A 6’4” 180-pound senior wide receiver who has given a commitment to the University of Missouri. As a junior, he had 18 receptions for 341 yards and four touchdowns.

Elijah Lucas (Cardinal Ritter): A 6’3” 200-pound wide receiver who has given a commitment to Western Michigan. As a

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

junior, he had 32 catches for 482 yards and two touchdowns for a Class 5 district championship team.

Mason Marden (Ladue): A 6’3” 220pound senior linebacker who has given a commitment to Arizona State. As a junior, he had a whopping 113 solo tackles with three sacks and two interceptions.

Nick McClellan (CBC): A senior quarterback who has committed to Kansas State. As a junior, he rushed for 891 yards and 12 touchdowns while passing for 2,062 yards and 22 touchdowns in leading the Cadets to a 9-2 record.

Cornell McIntosh (East St. Louis): A 6’3” 245-pound senior linebacker who has committed to Northern Illinois. As a junior, he had 75 tackles and five sacks in helping the Flyers to a state championship.

Jonathan Moore (Lutheran North): A talented junior quarterback who was at the controls of the Class 4 state champions last season. As a sophomore, he passed for 2,350 yards and 41 touchdowns with only seven interceptions.

Jake Plummer (CBC): A 6’6” 220-pound tight end/defensive end who has given a commitment to Florida State. He is expected to be one of the breakout players in the St. Louis area with his size and athleticism on both sides of the ball.

Kortez Rupert (East

St. Louis): A speedy senior wide receiver who has given a commitment to Indiana University. As a junior, he had 16 receptions for 478 yards and nine touchdowns for the IHSA Class 6A state champions.

Jay’Veon Scott (Lift for Life): A 6’3” 205pound running back who has committed to Missouri State. He is ready to carry a bigger load on offense after rushing for 367 yards and six touchdowns to help the Hawks to the Class 3 semifinals.

Martez Stephenson (Lutheran North): A senior running back who had 1,363 yards rushing and 263 yards receiving and 21 touchdowns for the Class 4 state champions.

Jordan Taylor (SLUH): A 5’10” 182pound senior running back who has given a commitment to Sacramento State. As a junior, he rushed for 1,244 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Demetrius Thompson (Clayton-Brentwood): A 6’4” 225-pound senior defensive end who has committed to SEMO. He is a two-way standout who had 53 tackles and 11 sacks on defense. On offense, he had 15 receptions for 325 yards and eight touchdowns.

Gabe Weaver (MICDS): A 6’6” 215pound receiver who has committed to the University of Minnesota. As a junior, he had 40 receptions for 657 yards and six touchdowns in helping the Rams to the Class 5 state semifinals.

Fantasy football underdog will have some bite

The 2025 edition of the Alvin ARTHUR’s fantasy football team has been drafted and its owner, general manager and coach is thinking championship.

In a random draw, announced just 90 minutes before the draft, I was awarded the 11th pick in the 12-team League of Deez. My squad has the lowest predicted chance of making the playoffs at 24%.

ers.” With pick 11 in the first round, I chose Amon-Ra St. Brown of the Detroit Lions, then snatched Drake London of the Atlanta Falcons in the second round with the 14th overall pick.

With Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals at quarterback, it promises to be a successful season, especially because he was secured in the fourth round with the 38th overall draft pick.

Burrow, the 2024 Comeback Player of the Year, was the second or third QB selected in most ESPN fantasy drafts. Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens and Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills were the most coveted quarterbacks.

The league uses a “snake draft,” which winds from top to bottom, then bottom to top. I follow the “load up on quality receiv-

With Justin Fields now at quarterback for the New York Jets — not the mercurial Aaron Rodgers — Garrett Wilson is the go-to guy at wide receiver. Grabbing him with the 35th pick of the draft in the third round was a pleasant surprise. Following the Burrow selection, my fifthround pick (No. 59) was Tennessee running back Tony Pollard. The Titans will protect rookie quarterback Cam Ward with an emphasis on the running game. The guy I really wanted, St. Louisan Kyren Williams of the Los Angeles Rams, was gone. My steal of the draft came with the 62nd overall pick in the sixth round. Welcome to the ARTHUR’s Denver rookie running back R.J. Harvey.

Broncos head coach Sean Payton calls him “an extremely instinctive runner.” He is predicted to be the starter over J.K. Dobbins.

In round seven with the 83rd overall pick, I put faith in Chicago Bears new head coach Ben Johnson and drafted tight end Coleston Loveland. While offensive coordinator with the Detroit Lions, Johnson helped turn tight ends T.J. Hockenson and then Highland (IL) native Sam Laporta into stars. He can do the same in Chicago. Three picks later in

the eighth round, Jakobi Meyers, Las Vegas wide receiver, fell into my hands. Sports Illustrated draft guru Michael Canelo calls him “one of the best true No. 1 wide receivers in the NFL; He gets slept on and is underrated.” I like this pick a lot, especially if another ARTHUR’s receiver should get injured. I took Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams in the ninth round with the 107th overall pick. Williams will either get off to a fast start or find himself on waivers.

The Alvin ARTHUR’s need Amon-Ra St. Brown to be point man for a fantasy football crown.

All teams should have a solid backup starting quarterback, and I accomplished that by tabbing the Lions’ Jared Goff in the 10th round (No. 110.) Dak Prescott was pick No. 109, by the way.

Tight end Dalton Kincaid has been impressive in training camp. I made him my 11th round pick (No. 131.)

Another surprise was that I got the Baltimore Ravens’ stingy defense in the 12th round with the 134th overall pick.

The Philadelphia Eagles should again have a profi-

cient offense, which means kicker Jake Elliott (13th round, pick 155) will have many opportunities. Rounding out my draft were Miami running back Jalen Wright (14th round, pick 158), Ravens’ receiver Rashod Bateman (15th round, pick 179) and the New York Giants defense (16th round, pick 182.

The Reid Roundup

Former Missouri receiver Luther Burden caught three passes for 49 yards in the first half of the Chicago Bears’ 38-0 win over Buffalo on Sunday…Another former Tiger, Theo Wease, had six receptions and two touchdowns in Miami’s 24-17 win over Detroit on Saturday…St. Louis Cardinals centerfielder Victor Scott II landed awkwardly on Saturday trying to rob N.Y. Yankees slugger Aaron Judge of a home run, sprained his left ankle and is on the 10-day injured list…Napheesa Collier, sidelined with a sprained ankle for four games, remains a heavy favorite to win the WNBA MVP Award.

Earl Austin Jr.

Earl Austin Jr.

Alvin A. Reid

Kansas State recruit Nick McClellan of CBC is one of the top returning football prospects in the St Louis area. The dual threat quarterback accounted for 2,953 yards of total offense and 34 touchdowns last season.

Photo courtesy of CBC High School tions

Photo courtesy of prideofdetroit.com

Affinia Healthcare Lemp location open house on Sept. 8

Affinia Healthcare will host an open house from 9 a.m. to noon, Monday, Sept. 8, at its newly renovated health center at 2220 Lemp Avenue, St. Louis.

The new site has been reconfigured and features new patient waiting and pharmacy areas, additional exam rooms, building signage and other improvements.

Gwennita Watson, a registered nurse who has worked with Affinia Healthcare for 10 years in several roles, has been named Lemp health center clinic director. Watson previously worked as the organization’s Staff Health & Wellness Coordinator.

“We listened to our community and paid attention to what services were in high demand at this location. The Soulard neighborhood embodies the richness and diversity of St. Louis, and we consider it an honor to serve the community.

“We’re so proud to reintroduce this health center to the south St. Louis community,” said Dr. Kendra Holmes, Affinia Healthcare president and CEO.

“Under Ms. Watson’s compassionate and knowledgeable leadership, the renovated health center is well positioned to meet the changing needs of families and neighbors.” The service offerings at the Lemp Avenue site include women’s health, pediatrics, family medicine, radiology, pharmacy, dental care, behavioral health and WIC services. Patients can also receive assistance with Medicaid applications. In addition to these services, the Lemp

offer walk-in appointments for a variety of needs, including asthma care,

Avenue health center is home to Affinia Healthcare’s Convenience (formerly Urgent) Care. The Convenience Care takes walk-in appoint-

ments for a variety of needs including asthma care, vaccinations and immunizations, physicals, STI testing and treatment, pregnancy

and immunizations,

and more.

testing, and colds & flu. The open house will offer giveaways, free health resources, refreshments, and other information. It is free and open to the community. For more information, visit the Affinia Healthcare website, www.affiniahealthcare.org

Ameren to donate $4 million for payment assistance

St. Louis-based Ameren will make available an additional $4 million for bill payment assistance to community action agencies dedicated to energy assistance for residential customers in need of financial assis-

tance across Missouri and Illinois.

This is in addition to the $1 million in support for victims of the May 16, tornado that Ameren announced earlier this year, which local area agencies continue to distribute.

“We’ve experienced prolonged periods of extreme heat throughout the summer, leading to increased use of energy and air conditioners,” said Joe Solari, vice president of customer experience for Ameren.

“We understand the

economic hardships families living in our communities are facing each day which is why we want customers to know additional help will soon be available from Ameren through our community partners.” Throughout 2025,

Visit Ameren.com/ Assistance for to learn more. For general

Ameren has partnered with hundreds of agencies to make more than $75 million available in energy assistance and LIHEAP for its customers. The company continues to offer additional assistance programs.

Gwennita Watson

Photo courtesy of Affinia Healthcare

The newly renovated Affinia Healthcare location at 2220 Lemp Avenue, St. Louis, will

vaccinations

physicals

Living It

“Growing up, I was taught early on that anything is possible with hard work and perseverance.”

- Venus Williams on getting a Barbie Doll in her likeness and being recognized as part of the Barbie Inspiring Women line

Black culture on full display

Veteran sibling hip hop duo Clipse captivate fans at The Factory

By Zaria Mac

The St. Louis American

As the title of one of their smash debut single “Grindin” suggests, biological brothers and partners in rhyme Clipse have been paying dues in the hip hop game for nearly 25 years.

When they stormed the stage Monday night for the local stop of their “Let God Sort Em Out” tour, artistry met intellect at the intersection of culture and soul.

Their east coast cadence layered with southern influences, Virginia natives Malice and Pusha T reminded audiences of their state’s major stake in the evolution of the art form – and its staying power.

Last month Clipse released their latest album, which shares the same name as the tour, more than 16 years since their last release – and more than 30 years after the brothers formed the group.

The seemingly ageless rappers gave a timeless performance.

They dug in the crates with tracks from their 2002 debut “Lord Willin.” They also leaned on new music from “Let God Sort Em Out.” Fans sang along to the new music as if they had been listening for years, despite the fact that the album is only a month old.

“P.O.V.,” one of their new tracks, had the bass vibrating from the walls with lyrics that were the true embodiment of hip hop. They rapped back and forth in the gritty style in front of large screens that sat on the stage behind them.

Images and montages of Black cultural activities flashed behind them teling the story of the Black American experience. They ranged from positive moments –such as attending church and participation in a step team – but also included police brutality and other challenging elements that afflict the community.

Video snippets of Black excellence on full display, in churches, sports, music and even mundane moments like doing hair or talking on the phone were revived through the thought-provoking classic Black imagery.

The duo opened the concert with “Chains & Whips,” a song from the new album, while the words “culturally inappropriate” daringly flashed through the montage of Black faces. Reverberating bass intensified the song’s message of overcoming racial violence and recogniz-

Veteran Hip hop duo Clipse demonstrated how they’ve been a force within the

for more than two decades when they brought their highly anticipated ‘Let

Em

tour to The Factory at The District in Chesterfield Monday night. The show also featured emerging talent EARTHGANG.

ing generational systematic oppression.

Their lyric and strobe light design held the audience in a trance as they performed the classic “Popular Demand (Popeyes)” under flashing red lights that illuminated the stage. The crowd cheered wildly for what felt like minutes at the song’s end.

The duo stood in silence, mesmerized by the continued praise being rained down on them. The faces of the audience reflected the awe-inspiring moment. The silence was broken with the familiar melody of “What Happened to That Boy.” The crowd rocked as soon as the beat

dropped.

The dancing continued with “Inglorious Bastards” and “Keys Open Doors.” There were also songs that made a statement, like “Mr. Me Too.” Fans who leapt to their feet for the Clipse intro were still standing more as the group performed the last leg of their set. A video flashed to children performing a step routine that cleverly transitioned into the beat of “Grindin’”.

Josephine’s treasures

Strauss gifts world’s largest collection of Baker artifacts to MO Historical Society

By Kenya Vaughn The St. Louis American

Before Beyonce, there was Josephine. Before Diana, there was Josephine. Before Madonna, Mariah, Celine or Selena, there was Josephine. Before Shakira, Lady Gaga, Billy Eilish, Taylor Swift – and so on and so on – there was Josephine.

More than a century after she Josephine Baker left St. Louis to become the first woman international star of popular music – Black, white or other – her influence is still undeniably present.

“Josephine Baker was all over the Met Gala Red Carpet,” Time Magazine writer Olivia B. Waxman proclaimed about

Baker’s

songstress, author and composer

RAC to party like it’s 1985

Sold-out 40th anniversary birthday party happening Thursday at Union Station

By Kenya Vaughn The St. Louis American

To commemorate four decades of fueling the arts and cultural region by way of critical funding and support, the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis (RAC) has planned a good old fashioned birthday party. It will take place on August 28 and is a different format from the typical gala or banquet format that takes place for such a significant milestone. “A birthday party is the environment for celebration,” said RAC President and CEO Vanessa Cooksey. “And we have a lot to celebrate.”

They plan to party like it’s 1985 – the year that the organization came into existence – and even priced the tickets to commemorate the year that the organization was founded. The ultra-affordable $19.85. The price point is aligned with their institutional goal of creating accessible cultural experiences.

“Our region is a great place to live, work and visit – and the arts definitely contribute to all of those things.”

- Vanessa Cooksey

“Given the current political climate in our country and the level of change and volatility that we are experiencing, we need a place where people can come and cast their cares away for three hours and just dance and laugh and celebrate,” Cooksey said. “We want to celebrate the achievement of 40 years, the economic impact that we’ve had and the social impact that we’ve had in supporting this vibrant arts sector. The party is also our way of saying, ‘Let’s continue to reconnect – and lean into being together and united.’”

The original intention of this feature was to promote the event and encourage all who might be interested to come and join in on the event. It is curated for audiences to not only party, but to come see how RAC helps make the region a better place by showcasing the many talents of organizations and individuals that are funded by them. However, tickets for the party have since sold out.

The gesture is a testament to the appreciation the region has for the organization. According to Cooksey, the feeling is mutual.

“The experiences that RAC funds help make a difference in changing the narrative about St. Louis,” Cooksey said. “Our region is a great place to live, work and visit – and the arts definitely contribute to all of those things.”

Established to facilitate and encourage the arts in the St. Louis region, RAC was created after a citizen vote to dedicate a portion of hotel/motel taxes to support the

Photos by Taylor Marrie/St. Louis American

genre

God Sort

Out’

Photo by Kenya Vaughn/St. Louis American French

Laika Fatien performed some of Josephine

classic selections before the Missouri Historical Society shared details of the massive gift of artifacts from the life and career of entertainment icon and St. Louis native Josephine Baker last Wednesday at the Missouri History Museum. Philanthropist and cultural advocate Mary Strauss donated her collection – the largest in the world at more than 500 items – to the Missouri Historical Society.

CONCERTS

Thurs., Aug. 28, 8 p.m.

The Muny Presents: Diana Ross & Jon Batiste, The Muny, 1 Theatre Drive, St. Louis, MO 63112. For more information, visit https:// muny.org.

Thurs., Sep. 4, 8 p.m., The Pageant welcomes Gary Clark Jr., The Pageant, 6161 Delmar. For more information, visit www.thepageant.com.

Fri., Sep. 5, 7 p.m., Breezy Bowl XX World Tour starring Chris Brown, Dome at America’s Center. For more information, visit livenation.com.

Sat., Sep. 6, 8 p.m. Sexxy Red & Friends: Back 2 School Bash, Enterprise Center, 1401 Clark Ave, St. Louis, MO 63103. For more information, visit www.enterprisecenter.com.

Sun., Sep. 7, 8 p.m., When We Evolve Tour starring St. Louis’ own AJ McQueen, Delmar Hall. For more information, visit www. thepageant.com.

Sun., Sep. 7, 6:15 p.m., Uncle Charlie’s R&B Cookout starring Charlie Wilson and featuring Babyface, El DeBarge and K-Ci Haley, Hollywood Casino Amphitheater. For more information, visit www. livenation.com.

Fri., Sep. 12-14, 10 a.m. Music at the Intersection

STL Sites & Sounds

(MATI), Grand Center Arts District, 634 Grand Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63103. For more information, visit https:// matistl.org.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Fri., Aug 22-24, 6 p.m. 1st Annual Gateway Trail Ride & Field Party, Rolling Ranch, 36 Delano Dr, Sauget, IL 62206. For more information, visit https://gatewaytrailride. com.

Sat., Aug. 23-24, 7 p.m. Festival of Nations, Tower Grove Park, 4257 Northeast Dr, St. Louis, MO 63110. For more information, visit https:// festofnations.com.

Thur., Aug 28, 5 p.m.

RAC’s 40th Birthday Bash, Midway West @ Union Station, 1820 Market Street, St. Louis, MO 63103. For more information, visit https:// racstl.org.

Fri., Aug. 29-31, 8 a.m. Paint Louis: The World’s Largest Graffiti Festival, The Mural Mile, 1000 South Wharf Street, St. Louis, MO, 63104. For more information https:// paintlouis.com.

COMEDY

Wed., Aug. 27, 7:30 p.m. Special Event: Ted Sanders, Helium Comedy Club, 1151 St. Louis Galleria Street, St. Louis, MO 63117. For more information, visit https://

st-louis.heliumcomedy. com.

Fri., Sep. 12, 7 p.m.

DeRay Davis: Live On Stage, The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63112. For more information, visit www. thepageant.com.

Sat., Sep. 13, 7 p.m. Ali Siddiq: In the Shadows Tour, Stifel Theatre, 1400 Market St, St. Louis, MO 63103. For more information, visit www. stifeltheatre.com.

ST. LOUIS MUSIC SPOTLIGHT

Sat., Aug. 30, 1 p.m. Jazz & Blues Festival, Central West End, Euclid Ave & Laclede Ave. St. Louis, MO 63108. For more information, visit https:// cwescene.com.

Thur., Sep. 4, 6 p.m.

To STL With Love: A Celebration of St. Louis Hip-Hop Culture, Sophie’s Artist Lounge, 3333 Washington Ave, St. Louis, O 63103. For more information, visit https:// kranzbergartsfoundation.

org.

Thur., Sep. 21, 3 p.m.

Starlight Concert Series featuring Adrianne Felton- King, Heman Park Miracle Playground, 7200, Olive Blvd, University City, MO 63130. For more information, visit www. ucitymo.org.

THEATRE

Thur., Aug. 21, 7:30 p.m. When It All Falls, The Marcelle Theatre, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive St. Louis,

MO 63103. For more information, visit https:// kranzbergartsfoundation. org.

Sat., Aug. 23, 8 p.m. YOU GOT SERVED STL, Warehouse West, 1397 Hamilton Ave. St. Louis, MO 63112. For more information, visit www.eventbrite.com.

Wed., Sep. 3-21, 7 p.m. The Black Rep opens Season 49 with Raisin (The Musical), Edison Theatre, 6465 Forsyth Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63105. For more information, visit www. theblackrep.org.

ART

Through Aug. 30, A Quiet Composition, Saint Louis Artist’ Guild, 12 N Jackson Ave, St. Louis, MO 63105. For more information, visit www. stlouisartistsguild.org.

Through Sept. 27, Nyuso: A Celebration of African Artistry & Afrofuturism, Kranzberg Arts Foundation, 501 N Grand Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63103. For more information, visit https:// kranzbergartsfoundation. org/.

Through Jun.‘26, The Future Is Female, 21c Hotel and Museum Hotel St. Louis, 1528 Locust St, St. Louis, MO 63103. For more information, visit https://21cmuseumhotels. com.

Tower Grove Park will be the place to experience the food, culture, art and entertainment from more than 80 countries this weekend at Festival of Nations. See SPECIAL EVENTS for more details.

Baker

Continued from C1

fashion’s biggest night –which paid tribute to Black Dandyism for 2025.

Rap star Megan Thee Stallion provided head to toe homage to one of Baker’s most iconic looks. The form-fitting evening gown and fountain-like ponytail was the human form of Baker’s 1957 People Today (which later became PEOPLE) cover.

Thanks to philanthropist and St. Louis cultural legend Mary Strauss, the cover that inspired Megan’s look – and hundreds of other items – will have a forever home at the Missouri History Museum. Strauss gifted the museum the world’s largest privately held collection of Josephine Baker artifacts.

Last Wednesday, the Grand Hall of the museum was at capacity for the program that acknowledged the magnitude of Strauss’ gift – and what it means for the region.

Before the formal program, French singer Laika Fatien performed a mini concert that included some of Baker’s biggest hits.

Born in St. Louis and raised in Mill Creek Valley, Baker became a star in Paris almost as soon as she arrived there in the 1920s. She went on to become one of the most influential figures in the history of global popular culture.

RAC

Continued from C1

arts. The organization has awarded more than 7,300 grants and poured more than $115 million into the region’s arts and culture scene over the past four decades. Their critical funding has allowed emerging organizations to build a solid foundation –and guaranteed a future for historical ones.

“We’ve been funding The Black Rep for 40 years. They are now entering their 49th season,” Cooksey said. “We’ve been funding the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra for 40 years – and we have the second oldest symphony in the nation. Whether its large legacy institutions that are major employers for creative talent in this region or small arts organizations who are telling stories that would not otherwise be told, our region benefits.”

RAC’s journey hasn’t been an easy one. Cooksey, who is approaching her fifth year at the helm, came on board at the height of a global pandemic. The shutdown that came as a response obliterated funding for RAC. A clause in their statute said that no more than 15 percent of the annual revenue can be spent on administrative and staffing expenses – which meant major layoffs and organizational restructuring.

“We made some significant sacrifices over

Clipse

Continued from C1

The blast from the past back to their introduction to rap fans was met with roaring cheers. They transitioned back into more new music like “F.I.C.O.” and most played songs like “Ace Trumpets” and “So Be It” – which featured a catchy hook and photos from O.J. Simpson’s infamous highway arrest and subsequent trial.

In a display of vulnerability, Clipse performed “The Birds Don’t Sing.”

“She is an internationally revered entertainer, a war hero and an activist,” said Peter Kastor, Chair of the Missouri Historical Society Board of Trustees. Kastor, who is also the Samuel K. Eddy Endowed Professor in History in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, introduced Missouri Historical Society President Dr. Jody Sowell.

“Our collections include stories of entertainers who have shaped the culture of St. Louis, the country and the world,” Sowell said. “We are happy to welcome someone new into that collection. Josephine Baker was born in St. Louis. Josephine Baker first performed in St. Louis. Josephine Baker gave one of her most important speeches here in St. Louis. She is loved around the globe, but this is where she got her start.”

Sowell thanked Strauss for her overwhelmingly generous gift and declared her a St. Louis icon in her own right. He praised her work within the cultural landscape – alongside her late husband Leon Strauss –but spent much of his tribute speaking on her phenomenally curated Baker collection.

“Mary is an avid collector, and one of her biggest focuses over the past 50 years has been Josephine Baker,” Sowell said. “She has collected items that showcase Baker’s performances. But she has also

the last five years to be in the place of strength at the 40th anniversary,” Cooksey said. “We needed to celebrate the fact that we survived COVID.”

They didn’t just survive, they thrived.

After a historic 18-month regional advocacy campaign, RAC received $10.6 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding from the City of St. Louis as a result of the passage of Board Bill #66 in October 2022. The St. Louis American is a benefactor.

ARPA funding underwrites the “Living It” section – which is designated for arts, entertainment and cultural content.

RAC 2025 grants cycle is another example. A total of $3,723,212 was provided to arts and culture organizations and programs in St. Louis city and county.

But new challenges are never far away.

The arts and cultural community across the nation was recently hit with a crushing blow from the current federal administration, who rescinded National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) funding that had been previously approved.

“Twenty of our arts organizations lost $580,000 annually due to a loss in NEA funding because of the decisions of the current federal administration,” Cooksey said.

She is encouraged by the impacted organizations and their “the show must go on” approach to the devastating financial hit.

collected artifacts that show the love and obsession that people have had – and continue to have –over the years.”

Her collection includes more than 500 items that detail the life and legacy of Baker.

“Josephine Baker was an extraordinary artist and human being,” Strauss said. “It’s been one of my life’s great joys to amass and care for this collec tion.”

Strauss has produced tribute performances and created exhibitions across the country.

“I feel so fortunate to have items that capture her at her zenith – programs, posters, photographs, a

“What I love about creators and artists is that they will find a way using this time – the political volatility in particular – to think about what we need to do in the short term as well as the long term. And when we have this conversation about RAC’s 50th anniversary – or 80th anniversary – we will be able to look back and say we did the right thing to ensure our success and our sustainability.”

In the meantime, Cooksey is excited to party alongside the broad range of guests who rep resent RAC, grantees and supporters of the arts and appreciate the talented roster of individuals and groups who are scheduled to perform.

“I want people to come and say, ‘Wow, I’ve never heard of this artist before or I’ve never seen Afriky Lolo,’” Cooksey said. “I wanted to create –and this is strategic, some level of audience development. I want to make sure people experience something new that they can love and enjoy.”

She also wanted to make sure guests are filled with a sense of pride.

“I want them to say, ‘I’m so glad we have RAC in the St. Louis commu nity,’” Cooksey said. “I want them to experience joy with others and leave with a sense of pride that we have organizations like this in St. Louis. This [RAC] is the evolution of the vision that we have for how important the arts are to St. Louis.”

The soulful rap over a piano instrumental features Emmy, Golden Globe, Oscar and Tony Award winner John Legend. For their finale, the Clipse performed “So Far Ahead.” The moment delighted the audience – so much so that they rushed to pull out their phones and record themselves singing along to its melodic chorus before going word for word with the gritty lyrics. Show openers

EARTHGANG perfectly controlled a crowd that was predominantly unfamiliar with their music

through raw grit and pre cision. EARTHGANG, also a duo made of Johnny Venus and Doctur Dot, brought the audience into their world of new school hip hop with their collab orative sound that blends rap and melody. One of the standout selections from their set was “This Side.” They earned extra points with the St. Louis audience– and showed love to the city’s hip hop contributions – when they mixed the instrumen tal of Nelly’s “Country Grammar” into their per formance for one of their songs.

costume, and Bakerfix items to name but a few,” Strauss said. “Each one reflecting a different side of her brilliance. I’m thrilled that they’ll one day belong to the people of St. Louis.”

pelling takeaways from Hunter was her mention of Baker’s 1952 speech at the Kiel Auditorium where she gave her firsthand account of witnessing the 1917 East St. Louis race massacre from across the river.

the screams of the negro families running across this bridge with nothing but what they had on their backs as their worldly belongings.”

Sowell told the audience that artifacts from the collection will be included in the new signature galleries that open in 2027. He also said that early work has already begun on an exhibit that the museum is planning for 2028 – and that the collection will be a point of reference for creative and historical responses to Baker’s life and career. “She is

An orchid holder made in the likeness of a dancing Josephine Baker that was acquired by Mary Strausss in 2015 is among the hundreds of artifacts that she gifted to the Missouri Historical Society.

Photo courtesy of the Missouri Historical Society

SLDC IS EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) is eagerly seeking candidates to join our team as we endeavor to bring economic justice to St. Louis City residents and communities that were disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

There are multiple 2-4-year limited term positions available, term of employment will vary for each position.

These positions will assist in the administration and implementation of various Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) Programs targeted for households, small businesses and communities adversely impacted by the pandemic.

All positions will be funded in whole or in part through an allocation of Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) from the US Department of the Treasury and the City of St. Louis’ Community Development Administration.

To apply online and see a full job description go to https://www.developstlouis.org/careers and then click “Open Positions & Apply Online.”

NOTICE OF OPEN ENROLLMENT

BUILD YOUR FUTURE ENROLL NOW IN ABC’S 2025-2026 APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS!

Are you ready to launch a hands-on, highdemand career in the construction industry? Associated Builders and Contractors – Heart of America Chapter is now accepting applications for its Laborer, Pipefitting and Plumbing Apprenticeship Programs for the 2025–2026 school year. Classes are held at our Eastern Missouri Training Facility, and open enrollment is officially underway!

We’re looking for individuals who are:

• Dependable

• Hands-on learners Team players

• Eager for career growth Passionate about building their community

If this sounds like you, now is the time to apply! You must be 18 years or older, attend a scheduled orientation, and provide the following documents in person:

• Valid Driver’s License

• High School Diploma, GED Certificate, or Transcripts

• DD214 – Veteran Documentation (if applicable)

Visit www.abcksmo.org to learn more and fill out an interest form. Our team will contact you to schedule your orientation and help you take the first step toward an exciting and rewarding career.

We proudly encourage all individuals — including women, veterans, and minorities — to apply. Apprenticeship opportunities are offered without discrimination and all participating contractors are Equal Opportunity Employers.

Don’t just get a job. Build a future. Apply today with ABC – Heart of America Chapter!

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Hankins Construction Co. is requesting proposals for the St. Louis Housing Authority AI Chappelle Community Center. Bids are due on 8/26/2025 at 10:00AM. This project has diversity goals of 25% MBE and 5% WBE. To access the plans and specifications, or if you have any questions, please email/call Nicole at Bids@HankinsMidwest.com/ 314-426-7030. Please submit bids to Bids@HankinsMidwest.com

MULTIPLE OPENINGS IN CHESTERFIELD,

CHAPLAINS NEEDED

Work, Participate & Resolve customer system issues. Computer Programmer: Write, Collaborate, Implement, Correct, Debug, Create & update expand existing programs. Software Developer: Analyze, Review, Plan, Prepare, Design, Assist, Work & Track all coding changes. Sr. Software Developer: Design, Resolve, Conduct, Research, Troubleshoot, Provide & Serve as a task leader. Data Engineer: Develop, Integrate, Build, Ensure, Automate, Troubleshoot, Optimize, Implement & Document data pipelines. Sr. Data Engineer: Design, Optimize, Maintain, Collaborate, Support, Evaluate, Implement & Document data pipelines. Network Engineer: Resolve, Create, Maintain, Suggest, Plan, Define, Install, Interface, Provide & Analyze systems. Sr. Network Engineer: Manage, Configure, Collaborate, Work, Design, Lead & Proactively monitor network. All Position requires travel/ relocation to various unanticipated client locations throughout the U.S. with expenses paid by employer. Standard Compay Benefits offered. Mail resume & position to President, PROFIT INC, 16305 Swingley Ridge Rd, Chesterfield MO 63017 or > email to jyothi@proit-inc.com. EOE

PUBLIC NOTICE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

-DBE

SUBCONTRACTORSWright Construction Services, Inc. is soliciting MBE,WBE, and SDVE subcontractors for the following project UMSL Stadler Hall Renovations. To acquire plans and specs please call us at 636.220.6850. Please submit bids by 12PM on August 28th, 2025 to Bids@WrightConstruct. com

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The School District of University City is seeking sealed proposals for Brittany Woods Middle School Rainscreen Panels. Proposals are due by 2:00 PM on September 11, 2025. A mandatory pre-bid walkthrough will be held at 10:00 AM on September 4, 2025, at Brittany Woods Middle School, located at 8125 Groby Rd, University City, MO 63130. Project expected to start in October 2025. For more information and the complete RFP package, please contact Likitha Kaki at lkaki@ kwamebuildinggroup.com.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The School District of University City is seeking sealed proposals for Flynn Park Elementary School Gym Improvements. Proposals are due by 2:00 PM on September 19, 2025. A mandatory pre-bid walkthrough will be held at 10:00 AM on September 5, 2025, at Flynn Park Elementary School, located at 7220 Waterman Avenue, University City, MO 63130. Substantial completion is August 7, 2026. For more information and the complete RFP package, please contact Likitha Kaki at lkaki@ kwamebuildinggroup.com

Chaplains needed by Mercy Clinic East Communities at a location in St. Louis, MO. Requires at least a bachelor’s degree in theology, Ministry, Counseling, Divinity or equivalent.; completion of 1 unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). Email CV to Christina Turnage at Christina.Turnage@ mercy.net

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

HEALTHCARE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACADEMY FOR UASI PROGRAM

East-West Gateway Council of Governments is seeking submittals from consultants to develop a Healthcare Emergency Management Academy for the UASI Program, funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/FEMA. Submittals are due no later than 1:00 p.m. on September 15, 2025. D/S/W/MBEs are encouraged to submit proposals. Find submittal details at www.ewgateway.org.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

TRAVEL SURVEY & TRAVEL DEMAND FORECASTING MODEL UPDATE

East-West Gateway is seeking submittals from consultants to design, develop and conduct a Household Travel Survey & Travel Demand Forecasting Model Update. Submittals are due no later than 1:00 p.m. on September 15, 2025. Submittal details and specifications can be obtained at www.ewgateway.org

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Gentry Residential Treatment Center - Replace HVAC, Cabool, MO, Project No H2409-01. will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, September 23, 2025. Project information available at: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

The Saint Louis Zoo seeks bids from qualified firms to submit proposals. Bid documents are available as of 8/20/25 on the Saint Louis Zoo website: stlzoo.org/vendor

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District Requests for Quotes, Bids and Proposals are posted online for public download. Please navigate to www.msdprojectclear.org > Doing Business With Us > View Bid Opportunities

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

BIDS REQUESTED NEW CONSTRUCTION

Section 3 / MBE / WBE Encouraged 40 units 20 Duplexes Maintenance Building FREDERICKTOWN, MO For Bid Information: 573-204-3097 or nleoni@sbcglobal.net or zventura@vendev.cc Golden Eagle Construction 2201 Walton Road, Ste. B Jackson, MO 63755

SOLICITING BIDS

Great Rivers Greenway is soliciting bids for Mississippi Greenway: NPS Building Access Controls/Security Upgrades at Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis City, Missouri. Go to www.greatriv ersgreenway.org/bids/ submit by September 19, 2025.

SEALED BIDS

Bids for George Washington Carver State Office Building, Rework Parking Lot and Sidewalks, Project No. O2426-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 8/26/25. Project information available at: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

REQUEST FOR BIDS

Hankins Construction Co. is requesting bids from MBE/ WBE/SDVE Subcontractors and Suppliers for our proposal on the St. Louis Veterans Home Interior Renovations A Wing. Diversity goals of 10% MBE, 10% WBE, and 3% SDVE are established. To access the bid documents, or if you have any questions, please email/call Nicole at Bids@ HankinsMidwest.com/ 314-426-7030. Please submit bids to Bids@ HankinsMidwest.com by 10:00 AM on 8/26/2025. Hankins Construction Co. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

PUBLIC

NOTICE MBE/WBE/ SDVE/VBE PARTICIPATION OPPORTUNITY

K&S Associates, LLC is actively seeking qualified MBE, WBE, SDVE, and VBE subcontractors and suppliers for the upcoming project: UMSL – Stadler Hall Renovation

Bid Date: August 28th , 2025 Plans and specifications are available for review at www.ksgcstl.com via the K&S Plan Room or by calling our office at 314-647-3535 EXT 102

Submit all bids to: estimating@ksgcstl.com

We strongly encourage participation from certified businesses and look forward to working together on this project.

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Sealed bids for the Redman Road Resurfacing project, St. Louis County Project No. AR-1745, Federal Project No. STP-4900(642) will be received electronically thru the County’s Vendor Self Service portal at https://stlouiscountymovendors.munisselfservice. com/Vendors/default. aspx, until 2:00 PM on September 17, 2025

Plans and specifications will be available on August 18, 2025 from the St. Louis County Web Site (www.stlouiscounty mo.gov) or by contacting Cross Rhodes Print & Technologies, 2731 South Jefferson Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63118 (314) 678-0087.

DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES ST. LOUIS COUNTY

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Proposal for Elevator Services

Proposals will be received by City of St. Louis Treasurer UNTIL 3:00PM August 26, 2025 For specific project information, go to https://www.stltreasurer.org/ Request for Proposals/

SEALED BIDS

A public hearing for purchase of real estate at 74 Kearney St, St Louis, will be held by FMDC, State of MO, at the South St. Louis County Service Center, 7545 South Lindbergh Blvd., Mehlville MO at 10:00 AM, September 5, 2025. Further information available at: https://oa.mo. gov/facilities/ public-notice

SEALED BIDS

Bids for St Louis Veterans Home-Interior Renovations, A Wing, Project No. U2307-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30PM, 8/26/25. Project information available at: http:// oa.mo.gov/ facilities

the University of Missouri online bidding platform, e-builder, and in person at Missouri University of Science & Technology, Design and Construction Management, General Services Building, 1701 Spruce Dr., Rolla, MO 65409:

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS MO GREAT STREETS

East-West Gateway is seeking submittals from consultants to develop a detailed vision and conceptual plan for the Route N Corridor Great Streets project in St. Charles County, MO. Submittals are due no later than 1:00 p.m. on September 2, 2025. Submittal details and specifications can be obtained at www.ewgateway.org.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

REGIONAL

Transportation Economic Vitality Assessment

East-West Gateway is seeking submittals from consultants to develop a Regional Transportation Economic Vitality Assessment. Submittals are due no later than 1:00 p.m. on September 11, 2025. Submittal details and specifications can be obtained at www.ewgateway.org

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Replace Roofs, Multiple Sites and Assets, St. Louis Region, St. Louis, Missouri Project No. O2513-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, September 9, 2025. Project information available at: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Sealed bids for the Pennsylvania Avenue Page to 180 project, St. Louis County Project No. AR-1824, Federal Project No. STBG-9901(686) will be received electronically thru the County’s Vendor Self Service portal at https:// stlouiscountymoven dors.munisselfservice. com/Vendors/default. aspx, until 2:00 PM on September 10, 2025

Plans and specifications will be available on August 11, 2025 from the St. Louis County Web Site (www.stlou iscountymo.gov) or by contacting Cross Rhodes Print & Technologies, 2731 South Jefferson Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63118 (314) 678-0087.

DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES ST. LOUIS COUNTY

Religion

How to know the Holy Spirit

By Rev. Dorothy S. Boulware Word in Black

For many Christian believers, the Holy Spirit can feel like the most mysterious member of the Trinity — unseen but working on our behalf to provide wisdom and guidance, and even positive intervention.

We are taught to pray and rely on the Holy Spirit’s guidance in whatever areas are needed for each day. And yes, it takes time to understand what he provides and how to hear and see his moves.

That’s the journey author Janet L. Williams wants to make easier for others. In her new book, “Life With the Holy Spirit,” she shares her own encounters — moments when God became more than a concept and the Spirit’s presence became unmistakable.

ing sense of love at that moment as an intense emotion coursed through my heart and body,” she writes. “Tears covered my cheeks, but not because I was upset; I was thrilled to be loved and understood. My loneliness and confusion vanished, leaving me with unbelievable serenity and joy. It was like a veil was lifted, and I could see and sense God’s presence. I felt the Holy Spirit in every aspect of my life, not just as a notion.”

That experience transformed her relationship with God her “relationship with Jesus Christ became alive,” she wrote. She tells Word In Black more about how the book came to be and why she believes every reader can connect with the Holy Spirit. Word In Black: How did you come to write “Life With the Holy Spirit?”

“God became my family and my friend,” she writes. “We developed a very close relationship that felt even stronger than the bond of a brother.”

Williams recounts “the moment I repeated the sinner’s prayer while watching a Christian program. That prayer marked the beginning of my journey with God, and from that day forward, He has been a constant, guiding presence in my life.”

So she’s no stranger to the workings of an intimate relationship with the Lord. She went on to write about her first experience with the Holy Spirit.

“I experienced an overwhelm-

Janet L. Williams: God asked me to write it. My publisher called me out of the blue and asked me to write a book at first. I was about to tell him no, not now, but I heard the Holy Spirit telling me yes, write it.

WIB: Is the Holy Spirit available to everyone?

JLW: Yes, once you’ve given your life to Jesus and have submitted your will to him. He will come and live inside of you. He will guide you when you ask for his help. Just repeat the sinner’s prayer and mean it because then the Lord will know if you’re being a hypocrite. Put him first instead of yourself. This is the sinner’s prayer: Jesus

From Loss to Purpose: What August Taught Me About Craft, Career, and Calling

I have mixed feelings about August — probably since I was a little boy.

It’s the month my mother died back in the early 80s. It’s also the month I found out I’d be held back in second grade. And it’s the month that carried the weight of back-to-school anxiety, knowing I likely wouldn’t have new clothes to wear.

Every now and then, there were bright spots. My godmother would sometimes take me school shopping. I still remember the thrill of stonewashed jeans, a plaid shirt, and sneakers — moments that made me feel like I belonged. The best outfit I ever bought for myself came the summer between eighth and ninth grade: a black-and-white Adidas suit. I worked all summer for it, and when I walked into the schoolyard wearing it, I felt as cool as anyone there.

Looking back, I see that I was sharpening something far more important than my wardrobe: my mind. By the time I reached college, August carried a different energy. It became a season of excitement because I knew I was going to school to hone my craft. Your craft is the skill you dedicate yourself to developing. For me, it was my ability to think, to learn, to solve problems. Whether in leadership, business, or life, sharpening your craft is a lifelong pursuit.

Over time, mastery of a craft naturally opens the door to something bigger — a career. A job pays the bills, but a career is built with intention. It’s the commitment to grow in a field, deepen expertise, and make an impact. Back in grade school and high school, I was unknowingly laying the groundwork for my craft. In college, I took the intentional step to turn that craft

is Lord and Savior of my life. I believe in my heart, you died on the cross and God raised you from the dead. Thank you for saving me.

into a career. And I can tell you — pursuing a career instead of “just a job” is infinitely more rewarding.

But there’s a deeper stage — one that took me years to understand. Beyond the career is the calling. A calling is the work you feel you were made to do. It’s purpose-driven. It’s the place where your craft and your career intersect with meaning. And when you live in your calling, you’ll find you can earn enough to meet your needs, fulfill many of your wants, and, most importantly, make a difference that outlives you.

That’s why August has become, for me, a month of recommitment — a time to realign with my calling. It’s when I reflect on the cycle that has shaped my life: sharpening my craft, advancing my career, and leaning into my calling. Each stage fuels the next, creating a virtuous loop of growth and purpose.

As a foster kid, I know what it’s like to start without much. That’s why I tell young people — especially those who feel overlooked — that their first goal is to develop their craft. Sharpen your mind. Learn skills. Build resilience. Then aim for more than just a paycheck — build a career. And don’t stop there. Let your career lead you toward your calling, where your purpose becomes your work.

Even now, when August comes, I think of my mother. I often wonder, Are you proud of the man I’ve become? Do you see me from above?

Every August, I’m reminded not just of what I lost, but of what I’ve found — a life where my craft, career, and calling work together to create meaning.

And I hope you’ll take a moment to ask yourself: Where are you in that journey? Are you building your craft? Growing in your career? Stepping into your calling?

Wherever you are — keep sharpening. Keep moving. The cycle is worth it.

WIB: How did your relationship with the Holy Spirit heighten?

JLW: I was in an accident and thrown into a coma that last-

ed three months. After I came to myself, I was very anxious to start rehab, so I could get my life back. I knew I needed him then. And when I completed rehab, I was able to return to my son.

WIB: How do you describe him to newcomers to the faith?

JLW: The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God that lives inside you when you sincerely believe in Jesus Christ.

WIB: How does a person sense the presence of the Holy Spirit?

JLW: Sometimes you can feel his presence, and you look around and no one is there.

WIB: In what way will he do for believers?

JLW: He will do for his children because you are born again, when you ask in line with his word, he will make it happen. Not on your timing, but his, and know he will not be rushed.

ORVIN T. KIMBROUGH

The Next MOVE

Photos courtesy of Janet L. Williams

In her book, “Life With the Holy Spirit,” Christian author Janet L. Williams shares how to recognize God’s presence and follow his guidance.

Janet L. Williams, author of “Life With the Holy Spirit.”