August 27th, 2026 edition

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St. Louis American The

AUG. 27 – SEPT. 2, 2026

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

Vol. 98 No. 20

stlamerican.com

COMPLIMENTARY

New plan reshapes 14 SLPS campuses

By Na’Porsha Williams St. Louis American

After months of discussion and community feedback, St. Louis Public Schools has narrowed its “Future Ready” plan to 14 school closures — 12 for the 2027-28 school year and two more by 2030. The recommendation, called the A+ Portfolio Model, was presented at Tuesday evening’s Board of Education work session. It also calls for transportation and staffing cuts,

changes at other campuses and expanded career and technical education programs. The 12 schools proposed to close in 2027 are 11 elementary schools — Ames, Ashland, Carver, Columbia, Hamilton, Hickey, Meramec, Monroe, Patrick Henry, Shenandoah and Walbridge — and the Academy of Entrepreneurship Studies at L’Ouverture, a middle school. Clyde C. Miller Career

Shenandoah Elementary School is among 12 St. Louis Public Schools campuses proposed for closure or merger under the district’s Future Ready plan.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American

Academy and McKinley Classical Leadership Academy would close

as high schools by 2030. Both campuses would continue serving students:

Miller would become a districtwide career and technical education hub, while McKinley would remain open as a middle school. Seven elementary schools considered for closure under earlier proposals would remain open: Adams, Bryan Hill, Humboldt, Jefferson, Laclede, Lyon and Peabody. The revised plan comes as SLPS tries to stabilize its finances amid declining enrollment and the costs

of operating underused buildings. The district initially projected a $41 million budget deficit for the upcoming fiscal year. Higher-than-expected revenue and about $12 million in operational underspending have reduced the projected shortfall to $29 million. District administrators plan to address most of the remaining gap through $23.6 million in operation-

See SLPS, A10

Jones found purpose in serving others

Dellwood mayor devoted 3 decades to young people

Koby Jones, holding proclamations honoring his late father, Reggie Jones, is joined by his mother, Rukiya Jones, Alderwomen Laura Keys and Shameem Clark Hubbard, and Boys & Girls Clubs director Brandon during a ceremony recognizing Jones’ 30 years of service to the organization.

By Kenya Vaughn St. Louis American Reggie Jones was supposed to be at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis’ annual recognition ceremony Tuesday night, receiving the culminating honor for 30 years of service. Instead, his wife, Rukiya, and son Koby accepted the recognition on his behalf. Jones, the longtime director of the Herbert Hoover Club and Reggie Jones mayor of Dellwood, died Friday at age 53 — just four days before the organization was set to celebrate three decades of his work with young people. A video was cued up that gave the aesthetic of a camcorder — the video technology used when Jones began his career at Herbert Hoover Boys & Girls Club in 1995. His starting salary was $5.25 an Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American

See Jones, A10

Cardinal Ritter shaped her. Now she shapes it

Tamiko Armstead, who leads her alma mater, honored for education excellence By Syvester Brown Jr. St. Louis American When Tamiko Armstead first heard about Cardinal Ritter College Prep, she didn’t know such a place existed. Her parents were determined to send their children to Catholic schools, but Armstead’s experience in predominantly white Catholic elementary schools left her frustrated.

Tamiko Armstead, president and CEO of Cardinal Ritter, talks with students.

“It was an environment that expected me to assimilate without letting me be my true female self,” Armstead recalled. That changed after two Cardinal Ritter representatives came to “High School Night” at her elementary school to tell students about their predominantly Black Catholic high school. When Armstead came home, she told her

See Armstead, A10

Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American

Editorial / Commentary

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ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • AUG. 27 – SEPT. 2, 2026

Guest Editorial

Organ donation saved me. It can save others someone saved my life by choosing donation, and I want others to have the same opportunity. In our community, conversations One question I hear often is whethabout organ donation aren’t always er being a registered donor changes easy. I understand why many people the care you’ll receive in an emerhave questions and concerns about it. gency. The answer is no. The doctors We’ve all seen troubling headlines, treating you and the team involved in and many of us have had our own donation have separate responsibiliexperiences with unequal treatment ties. Donation isn’t even conin health care. People deserve sidered until every effort has honest information about donabeen made to save your life. tion. I also hear concerns about Organ donation is deeply whether the system is fair. personal to me. I am alive Organs are allocated based on today because someone chose medical urgency, compatibility to donate. and time on the waiting list — When I was 23, I was being not income or celebrity status. Columnist treated for burns from a house Like every part of health care, fire when the doctors found Christopher the system can and should conout that my kidneys were failBelt tinue improving, but I believe ing. I was able to manage my the best decisions come from kidney disease for 14 years, understanding how it actually works, but eventually had to start dialysis. not from assumptions or fear. Dialysis kept me alive, but it also Kidneys are by far the most urgentmeant planning around five-hour ly needed organs, with approximately treatments and hoping each day that a 94,000 Americans waiting for kidney match would become a lifesaving kidney transplant. available. When I finally Thousands of mothers and received a kidney transplant, Organ donafathers, sons and daughters I could start living again. tion is deepstruggle to keep hope that That experience changed their time will come. We can ly personal how I think about service. all do our part to keep that to me. I am When you’ve been given hope alive. another chance at life alive today With that in mind, I feel because of someone else’s because uneasy when I hear that for generosity, you look for someone the first time in 14 years, the ways to help others receive chose to annual number of deceased that same opportunity. It’s donate. organ donations in the United why I worked to pass legStates has declined. Whether islation protecting workers you decide to become a donor who choose to become living is your choice. My hope is simply that donors, because the fear of losing it’s a choice based on trusted informayour job should never stand between tion and careful thought, because that your desire to save a life. one decision can change another famiMy story isn’t unique. Many families in our community are walking the ly’s future the way it changed mine. same road. The reality is that Black Christopher Belt is an Illinois Americans are disproportionately state senator representing Belleville, affected by kidney disease, diabetes Collinsville, O’Fallon, Granite City, and hypertension, which means it’s Freeburg, Mascoutah and Scott Air our own parents, siblings, neighbors Force Base. He received a lifesaving and friends who may one day need kidney transplant in 2010. an organ. I’ve never forgotten that By Christopher Belt

Commentary

Stephen A. Smith has an accountability problem applause. Remember: this is the same man who spent weeks last fall going after As a sports journalist-turned-media Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, a personality with political ambitions, Democrat from Texas who ran for the Stephen A. Smith has never met a room he couldn’t fill with the sound of his own U.S. Senate, because he didn’t care for her “rhetoric for the streets.” Crockett — voice. a combative former civil rights So when the National attorney who built her name Association of Black Journalists defending people the system tried handed ESPN’s flagship Black to bury, and, during her time in commentator a “Thumbs Down” Congress, spoke openly about racaward nearly two weeks ago at ism — wasn’t respectable enough its annual conference in Atlanta for Smith’s taste. — citing what it called Smith’s In Black America, Crockett is “recurring public pattern of disa warrior icon. By Smith’s stanparaging commentary directed at Columnist dards, she was too much: too prominent Black women across Black, too Southern, too unbothpolitics, sports and media” — the Joseph ered by his notion of respectonly shocking part was that anyWilliams ability. So he scolded her on his one expected him to sit with it. podcast and questioned whether Rather than brush it off, her style and ambitions were “gonna help defend himself or pause for a moment of your district.” personal reflection, Smith came in hot. The backlash came fast, from comHe posted on X that the award was mentator Roland Martin to activist “the epitome of Christmas Tamika Mallory to rapper arriving early” before promising Willie D. to “come for” the organization Smith eventually apologized that dared to say publicly what NABJ offi— kinda — after watching a lot of Black Americans have cially put President Donald Trump pile said privately for years. on Crockett with Smith’s own Smith on its “Let’s see who REALLY insults. Smith later acknowldeserves a Thumbs Down “naughty” edged that his words had “given Award when it comes to the list. [Trump] ammunition,” but Black Community, after I say couldn’t resist adding that sugmy peace![sic]” he wrote. “I’ve gestions he indulged in classic shut my mouth for years. Now misogynoir were “emphatically y’all started something.” false.” Last Saturday, I was in the banquet It’s the same energy Smith brought hall when NABJ — an organization of when he scolded former President Barack professionals dedicated to challenging Obama for telling Black men to examine power and calling out harm — officialtheir own reluctance to vote for a Black ly put Smith on its “naughty” list. He woman for president. joined about a half-dozen Thumbs Down To be clear, Smith has the right to “winners,” including Brendan Carr, the his opinions. Crockett, Obama and other Federal Communications Commission Black public figures aren’t above critchairman; CBS News; and DuJuan icism. Even NABJ has its issues; one McCoy, a Black media mogul. wishes it would use its power to fry even With Smith, NABJ’s leaders looked at bigger institutional fish. But if Smith his body of work and concluded that his chooses to spew hot takes targeting influacerbic, borderline offensive commenential Black women, he should be held tary about Black women is causing real accountable for misogynoir. damage. When his headshot appeared on the jumbo screens, there was a collective Joseph Williams is head of content for gasp from the audience, some chuckling Word In Black. and, then, more than a smattering of By Joseph Williams

Commentary

Historic facts on Black fatherhood

St. Louis American stlamerican.com

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

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

Donald M. Suggs Publisher

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

ADMINISTRATION

Fred Sweets • Ellen Sweets PRODUCTION

Dina M. Suggs – Sr. Vice President Julie Erickson – Chief Operating Officer Raven Whitener – Director, The St. Louis American Foundation and Special Events Reba Smith – Executive Assistant-Coordinator

Dawn Suggs – Digital Director James LeBine – Multimedia Specialist

EDITORIAL

SALES

Rod Hicks – Executive Editor Alvin A. Reid – City Editor Kenya Vaughn – Arts and Entertainment Editor Earl Austin Jr. – Sports Editor Lawrence Bryant – Visual Journalist Sylvester Brown Jr. – Deaconess Advocacy Fellow Na’Porsha Williams – Breaking News Reporter

Pam Simmons – Senior Account Executive Angelita F. Houston – Classified Manager Ashley Simmons – Account Executive

Mike Terhaar – Art Director DIGITAL

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They did not wait for the war to end, either. Historians at Villanova University Last week, I had lunch with an old have recovered nearly 5,000 notices like friend. it. Freed people paying for newspaper He is a Black Republican and a popspace, year after year, hunting for family ular commentator, which means we have sold away. Judith Giesberg, who leads spent 20 years disagreeing in public and that project, estimates the success rate liking each other in private. He would be may have been as low as 2%. welcome in any barbershop in America. Many of those notices were placed by He keeps it real in the way men men. Fathers. Husbands. Brothers. in any true community require of Now come forward to our own one another. time. We talked about our kids. That Among fathers living with their was most of the lunch. small children, Black fathers were Nothing about that would surthe most likely of the groups the prise any Black man reading this. study counted to bathe, dress and Nothing about it would surprise change them every day. Seventy most Black people. percent did. For White fathers, Columnist But every Black father carries 60%. For Hispanic fathers, 45%. something else around with him. Among fathers of school-age We know the stereotypes: that we Ben Jealous children, 41% of Black fathers do not stay, that we do not prohelped with homework or checked it vide, that we are not there. daily. For White fathers, 28%. Those stories are as old as the country That study covered 2006 to 2010. It is itself. still the most recent we have, because the So is the proof against them. And the government stopped asking. proof was written down by the men who A later look at federal data, from owned us. 2017 to 2019, found the pattern holds for In November 1836, a man named fathers living apart from their Richard escaped near children. Nearly six in 10 Black Morganton, North Carolina. He fathers saw their children weekgot away while the brother of ly. For White fathers, about four the man who claimed him was But every in 10. hauling him to Alabama. Black father That survey also has a hard The enslaver bought newscarries number, and I will not skip it. paper space to get him back. 43% of Black fathers have at something His advertisement did not guess least one child living somewhere Richard was headed. It else around where else. For White fathers it told readers exactly where to with him. is 14%. look. Black fathers who live with The man who owned Richard We know the their children are among the stereotypes: was not speculating. He put most involved in this country. money behind it. He had seen that we do ones living apart report enough men run toward a not stay, that The showing up more than anybody. wife or a child to know where we do not Something keeps pulling to send the search party. He provide, that them out of the house. expected his readers to know it Work left those neighbortoo. we are not hoods. Violence rose. Prisons Historians have been colthere. filled. lecting those advertisements None of it is new. None of it for years. The Freedom on the is only ours. It hit Black neighMove project indexes close to borhoods first and hardest, then 90,000. They name wives. They kept going until it reached everybody. name children. They name the road the man was likely taking to reach them. Ben Jealous is a professor of practice Capture meant brutal punishment. at the University of Pennsylvania and forEscape itself could be deadly. They ran mer president and CEO of the NAACP. anyway. By Ben Jealous

“Of course Black lives matter. Do we think our little white asses are the only ones that matter? No!” — Dolly Parton, who died Tuesday, during an interview in 2020

News

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AUG. 27 – SEPT. 2, 2026

Two SLPS schools rank among nation’s top 100 By Na’Porsha Williams St. Louis American Two St. Louis Public Schools magnet high schools top Missouri’s latest U.S. News & World Report rankings — and both landed among the top 100 nationally. Metro Academic and Classical High School is No. 1 in Missouri and the St. Louis region and No. 22 nationally. Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience is No. 2 in both the state and region and No. 90 nationally. “These rankings affirm something we know every day: excellence lives in SLPS,” said Dr. Isaac M. Pollack, an SLPS network superintendent.” Our students can compete with the very best students anywhere, and our educators are doing remarkable work to prepare them not simply to graduate, but to thrive in college, careers, and the world beyond our classrooms. St. Louis-area schools took Missouri’s top four spots, with Clayton High School at No. 3 and Parkway West at No. 4. STEAM Academy at McCluer South-Berkeley in Ferguson-Florissant was No. 8 statewide and No. 6 in the metro area. Metro and Collegiate are small compared with many of the suburban schools near the top of the

Photos by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American

Two St. Louis Public Schools magnet high schools top Missouri’s latest U.S. News & World Report rankings. Metro Academic and Classical High School is No. 1 in Missouri and the St. Louis region and No. 22 nationally. Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience is No. 2 in both the state and region and No. 90 nationally. rankings. Metro enrolls 317 students in grades 9-12 and Collegiate 332. Parkway West, Lafayette and Lindbergh each enroll more than 1,400. Metro had a 99% graduation rate and college-readiness score of 91.2. Collegiate had a 96% graduation rate and 88.0 readiness score. Clayton, the highest-ranked suburban school, had a 97% graduation rate and 65.6 readiness score. Metro sophomore Eyanna Tankins said the

school has pushed her to become more independent and introduced her to advanced coursework earlier than she expected. “At Metro, you have to go home, you have to study, you have to do things on your own time,” Eyanna said. “You have to actually perfect your craft on your own time rather than just going to school, doing the work and going straight back home.” Metro and Collegiate differ in an important way from the traditional

public high schools they outranked: Both are academically selective magnet schools. Students must apply and meet eligibility requirements, unlike traditional neighborhood schools that serve students within an attendance area. Eyanna said Metro also exposes students to a range of advanced courses, including AP Government, AP World History and IB science courses. “They push you to do more, like getting more involved with APs and IB

classes earlier on, so you can know what to look forward to,” she said. In North County, STEAM Academy’s sixthplace regional ranking put it ahead of Ladue Horton Watkins, Lindbergh, Kirkwood and Webster Groves. STEAM had a 98% graduation rate. College readiness accounts for 30% of the U.S. News ranking. State assessment proficiency and performance each account for 20%. The publication also considers the

breadth of college-level coursework, graduation rates and the performance of Black, Hispanic and low-income students. McKinley Classical Leadership Academy is the next-highest SLPS school, ranking No. 13 in the St. Louis area. It had an 88% graduation rate and college-readiness score of 25.8. Edwardsville High School is the highest-ranked Illinois school in the St. Louis region, coming in at No. 25.

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ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • AUG. 27 – SEPT. 2, 2026

News Briefs

St. Louis offers water bill relief to tornado survivors

St. Louis residents affected by the May 2025 tornado can receive a 50% reduction in water rates through 2028 under a new city assistance program as the Water Division ends its moratorium on delinquent accounts. About 4,164 accounts in tornado-affected neighborhoods are delinquent, totaling $4.34 million. Water shutoffs for delinquent accounts are scheduled to resume Sept. 30. Under the Tornado Recovery Water

Affordability Program, eligible residents can receive reduced rates, extended repayment plans and waived late fees. Charges since the tornado can be forgiven for homes deemed uninhabitable. Residents have until Oct. 31 to enroll. Applications are available online at STLRecovers.com, by phone at 314-7712255 or at the STLRecovers Outreach Center, 4401 Natural Bridge Ave.

St. Louis County sets out data center safeguards St. Louis County is proposing stricter rules for future data centers in unincorporated areas, including requirements addressing power use, water quality and noise. The 21-page proposal comes even though no data center projects are pending in those

areas. County Executive Sam Page said Tuesday the regulations are intended to protect residents while setting expectations for developers. “We take seriously clean-air, clean water and noise pollution,” Page said.

Facebook settlement brings Missouri up to $150M Missouri will receive an estimated $100 million to $150 million as part of an $18 billion settlement between Meta and 48 states over allegations that its Facebook and Instagram platforms harmed children’s mental health. Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced Missouri’s share Wednesday but

did not specify how the money would be used. The settlement also requires Meta to adopt additional safety measures for young users. The company denied wrongdoing but said the agreement could establish new standards for teen safety.

20th Street project costs rise after utility discovery St. Louis officials approved nearly $45,000 in additional engineering costs for improvements to 20th Street after crews encountered unexpected underground utilities, including a water main. The increase brings the city’s engineering contract for the $15.25 million project

to about $1.56 million. The work covers 20th Street from Market Street to St. Louis Avenue and includes new pavement, sidewalks, lighting and traffic signals. Construction, originally expected to finish this fall, is now scheduled for completion in summer 2027.

Missouri unclaimed property auction begins Thursday Missouri’s annual Unclaimed Property Auction begins Thursday in Columbia, with more than 2,000 items available for bidding. The two-day auction starts at 9 a.m. Thursday and Friday at the Hilton Garden Inn Conference Center. Items generally come

from safe deposit boxes left unclaimed for about five years. Proceeds remain available for the owners or their heirs to claim. Last year’s auction generated more than $319,000, the highest total in 15 years.

Commentary

Black women refuse to cower in fear

movement toward freedom and access to the American Dream looks like. On Jan. 20, 2025, as the first In the wake of historic job Black woman to serve as vice losses, Black women have pivpresident ended her last day in oted to become a new face of office, President Donald Trump entrepreneurship in this country. issued an executive order terAnd those businesses are a real minating diversity, equity and economic engine. According to inclusion offices across the fedthe 2025 Wells Fargo Impact of eral government. The next day, Women-Owned Businesses report, he ended 60 years of affirmative Black women-owned action requirements for businesses in the U.S. federal contractors. number more than 2 Two words that made million and employ more the administration’s than 647,000 people. list of banned words, History has shown “Black” and “women,” Black America that created a ripple effect opportunity and influin hiring and job losses ence have never been across the economy given to us. And what that disproportionately we’ve achieved since affected Black women. Reconstruction has been The total loss? 251,000 the fruit of perseverance, between January and Candece community and colAugust 2025, according Monteil lective action, most of to the Bureau of Labor which was either led by or deeply Statistics and findings from the supported by a foundation of comNational Urban League 2026 mitted Black women. State of Black America Report. That history shows us that the In response, Black women leadership we see today is legacy aren’t cowering; they’re fighting and prophecy for our country’s back. future. At every setback, we take In Georgia, Keisha Lance Bottoms, former mayor of Atlanta two steps forward. In every fight for our rights, we bear the blows and senior adviser to former President Joe Biden, is locked in a with resolve and build back stronclose race for the keys to the gov- ger. And make no mistake, Black ernor’s mansion this fall. women are not alone in this fight; During her mayoral term, she they have an entire communiwas a friend of the Urban League ty organizing beside them. The of Greater Atlanta, helping our affiliate expand opportunity across Urban League movement is a partner investing in and developthe city, and partnered with us to improve educational outcomes for ing its entrepreneurial ventures, voters are evangelizing its vision our children. and it is standing on the shoulders In Illinois, Juliana Stratton is of women who have come and running for the U.S. Senate to fought before them in the face of defeat poverty by creating economic opportunities and to defend oppression and darkness. As Lady Liberty and her torch democracy by committing to passlit the way for freedom through ing voting rights legislation. revolutions, Black women and And in Florida, Angie Nixon their resilience carry the torch that won this week’s U.S. Senate primary by pledging to center people lights our path to a brighter future over corporate profits and a vision ahead. Candece Monteil is National for a universal jobs program. Urban League manager of special These women are but a handprojects ful of examples of what today’s By Candece Monteil

Business AUG. 27 – SEPT. 2, 2026

From cell to sales

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PEOPLE On The Move

Former inmate builds business inspired by prison food

Okwuraiwe appointed to STLCC board The Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education has appointed Vanessa Okwuraiwe to the St. Louis Community College Board of Trustees. Okwuraiwe is a principal at Edward Jones, where she has worked since 2001. She previously served on the STLCC Foundation board from 2012 to 2023, including Vanessa as board president Okwuraiwe from 2020 to 2022. She earned an executive master’s degree in business administration from Washington University in St. Louis, and a master’s degree in development economics from the University of Kent in Canterbury, United Kingdom.

Harmon appointed STL County municipal judge

Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American

Steven “Stevie” Gilliam, owner of Stevie’s Kitchen, features prison-inspired creations including ‘fed’ fried rice, loaded jailhouse pizza, jail nachos and sweet and spicy bowls. By Na’Porsha Williams St. Louis American Before Steven “Stevie” Gilliam was serving up meals at a brick-and-mortar restaurant, he was hustling his signature spicy bowls straight out of the trunk of his car in 2023. Today, Stevie’s Kitchen, also known as Stevie’s Jail House Kitchen, has a storefront in Riverview, where Gilliam sells food he first came to know while serving time. Gilliam was released from federal prison in 2019 after convictions on drug and gun charges. After three separate sentences totaling nearly 10 years behind bars, Gilliam has turned his criminal past

different menu items, said into motivation. His restaurant’s playful slogan doubles the meals have “all the flavors you ever want when as his personal motto: “You you eat a meal. For real. ain’t got to go to jail, come Definitely satto Stevie’s.” isfied.” The menu He added at Stevie’s The menu at one sugKitchen Stevie’s Kitchen gestion for features prispotential dinon-inspired features prison-iners: “Order creations, spired creations, ahead.” including including “fed” Gilliam “fed” fried fried rice, loaded says he takes rice, loaded jailhouse jailhouse pizza, jail the prison connection pizza, jail nachos and sweet seriously, nachos and and spicy bowls. buying core sweet and ingredients spicy bowls. sourced Customers through inmates’ prison say the unusual concept commissaries. He sells delivers on taste. Kevin hard-to-find commissary McCaster, who has visited brands like Bushy Creek the restaurant twice to try

and Cactus Annie’s, securing items like The Whole Shebang chips, summer dogs, jalapeno short cheese, refried beans and pouches of mackerel and yellowfin tuna. Because commercial food vendors don’t supply these specific products, Gilliam said he sends money to contacts inside prisons who purchase the goods and ship them out. The process is expensive, with bags of chips costing him up to $17 each and selling for $25. “The items, we use them for almost everything, but you make it a different way, and it tastes so different,” Gilliam said. “When it’s called a jailhouse pizza, it See Prison Food, A6

Brought to you by

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Financial wellness is a practice

Community Manager Nakischa Joseph in St. Louis shares how to build a routine that lasts

and trusted resources. Chase Community When it comes Manager Nakischa to personal finance, Joseph helps most of us think neighbors in St. about goals — savLouis turn finaning for a home, cial wellness into paying off debt, or a routine that fits launching a busitheir lives, proness. But financial viding practical wellness isn’t just money skills eduabout reaching cation and support milestones; it’s Nakischa on important about the habits and Joseph money skills like choices we make budgeting, saving, every day. It’s a practice, and like any practice, it gets building credit and scam stronger with personalized See JPMorgan, A6 guidance, practical support JPMorganChase

Steven L. Harmon, vice president and chief human resources officer at Affinia Healthcare, has been appointed a St. Louis County Municipal Court judge. County Executive Sam Page appointed Harmon, who will continue in his position at Affinia. Harmon has more than 20 years of experience in the justice system Steven L. as an attorney and Harmon law enforcement commander. St. Louis County municipal judges oversee ordinance violations, issue warrants, schedule trial dates and ensure due process.

Lee, Morris named company vice presidents Tyjaun Lee and Jeff Morris have been named co-vice presidents of Connections to Success, a nonprofit that provides employment and other services to individuals and families in St. Louis, Columbia and Kansas City. Lee is vice chancellor of administrative services Tyjaun Lee at Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City. Morris is chief digital advisor at World Wide Technology. Founded in 1998, Connections to Success provides job-readiness training, life coaching, mentoring, professional clothing, employer connections and career support.

Drisdel honored for response to chemical fire Willie Drisdel, a St. Clair County Transit District transit ambassador and East St. Louis resident, was recognized by the district for his response to hazardous conditions following an Aug. 12 chemical fire in Sauget, Illinois. Drisdel alerted Metro Public Affairs about the conditions Willie Drisdel and provided information about the potential impact on Metro’s Illinois bus operations. The St. Clair County Transit District subsequently made operational adjustments. The district recognized Drisdel for his professionalism and attention to public safety.

Envato photo

Simple habits such as budgeting, setting aside savings and regularly reviewing spending can strengthen financial wellness.

Please submit your People on the Move item (including photo) to areid@stlamerican.com.

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ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • AUG. 27 – SEPT. 2, 2026

Prison Food Owner Steven Gilliam, right, has also added traditional menu items, including fried chicken, fish, fries and macaroni and cheese.

Continued from A5 tastes like a pizza. When you do a nacho, it tastes like a nacho. It’s the same ingredients, but it tastes so different. It’s wild.” The restaurant has also added traditional menu items, including fried chicken, fish, fries and macaroni and cheese. Gilliam has carried the prison theme beyond the food. Inside the restaurant’s kitchen, he built a replica of a prison cell within an unused walk-in freezer. The space contains bunk beds, mattresses, a clear plastic television, a fan and prison-issued headphones. Gilliam said the cell serves as a personal reminder to stay focused, noting that spending time in the room helped keep him and a friend from returning to prison. “Stevie’s isn’t just a business, it isn’t just food, it isn’t just a logo. It’s a movement. It’s a place where people can eat, learn, grow and believe that no matter where they come from, their future can be greater than their past,” Gilliam said. “It’s an acquired taste. And I knew if I could get this on the streets, it would

JPMorgan Continued from A5 prevention. Making financial wellness part of everyday life You can start small

Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American

go crazy. The reason I love the food is because it reminded me of something — of what not to go back to.” Gilliam works alongside two partners in the restaurant: Deion “Chef D” Woodard of Cluster Buster’s and Ricardo Swait of Sw8 Creates. Together, the trio praises God as the driving force behind their business venture and personal paths. They also credit their success to complementa-

ry strengths, noting that where one partner may lack a skill, another excels. Woodard earned an associate degree in culinary arts from St. Louis Community College at Forest Park in 2018. After working in fast food and selling food in high school, he enrolled in college. “I really only ever went into the culinary program just so I could tell my daddy I went to college,” Woodard said. After immersing him-

self in the culinary environment, however, he fell in love with the craft and decided to pursue it as a career. Woodard previously owned and operated Cluster Buster’s locations across St. Louis and one in Atlanta before stepping away temporarily following the deaths of his father and brother. “Stevie always says he doesn’t sell food, he sells vibes. I’m learning that from him as far as:

you gotta sell yourself, sell your brand,” Woodard said. “I take pride in cooking. I like cooking, I like seeing people eat, I like seeing them smile. ... As long as my bills paid and my kids good, I’m cool. I’m not trying to be the richest chef in the world.” Swait works as a fulltime special education teacher while developing global fusion meals for the menu. Drawing inspiration from Jamaican, Mexican, Indian, Asian and African

when practicing financial wellness. It can look like a 10-minute weekly money check-in, setting up automatic savings, asking a question about credit, or joining a workshop to learn how to spot a scam before you get hit. Through local collaborations and free workshops

that are open to everyone in the community, customers and noncustomers alike, Community Managers help neighbors build healthy money habits like budgeting, improving credit, planning for homeownership and protecting against scams. We sat down with

Chase Community Manager Nakischa Joseph in St. Louis to learn more about the impact of their work and the opportunities ahead.

• Make a simple budget: A budget is a spending plan that can help protect both your essentials and your future. A practical budget starts with clarity on what’s coming in, what must go out and what can be adjusted — then it turns saving into a weekly habit.

1. What led you to the Community Manager role in St. Louis and what has been the impact? I’ve always believed that financial knowledge is one of the most powerful tools a person can have. I’ve witnessed firsthand how small, consistent steps can lead to big changes because it impacts the choices you make, the opportunities you pursue and how much stress you carry day to day. Many people were never taught the basics in a clear, practical way — so when a surprise expense hits or prices rise, it can feel like you’re behind before you even start. As Community Manager, I support St. Louis by connecting neighbors, businesses and local leaders to the right financial resources for their unique priorities. I host workshops at branches and out in the community to help people build money skills that improve their lives and the lives of their families — whether it’s buying a home, growing a business or simply feeling more confident about their finances. It is so rewarding to help St. Louis-area residents build toward a stronger financial future. Every day, I get to engage with people who are working toward their dreams, even when things feel overwhelming. Seeing someone leave a workshop with a new sense of confidence — or hearing that it helped them avoid a scam or start saving for the first time — reminds me that we’re building a stronger St. Louis together. 2. What do you recommend the St. Louis community do to strengthen its financial wellness? As inflation and rising costs stretch household budgets, the most effective response is a plan you can stick with. By focusing on repeatable habits — setting aside money weekly, building an emergency fund and putting essentials first — you can cover today’s costs while still saving.

• Treat savings like a bill: Set aside a small amount every week, even if it’s just a few dollars. Automate it if you can. Consistency is more important than the amount. • Build an emergency fund in phases: Aim for a starter buffer first — enough to cover a surprise expense — then work toward a bigger goal, like a few months of essentials. Even a small amount of money put aside every week can reduce stress and create flexibility when prices move. • Check in weekly: Spend 10 minutes each week comparing your plan to what you actually spent. Adjust as needed, and don’t be hard on yourself if things change — like groceries and transportation, where inflation often shows up quickly. The key is to keep going. Financial wellness isn’t about being perfect — it’s about building a system that helps you handle what life throws at you. I’d love for you to join me at one of my upcoming workshops, where everyone is welcome. Stop by your local branch or sign up for one of these upcoming sessions: Sept. 25: Ways to Avoid Fraud and Scams Chase Bank – Suemandy 5775 Suemandy Drive, St. Peters Registration: https:// events.chase. com/300093430 Sept. 30: Homeownership 101 Chase Bank – Jennings 8425 Lucas and Hunt Road, Jennings Registration: https:// events.chase. com/300093646 What is Chase doing to make it easier for people to strengthen their financial wellness? We’re bringing more financial wellness support and personalized guidance into more

cuisines, he specializes in cross-cultural creations like jerk chicken tacos, oxtail tacos and curry chicken empanadas. “I grew up like a fat kid, so I always liked food. … Now I’m a little more health-conscious, but I fulfill my love for food by feeding other people,” Swait said. “To me, it’s like I’m in a cooking show all day. I used to watch ‘Chopped,’ and I feel like I’m on ‘Chopped’ all day. So for real, I’m living a dream.” First-time customer Jacob Potter stopped in while working next door after seeing the restaurant’s menu items. After ordering Stevie’s cheeseburger, Potter said the customer service was “pretty good so far, fairly quick.” Gilliam’s business has expanded beyond the restaurant. Following attention on social media, he began shipping orders out of state, including to Colorado, New York, California and Wyoming. He also has organized out-of-town pop-up events designated as “Stevie Tours,” where he cooks meals, sells commissary product bundles and sells his book, From JailHouse Noodles to Nachos To Net Profit: How I Went from Cell To Sales.

neighborhoods. Through the American Dream Initiative, JPMorganChase is doubling the number of Community Centers, hiring more than 150 additional Community Managers and expanding our financial education programs with the goal of reaching 5 million people. JPMorganChase’s American Dream Initiative is a multiyear effort to expand economic opportunity by scaling evidence-based solutions that help the economy work for more people. JPMorganChase will provide financing, facilitate capital, offer advice, training and tools to help people start and grow small businesses. The firm will also significantly expand investments in proven initiatives that help people find affordable places to live, save and plan for their financial futures, get good jobs, access quality health care and strengthen local institutions. Explore tools for every financial journey at chase. com/financialgoals and for more information on the American Dream Initiative, visit www. jpmorganchase.com/ America. For informational/ educational purposes only: Views and strategies described in this article or provided via links may not be appropriate for everyone and are not intended as specific advice/ recommendation for any business. Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but JPMorgan Chase & Co. or its affiliates and/ or subsidiaries do not warrant its completeness or accuracy. The material is not intended to provide legal, tax, or financial advice or to indicate the availability or suitability of any JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. product or service. You should carefully consider your needs and objectives before making any decisions and consult the appropriate professional(s). Outlooks and past performance are not guarantees of future results. JPMorgan Chase & Co. and its affiliates are not responsible for, and do not provide or endorse third party products, services, or other content. Deposit products provided by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Opportunity Lender.

HealthMatters your

‘Taking Care of You’ AUG. 27 – SEPT. 2, 2026

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More St. Louisans could get radiation relief

Commentary

Sounding the alarm on Black youth suicide By Jamala Rogers

Missouri ZIP codes. Millions of dollars have been paid out so far to St. Louis-area residents affected by radioactive waste left over from the Manhattan Project — the top-secret federal government program established to create the world’s first atomic bombs during World War II. After the war, uranium processed in St. Louis was transported to surrounding areas, contaminating sites including Coldwater Creek and the West Lake Landfill in Bridgeton. Radioactive material and debris were also dumped in a quarry in Weldon

The statistics on gun violence and children are shocking enough. Firearms are the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 17 in the United States, according to an analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mortality data. Add to that statistic the alarming rise in suicide among Black youth, whose suicide rates have risen faster than those of any other racial or Jamala ethnic group over the Rogers past two decades, and you really do have a public health crisis. These deaths of our young are preventable. This past weekend, two events brought awareness to the issue of destigmatizing mental health. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) To know that sponsored its second annual studies show Pathways to Hope the alarming Conference at rate at which Harris-Stowe our children’s State University. lives are being This year’s conference focused cut short by on the support homicide and and celebration of suicide should Black boys and men. put us into The launch immediate, of the Black collective Male Suicide action. Awareness Initiative led to its Community Day of Hope, Healing and Wellness, which was held at the Northside Movement Center. The event featured support services specific to Black male suicide. If violence is truly a public health issue, we must first address the racism

See Radiation, A8

See Rogers, A8

Photo by Sarah Skiold-Hanlin / St. Louis Public Radio

This radiation warning sign is one of many posted on the chain-link fence surrounding part of the West Lake Landfill in Bridgeton. Recently introduced bipartisan legislation in Congress would add nine St. Louis-area ZIP codes to the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act and eliminate the age restriction for leukemia claims.

The bill expands the list of illnesses and increases compensation amount By Lecretia Wembly St. Louis Public Radio Last summer was the first time people in Missouri affected by the federal government’s radioactive waste could apply for compensation, and a new bipartisan bill recently introduced in Congress would expand who qualifies — including parents whose children died after developing illnesses linked to radiation exposure. The House bill was introduced by Del. James Moylan, R-Guam. Congressman Wesley Bell is a cosponsor. He said the bill adds nine ZIP codes in the St. Louis region,

Millions of dollars have been paid out so far to St. Louisarea residents affected by radioactive waste left over from the Manhattan Project. including 63106, one of the St. Louis ZIP codes advocates had previously pushed to have included in RECA. The other additions are 63107, 63112, 63113, 63115, 63120, 63133, 63136 and 63137. There are 21 qualifying

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When an overdose occurs, you make the difference St. Louis County Department of Health

prepared to respond when it counts.

In 2021, 397 people lost their lives to drug-related overdoses in St. Louis County. In the years since then, community members have continued responding to overdoses, while the number of overdose deaths fell to 217 in 2024. This is why it’s so important for all of us to take care of others in our community. Every one of us has the power to make a difference and save lives; you don’t have to be a doctor or social worker or have any formal training. All you need is a little information so you’re

What are the signs and symptoms of an overdose? There are a number of indicators that can help you spot an overdose as it’s happening. Here’s what to look for. Pinpoint pupils Opioids often make a person’s pupils constrict or become smaller. Limp body During an overdose, the person will often slump over, stop moving, or lose consciousness altogether. If they are unable to hold their head up, grip your

hand, or respond to your voice or touch, that’s a strong signal they may be having an overdose.

In 2021, 397 people lost their lives to drug-related overdoses in St. Louis County. In the years since then, community members have continued responding to overdoses, while the number of overdose deaths fell to 217 in 2024.

Slow, weak or no breathing Opioid overdose typically involves trouble breathing or not breathing at all. A person’s brain can only go a few minutes without oxygen, so it’s important to help them quickly. Choking, gurgling or vomiting Opioids can suppress a person’s gag reflex, affecting their ability to swallow or spit. This can lead to See Overdose, A8

Envato photo

HealthMatters your

‘Taking Care of You’

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • AUG. 27 – SEPT. 2, 2026

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Rogers

The Black Male Suicide Awareness Initiative was launched recently at a press conference announcing Community Day for Hope, Healing and Wellness. Seated, from left, are initiative co-conveners Erise Williams and Jamala Rogers; Christopher Pate, who discussed his struggles with depression and suicide after a serious car accident; and Ma’Kya Marie Patton, who lost two siblings to homicide and suicide.

Continued from A7 that prevents us from looking at Black children and youth, especially males, as human beings. To know that studies show the alarming rate at which our children’s lives are being cut short by homicide and suicide should put us into immediate, collective action. Our own Black experts have identified and detailed the trauma that engulfs African descendants of slavery. Dr. Joyce DeGruy tells us about the impact of Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome, a theory she developed to describe the continuing effects of generations of slavery and racism. Dr. Shawn Ginwright adds to the trauma phenomenon the concept of a persistent traumatic stress environment, and Dr. Thema Bryant has written about societal trauma and the trauma of racism and oppression. All of these have their roots in white pathology dominance and racism. They are inescapable and ever-present blockages to fully embracing our own humanity. The easy access to

Overdose Continued from A7 choking, vomiting or even what sounds like snoring, and can be a sign that the person needs medical attention fast.

Photo by Jess Anderson

guns remains a challenge given the resistance to a gun control policy with children in mind. The dominance of the National Rifle Association and its chokehold on lawmakers continues to be an obstacle to saving young lives. This is despite the number of tragic deaths in school shootings over the years.

I know that when it comes to addressing the conditions in the Black community, the prospects seem dismal. Our communities are struggling to thrive due to the effects of racial isolation, insufficient wages, failing schools, inadequate housing and lack of access to health care.

Progress in any one of these areas seems particularly daunting under the Trump administration, which has embarked on its own brand of anti-Black policies of disempowerment and erasure of Black institutions, history and culture. The worth of our communities must first come

from Black people. If we don’t believe we have value as humans and as citizens, we cannot hold the broader society accountable for its negative attitudes, hurtful behaviors and destructive laws. Our Black children and youth are literally begging for our attention. They

Discoloration of lips and/or fingernails An opioid overdose can deprive the body of oxygen, making the lips and the skin around the fingernails look blue or purple. Needle use can damage veins. What should you do if

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

The first thing a 9-1-1 dispatcher will ask you is the address of the emergency. Provide details about your location, the number you’re calling from and what type of emergency it is. The dispatcher will continue to ask you questions, but this initial information is crucial for them to get the right people out to you as soon as possible. And don’t worry about getting in trouble with the law. Missouri is a Good Samaritan state, meaning you will not be punished for helping someone get medical attention in the event of an overdose — even if you have an illicit substance in your possession.

Narcan) to the person overdosing. It’s a nasal spray medication that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose. Naloxone is safe to use even if they are not experiencing an overdose. Free naloxone kits are available through the St. Louis City and County Health Departments. Keeping this lifesaving medication on you at all times makes sure you’re ready when the moment comes.

Step 1: Call 911 Act quickly, but calmly.

Step 2: Use naloxone If available, administer naloxone (brand name

Radiation Continued from A7 Spring, close to the Missouri River. “Long before I got to Congress, I heard from St. Louisans about how they had been affected by the radioactive contamination from the Manhattan Project, and I made a promise — those folks endured decades of health crises, economic struggles and profound neglect by the very government that should be protecting them,” Bell said during a joint press conference with Moylan and other advocates last month. The bill also eliminates the age limit for leukemia patients. Right now, people with leukemia must have been initially exposed after age 20 and contracted the disease at least two years after first exposure. The new bill also would allow parents to apply for compensation on behalf of their children who died after developing illnesses linked to radiation exposure. Recently, St. Louis Public Radio heard from parents who said they were disheartened to learn they didn’t qualify for compensation after losing their children to cancer — despite living in qualifying ZIP codes and near the West Lake Landfill in Bridgeton, a 200-acre site where the Cotter

Step 3: Stay until help arrives Stay with the person until medical help arrives. Try to keep the person awake and breathing. When you are on the phone with 911, the operator can give you instructions to administer rescue breaths if needed.

Corp. illegally dumped radioactive waste from the Manhattan Project. The bill also expands the list of qualifying illnesses to include cervical cancer, prostate cancer, rectal cancer, uterine cancer, chronic lymphocytic leukemia and skin cancer. It increases the compensation amount as well. Under current law, eligible individuals who developed certain diseas-

Under the new legislation, claimants would be eligible for $150,000 in compensation plus qualifying out-of-pocket medical expenses. es after being exposed to Manhattan Project waste can receive a $50,000 lump sum plus reimbursement for qualifying out-ofpocket medical expenses. Their surviving spouses can receive $25,000, or surviving children can split $25,000 if there is no surviving spouse. Under the new legislation, claimants would be eligible for $150,000 in compensation plus qualifying out-of-pocket medical expenses. Those who have already been approved for compensation under the current program would be eligible to receive the dif-

don’t always have the language to express their anger, their grief or their hopelessness. Sometimes it comes in the form of self-destruction, but other times it looks like lashing out at the things and people around them. Either way, we can’t continue to ignore their pain and suffering. It does take a village to raise a child, as the African proverb advises us. The grown folks in the village have to work together to create a healthy environment for hope and healing. This means first doing the personal work so that we are not contributing to the systemic problems. And yes, it means we need to acknowledge our own trauma so that we are emotionally present for our children. Our collective power can educate community stakeholders, from faith leaders to the business community. The road to community well-being is not an easy one in 2026, but when you look at the state of our youth, it’s one that must be traveled. Together. Jamala Rogers is an opinion writer and one of the founding members of the Organization for Black Struggle.

Lay the person on their side with their top leg bent. This is the recovery position and helps to prevent choking. Once medical help arrives, they’ll be able to take over, but they may have questions you can answer to give them the best chance at saving the person. You can make the difference Our community is stronger when we keep an eye out for each other and are prepared to help in an emergency. When it comes to drug overdoses in our community, we all have a part to play. Learn more about overdose prevention, including where to get and how to use naloxone at ThinkHealthSTL.org.

ference. The expansion of RECA last year to include Missouri came after more than 10 years of advocacy by local groups including Just Moms STL. It was revived in July 2025 following efforts led by Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri. Christen Commuso, a policy specialist at the Missouri Coalition for the Environment, said it’s time to push even harder. “I am extremely hopeful that this bill will move forward. I think the expansion last year proved that there’s always reason for hope in this,” Commuso said. “I know that there are other sites within Missouri that also had a part in the nuclear weapons program. So we’re going to keep researching those. As long as we’re learning new things, we’re going to keep pushing for everybody to be included.” Missourians can apply for RECA compensation under the current program through December 2027. In addition to expansion in the St. Louis region, the bill broadens eligibility beyond Idaho, New Mexico, Utah and select counties to fully cover Arizona, Colorado, Guam, Montana and Nevada. St. Louis American reporter Sylvester Brown Jr. contributed to this report.

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ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • AUG. 27 – SEPT. 2, 2026

‘The Five Heartbeats’ star Michael Wright dies at 70 Michael Wright — the actor whose performance as Eddie King Jr. in The Five Heartbeats became a defining touchstone of Black cinema — died on Aug. 19, 2026, in Los Angeles. He was 70 years old. His wife, Susan Wright, announced his death in a statement shared on Instagram on August 21. Wright’s family said he died from heart failure coupled with complications of the rare neurological disease Marchiafava-Bignami. Born April 30, 1956, in New York City, Wright built a career that spanned more than four decades and had more than 50 film and television credits. But it was The Five Heartbeats — Robert Townsend’s 1991 musical Michael drama about a fictional male singing group — that cemented Wright’s place Wright in Black culture. On television, he was known for his work in the 1980s scifi franchise V and for his recurring role as Omar White on HBO’s Oz. He also appeared in Miami Vice, Scrubs, and most recently had an arc on the CW’s Black Lightning.

$6M abuse suit against Busta Rymes fizzles into $25K settlement

Busta Rhymes

Rap veteran Busta Rhymes will pay former assistant Dashiel Gables $25,000 to end their court fight over pay and claims of abuse at work. According to Allhiphop.com, new court papers finally added an amount to the deal after both sides agreed to settle earlier this year. Gables will reportedly receive two payments of $12,500, with half treated as wages and the other half covering the remainder of the deal. The money is due after a federal judge signs off on the pay part of the case. The papers name Trevor Smith, Busta’s legal name, along with Starbus LLC and Conglomerate Entertainment as the sides making the payment. That $25,000 total is far below the roughly $6 million Gables once sought over his short time working for Busta. Gables claimed he often worked 15 to 18 hours each day, seven days a week, while earning a flat $200 daily rate. Gables accused Busta of punching him several times inside a Brooklyn building on January 10, 2025.

Pierre Thomas suffers heart attack in Las Vegas Quality Control Music cofounder Pierre “P” Thomas – who helped build the careers of stars including Migos, Lil Baby and City Girls – is still recovering in the hospital after suffering a heart attack on Friday, August 21. TMZ broke the news of his cardiac arrest. According to the celebrity news site, Thomas is still recovering in a Las Vegas hospital – where he was admitted after suffering the heart attack. Thomas’ label asked, “that everyone keep Pierre Thomas P and his family in their thoughts and prayers and respectfully give them the privacy and space they need during this time,” in a social media post to update fans regarding his health. “We deeply appreciate everyone’s concern, support, prayers, and loving energy right now,” Quality Control added.

Patti LaBelle kicked nephew to curb for supporting Trump Patti LaBelle’s 65-year-old nephew and adopted son, William “Byl” Holte, says a years-long family dispute over his political views ultimately ended with him being cut out of the singer’s life. In a series of social media posts, Holte claimed that LaBelle kicked him out of her home, where he was living rent-free, after a 2019 confrontation.” According to The Grio, Holte said the breaking point came around Christmas 2019, shortly after LaBelle told him he needed to Patti LaBelle leave the home they had shared for 12 years. Holte said an argument erupted while relatives were discussing politics and his support for Donald Trump. He claimed that his response to the conversation angered family members and led to him being thrown out. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Holte described what followed as a painful break with both LaBelle and other relatives. “My punishment for using my 1st Amendment right this way was lifetime banishment. And as of today, she’s still not speaking to me.”

Hot Sheet Sources:

Allhiphop.cpm, Instagram.com, The Grio, TMZ.com. X.com

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Jones Continued from A1 hour. “Working at Herbert Hoover is the only fulltime job I’ve ever had,” Jones said in the video. “I don’t even have a résumé. And if I did, all the positions would be from Herbert Hoover.” Jones spent much of his life serving young people, his church and the community he called home. That commitment carried him from the football fields of St. Louis to the halls of government and, ultimately, to the mayor’s office in Dellwood. “We have lost the heartbeat of our family’s laughter and joy,” his family said in a statement. “Reggie was a rare soul who could walk into any room, take command of the atmosphere, and somehow make everyone feel at home.” Reginald Jones was born July 22, 1973, in St. Louis, the youngest of six children of Frank and Ann Jones. A graduate of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, he was a

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • AUG. 27 – SEPT. 2, 2026 member of New Sunny Mount Missionary Baptist Church, where he was ordained a deacon in March 2022. Long before he entered politics, Jones had established himself as a servant of young people. He served as president of the St. Louis Junior Football League from 1999 to 2013 while building what would become one of the defining relationships of his life — his work with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis. Jones rose to become director of the Herbert Hoover Club, a position he held at the time of his death. “You couldn’t have told me January 3, 1996, that I would end up being here for 30 years,” Jones said in the video. “I mean, who do you know that works in a place for 30 years these days?” Allisa “AJ” Foster, an alumna of Herbert Hoover, saw Jones’ leadership in action. “People like Mr. Reggie and Mr. Martin were creating something much bigger than an after-school program,” Foster said. “They were creating a community.”

That same spirit of service followed Jones into public office. His political career began in 2010, when he was elected to the Riverview Gardens School District board. He later served as Dellwood collector and 3rd Ward alderman before becoming mayor in 2013. He stepped into the position at a pivotal moment for North St. Louis County. A year into his tenure, the Ferguson uprising brought worldwide attention to the region. Numerous businesses in Dellwood were burned or damaged during the unrest that followed the police killing of Michael Brown Jr. in neighboring Ferguson. Jones worried that Dellwood’s losses would be overshadowed. “I didn’t want people to forget about Dellwood,” Jones told St. Louis Public Radio in 2024. Jones led the city through a difficult period while working to position it for recovery and growth. Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis President and CEO Michael P. McMillan worked alongside Jones on

projects including a senior living center and Urban League Plaza along West Florissant Avenue. “Through some of our region’s most challenging moments, he remained committed to rebuilding, restoring hope and creating greater opportunities for the families and businesses he served,” McMillan said. Under Jones’ leadership, Dellwood voters approved a $7 million bond issue to resurface streets and install new signage. In April, more than 90% of voters approved a separate $6 million bond measure for new community and infrastructure projects. Jones called the effort a “Dellwood renaissance.” “You have to think forward because you can’t just think for today,” he told KSDK. Jones also emphasized bringing residents together through community programming and events, including Dellwood’s annual Juneteenth Festival, which grew into a regional celebration of Black culture. His leadership style centered on nurturing relationships with resi-

dents and the surrounding community. That was evident last month when 11-year-old Dellwood entrepreneur Keon King Jr.’s lemonade stand was shut down over what city officials later acknowledged was a misunderstanding. “We make lemonade out of lemons,” Jones said. “Sometimes the greatest opportunities and strongest relationships can come from a misunderstanding.” Jones was selected for the St. Louis American Foundation’s Salute to Young Leaders in 2013. In 2020, he was elected Ferguson Township committeeman. Back at Herbert Hoover on Tuesday, Dr. Flint Fowler, who worked alongside Jones for nearly three decades, recalled a colleague who was never satisfied with simply doing the job before him. “The term ‘Midas touch’ comes to mind when I think of him,” Fowler said. “I think Reggie always looked to elevate his game — which means he elevated the impact of the programs and services that the Boys & Girls Club provides.”

Armstead Continued from A1 parents, “I absolutely have to go there!” She did. And it changed her life. “It was the first time in my educational experience I felt at home. I felt like it was a place made for me,” Armstead said. Decades later, Armstead returned to the school that had given her that sense of belonging — this time to lead it. Since becoming president and CEO of Cardinal Ritter in 2014, Armstead has doubled enrollment, overseen major improvements to the school’s 17-acre campus and expanded science, technology, arts and health and wellness programming. The school reports that its graduates have an 82% college persistence rate, compared with 73% nationally. Armstead will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award during the St. Louis American Foundation’s 39th annual Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship & Awards Gala on Oct. 17 at the St. Louis Union Station Hotel. Armstead was quick to credit Cardinal Ritter’s success to the people around her. “I haven’t made it this great institution all by myself. I’m not the teacher, I’m not the principal, I’m not the coach,” Armstead said. “Those are the people who make the magic happen.” Cardinal Ritter’s longtime board chairman, Joe Conran, describes her as a leader who cares about

SLPS Continued from A1 al savings, including $13.6 million in reduced staffing costs. The staffing reductions are expected to come primarily from existing Central Office vacancies that would remain unfilled. Another $10 million in projected savings would come from transportation changes. The district now proposes transportation zones of 1 mile for neighborhood schools and 2 miles for focus schools, rather than the 4-mile zone considered earlier in the Future Ready process. Superintendent Dr. Myra Berry said the transportation change came after the district heard concerns from parents. Administrators project

Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American

Tamiko Armstead, president and CEO of Cardinal Ritter High School, poses in the school hallway between classes. the school’s more than 400 students as if they were her own. “She leads by example,” Conran said, crediting Armstead and the people around her with creating a culture that produces well-rounded and successful young people. What makes Armstead’s accomplishments in education even more noteworthy is that she returned to Cardinal Ritter after spending 19 years in the business world as an executive with financial services firm Edward Jones. But Armstead acknowledges there were what she calls “divine” indicators along the way that seemed to predict where her life was headed. At age 7, Armstead, who grew up with two older brothers, asked her parents not to buy her any girl dolls for Christmas. She insisted on a boy doll, telling them, “When I

grow up, I’m only going to have sons.” Today, she and her husband, William, have five boys. Another prediction came years later at Wilberforce University, where Armstead blossomed, earning a bachelor’s degree in political science, national and international business internships and other academic accolades. In June 1994, she was crowned Miss Wilberforce. During the competition, a panel of judges asked the candidates where they saw themselves in 20 years. “I see myself running a school,” she told the audience. Twenty years later, to the month, she accepted the invitation to lead Cardinal Ritter. By then, Armstead had spent nearly two decades at Edward Jones and earned an MBA from Washington University.

Although she had never run a school, she said her business experience prepared her for the challenge. “I knew I had to get enrollment up; do some work on our strategic plan, build our brand and I knew I had to fundraise,” Armstead recalled. She had already led large departments and spent 17 of her 19 years at Edward Jones in leadership roles. She also carried over a guiding principle from the company. “Edward Jones’ motto is to ‘put the client first.’ So, I said, ‘that’s the same for us at Ritter, put the kids first.’ We put the mission first in everything we do.” Dr. Pamela Hamilton, Cardinal Ritter’s assistant principal, said that focus is evident throughout the school. “Every planning session, every meeting, everything is predicated on

uplifting and celebrating our children,” Hamilton said. “When everyone else talks negatively about our children, she’s always trying to find ways to empower them.” Bob Virgil, Armstead’s longtime mentor, credits her with breathing “life and vitality” into Cardinal Ritter. “Through her leadership, she’s shown that there can be excellence in secondary education … as long as there is commitment to excellence and to stewarding wisely and carefully limited resources,” Virgil said. That commitment includes bringing more Black men into the school. In 2022, Armstead led a strategic campaign to recruit more Black male teachers. Today, about 40% of Cardinal Ritter’s faculty and staff are Black men, compared with about 2% of teachers nationally. “We now have a Black

the measures would reduce the remaining structural deficit to about $6 million, with a balanced budget expected within two years. Latasha Smith, an SLPS educator and district resident who attended the final Future Ready SLPS community meeting, said residents will have to weigh competing priorities. “I think the district is doing the best that they can with the cards that they’ve been dealt,” Smith said. “Everybody’s not going to get everything they wanted. If we go into this with grace for the district and open minds as parents, staff and community members, then hopefully we come out with a plan that works for everybody.” Smith said equity should remain central to the decisions. “Every decision should

be something that all of our children benefit from, not some of them,” she said. “It should be an equitable process across the board, no matter what zip code you’re in, what color you are, or what school in the district you go to.” The A+ model would keep most SLPS schools in traditional elementary, middle and high school configurations, with a limited number serving students from pre-K through eighth grade. The district also proposes focus schools for advanced academics and visual and performing arts. Additional recommendations for gifted education will be presented separately to the board. Other campuses would undergo changes but are not among the 14 proposed closures. Sigel Elementary would become a pre-K-8

school. Gateway STEM would become a hybrid school serving neighborhood students and students from across the district in career and technical education programs. The district also plans to expand career and technical education across grade levels. Students would begin exploring potential careers in elementary school, gain more exposure in middle school and move into college and career academies in high school. Board members also discussed introducing financial literacy as early as kindergarten and exposing students to construction trades and other workforce skills. Marlowe Price, a Northwest High School alumnus who attended the final Future Ready community meeting, said the

city’s population decline should be considered when deciding which schools remain open. “Everybody gets emotional about the school they went to, but we don’t have the population,” Price said. “These school rooms are empty. Why are we keeping schools open, then we’ve got to heat and cool them? We’ve got to close them down.” Price also urged the district to develop partnerships with technical schools, pointing to Ranken Technical College near Sumner High School. “They can’t figure out a partnership? Somebody isn’t thinking outside the box,” Price said. “I want to see more vocational training.” The district’s research and evaluation team evaluated schools using

Koby Jones accepted the recognition his father was supposed to receive. “My dad was a powerful man,” Koby said. “It means a lot to me and my family to know that his hard work over the years and the impact that he has made will not be forgotten.” Jones is survived by his wife of more than 25 years, Rukiya Jones; four children; and five grandchildren. “While our hearts are broken by his passing, we find comfort in knowing that the impact of his life will continue through the family he loved, the people he served, the communities he touched and the countless lives made better simply because he was in them,” his family said. A wake for Jones will be held from noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2, at William C. Harris Funeral Home. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 3, at New Sunny Mount Baptist Church. A repass will follow directly after the service at Family Haven Event Center in Dellwood.

male in every subject — science, math, social studies, arts, music, you name it — and I’m just so proud of that,” Armstead said. Her belief in the importance of Black male involvement with young people goes back to her late father, who started Organized Men Against Juvenile Crime, a nonprofit that worked with police and public schools to reduce gun-related violence. “I have been so blessed to have been surrounded by strong Black men from high school to college to even Edward Jones,” Armstead said. “I know a Black boy can get something irreplaceable from an adult Black male.” Her father’s work came “full circle” in 2021, she said, when she partnered with the Urban League to start Movement Not Moment, a student-led nonviolence initiative born after the murder of Cardinal Ritter student Isis Mahr. Last year, Armstead received the President’s Award from the National Catholic Educational Association for contributions and leadership in Catholic education. Looking back, Armstead said she had no idea that the predictions, experiences and connections in her life would lead her back to Cardinal Ritter — the school where she first felt at home — and ultimately to its leadership. “I didn’t know but God knew.” Sylvester Brown Jr. is the Deaconess Foundation Community Advocacy Fellow.

factors including building condition, capacity, utilization and the number of students living nearby. Beyond the immediate consolidation plan, SLPS is considering a decadeslong overhaul of its buildings. The long-range facilities plan anticipates $2.25 billion in bond funding through 2050. Administrators said estimated construction costs could range from $1.2 billion to $2 billion. Square Watson, the district’s chief of operations, said the proposal could result in 11 new schools and about 21 major renovations by 2050. The district is expected to present its final recommendations Sept. 22, with the Board of Education expected to vote Oct. 13.

Living It

“You were the barometer. The North Star. You are an angel who has made this world a happier place because of your joyful art. You are truly one of one.” — Beyoncé, honoring Dolly Parton

B1 • AUG. 27 – SEPT. 2, 2026

Back at the ranch The 2nd Annual Gateway Trail Ride delivered a day of joy and tradition

By Kenya Vaughn The St. Louis American Watching Brylee, Aly and Saryah pet a horse for the first time at the 2nd Annual Gateway Trail Ride and Field Party conjured up a personal childhood memory. Brylee and Aly, both seven, were eager to pet the overwhelmingly friendly pony. Saryah, 5, was terrified. The more she tried to cower and duck. “He’s just a baby,” said Jordan, the adult who brought the girls over to the stall. The horse — whose name we never knew — tried even harder than Jordan to convince Saryah that he wanted to make friends. He ducked down with her. He tried to sniff and lick her as she squirmed behind Jordan. The horse then redirected his attention toward getting a sip from Jordan’s bottle of beer. “This beer has apple in it,” Jordan said. “He wants some because he can smell the apples. Did you know that horses love apples?” As the youngsters had See Trail Ride, B3

Photos by Taylor Marrie / St. Louis American

Fun was had by all as guests packed out Michael B. Whit’s Rolling Ranch in the metro east once again for the 2nd Annual Gateway Trail Ride and Field Party.

DJ Nyara

STL and cultures in the mix

Zeeoma hosts designer Ejiro Amos Tafiri for ‘Dinner, Dress and Dialogue’

DJ Nyara tapped to shape the Main Stage sound at Festival of Nations

By Kenya Vaughn St. Louis American

By Kenya Vaughn St. Louis American For more than 90 years, Festival of Nations has been one of the rare moments when St. Louis gathers as an inclusive community. Every culture present, every voice heard, and every rhythm carries their own story. This weekend, DJ Nyara will be curating the heartbeat of that rhythm from the festival mainstage. The multidisciplinary artist whose work spans music, photography and creative direction, will serve as the Main Stage host when “I felt grateful the International Institute of St. Louis brings for the invitaFestival of Nations back to Tower Grove Park tion. Festival of on Aug. 29–30. The two-day event Nations is a big draws more than 100,000 people and features dozens of performances from stage. It’s a big all-local talent across two stages. event. I haven’t “I felt grateful for the invitation,” done a ton of fes- she said. “Festival of Nations is a big tivals, so being stage. It’s a big event. I haven’t done a ton of festivals, so being asked asked to do that to do that this year just felt like this year just a culmination of all felt like a culmimy hard work really nation of all my paying off.” Produced by the hard work really International paying off.” Institute of St. Louis, Festival of – DJ Nyara Nations was created to celebrate the city’s immigrant communities and highlight the cultural traditions they bring to the region. The event has grown into the area’s largest multicultural gathering, drawing more than 100,000 attendees each year for two days of performances, food, art and community programming. Festival of Nations showcases the diversity of St. Louis while creating a space where every culture is welcomed recognized and celebrated. She feels that the same qualities that have led to her See Nyara, B3

‘Fashion is love’

DJ Nyara will lead the Main Stage at Festival of Nations, bringing her global sound to the two-day celebration in Tower Grove Park. Photo by Justin Mikhail Solomon / courtesy of DJ Nyara

African fashion, identity and craftsmanship were the most anticipated menu items on Sunday, Aug. 16, when Zeeoma hosted Dinner, Dress and Dialogue at The Ritz-Carlton St. Louis. The evening brought together guests to hear directly from Nigerian designer Ejiro Amos Tafiri about the work, intention and cultural significance behind her garments. “Your fashion is art and art is brilliance,” media personality and host Chelsea Haynes told Tafiri as the conversation began. She asked how that brilliance shows up in Tafiri’s process. Tafiri agreed that fashion is art, but said the craft also demands a strong understanding of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. “Your construction requires the same mindfulness as an architect,” Tafiri said. “You have to make these mathematical drawings. You have to understand physiology to create “Your fashion is art the proper structure for and art is brilliance.” your client’s body.” She said people – Media personality and often underestimate host Chelsea Haynes how much goes into speaking to Tafiri designing clothing. “People think it’s a simple thing, but there are so many elements that are very much overlooked,” Tafiri said. “It is not as easy as people assume.” Tafiri added that designers must also anticipate what clients will want before they ask for it. “You have to look into the future and say, this is what you will want next year,” she said. Zeeoma cofounder Dr. Juliet Ezepue said fashion extends beyond the garments themselves. “Fashion is more than just dresses,” Ezepue said. “I think it’s a function of how we See Zeeoma, B3

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ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • AUG. 27 – SEPT. 2, 2026

St. Louis American Calendar

CONCERTS

www.ticketmaster.com.

THEATRE

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

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

Fri., Sept. 4, 6:30 p.m., Saint Louis Art Museum’s Free Fridays presents Two Gentlemen of Verona with the St. Louis Shakespeare Festival, Saint Louis Art Museum. For more information, visit slam.org.

Sat., Aug. 29 – Sun., Aug. 30, Esperanza Spalding, City Winery, 3730 Foundry Way, St. Louis, MO. For more information, visit www. citywinery.com. Tues., Sept. 1, 6 p.m. & 9:30 p.m., City Winery welcomes Musiq Soulchild, City Winery, 3730 Foundry Way, St. Louis, MO. For more information, visit www. citywinery.com. Thurs., Sept. 3, 7:30 p.m., Myles Smith: My Mess, My Life Tour, Saint Louis Music Park. For more information, visit livenation.com Sun., Sept. 6, 8 p.m., Isaiah Rhashad: Lil Sunny’s Awful Road Trip, The Pageant, 6161 Delmar. For more information, visit livenation. com. Sat., Sept. 12, 1:30 p.m., Tacos and Tequila Festival St. Louis starring Murphy Lee, Rick Ross, Paul Wall, Yung Joc, Fat Joe, Ginuwine, Xzibit, Bubba Sparxxx and DJ Ashton Martin, Car Shield Field. For more information, visit tacosandtequilafestival. com. Wed., Sept. 16, 8 p.m., Shaboozey Outlaws Never Die Tour, The Factory at The District. For more information, visit

St. Louis hip hop star Murphy Lee is among the headliners for the Tacos and Tequila Festival. See CONCERTS for details.

Wed., Sept. 23, 8 p.m., Teddy Swims: The Ugly Tour. Enterprise Center. For more information, visit www.ticketmaster.com. SPECIAL EVENTS Sat., Aug. 29 – Sun., Aug. 30, 10 a.m., International Institute presents Festival of Nations, Tower Grove Park. For more information, visit festofnations. com. Wed., Sept. 2 – Sun., Sept. 13, UniverSoul Circus, Galleria Mall. For more information, visit www.ticketmaster.com. Sun., Sept. 13, 2 p.m., The Chase – Enjoy IL 300, World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison IL. For more information, visit www. ticketmaster.com. Fri., Sept. 25, 7 p.m., Disney On Ice, Chaifetz Arena. For tickets, visit www.ticketmaster.com Sat., October 17, St. Louis American Foundation’s 39th Annual Salute to Excellence in Education Scholarship and Awards Gala, Cardinal Ritter President Tamiko Armstead will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, Jennings School District Superintendent Dr.

Paula Knight will receive the Stellar Performer Award and Richard “Rich” McClure will receive the Champion in Education Award . St. Louis Union Station Hotel. For more information, call 314.533.8000 or visit www.stlamerican.com. COMEDY Thurs., Sept. 10, 7:30 p.m., A Special Night with T.K. Kirkland, City Winery, 3730 Foundry Way, St. Louis, MO. For more information, visit www.citywinery.com. Sat., Sept. 26, 8 p.m. Martin Lawrence’s Y’all Still Know What It Is Tour, Stifel Theatre, 1400 Market. For tickets or more information, visit www.stifeltheatre.com.

ST. LOUIS MUSIC SPOTLIGHT Fri., Aug. 28, 7:30 p.m., Ms. Robbie One More Time, Blue Strawberry, 364 N. Boyle Ave., St. Louis, MO 63108. For more information, visit bluestrawberrystl.com. Sat., Aug. 29, 7:30 p.m., Wil Robinson with special Guest Jada Leigh, Blue Strawberry, 364 N. Boyle Ave., St. Louis, MO 63108. For more information, visit bluestrawberrystl.com. Wed., Sept. 2, 7:30 p.m., Denise Thimes Birthday Show, Blue Strawberry, 364 N. Boyle Ave., St. Louis, MO 63108. For more information, visit bluestrawberrystl.com.

Fri., Sept. 4, 7:30 p.m., Tim Cunningham, Blue Strawberry, 364 N. Boyle Ave., St. Louis, MO 63108. For more information, visit bluestrawberrystl.com. Sun., Sept. 6, 3 p.m., The Best of The Temptations, The Drifters and The Stylistics with Nostalgia & The Black & White Band, Blue Strawberry, 364 N. Boyle Ave., St. Louis, MO 63108. For more information, visit bluestrawberrystl.com. Wed., Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m., TGBTG: A Reggie Son Live Experience presented by TownsendX3 Live, City Winery, 3730 Foundry Way, St. Louis, MO. For more information, visit www.citywinery.com.

Wed., Sept. 9 – Sept. 27, The Black Rep opens their 50th Anniversary Season with The Color Purple, Washington University’s Edison Theatre. For information, visit www.theblackrep.org. Wed., Sept. 9 – September 27, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Little Women, The LorettoHilton, 130 Edgar Rd, Webster Groves, MO 63119. For more information, visit www.repstl.org. ART Sept. 4 – Sept. 6, Paint Louis 2026, at the historic flood wall located at 1000 S. Wharf St. in St. Louis, Missouri. For full schedule of related programming and activations, visit paintlouis.com. Sept. 10 – Dec. 12, Counterpublic 2026: Coyote Time, various locations. For more information, visit counterpublic. org. Through November 8, A Hum Beneath the Surface by Lillian Stephen, on display through November 8. The Kranzberg Gallery, 501 N. Grand Blvd. For more information, visit kranzbergartsfoundation.org

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • AUG. 27 – SEPT. 2, 2026

Nyara Continued from B1 meteoric ascent as one of the city’s most influential DJs compelled organizers to select her for the role. “They were looking for somebody who isn’t looking to make the moment all about them,” she said. “Festival of Nations is about the people. It’s about the culture. It’s about the energy in the space.” This year’s Festival of Nations lineup reflects the breadth of St. Louis’ cultural landscape. Performances will take place on the Main Stage and the Whitaker Foundation Stage, hosted by St. Louis Poet Laureate Pacia Elaine. Saturday’s Main Stage will feature Spirit of Angela West African Dance and Drum, Joia: World Percussion, Nando STL, American Raga Band, Gateway Science Academy and Eldraco + FreeNation. Sunday’s lineup includes Ryan Marquez, Ballet Ollin USA, Enoch Raavi and the Indigenous Groove, Aska Maret, Orchestra Chevre and Blvck Spvde. On the Whitaker Foundation Stage, audiences will see St. Louis Cultural Flamenco Society, Mexicanos en St. Louis, Debsuta Roy, Sumak Kamari, STL Irish Arts, St. Louis Okinawa Eisa Yui, Ayati Rara Dance, Raw Style Kollective + Amara Arts and others. Nyara’s sets are known for moving across genres without losing the thread. She said that approach comes naturally. “I enjoy so many

genres,” she said. “Connecting all these cultures together creates a beautiful sound.” Festival of Nations is an embodiment of that – which gives her even more room to explore. “At parties, I don’t get to go too far into certain sounds,” Nayara said. “But at Festival of Nations, everybody’s coming together from all over the world and all over the city. Music is the ultimate universal language.” She hopes her set offers both movement and rest. “I want to provide a space that feels like peace, that feels like joy, that feels like jumping around

“I want to provide a space that feels like peace, that feels like joy, that feels like jumping around and dancing.” – Nyara and dancing,” Nyara said. “And also laying on blankets with our hands behind our head watching the clouds pass by.” When asked what message she hopes people take from her Festival of Nations experience, she answered without hesitation. “What’s on the other side of your vulnerability?” she said. “I hope people receive that — and that we discover it together.” Her own DJ journey began during a period of grief. After her grandmother died in 2018, she found herself in a music store looking for something to help her feel better. “I found my way to the board,” she said. “Music

has always been the ultimate healer.” She launched publicly as a DJ in September 2023 — making her, as she put it, “brand new.” But her rapid rise has been fueled by intention. “When you move in your purpose, and your preparation meets the opportunity, it’s like a green light,” she said. “I’m grateful to already be where I am.” Nyara said she hopes her presence on the Main Stage sends a message to emerging artists. “I hope they would say, ‘I’m so grateful that she’s here in St. Louis,’” she said. “People feel like they have to leave to be successful. You can make it here too.” She wants young DJs — and artists across disciplines — to see that their work can grow from St. Louis soil. “You can be a star here in St. Louis and beyond,” she said. “It can start right here.” Festival of Nations is one of the few spaces in St. Louis where every community shows up fully — not as “other,” but as celebrated. Nyara said that energy will shape her set. “I’m excited to play things I normally gravitate to,” she said. “I’m excited for people to see and hear things they may not have heard before.” And she’s ready for the moment. “I’m excited to find more of my people at Festival of Nations,” she said. Festival of Nations returns to Tower Grove Park on Saturday, Aug. 29, and Sunday, Aug. 30. The full performance schedule, VIP details and additional festival information are available at festofnations. com. For questions, contact the International Institute of St. Louis at 314-421-4220.

Zeeoma Continued from B1 behave, how we act as human beings. Because what we wear is a function of how we feel on the inside.” She said Tafiri’s approach reflects that belief. “She said it best when she said, ‘Fashion is love,’” Ezepue said. “Ejiro wants people to see the love behind her garments — the love she has for the people she makes them for. That is the essence for her.” Ezepue said the event was also about strengthening the connection between Nigeria and St. Louis. She and Tafiri met in Nigeria, and Ezepue invited her to visit St. Louis the next time she traveled to the United States. “All of this came together about a month ago, and we are having this dinner and dresses conversation today,” Ezepue said. She said the gathering was designed to introduce people to the craftsmanship and stories behind African fashion. “This is our first celebrity pop-up dinner that actually allows you to learn what it takes to make crafts like that,” Ezepue said. “This is a game changer. It’s about bridging the gaps within the African Diaspora. We are in the gateway city, and I want to have a gateway between American and African fashion.” Ezepue said St. Louis can help reshape how the world sees African fashion. “We’re really making a conscious, intentional decision to be rooted in Lagos but actually rise in St. Louis and merge the two together,” she said. “People have all of

Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American

Katherine Brown’s mother, left, shares a moment with Doris Ford Brown during the Zeeoma celebration. these negative stereotypes about Africa. St. Louis is the gateway city. That gateway can actually be rooted in rising to tell a different story to the world. St. Louis can pave that way in terms of what is beautiful from the continent — not just purchase it, but learn the stories behind it.” For Tafiri, sharing Nigerian fashion with an American audience was an opportunity to give African design greater recognition. “I’m so excited because I feel like Nigerian fashion is finally being given its proper credit as an influencer of global style,” she said. “It feels really good to be able to share what is truly Nigerian fashion with the rest of the world.” She encouraged guests to consider their own identity and what they want their clothing to communicate. “You have to understand what your style is,” Tafiri said. “Who do you want to be? What do you want to say?” She said clothing communicates long before a

person speaks. “It’s very crucial to pay attention to what you really have, how you want to be seen, what you want to communicate — and then make your choices,” Tafiri said. “That’s why you have to study the layout, so that you don’t just get a bunch of things that you didn’t necessarily want.” The discussion ultimately connected fashion to identity, craftsmanship and culture, while highlighting the relationship between Lagos and St. Louis and the role African designers can play in shaping global fashion. Tafiri said style is one of many ways the sons and daughters of the African Diaspora stay connected. “I don’t even think there’s a difference,” Tafiri said. “I just think it’s different in the sense of how the culture is expressed because of where we are geographically. We carry our roots. We’re very particular about representing our ancestors — or even for our ancestors. All around the world, we are siblings.”

B3

What are we putting in their backpacks? children were not acceptable. The desegregation program became part of my own experience. I was proud to participate in it. I Every August, we ask the pracwitnessed the benefits of having tical questions: Do children have young people from different parts backpacks? Pencils? New shoes? of St. Louis encounter one another. Uniforms? How will they get to But I also I saw subtle and someschool? Will the bus come? Will times overt external racism directed they be safe? Will they have what toward Black students. they need to succeed? All those And I saw something we don’t questions matter. always like to discuss: intra-racism. But as another school year How we, as African Americans, can begins, I keep thinking about a difsometimes judge, categorize, and ferent question: What are we putting interact with one another based on in children’s backpacks that cannot neighborhood, class, skin tone, perbe bought? ceived status, or circumstance. I think about that question as a I didn’t necessarily experience St. Louisan and as someone whose every form of racism I witnessed. life’s work has taught me that hisBut I saw what it did. That was the tory is something we should carry 1980s. And sometimes I wonder: each day. Are we so far from that today? Growing up, I Our young people was fortunate to see are growing up in a many sides of St. world of extraordiLouis and Black life nary technology and in this city. extraordinary pressure. That exposure They are told to get instilled humility in the bag, get the likes, me. It also taught get the followers, go me that the Black viral, move fast. But community has what happens when never been monothe pursuit of visibility lithic—and that the replaces the developfight for opportunity ment of identity? has never been simWhat happens ple. when children know My own educawhat is trending but tion reflected that comdon’t know the history Lyah LeFlore-Ituen plexity. I experienced of the waters they public and private are treading? What schools, city and counhappens when they ty schools, Catholic education, and know the language of success but performing arts schools. not the history of the people who I didn’t understand then that I fought to make their opportunities was being layered. I do now. And possible? when I think about what we owe This year, maybe this is what we the young people returning to class- need to put in their backpacks: Hisrooms this fall, I think about the tory. Belonging. Humility. Expecexposure I had and the people surtation. rounding me who made those layers Tell them about Meachum. Warpossible for generations of Black St. ing. Vashon. Liddell. Julia Davis. Louisans. Tell them about the Black educators I think about John Berry Meacarrying that torch today. Tell them chum, who understood that educaabout the people in their own famtion was freedom. When Missouri ilies and neighborhoods who kept prohibited the education of Black showing up. people, Meachum established a Tell them: You come from school on a barge in the Mississippi people who built schools. You River, outside the state’s jurisdiccome from people who fought for tion. access. You come from people who After emancibelieved your mind pation, Black St. was worth investing Louisans fought in. to build schools Our children are That knowledge for their children. is not nostalgia. Sumner High School seeds, and every gen- It is fuel. Because eration decides what opened in 1875 as children who know the first public high kind of soil it will where they come school for African leave behind. from do not have to Americans west imagine themselves of the Mississippi. from nothing. They Oscar Minor Waring have roots. And became its first Black principal. In roots matter. 1890, Sumner created a school to So yes, put the pencils in the train Black teachers. backpack. Put the notebooks in. Think about that. Black St. Louis Put the lunch in. But put history was not simply educating children. in there, too. Put humility in there. It was preparing the people who Put the expectation that they can would educate the children who become more than what the world came next. tells them they can be. We cannot talk about this histoOur children are seeds, and every ry without acknowledging Minnie generation decides what kind of soil Liddell. it will leave behind. The question In 1972, Liddell and other Black is not simply what our children will parents challenged discriminatory learn this school year. It is what we school assignments and unequal will pour into them while they are conditions in Saint Louis Public learning. And whether, when they Schools. Whatever one’s opinion look toward the future, they will of the desegregation program that understand that they are not starting followed, we must acknowledge the from scratch. They are standing on courage required for a Black moththe shoulders of people who already er to stand up and insist that the made a way. educational circumstances of Black By Lyah LeFlore-Ituen, AAHI Director

Saturday, October 17th St. Louis Union Station Hotel

B4

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • AUG. 27 – SEPT. 2, 2026

Photos by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American Rest well, Mayor Reggie. When I tell you that I am downright sick about the passing of Mayor Reggie Jones, I don’t think you understand. He was a beacon of light and a change agent – both in the county as the Mayor of Dellwood, and in the city as director of the Herbert Hoover location of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater St. Louis. I am absolutely not well. Who else remembers when we kicked it for his 40th birthday? I feel like it was at The Ambassador for one of those throwback R&B sets, but I could be mistaken. Either way, I really miss him and his taste the rainbow suit game. Dellwood folks, this is not a diss. So do not come for me. One thing the people have learned these past few days is that Dellwood does not play about Mayor Jones. And shouldn’t! We all love him dearly. At this point, I feel like everyone has already said all of the wonderful things that I would have – about his heart for community, his leadership, his love for his people…I could go do a whole Partyline tribute to him for all the ways that he has made this region a better place, but I will go ahead and stop here by sending prayers and condolences to his family and all the lives he touched.

A Taste of Jack had the foodies lined up on Sunday for the last day of the Foodies Eat First Fest at The Post Building.

Seven weeks ‘till Salute. Do y’all realize that The St. Louis American Foundation’s 39th Annual Salute to Excellence in Education is less than two months away? When I tell you I cannot wait to be perched and sat up in St. Louis Union Station Hotel on Saturday, October 17. Part of the reason that I’m so excited is because of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and Stellar Performer honorees. Now Mary Elizabeth Grimes had me gagged for dear life with her timeless glamour and platinum face card. It was to the point where I was nervous about the looks that would follow her. Until I found out it was Tamiko Armstead and Dr. Paula Knight. Did y’all see the burgundy bliss that Tamiko served at last year’s Cardinal Ritter Gala? You had to see it to believe the slayage? I’m hoping for a head-to-toe hazelnut when she steps to the stage to receive her 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award. And Dr. Paula Knight always brings it with her superintendent super boss suit game. And I know she has a gear that we haven’t seen yet because of how her baby sister Pamela used to be out here giving the girls looks on top of looks. She was rocking a Louis Vuitton bucket bag back in the 1900s! She was giving us a nasty Jimmy Choo and Betsey Johnson combo when the rest of us were rocking 5-7-9 (remember them?)! I’m excited to see us bring our opulence to the already glamorous venue. We must show them how we get down. I’ve said this before, y’all better get these tickets before the Cardinal Ritter mafia has y’all with overflow tables up in the aquarium. Visit www.stlamerican.com for tickets and more information.

Dwight Carter and Vauje were just a couple of the STL style stars on deck for the Sound Check Gent Fashion Week Kickoff Party Friday at The Key STL.

Kickin’ it with the cowboys. I made my way back to Sauget or Cahokia (I’m still not quite sure) for the 2nd Annual Gateway Trail Ride and Field Party and bay-bae, I didn’t realize what I city girl I am until I trotted over to the Rolling Ranch to take part in this farm culture that has us in a chokehold. And I’m not talking JT and Yung Miami either. Okay, maybe I am. But anyway, If you had told me in 2021 that Beyoncé, Ne-Yo and Ruka Puff would have country records, I would have looked at you like you belonged up in Malcolm Bliss. But here we are. I pet a horse, y’all! I haven’t done that since my folks made us spend our summers on the family farm in Mississippi. When I tell y’all I was square dancing to that KB The Singer’s rendition of H-Town’s

“Knockin’ the Boots,” I’m sure somebody has footage. And let me tell y’all how cute Vanessa Townsend looked in her cowgirl gear. Now what the girls found out is that cowboy boot heel time has an expiration date just like the stilettos. They came up in there kickin’ up dust ready to “Boots On The Ground” us to their spurs fell off. By the time the party was over, those boots were everywhere but on the ground. They were in purses, over shoulders and kicked off on the side of the road. And a few of the girls were limping like they had just rode bareback from East St. Louis to the OK Corral. But everybody had a ball, including this urbanista! Cupid did that! Shout out to Phil Assets, Michael B. Whit and all the folks involved for giving us a change of pace from our regular shenanigans. I got a kick out of seeing us go from club hopping to horse trottin’!

Mari, Bella and Nauda were representing for the cowgirls at the 2nd Annual Gateway Trail Ride and Field Party Saturday afternoon at Rolling Ranch.

Trail Ride Continued from B1 their first taste of farm life, it reminded me of when our family would make the annual summer trip to Clow, Arkansas — just across the tracks from Hope. It’s not a unique experience for the grandchildren and children of the Great Migration. But witnessing children who likely have never experienced their family’s Southern roots — which has been the case for generations. “Another Gateway Trail Ride is officially in the books, and once again, we proved what happens when community comes together with pure love and positive energy,” said Michael B. Whit, awardwinning country singer and Gateway Trail Ride brainchild. He owns Rolling Ranch, which sits on the border of Cahokia and Sauget just across the bridge in Illinois. For the second year, the event — an allday affair that started early in the afternoon and stretched into night — has given people looking to party an alternative to nightclubs. It also leans into the Black cowboy culture that has resurged in the past five years or so. Watching the youth and the grownups have a ball kicking up dirt — whether it was dancing, racing, wrestling farm animals or watching the performances on the main stage — was a reminder of what had to be left behind when we escaped racial terror and searched for more opportunities. Long before Hollywood rewrote the story, Black riders, ranchers and trail hands shaped the backbone of American farm life — especially in the South and Midwest. With the resurgence of Black cowboy culture in recent

Photos by Taylor Marrie / St. Louis American

Sky performs at the 2nd Annual Gateway Trail Ride. years, Gateway Trail Ride provided a place where Black families can reconnect with the land, the culture and each other. “All of St. Louis North, South, West and East Saint pulled up, reconnected with their roots, and showed out,” Whit said. “We are actively changing the narrative for our hometowns every single year. Cahokia showed the world what peace, unity and genuine togetherness look like when we ride as one.” They rode as one — and danced as one, thanks to the lineup of artists. Cupid, the mind behind the family reunion and Black barbecue essential line dance “Cupid Shuffle,” was the headliner for year two. Day turning into night didn’t stop guests from getting into formation. And they were already versed in his latest instructional slide anthem, “Cookout.” “You gonna rock your body this way, kick your legs up like you Mary J,” Cupid said. The dancers

were already following suit. “It’s going down at the cookout,” Cupid said. “Step two times to the right. To the left we can do this all night.” And they did. “I will be at every one of these,” hiphop artist Dope Pitacrow said. “I can’t wait for next year.” Whit and organizers saw more than a successful event. “I love our people! No fighting, no arguments, just all love shown,” said Marius Jackson, former mayor of neighboring city Centerville, IL. They proclaimed the Gateway Trail Ride a win for the culture. Whit expressed as much on his Facebook page. “Meanwhile in Cahokia... history repeated itself in the best way possible,” Whit said. “Big thanks to the entire GWTR 2026 crew team for curating and pushing this event to the public, even when we had mountains to climb and rain to dodge. We did it together!”

“I think the whole world knows it has nothing to do with the performance. It’s a little bit more personal than that. It’s a disrespectful thing.” — Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson on being booed at home

Sports

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AUG. 27 – SEPT. 2, 2026

Inside Sports With Earl Austin Jr.

Former Metro East star Dierre Hill poised for big season at Oregon East St. Louis The Oregon Ducks football makes a big enter the college football early-season statement season as a contender for a national championship, The East St. Louis and one of the players Flyers opened the high looking to play a big role school football season is former Metro East star with a big 42-23 victoDierre Hill Jr. ry over Chicago Mount After a stellar prep Carmel last Saturday at career at Vashon and Illinois State University Belleville Althoff, Hill in Normal, a showdown became a key running between Illinois back as a true state powers. freshman for a The Flyers Ducks team that have won many advanced to the big games over semifinals of the the years, but last College Football weekend’s victory Playoff. over Mount Carmel In his first year, was one of the the 5-foot-11, 205Earl biggest regupound Hill averAustin Jr. lar-season wins in aged 8.7 yards per recent memory. carry. He rushed for 656 yards on 75 carries Mount Carmel entered last Saturday’s contest as a and scored five touchfour-time defending state downs. He also had 16 champion with a 19-game receptions for 137 yards winning streak. and another score. East St. Louis trailed Hill had one of his most 23-14 heading into the productive games against fourth quarter, but the Indiana in the semifinals Flyers erupted for 28 of the College Football unanswered points to stun Playoff. He rushed for 86 the Caravan and send a yards on only five carries. shot across the bow to the He also rushed for 82 rest of the state. Senior yards on 10 carries and Ronnie Gomiller was the caught a touchdown pass offensive catalyst, scoring in an early-season victory four touchdowns, includover Penn State. ing three in the decisive Hill was a dominant fourth quarter. The Flyers’ player during his high defense also forced three school career, finishing turnovers, including a with 5,970 yards rushing, game-sealing interception 1,188 yards receiving return for a touchdown and 118 touchdowns. As by standout cornerback a senior at Althoff, Hill Raheem Floyd. led the Crusaders to the East Side will travIllinois Class 1A state el to Florida this week championship. He rushed to take on American for 2,588 yards and scored Heritage in the Broward 51 total touchdowns. He County National Football scored seven touchdowns Showcase. Kickoff is on in the state championFriday at 6 p.m. ship game against LenaWinslow.

Courtesy photo

After a stellar prep career at Vashon and Belleville Althoff, Dierre Hill became a key running back as a true freshman for a Ducks team that advanced to the semifinals of the College Football Playoff. Top opening-week football games in Missouri High school football gets underway on the Missouri side this weekend. There are some very attractive games on the schedule to open the season. Here are a few of those top games to watch. Lift for Life at De Smet, Friday, 6 p.m. — Lift for Life is coming off a strong season in which it advanced to the Class

3 state championship game. De Smet is a perennial power in the Metro Catholic Conference. Louisville Trinity at CBC, Friday, 6:30 p.m. — The host Cadets will once again be one of the most talented teams in the St. Louis area. They will be taking on a Trinity team that is annually one of the top programs in the state of Kentucky. Lutheran North at

Cardinal Ritter, Friday, 7 p.m. — These two programs have been putting out consistent winning teams and sending players to the collegiate level for years. Host Ritter advanced to the Class 5 semifinals last season while North will be one of the top teams in Class 3. St. Mary’s vs. Elmhurst IC (at Illinois Wesleyan in Normal), Friday, 7 p.m. — St. Mary’s is coming off a

season where it advanced to the Class 4 state semifinals. They will face a strong Elmhurst team from Northern Illinois. MICDS at Ladue, Friday, 7 p.m. — This game is a renewal of the battle of rival schools on Warson Road. Both schools have fielded consistent winning teams for years and have high hopes for another strong season.

Sports Eye With Alvin A. Reid

RJ McCoy on fairway to success

RoVaughn “RJ” can always tell a genuine McCoy Jr., a freshman at person, and Ozzie is just the University of Missouri that. He even gave me his and an Evans Scholar, is telephone number and said certainly on the course for to call if I should need future success. anything.” A gifted student and McCoy graduated from avid golfer, McCoy also Saint Mary’s Catholic has been a caddie at two High School and caddied of the St. Louis area’s top at Sunset Country Club country clubs. for two years before movThe Evans ing to Algonquin Scholars national Country Club in program, which Webster Groves last provides full tuition year. and housing college A National scholarships to Honor Society high-achieving member and honor golf caddies with roll student, he limited financial served as captain of Alvin A. means, was a benehis high school golf ficiary of the BMW Reid team. He plans to Championship held major in business last week at Bellerive and finance and is already Country Club. a budding entrepreneur McCoy served as a cad- who has a golf apparel die during Wednesday’s brand, RJ Golf Legacy. Gardner Heidrick ProHe credits his parents, Am tournament held on RoVaughn McCoy Sr. and Wednesday, and to his Tiquila Collins-McCoy, surprise and joy, he served for introducing him to golf as a caddie for St. Louis at age 6, when he began Cardinals great and Hall of taking lessons with First Famer Ozzie Smith. Tee. “It was the highlight of His mom suggested that my caddie experiences,” he pursue being a caddie McCoy said during a telebecause “she was always phone interview as he was looking for opportunities moving into a dormitory at for me.” Mizzou. McCoy went on to “It was an honor to become a junior assistant caddie for a St. Louis legcoach and head coach with end. It was just great. You First Tee and said golf

Photo courtesy of RJ McCoy

Ozzie Smith, left, and RoVaughn “RJ” McCoy Jr. were paired as golfer and caddie during the BMW Championship Pro-Am at Bellerive Country Club. has taught him valuable lessons. “With golf, just like in life, there is no one else to blame except yourself when things aren’t going well,” he said. “Sometimes, you think you made the right decision, and it just doesn’t turn out right. Then it depends on how you come back. It’s what you do next that counts.”

With Tiger Woods battling personal and health demons that have taken him from the PGA Tour, already low Black representation at professional golfRJ McCoy’s highest level is even more obvious. An Aug. 13 Andscape/ ESPN article by Michael Williams detailed that no Black golfers participated in the four men’s major tournaments —

the Masters, the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open and The Open Championship — nor the FedExCup Playoffs, which included the BMW Championship. “There were no [Black] players that qualified and there are a very limited number of players in total that are eligible: Tiger Woods, Joseph Bramlett, Cameron Champ, Harold Varner and Tim O’Neal,” said James Beatty, editor of the African American Golfer’s Digest and executive director of the African American Golf Expo. “Tiger is limited physically and realistically can’t play, Varner is on the LIV Tour and Tim is focused on the Champions Tour. The field is embarrassingly low.” Mike Whan, CEO of the United States Golf Association, said there are increased opportunities to help young Black golfers learn the game and then progress into tournament play. The U.S. National Development Program grant for elite juniors allocates half its funds to athletes of color. The Grassroots Grant program offers significant dollars to programs that cater to

underrepresented golfers. “Perhaps even more exciting is that so many other programs exist for young athletes of color to truly pursue the game — PGA Tour Pathway to Progression, Underrated Tour, Charlie Sifford Golf Academy, PGA Jr. Leagues, Tee Divas and others,” Whan said. McCoy said he is going to play club golf at Missouri, continue being a caddie, and coach young boys and girls. “I love playing golf. I’m just so glad I got to learn it,” he said. The Reid Roundup

Jordan Walker, who slumped briefly following the All-Star Break and his Home Run Derby triumph, has caught fire again. Walker hit thee home runs last week and returned home Monday with a .289 batting average, 27 home runs and 96 RBIs. He had hit just 27 home runs during his entire career before the 2026 season… Missouri coach Dennis Gates and the Missouri Tigers will visit SLU for a game on Nov. 6 at Enterprise Center. My guy Earl Austin Jr. is certainly giddy.

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • AUG. 27 – SEPT. 2, 2026

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Chez Ali hits the right notes Former music store owner finds new calling in the kitchen

By Lauren Marisol Preston For The St. Louis American

Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American

Owner Nebyu B. Habteyes prepares coffee inside his coffee shop, Revocup, at 9200 Olive Blvd. in Olivette, near Interstate 170.

Ethiopian roots run deep at Revocup Shop brings coffee, culture from the motherland to St. Louis region

By Jihad Hassan Muhammad For The St. Louis American Growing up around coffee in Ethiopia made Nebyu B. Habteyes a lover of it long before he became a coffee shop owner. Coffee, he says, is part of his existence. Habteyes grew up in southern Ethiopia around Sidama, Yirgacheffe and Guji, regions known for growing coffee. He remembers seeing people pick the coffee cherries when the fruit turned from green to red, signaling they were ripe. At home, his mother made coffee twice a day for the family. Unlike the American experi-

When Habteyes came to the United States in 1996, he kept coffee in his heart.

ence, where coffee is often associated with the morning rush and a quick boost of energy, Habteyes remembers coffee as part of family life and conversations about religion, politics and life lessons. “Your parents would make coffee,” Habteyes said. “We would have it throughout the day as we talked about life overall.”

Steward Stiles III was exploring the restaurants inside City Foundry STL when one menu stopped him: Chez Ali had oxtails. He ordered a plate and found them rich, tender and packed with flavor. More than 20 visits later, the oxtails, served with rice and peas, cab“I would bage and extra gravy, remain his favorite. argue that “I’ve tried other oxtails in they have town after that,” Stiles said. “I some of the would argue that they have some best oxtails of the best oxtails in St. Louis.” Stiles is among the regulars at in St. Louis.” Chez Ali, one of the few AfroCaribbean restaurants in the St. Louis area. Owner Alioun “Ali” Thiam took an unconventional route to the restaurant business. Born to Senegalese parents and raised in Ivory Coast, Thiam came to the United States and settled first in New York, where he worked in music and entertainment, selling cassette tapes, CDs and mixtapes.

See Chez Ali, B7

When Habteyes came to the United States in 1996, he kept coffee in his heart. Years later, the search for a cup he couldn’t find would spark his new coffee business. The idea began after a church celebration, when Habteyes and his wife had friends visiting from other cities for lunch at their home. Wanting coffee afterward, Habteyes left home in search of a cup. “I drove and drove, and there was no coffee spots close,” Habteyes recalled. That cup of coffee he couldn’t

See Coffee, B7

Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American

Precious and Raymond Otis enjoy a meal at Chez Ali, one of the few Afro Caribbean restaurants in the St. Louis area. Owner Alioun “Ali” Thiam brings Senegalese and Caribbean flavors together at the City Foundry STL restaurant.

‘This community needs this’

Ice cream shop adds flavor to North St. Louis neighborhood

By Jihad Hassan Muhammad For The St. Louis American

Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American

Lillie Canady of Illinois is served by Ari’s Ice Cream Parlor and Cafe owner Allen Sales at the North St. Louis business on Natural Bridge Avenue.

When Allen Sales considered opening an ice cream shop and cafe on Natural Bridge Avenue in North St. Louis, people warned him against it. The stretch between Goodfellow and Union had a reputation for crime, and Sales was urged to look instead at North County or communities such as Richmond Heights. Sales saw those challenges as a reason not to overlook the neighborhood. “My purpose for being in this spot was more important,” he said. “I didn’t want to put my

“This community needs this — without bulletproof glass, not looking thrown together and without people with poor attitudes serving them.”

establishment in North County or Richmond Heights or none of that. This community needs this — without bulletproof glass, not looking thrown together and without people with poor attitudes serving

them. I chose this North Side to do this.” Those warnings about crime didn’t come out of nowhere. Police data show that neighborhoods around that stretch of Natural Bridge have seen their share of aggravated assaults, armed robberies, vehicle thefts and break-ins. Crime along major North St. Louis corridors rose around 2020 but has generally declined in the years since. Eight years after Sales opened Ari’s Ice Cream Parlor and Cafe, longtime St. Louis community activist Anthony Shahid is among

See Ice Cream, B7

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • AUG. 27 – SEPT. 2, 2026

By Lauren Marisol Preston For The St. Louis American Chef Steven Simmons had just pulled the oxtails from the oven in the kitchen. His wife, Terran, was on a conference call in another room when she noticed something outside their Fountain Park home. “Honey, do you see this out the window?” Simmons remembers shouting to his wife. The trees were swaying. The sky was growing dark. They thought a bad storm was coming. About 45 seconds later, their roof was gone. As part of the house was torn away, Simmons and his wife crawled toward a nearby bathroom for cover. It was May 16, 2025, when a major tornado tore through St. Louis, striking the Simmons family’s two-story home in Fountain Park. The storm killed five people, injured 38 others and damaged approximately 5,000 buildings across the region. Steven and Terran Simmons survived, but the home was a total loss. It was also home to The Urban Dining Room at Fountain Park, the intimate dining experience Simmons had spent years building around fivecourse brunches, rotating menus and a simple idea: welcoming people into his home to feed them.

Ice Cream Continued from B6 the customers who keep coming back. He appreciates the food, atmosphere and the way customers are treated. “I saw he had his family, a beautiful family working right along with him, and the food was so good,” Shahid said. “The food, the atmosphere, we love how the people who come in here are being treated.” Ari’s started with homemade ice cream and Sales wanting to give his then-11-year-old daughter a taste of what it meant to start a business. Sales suggested that he and Ariana sell some of the ice cream door to door. About six months later, while driving along Natural Bridge, Sales noticed a building and began thinking about what the neighborhood lacked — somewhere to buy ice cream or snacks, especially a place that’s Black

Chez Ali Continued from B6 He eventually moved to St. Louis and operated Kulture Vybes, a music and video store. He also sold merchandise during reggae nights at Club Viva in the Central West End. When an opportunity came to serve food at the

Coffee Continued from B6 find stayed with him. After telling his visiting friends about the unsuccessful search, Habteyes learned that some of them had started a coffee business in Indiana. He traveled to learn the business from them. His wife was shocked. Habteyes previously

After tornado, chef returns to the table

The tornado brought those brunches and dinners to a halt. Now, more than a year later, Simmons is preparing to welcome guests back. Simmons, a University City native, traces his relationship with food to childhood and time spent in the kitchen with his grandmother, Laney Randles. Randles grew up in Arkansas, where she helped raise younger siblings and learned to cook for her family. Her Thanksgiving dressing became legendary in the family. Simmons remembers her placing an entire duck in the middle, allowing its fat and flavor to render into the dressing. She also taught him something that would follow him through his career: Write things down. Simmons carried notebooks as he spent the next two decades working in kitchens across St. Louis, jotting down recipes, techniques and lessons from other chefs. Eventually, that career led him to the Four Seasons, where he was working when COVID-19 disrupted the hotel industry. With work halted, Simmons found himself at home with Terran and their young son. He kept cooking, experimenting with dishes and studying other chefs. He also began thinking seriously

owned. He eventually purchased and personally rehabilitated the property. Ari’s Ice Cream Parlor and Cafe, named for Ariana, opened in August 2018. Ariana said watching her father turn an idea into a business taught her something about perseverance. “I was honored to see my dad build something that he envisioned in his mind and see it come to life,” she said. “It wasn’t easy but he still did it, which let me know I can do the same.” She learned about the business firsthand, working at Ari’s after school. Food eventually became as important to the business as ice cream. Sales credits his business partner, Nelda Granderson, with the idea. “Ice cream can hit and miss, food is constant,” he said. Granderson brought considerable family history to the kitchen. Her grandparents owned Diner’s Delight, the longtime restaurant at Park and Compton avenues, and she

Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American

Steven Simmons, a University City native, traces his relationship with food to childhood and time spent in the kitchen with his grandmother, Laney Randles. about working for himself, something Terran had been encouraging him to consider for years. When Simmons brought her the idea for a private dining experience inside their home, she supported it but told him that if people were paying for an experience, they shouldn’t be eating from paper plates or drinking from plastic cups. “We need to make this truly an experience,” Simmons remembers her telling him. Their downtown loft became the first Urban Dining Room. Before brunch, the family moved couches and rugs into

their son’s bedroom and replaced them with tables and chairs. Real glassware and dinnerware replaced anything disposable. Simmons cooked. Terran brought her marketing experience to the website, photography, design and guest experience. Their son, Terrance, now 10, found his own role as Dad’s unofficial food critic. “He will tell me honestly, like, ‘No, Dad, I didn’t like that,’” Simmons said. Guests purchase tickets for multicourse brunches with menus that change regularly. Once inside, they can watch Simmons work as he prepares dishes

and explains each course — how it was cooked, what inspired it and sometimes the family story behind it. Longtime client Kwira Vickers remembers setting an alarm to buy tickets before they sold out. “It’s like a concert,” she said. Vickers has attended close to 10 brunches, including a Mardi Gras experience, and describes The Urban Dining Room as something she hasn’t found elsewhere. “It’s friendship, it’s good food, it’s soul,” Vickers said. “It’s originality.” Another longtime supporter, Nishonda BrownPatterson, has attended more than 20 brunches. Brown-Patterson points to Simmons’ French toast, cornbread and New Orleans-inspired dishes among her favorites. Over the years, she also has watched Steven and Terran work together and formed friendships with other guests around their table. The Simmons family eventually moved to Fountain Park, bringing The Urban Dining Room with them. The historically Black neighborhood quickly became home. Terran remembers being drawn to the park, the Martin Luther King Jr. statue and neighbors who welcomed the family and shared stories about the history of their

Photo by Lawrence Bryant / St. Louis American

Nelda Granderson serves Karen Clemons at Ari’s Ice Cream Parlor and Cafe on Natural Bridge Avenue in North St. Louis.

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home and community. The May 2025 tornado changed that. For nearly a year, the family was displaced while their home was rebuilt. Simmons lost kitchen equipment, seasonings and the home base of his business. He continued taking some private chef clients, but the signature brunches and dinners stopped. Brown-Patterson remembers reassuring him after the storm that things would eventually be OK. “I know it will be OK,” Simmons told her, “but right now it isn’t.” Getting back to business has required some adjustment. Simmons said he has had to relearn his shopping and preparation routines, deal with higher food and supply costs and give himself grace as he finds his rhythm again. Some of his longtime customers have returned with hugs. “We’re just happy to see you back,” Simmons remembers one supporter telling him. Simmons recently released seats for his Welcome Back Brunch, scheduled for later this month. All dates sold out in four minutes. “I’m passionate about food. I’m passionate about feeding people,” Simmons said. “And I love to see people when they eat my food.”

bers also make desserts including banana pudding, pineapple delight, caramel cake, strawberry crunch cake and 7-Up pound cake. Despite the concerns he heard before opening, Sales said Ari’s has experienced only two criminal incidents in eight years. The other major challenge came during the COVID19 pandemic, when he said the business faced financial strain. Sales said customers now come from beyond the immediate neighborhood, including Pine Lawn, North County, University City and Illinois. The family remains involved. Sales, who works as a plumber, still puts in time at the restaurant after work. His oldest daughter, a doctor, also helps in the kitchen after her shifts. And Ariana — now 21 and a nursing student — can still be found working at the business that bears her name.

grew up learning to cook from her family. After Granderson lost her job during a downsizing following an 18-year career with Scottrade, Ari’s offered an opportunity to put that experience to work. “I cook from a background of my grandpar-

ents,” Granderson said. Repeat customers who rave about the food and service and recommend Ari’s to others put a smile on Granderson’s face. Speaking of the food, salmon croquettes and eggs are a community favorite. The all-day breakfast menu includes

a deluxe breakfast burrito with turkey sausage or bacon, egg and cheese, and smothered potatoes. Other dishes include steak, veggie and chicken quesadillas, chicken and wild rice soup and turkey chili. Ice cream remains part of the identity of the business, while staff mem-

club, Thiam decided to give it a try. He knew the flavors he remembered from home, but when he needed help recreating a dish, he called his older sister, Astou Seck Kone. “She would tell me, ‘This is what you need,’ and give me the ingredients,” Thiam recalled. “In the beginning, it’s not going to be perfect. But the more I tried, the closer

I got.” Nikia Paulette, now a manager at Chez Ali, has known him since his Kulture Vybes days. She remembers when Thiam handled everything himself, waking as early as 5 a.m. to shop, prepare ingredients and cook. “That’s how folks got hooked on his food,” Paulette said. “It’s not only filling up your belly,

but filling up the soul as well.” Thiam went on to operate restaurants at Union Station and on Kingshighway before applying for a space inside City Foundry’s food hall. Chez Ali opened there in 2021 with a menu that brings together Senegalese and Caribbean favorites. The restaurant’s name translates loosely from

French to “Ali’s home.” Popular offerings include jerk chicken, curry chicken, oxtail and yassa, a Senegalese dish featuring chicken covered in a savory onion-and-mustard sauce. First-time visitors can sample several flavors on one plate with the restaurant’s chicken combination. Stiles said eating at Chez Ali led him to

explore more African and Caribbean food. “I became fully immersed in the flavor when I started eating there,” he said. “Chez Ali adds that international flavor that’s all its own, and it’s right here in St. Louis.” “I put my own thing in it,” Thiam said. “That’s what makes the difference.”

had owned a convenience store, so a specialty coffee shop was a totally new and different endeavor. Still, he was determined to turn what he described as a lifelong “dream, vision, and fire inside” of him into reality. He opened the first St. Louis-area Revocup Coffee in Maryland Heights in 2019. Revocup was already an established coffee brand, founded in the Kansas City area by

Ethiopian natives Habte and TG Mesfin. Within about a year, Revocup was almost no more. The COVID-19 shutdown nearly took down the young business. “This was our greatest challenge,” Habteyes said. The shop survived. In 2023, Habteyes moved it to its current location at 9200 Olive Blvd. in Olivette, near Interstate 170. University City real

estate investor Claude Bennett is now among the regulars. He can be found at Revocup having business meetings or, on a Sunday morning, leisurely enjoying an egg sandwich with his wife. “I love the consistency of service, quality of coffee and the location, which is great,” Bennett said. Coming from Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee, Habteyes has brought some of that country’s fla-

vor to Revocup. When you step into Revocup, you feel that vibe — from the Ethiopian coffee to music reflecting the motherland and its diaspora, including reggae and neo-soul. About 90% of the coffee served at Revocup comes from Ethiopia, according to Habteyes. The coffee can be rich and creamy, with a robust kick. The shop also offers pastries, smoothies and salads along with build-

your-own egg and omelet sandwiches. Cleaning company owner Caleb Dawitt also comes for more than what’s in his cup. “It’s very conducive to community — great location, great coffee and often great music,” Dawitt said. Revocup has become a meeting place and a spot for good coffee, much like the gatherings Habteyes remembers growing up in Ethiopia.

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Career Center

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

ASSISTANT CONTROLLER The St. Louis Mental Health Board is seeking a full-time Assistant Controller with a CPA to support MHB’s Controller in all aspects of the accounting and financial management of the organization. For the full job positing, visit www.stlmhb.org/ about-us/careers/.

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given that The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District Requests for Quotes, Bids, Proposals and Single Source Procurements are posted on-line for public download. Please navigate to: > www.msdprojectclear.org > Doing Business With Us > View Bid Opportunities The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer

PARKING AND REVENUE CONTROL SYSTEM REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS www.stltreasurer.org/ request-for-proposals/ stlouis-mo.gov/govern ment/procurement/

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH FIRMS East-West Gateway Council of Governments is seeking submittals from behavioral health firms to serve as Lead Behavioral Health Partners for the Save Lives Now Initiative in the City of St. Louis, MO. Submittals are due no later than 1:00 p.m. on September 18, 2026. Submittal details and specifications can be obtained at www.ewgateway.org.

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Bids for Bids for REBID Emergency - Change in Vehicle Scope, Means Operations of Egress, Course, Project No. Renovate to E2332-01, Create Dynamic Missouri Crash Testing Site, Jefferson School for the City, Missouri Blind, St. Louis, Project No. will be received R2501-01 will by FMDC, be received State of MO, by FMDC, UNTIL 1:30 State of MO, PM, October UNTIL 1:30 PM, October 6, 2026. Project 1, 2026. Project information available at: information http://oa.mo. available at: gov/facilities http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSIONER REPLACEMENT METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS SEWER DISTRICT The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District’s Board of Trustees is accepting resumes for appointment to the District’s Civil Service Commission. Candidates must be a resident and registered voter in St. Louis City or County for three years prior to appointment and for the duration of their term on the Commission. Ideal candidates must have daytime flexibility and some Human Resources experience. Civil Service Commissioners convene several times a year for personnel administration and employee disciplinary hearings in accordance with MSD’s Civil Service Rules and Regulations. Each Commissioner is compensated $25 per meeting, with a maximum annual sum of $600. Please submit cover letter and resume before 9/30/2026 to: Tracey R. Coleman, Director of Human Resources Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District 2350 Market Street St. Louis, MO 63103 Information may also be emailed to: CSCommissioner@stlmsd.com

PUBLIC NOTICE Plaintiff Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company has brought a declaratory judgement action against Defendant Kalvin Richardson, arising out of a dispute over a life insurance policy issued on the life of Eric Chineth in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Eastern Division, Case No. 4:26-cv-000614JMD.

Ali R. Olszeski Attorney-in-Charge State Bar No. 66168(MO) ali.olszeski@faegredrinker.com FAEGRE DRINKER BIDDLE & REATH LLP 320 South Canal Street, Suite 3300 Chicago, Illinois 60606, USA Telephone: (312) 569 1219 Of Counsel: Sara Inman (admitted pro hac vice) State Bar No. 24073098(TX) Sara.Inman@faegredrinker.com FAEGRE DRINKER BIDDLE & REATH LLP 2323 Ross Ave, Suite 1700 Dallas, TX 75201-7367 Telephone: (469) 357-2500 Facsimile: (469) 327-0860 On May 27, 2026, Plaintiff filed, and the Court subsequently granted, Plaintiff’s Motion for Alternative Service on Defendant Kalvin Richardson finding that despite Plaintiff’s reasonable efforts, personal service of Defendant Kalvin Richardson cannot be reasonably made. The Court therefore permitted Plaintiff to make service upon Defendant Kalvin Richardson by publication as described in Missouri Rule of Civil Procedure 506.106. Notice is hereby given to Defendant Kalvin Richardson that he must file an answer or other pleading or shall otherwise appear and defend against the petition within forty-five days after the date of the first publication, this the 6th day of August, 2026, provided, the court or judge thereof may extend the date within which he may plead or otherwise appear to a date certain beyond such forty-five day limit judgment by default will be rendered against him. If he fails to do so, a default judgement may be entered against him for the relief demanded in the complaint filed in this case.

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AUGUST 27 - SEPTEMBER 2, 2026

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Plaintiff Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company is represented by the following attorneys of record:

St. Louis american

EMPLOYEE UNIFORMS & COMPANY STORE RFP 2026 The Saint Louis Zoo seeks bids from qualified vendors. Bid documents are available as of 8/26/26 on the Saint Louis Zoo website: stlzoo.org/vendor.

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS Great Rivers Greenway is requesting qualifications for Prequalification for Civic/ Community Engagement Professional Services. Go to www. greatriversgreen way. org/vendors/ for details and submit by September 14, 2026.

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SEALED BIDS

SEALED BIDS

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS Sealed bids for the Howdershell Road – I- 270 to Utz project, St. Louis County Project No. AR-CR-1941 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 23, 2026. Plans and specifications will be available on August 24, 2026 the St. Louis County Web Site (www.stlouiscountymo.gov) or by contacting Cross Rhodes Print & Technologies, 2731 South Jefferson Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63118 (314) 678-0087. DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT ST. LOUIS COUNTY

MSD TRICKLE FILTER PUMP STATION & FINAL CLARIFIER REHABILITATION

Bids for Bids for Bids for Repairs to Replace Replace Interior/ HVAC System, HVAC Exterior, System, Crime Waggoner Building, Readiness Laboratory, Goodwin Brothers MSHP, Center Project No. Construction Company Jefferson Building, solicits bids from R2417-01 City Project Project No. qualified subcontractors will be No.R2411- T2502-01 will and suppliers. received by Scopes include civil, 01 will be be received FMDC, structural, mechanical, received by by FMDC, State of process piping, FMDC, State of State of MO, MO, UNTIL electrical, MO, UNTIL UNTIL 1:30 1:30 PM, instrumentation, 1:30 PM, PM, 10/1/26. coatings, and sitework. 10/13/26. September 29, MBE/WBE/DBE Project Project 2026. Project participation encouraged. information information information Contact Andrew Krieger available at: available at: available at: at akrieger@goodwin http://oa.mo. http://oa.mo. http://oa.mo. bros.com for plans and gov/facilities gov/facilities gov/facilities bid information.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ St. Louis american THE

Bids & Public Notices

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

SEALED BIDS

•

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Bids for Renovations Replace Steam Heating to Exterior, MSHP, Units, Project Macon This project includes the rehabilitation and No. E2508conversion of approximately 398,164 SF in a Project No. 28-story affordable housing development with 01 will be R2510-01 existing below-grade parking, landscaping received will be amenities, and site improvements. The project will utilize state and historic tax credits. We are by FMDC, received currently soliciting bids for the following scopes: by FMDC, State of MO, demolition; abatement (to be contracted directly State of MO, UNTIL by the owner); elevators; and Fire Protection, Plumbing, HVAC, and Electrical. All remaining UNTIL 1:30 1:30 PM, scopes of work will be bid at a later date. Access PM, October 9/24/26. to documents is available through our Building 1, 2026. Connected link. If you do not receive a bid Project Project invitation, please send your company information information to tlalexander@paric.com. information available at: available at: A pre-bid meeting will be held on September 9, http://oa.mo. http://oa.mo. 2026 at the project site. gov/facilities gov/facilities Bids are due no later than September 24, 2026. Send all questions to Jake McClain (jmcclain@paric.com). This project will have prevailing wage requirements. Current goals for Construction Business Enterprise participation: • 21% African American • 11% Women • .5% Asian American • .5% Native American • 2% Hispanic American Current goals for Workforce Field participation: • 25% Minority • 7% Women • 20% Apprentice • 23% City of St. Louis residents

REQUEST FOR BIDS Great Rivers Greenway is requesting Bids for construction of the Brickline Greenway North Connector Phase 2 (Page Boulevard to Washington Avenue) and Phase 3 (Washington Avenue to Lindell Boulevard).

All bids should be delivered to PARIC via email (bids@paric.com) or fax at 636-561-9501. PARIC CORPORATION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Go to www. great riversgreenway.org/ bids/ for details and submit by September 24, 2026.

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

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AUGUST 27 - SEPTEMBER 2, 2026

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

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

St. Louis american B9

Religion

B10

AUG. 27 – SEPT. 2, 2026

St. Alphonsus Rock Church celebrates new leadership Rev. Royce Thomas becomes the Catholic parish’s second Black priest in 160 years

said columnist Mike Jones, whose wife Kathy is a member. “The Baptist Catholic Church.” The parking lot of St. The music, the dancing Alphonsus Liguori “Rock” and the atmosphere supCatholic Church on North ported Jones’ statement. Grand Boulevard was full “To all of our first-time by 9:30 a.m. last Sunday guests, please take the for the installation service joy of the Rock of Rev. Royce Church back M. Thomas, with you,” Geri C.Ss.R. So were Mitchell said as “To all of the surrounding she described streets. A makeour firstthe significance shift parking time guests, of the special lot was created please take ceremony that in the grass to accommodate the the joy of the accompanied full sanctuary. Rock Church Mass. “As a faithfilled “I used to back with community, play in this grass you.” we know that fifty years ago,” God is always William “Billy” – Geri Mitchell faithful to us. Doss said as he Sending Father made his way Royce to pastor inside to find a this church is seat. a testament that God not He hadn’t been to the only answers prayers — Rock in a while, but when but it is confirmation that he saw on Facebook that the prayers of the faithful the parish was welcoming in this community have its second Black pastor worked.” priest in its 160-year hisThey responded to tory, he knew he needed their answered prayers to be there. “My brother with overwhelming praise. said that he had been here They clapped, they shoutsince last year, but I came ed, they lifted their hands. anyway because this is Not typical for the average important,” Doss said. Catholic parish, but overThe special service whelmingly appropriate. included gospel music and Those moments even praise dancers — nothing happened during the new for the Rock. message delivered by “You know this is the the soft-spoken Most soulful Catholic Church,” By Kenya Vaughn St. Louis American

Rev. Royce M. Thomas stands before a full sanctuary at St. Alphonsus “Rock” Catholic Church as he is installed as the parish’s second Black pastor priest on Sunday, Aug. 23.

Photo by Kenya Vaughn / St. Louis American

Reverend Mitchell T. Rozanski, Archbishop of St. Louis. “My brothers and sisters, this is a historic moment for St. Alphonsus ‘Rock’ Church,” Rozanski said. “We are installing Father Royce Thomas as your pastor. He is responding to God’s call.” His words were met with an ovation. Among those standing with applause was Father Maurice Nutt — the church’s first Black priest — overwhelmed with joy

at the installation of the second. “I grew up in this church. This church raised me,” Nutt said. “And I did my best and gave my best service in the nine years I pastored here.” Father Nutt served as pastor priest from 1993 until 2002. He is currently an adjunct professor of preaching and evangelization and serves as a doctoral thesis adviser in the Doctor of Ministry in Preaching program at Aquinas Institute of

Theology in St. Louis. He also teaches in Aquinas Institute’s New Frontiers in Preaching Academy for Hispanic and Black Catholics. “He’s spiritfilled. He’s smart — and he’s a visionary,” Nutt said of Father Thomas. “And I want him to just be used by God. I want him to listen to God and for God to lead him.” Most Reverend Rozanski spoke of the joy he felt joining the Rock Church on such a historic day — from his first

greeting to the moment Father Thomas approached the pulpit to offer a few remarks. “This is the day that the Lord has made,” Father Thomas said. “Let us rejoice.” He ushered in a calland-response from his soulful parishioners. “God is God,” Father Thomas said. “All the time,” they chanted back. “I’m so happy and filled with joy to see so many of you here,” Father Thomas said. “And I look forward to seeing all of you here next week.” The moment of being officially installed moved Father Thomas to song. “I will lift up mine eyes to the hills, from whence cometh my help,” Father Thomas sang. The choir and band chimed in on cue. “My help comes from the Lord.” They sang the Mass to its conclusion — a fitting end for the “soulful Catholics.” “I’m so happy that we have another Black priest — and I hope we get another one after Father Royce,” Father Nutt said. “But right now there are very few Black priests, so my prayer and my hope is that he stays here a long, long time.”