February 18th, 2016 Edition

Ebonee Shaw and Quentin Williams are among 20 young professionals under 40 who will be recognized at the

Hazelwood parents protest cuts

District slashes music programs and PE to reduce $15M budget deficit

By Mariah Stewart Of The St. Louis American

Hundreds of community members flocked to the Hazelwood School District school board meeting on Tuesday, February 16 to voice their concerns about the new budget reduction plan, which includes eliminating several educator positions, cutting physical education classes down to once a week, and discontinuing elementary band and orchestra classes during the school day. The district is operating with a deficit of approximately $15 million and the 2016-2017 budget

n “This is just one more thing the district is taking away from our kids.”

– Stephanie Grimshaw

reduction plan would save more than $6.6 million, said Dwight L. Lindhorst, assistant superintendent of finance and facilities. The school board recently

Opinion

Why the SAB is good for SLPS

One state board member’s view

By Mike Jones

On Tuesday, February 16, the State Board of Education voted to extend the tenure of the Special Administrative Board that governs St. Louis Public Schools. As a member of the state board, I owe the community my reasoning for this vote. During my tenure on the state board, I’ve heard many presentations on turning around troubled school districts. The strategies may vary, but they all have a common theme: the importance of leadership. Invariably, the leadership they’re talking about is leadership at the superintendent or building level.

However, my experience on the state board for the last four years has taught me the importance of leadership at the governance level. Whether it’s effective district-wide administrative leadership or productive building leadership, they both require a governing board that is studentcentered and committed to high standards.

n The SAB and Superintendent Kelvin Adams have created an effective, coherent governing philosophy and the ability to build consensus around educational policy and strategies.

Simply put, superintendents like Tiffany Anderson and Kelvin Adams can’t hire and empower themselves.

The current educational condition of St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS) is a direct

By Rebecca Rivas

Hazelwood School District music students Kennedy Foster and Allen Adams protested the school board’s decision to cut music instruction in elementary schools in the lobby outside the overflowing board meeting on Tuesday, February 16.

Seventh grader Haile Emerson peeked his head into a classroom at Gilkey Pamoja Preparatory Academy and asked, “Hodi hodi” (or “May I enter?” in Swahili).

n “We’re all family, no matter who we are, where we are or what we are.”

– Haile Emerson, 7th grade

Principal Sean Nichols responded, “Karibu,” or “You’re welcome.” Pamoja, located at 3935 Enright Ave., teaches its 410 students about African values and customs, alongside the standard curriculum that’s taught in St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS). Emerson said he loves how Pamoja teaches him

‘Embracing Diversity and Inclusion’ on campus February 29 and March 1

By Chris King Of The St. Louis American

Webster University will host a two-day conference on “Embracing Diversity and Inclusion” on Monday, February 29 and Tuesday, March 1 in the Luhr Building, 475 E. Lockwood Ave. in Webster Groves. All sessions are free except those that include a meal (and even those sessions are free for Webster students). The conference begins 9:15 a.m. February 29 with a panel on “Landscape of Diversity &

See WEBSTER, A7

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

Of The St. Louis American

Of The St. Louis American

Photo by Wiley Price

Mike Jones

Redding Njoki, lead pre-Kindergarten teacher at Gilkey Pamoja Preparatory Academy, looked at pictures next to the school’s display about ancient Egyptian pharaohs on February 16.

Prince pays tribute to Vanity

Prince paid tribute to his former protégé Denise “Vanity” Matthews at the Melbourne, Australia kickoff of his Piano and a Microphone tour, the day after it was revealed the Vanity 6 singer and his ex-girlfriend had died at the age of 57.

“I just found out a little while ago that someone dear to us has passed away, so I’m going to dedicate this song to her,” Prince told the audience before performing a solo take on “Little Red Corvette.”

Prince was said to have learned of Matthews’ death just as he was set to take the stage.

“I’m trying to stay focused. It’s a little heavy for me tonight. Just keep jamming,” he told reportedly told the audience. He frequently referenced Vanity in his set list.

Prince also shared memories about the singer over the course of the evening.

“Can I tell you a story about Vanity? Or should I tell you a story about Denise? She loved me for the artist I was, I loved her for the artist she was trying to be. She and I would fight. She was very headstrong ‘cause she

knew she was the finest woman in the world. She never missed an opportunity to tell you that.”

Later, Prince told a story about how, during a fight, he threatened to throw Vanity in a pool, only to have Vanity reply, “You can’t throw me in the pool, you’re too little.” Prince then asked his bodyguard to throw Vanity in the pool. “I probably shouldn’t be telling this story, but she’d want us to celebrate her life and not mourn her,” Prince said.

Was Idris caught in the act with Naomi Campbell?

Last week, news leaked that Idris Elba left his girlfriend for Naomi Campbell

A newly revealed blind item claims his former boo caught the two in bed way back in September.

Celebrity gossip blind item site Crazy Days and Nights said,

“This permanent A-List model was talking smack about the guy who should be the next James Bond. Apparently, when they had a brief hookup he failed to mention that his significant other could pop in at any time…and apparently did.”

The site also said that the A-List model revealed that the actor’s ex is currently pregnant.

Phaedra implies Kenya has a baby on the way

While filling in for Porsha Williams on Dish Nation, Phaedra Parks let it slip that her

“Real Housewives of Atlanta” co-star may be with child. She was discussing Cynthia Bailey, downplaying her friendship with Moore since NeNe Leakes’ return the show. Parks tells Headkrack, “Honey, I did hear that one of her NON best friends might be having a bundle of joy, so maybe she can be the godmother,”

“Is this person named after a country?” He asked.

“I think so, and some coffee,” Parks replied. “And she peddles around in sperm banks.”

“You love hip hop, you love my art. I am your favorite artist but you watch me barely breathe and still play my album in your house. World, please tweet, FaceTime, Facebook, Instagram, whatever you gotta do to get Mark to support me. I’m this generation’s Disney. I want to bring dope [expletive] to the world. ”

Kanye pleas for financial aid from Mark Zuckerberg

Over the weekend, Kanye West admitted he was $53 million in debt after self-financing Yeezy Season 3 and “The Life of Pablo.” He took to Twitter to beg Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to invest $1 billion in his next project.

“I know it’s your b-day but can you please call me by 2mrw,” West tweeted.

NYC anti-Bey protest goes bust

The announced anti-Beyoncé protest Tuesday morning in front of the NFL Headquarters in New York was an utter flop. The turnout was so low that one Beyoncé supporter held a sign that read, “Where y’all at?” It all began following Beyoncé’s “Formation” video release and Super Bowl performance, which had some on social media complaining that her Black Lives Matter and Black Panthers themes were offensive and anti-police. A posting on Eventbrite encouraged those “offended as an American that Beyoncé pulled her race-baiting stunt at the Super Bowl” to gather on Tuesday to “show the world that it’s not necessary to be disruptive to America while conveying an effective message to the masses.” New York magazine’s The Cut reported a grand total of three anti-Beyoncé protesters.

Sources: CNN, New York Magazine, Rolling Stone, Twitter Phaedra Parks

Moving ‘the community toward unity’ in Ferguson

By Camille Phillips

Public Radio

After

by a split vote last month, on February 9 the Ferguson City Council unanimously appointed Laverne Mitchom to fill the open council position left by the death of Brian Fletcher on January 10. Mitchom is an African-American counselor with 30 years’ experience working for St. Louis’ voluntary school desegregation program where she developed skills she said she plans to transfer to her role as councilwoman.

“I’m used to helping people come together and try to understand and listen to each other’s opinions,” said Mitchom, adding that she’s also accustomed to leading discussions on race relations.

“To be very frank, in the St. Louis voluntary transfer program we had racial issues come up. And in dealing

with those issues we would always have to try to get everybody to come to the table, mutually be respectful and hear each other’s side of the issue,”

Mitchom said.

“A lot of times when you worked it out, there were misunderstandings. Someone may not have felt that they

Protect and serve vs. disrespect and violate

By Laverne Mitchom

For The St. Louis American

As I read the Department of Justice’s reports on the Ferguson Police Department and Darren Wilson, I asked myself over and over again, how I could not have known about these blatant injustices against African Americans when I have lived in Ferguson for close to 10 years? I

realize there are probably others who also did not know the depth of what the Ferguson police were doing to African Americans.

I understand the Department of Justice (DOJ) could not legally determine Darren Wilson guilty of violating Michael Brown Jr.’s constitutional rights, nor could they refute that he believed Brown posed a threat to his life. However, one

came across in a racist manner and someone may have felt that they really didn’t intend to say it that way.”

Mitchom spoke to St. Louis Public Radio before the U.S. Justice Department filed suit against the city She said that despite the unknowns, she is hopeful that Ferguson has a

thing that is very clear is that Brown had reason to fear for his life when he was confronted by Wilson.

After all, Wilson had come to Ferguson from the Jennings Police Department, which had been disbanded due to resident complaints of police abuse, violation of their rights, and officers doing everything but protecting and serving.

The DOJ report cited many instances where African Americans had reason to fear the Ferguson police, in terms of rights being violated or even their very

good future.

“I believe with all of us working together — the council working with the community and the community participating and volunteering – I believe we can be successful and make this community a great place,” Mitchom said.

lives being threatened.

As an African American who grew up in the civil rights era, has worked close to 30 years for the St. Louis Desegregation Program, and has always been involved in my community and with issues of justice and injustice in our society, I will continue to work for justice for all people, because I truly believe the quote by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere.”

Across the nation, the constitutional rights of African-American people, particularly African-American males, are being violated, and in many instances their very lives are taken.

President Obama, always concerned and wanting to make this country

Laverne Mitchom, with her fellow members of the Ferguson City Council, at the council meeting on February 9.

Photo by Carolina Hidalgo / St. Louis Public Radio

“I keep saying that because I really believe that. I know we’re in some tough times right now. But I think together we can get through it. I don’t have this positive attitude just because I want to have it. There are good people in Ferguson, and we all want what’s best for our community. We may be expressing it in different ways, but all of us want what’s best for our community. And that gives me a positive attitude. That gives me hope.”

Mitchom said her goal for her next two years on Ferguson’s City Council is “to help the community heal and move the community toward more unity.”

Mitchom’s term ends in April 2018.

Follow Camille Phillips on Twitter: @cmpcamille. Reprinted with permission from news.stlpublicradio.org.

Mitchom published a commentary in The St. Louis American on April 23 of last year. It is republished along with this news report.

better, has initiated action to promote better police and community relations.

As Americans we each need to take a long, hard look at our individual hearts. Racism, oppression and violation of others’ human and civil rights will only continue to make this country a chaotic, hypocritical nation. How can the United States of America continue to preach democracy and human rights around the world when the human and civil rights of our own people are being violated here?

This column is reprinted from the April 23, 2015 edition of

was appointed to the Ferguson City Council on February 9.

The St. Louis American. Laverne Mitchom

Editorial /CommEntary

Apathy and establishment Democrats in 2016

It is now less than a month before Missouri Democrats choose their candidate for U.S. president, and Hillary Clinton has opened campaign offices on both ends of the state in Kansas City and St. Louis (the local office opens 6 p.m. today, February 18, in Laborers’ Local 42, 301 South Ewing Ave.). As in 2008, the Democrats find themselves with an impressive candidate with 100 percent name recognition who was expected to be the “presumptive nominee” but finds herself challenged by an upstart who should have had no possibility of winning the nomination. Barack Obama was a black man with the middle name “Hussein,” and Bernie Sanders is a socialist (albeit a selfdescribed democratic socialist) seeking to lead a nation whose foreign policy has been to destroy socialism for most of his life. Yet, once again, Clinton finds herself in a tough primary fight. The black vote – as always, with Democrats – is at issue. Both Clinton and Sanders have taken their lumps from the Black Lives Matters activists who have managed to make themselves players by barging onto the national political stage in this election cycle. In recent days, Sanders met with Erica Garner, the daughter of a movement martyr, and Clinton gave a major policy speech in Harlem at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. She called for a $2 billion plan to incentivize the hiring of “School Climate Support Teams” in districts and schools with high suspension and in-school arrest rates in an effort to disrupt the “school to prison pipeline,” with another $125 billion going to investments in revitalizing urban economies. She also spoke of the need to confront “systemic racism,” using a phrase that will not play that

well among all white Missouri Democrats or conservative fence-sitters.

Meanwhile, black challengers of Democrat incumbents claim the Missouri Democratic Party is being very selective in how it shares its voter database with Democrat candidates. Maria ChappelleNadal, who is challenging U.S. Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay, is describing this as the party excluding Ferguson protestors, since she and the other two candidates with complaints (Cori Bush and Bruce Franks) were active in Ferguson. “Far too often political bosses and money determine political campaigns,” Rev. Darryl Gray, campaign manager for Bush, told The American. “We can’t afford that to happen in 2016 – not with the apathy that is out there.” These words must be heard. The Missouri Democratic Party and the Hillary Clinton campaign would be wise to heed these words of wisdom and act as if their candidates’ political fortunes rest on addressing this apathy in a proactive and sensitive way. What we’re accustomed to hearing from establishment Democrats – almost always, in Missouri, white Democrats – is

Democratic Primary presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton.

As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues

Courage in the face of complacency

By Charli Alexa Cooksey Guest columnist

Young, radical, and passionate. He was not as conident as I had seen him when he was on the streets of Ferguson. I could feel his nervousness. We ate our posh dinner and indulged in conversations with unfamiliar faces. It was gala season.

impatience that blacks quibble with their fellow Democrats over inclusion issues when clearly Republicans are a far worse alternative. Certainly, in this election cycle, and certainly in this presidential contest, Republicans are an absolutely unacceptable option for anyone voting with the best interests of African Americans in mind. But this ultimately patronizing response from establishment Democrats is completely out of synch with the mood of many black voters in 2016, particularly with many newly energized activist voters. With the apathy that is out there, Clinton and other statewide candidates in Missouri cannot simply expect for black voters to accept that they are better than the Republican option while targeting more conservative fence-sitters.

Missouri Democrats badly need an energized base – and that will require an aggressive grass-roots effort. It is almost certain that African Americans will vote overwhelmingly for Democrat candidates, but what is uncertain is how many will feel energized enough to vote –and Democrats are running out of time to energize us.

As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues

When addiction has a white face

By Ekow N. Yankah Guest columnist

When crack hit America in the mid-1980s, it embodied instant and fatal addiction. We saw endless images of thin, ravaged bodies, always black, as though from a famined land. And always those desperate, cracked lips. Our hearts broke learning the words “crack baby.”

But mostly, crack meant shocking violence, terrifying gangs and hollowed-out inner cities. For those living in crackplagued areas, the devastation was all too real. Children learned which ways home were safe and which gang to join to avoid beatings, or worse.

Even for African Americans living at a relatively safe distance, there were souldeadening costs. City centers, and by extension black neighborhoods, were seen in the national imagination as lawless landscapes. We were warned of a new wave of “super predators,” young, faceless black men wearing bandannas and sagging jeans. The addicted, those who preyed on them and those caught by class, geography and race were swept together.

African Americans were cast as pathological, an indistinguishable and unsympathetic mass. The plight of Black America was evidence of its collective moral failure – of welfare mothers and rockslinging thugs – and a reason to cut off all help. Blacks would just have to pull themselves out of the crack epidemic. Until then, the only answer lay in cordoning off the wreckage with militarized policing. The dormant carrier of this ill-defined disease, harboring a mix of criminality and violence, was the young black male. Thirty years later, America is again seeing an epidemic

of drug addiction, particularly heroin. For the first time in generations, mortality among young white adults has risen But the national attitude toward drug addiction is utterly different. Even Republican presidential candidates are eschewing the perennial toughon-drugs speeches and opening up about struggles within their own families.

More important, police chiefs in the cities most affected by heroin are responding, not by invoking military metaphors, weapons and tactics, but by ensuring that police officers save lives and get people into rehab. Suddenly, police officers understand crime as a sign of underlying addiction requiring coordinated assistance, rather than a scourge to be eradicated. It is heartening to see the eclipse of the generationslong failed war on drugs. But black Americans are also knowingly weary and embittered by the absence of such enlightened thinking when those in our own families were similarly wounded. When the face of addiction had dark skin, this nation’s police did not see sons and daughters, sister and brothers. They saw young thugs to be locked up.

No one laments the violence that the “crack bomb” set off in inner cities more than African Americans. But while shootings, beatings and robberies cannot be tolerated anywhere, the heroin epidemic shows that how we respond to the crimes accompanying addiction depends on how much we care about the

victims of crime and those in the grip of addiction. White heroin addicts get overdose treatment, rehabilitation and reincorporation. Black drug users got jail cells. It would be cruel and perverse to seek equal abandonment of those now struggling with addiction. Nor do I write in mere hopes of inducing cheap racial guilt. The hope is that we learn from our meanest moments.

Even today, as black communities face pressing problems of addiction and chronic unemployment and the discrimination in hiring that helps to perpetuate it, many are dedicated to ignoring racial prejudice. Faced with searing examples of unconscionable police violence against unarmed black men, of concocted justifications laid bare by video, too many still speak of isolated cases and overblown racial hysteria. With condescending finger-wagging, others recite the deplorable statistics of violence within poor minority neighborhoods as though racist policing were an antidote or excuse. Both responses ignore that each spectacular moment of unjustified police violence represents countless instances of institutionalized racial control.

No sane community faced with addiction and crime would invite or acquiesce to brutal policing as their fate, and no moral community would impose it as a primary response. We do not have to wait until a problem has a white face to answer with humanity.

Ekow N. Yankah is a professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University. This article, reprinted with permission of the author, first appeared in the New York Times.

Jonathan Pulphus, a #BlackLivesMatter activist, is not the kind of man you invite to speak at a gala unless you are prepared to be unapologetically iconoclastic. Jonathan took the stage and commanded everyone’s attention. He spoke his truth, and mine, and that of many black kids who attend some of the region’s most prestigious private high schools. He spoke forcefully of afluence and its often oppressive and racist nature.

I could see nerves accelerating the more his story unfolded. And the more his story unfolded, the more I felt empowered by his courage to do something different. I felt particularly inspired to infuse his courage into my role as a newly elected St. Louis Board of Education member.

Galas, while always enjoyable, are often all the same – heartfelt, but also safe, happy and conservative. What Jonathan did was groundbreaking and necessary. After all these years, it was the irst time I had ever witnessed courage to speak the unwavering truth even when it was uncomfortable, a courage to say that which did not preserve that ordinary and false march to progress to which we

have grown accustomed at such events.

As Jonathan stepped from the stage, he seemed exhausted, but I rose invigorated, inspired to do the same as he. Jonathan reminded me that I must be a voice for our young people’s experiences – their hopes, their pain – even and especially if it makes our current leadership somewhat ill at ease.

If we all truly care about our city’s kids, then we must be courageous in the face of complacency and embrace change. We must admit that what we are currently providing our kids is simply not good enough.

As a new member of the St. Louis Public Schools Board of Education, I have been unsure how to navigate the chaos of public school politics. I have been reluctant to speak the truth because I was not prepared for the consequences of disrupting the existing structure.

But I have witnessed the minimal progress that has resulted from the system that exists today. I have ground my teeth in frustration at what we have tolerated and accepted at the expense of our most important resource for the future of St. Louis – our youth.

I know the elected board model of the past is not good enough. Neither is the appointed board of today good enough. We must be willing to enter the future committed

Letters to the editor

Disappointed in Ferguson

It is disappointing that the Ferguson authorities have resisted taking the steps necessary to reform their practices, but I am heartened to see President Obama’s Justice Department act once again to enforce our constitutional policing laws. As president, I will work to provide the Department’s Civil Rights Division with the resources to further these efforts so that we can build trust between our nation’s brave law enforcement officers and the communities they serve.

Hillary Clinton, Via email

Can’t afford injustice

I understand the City of Ferguson believes it cannot afford to implement the reforms demanded by the Department of Justice, but it also cannot afford a lawsuit that could cost millions, and the people of Ferguson certainly cannot afford for the city to continue to ignore the blatant injustices committed by law enforcement. The people of Ferguson have suffered enough and deserve to have peace of mind that their city is going to survive, and that its leaders will serve with their best interests at heart. I will continue to work with Reps. Pace and Walton Gray to ensure no further harm is done to residents who have already dealt with too many injustices for far too long.

State Rep. Courtney Curtis Ferguson

Refuse to do right

It’s extremely disappointing to see the Ferguson City Council refuse to do the right thing by reforming a police department that has committed violations the justice department described as expansive, deliberate, egregious and routine. The people of Ferguson deserve better and my colleagues and I will not rest until the people of Ferguson have law enforcement officials

to achieve whatever it takes to make transformative change for our young people. I urge something different, something that challenges the comfortable mediocrity of a broken education system. I will not advocate for an elected board of the past versus an appointed board of the present. Instead, I will advocate for what our kids deserve. It starts with speaking about, and owning, the uncomfortable truth of our young people’s subpar experiences. We must acknowledge that too often their experiences are rooted in racism, oppression and elitism. If we start with brutal honesty, we can end with opportunities for our youth that are different, bold and fearlessly imaginative. Finding the courage to do something different will require us to come together – young people, parents. This new horizon will require us to be relentlessly strategic and broadly innovative. I embrace the passion of my elected board and appreciate the professionalism of the appointed members. Moreover, I absolutely commend the hard work and progress of Superintendent Kelvin Adams and his team. Yet, I love and value the lives of our young people above all else and know that our progress has the possibility to be so much more. Because of this love and value of our young people, and the hope of redeining progress, I will follow Jonathan’s footsteps, speaking truth. Charli Alexa Cooksey is executive director of InspireSTL and an elected member of the St. Louis Board of Education.

All

they can trust and respect.

State Rep. Rochelle Walton Gray Black Jack

Protect the people of Flint

The poisoning of Flint’s water – and the delayed response to that poisoning – is a classic example of the disproportionate burden of environmental harm being borne by low-income persons and communities of color. A focused, swift, and detailed investigation by the Department of Justice will be a significant step in rectifying this situation and determining whom to hold responsible for inflicting a lifetime of harm upon a vulnerable community.

The NAACP has engaged the law firm of WilmerHale LLP to assist its Legal Department in working with the DOJ to

protect the rights of the people of Flint.

Cornell William Brooks, president and CEO NAACP

Embrace reform

We know the City of Ferguson is already running a significant deficit, and the reforms will be costly to implement, but now is the time to move forward and make things right in Ferguson. That begins with fixing the city’s criminal justice system that has been broken at every level and failed to protect and serve the African American community for years. If we can provide financial help in the form of a loan program, there is no reason for the city to hesitate in embracing the DOJ’s reforms. State Rep. Sharon Pace St. Louis.

Guest Columnist Charli Cooksey

Guest Columnist Ekow N. Yankah

Checking out the council

Michael Brown Sr. attended the Ferguson City Council meeting on Tuesday, February 9 when the council finally voted on the city’s consent decree with the Department of Justice. The council voted to add seven amendments, which the DOJ took as a rejection of the decree. The DOJ immediately filed suit accusing Ferguson of constitutional and civil rights violations and asking a federal court to order Ferguson’s compliance with plans to improve its police and courts.

Water Drive for Flint

Radio One St. Louis, home of Hot 104.1 (WHHL) and Old School & Today’s R&B 95.5 (WFUN), have partnered with Project Compassion NFP, The Korey Johnson Foundation and Beyond Limits Production to collect bottled water for the residents of Flint, Michigan. The Water Drive will be held 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, February 20 at Milano Men’s Wear, 10805 W Florissant Ave.

Acceptable Items: full cases of commercially packaged water (no loose bottles) or commercially sealed gallon (or larger) containers of water. All containers must have an expiration date at least six months in the future. Unacceptable Items: canned water, containers with open/broken seals, carbonated water, flavored water and water past its expiration date or within six months of expiration.

SLPS tax increase on April 5 ballot

The Special Administrative Board of the Saint Louis Public School District voted to place Proposition 1, a $0.75 operating tax levy increase, on the April 5 ballot. If approved by voters, Proposition 1 funds would be used to: continue offering early childhood education, expand character and alternative education options, improve safety and security equipment and personnel, and offer competitive salaries to teachers and staff.

The proposed $0.75 increase in the operating tax levy for the Saint Louis Public School District would be the first increase in 25 years. The current operating tax levy rate of $3.75 per $100 of assessed valuation has been in place since 1991. If approved, Proposition 1 would generate an estimated $27.8 Million in revenue each year for SLPS and charter schools in the City of St. Louis.

Closing the racial wealth gap

By Charlene Crowell Guest columnist

As communities of color continue to suffer from financial stress, a new research report provides insights as to how the racial wealth divide is in large part created by policy trends that favor the well-to-do at the expense of the majority of the nation.

New research by the Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED) notes that although economists have long declared the Great Recession over, black and Latino consumers in particular are losing wealth, disproportionately suffering from subprime credit scores and turning to high-cost predatory lending.

“The federal government spends nearly nine times as much on tax programs designed to encourage upperincome households to save, invest and build wealth as it does on the Earned Income Tax Credit,” according to the report. “All told, the top 0.1 percent gets more money from these ‘upside down’ tax programs than the entire bottom 80 percent combined.”

Consider the following key economic measures.

The median net worth of white households is nearly $111,000 compared to $8,985 for Latino households and even less for black households – just $7,113.

While 71 percent of whites are homeowners, black homeownership is at an all-time historic low of 41 percent, and Latino homeownership is between the two at 53 percent.

Black homeowners who now owe more than their home is worth is double the number for whites.

Among renters, a majority of both black (57 percent) and Latino renters (56 percent) spend more than one-third of their earnings for rent, compared to only 45 percent of whites.

These disproportionate housing burdens contribute to the fact that almost half of the nation’s households are living asset poor lives. The term “liquid-asset poor” refers to consumers who lack less than three months of savings. Should jobs be lost, medical emergencies arise or any unexpected expenses emerge, people who are liquid-asset poor are more likely to face a financial crisis.

While more responsible options exist, it is the high-cost predatory lenders, those who charge triple-digit interest rates, that eagerly exploit financially vulnerable families.

Unfortunately, today only five states have banned or capped all predatory loans: Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Nationally, 29 of 50 states and the District of Columbia have capped interest rates or banned auto-title loans; and payday loans have been banned or effectively enacted interest rate caps in 17 states and D.C.

As the report states, “Only a comprehensive approach to helping households of color – from all backgrounds – achieve financial stability will effectively remedy the disparity in outcomes and help bring every American family to a place of true opportunity.”

Nikitra Bailey, an executive vice president with the Center for Responsible Lending, agrees. She said, “The 21st Century challenge to America is not just to identify widening disparities in lending, but to advocate policy reforms in the area of financial services that will aid in closing the racial wealth gap.”

Charlene Crowell is a communications manager with the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at Charlene.crowell@ responsiblelending.org.

Charlene Crowell

Photo by Carolina Hidalgo / St. Louis Public Radio

CUTS

Continued from A1

approved the plan, and it will take effect on July 1.

At the Tuesday meeting, dozens of parents, students, faculty and staff overflowed into the district’s central office lobby. There, some students played musical instruments, while others chanted, “Let us play.”

Reona Wise, a mother of six, has three children who attend schools in the district.

“My first grader came home the other day and asked me could she give the change in her piggy bank to her gym teacher because he said he’s definitely going to have to leave,” Wise told The

SAB

American. “It disrupts the students’ environment, because they’re aware of everything that’s going on and they want to fight for their teachers.”

A Hazelwood employee who did not want to be named said she had been with the district for more than 30 years and felt the approved budget reduction plan was done “under the table.”

According to the district, the plan came out of a budget advisory committee, which is a public group comprised of teachers, students, administrators and parents. The group began meeting three years ago.

A district spokesperson said the decision to approve the plan was “not done behind closed doors,” and that anyone was welcome to have joined the

Continued from A1 result of almost criminally bad governance, and I’m not talking about the current Special Administrative Board (SAB). I’m talking about the governance in place from 2002 to 2006, along with the complicity of St. Louis business and political leadership. SLPS was a struggling urban school district that was pushed into the abyss. You will never be able to overestimate the damage in terms of money and learning opportunities those years cost. There is a lot of misunderstanding about who is in charge of governing

advisory committee.

Terence Bell, 36, who graduated from Hazelwood Central High School in 1997 and has nieces and nephews in the district, came to show support for keeping band and orchestra in the four elementary schools that will lose them next year.

play violin in the lobby during the meeting, said the budget reduction plan was “ridiculous.”

n “This is just one more thing the district is taking away from our kids.”

– Stephanie Grimshaw

“I went to the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff on a full-ride band scholarship,” Bell told The American. “From there I was a drum major, so this band program has helped me out my whole life.”

Stephanie Grimshaw, who watched her fourth grader

education. The state constitution vests responsibility for instruction in public schools with the state board, and the legislature defines how the state board exercises that responsibility. There is no inherent right to local elected governance.

I have received substantial communication from people about what the state

“My daughter has a learning disability, and orchestra gives her something she can build selfesteem about,” Grimshaw told The American “She writes her own music now. She’s doing really, really good, and this is just one more thing the district is taking away from our kids.”

The reduction plan eliminates 16 physical education (PE) instructors. Officials said students will have one 60-minute PE class

board should do, and the overwhelming consensus was we should let the SAB expire and return governance of the district back to the elected board. This correspondence was all focused on who should have the right to pick who runs the district. Though highly critical of the SAB’s performance, nobody made an argument that returning

every four days. The State of Missouri only requires 50 minutes of PE per school week for elementary students.

The plan also cuts central office, warehouse and custodial positions.

Lindhorst said the district tried to eliminate positions “as far away from students as possible.” By eliminating two assistant superintendent positions, getting rid of tuition reimbursement for administrators, and eliminating professional development for administrators, more than $900,000 will be saved, he said.

Lindhorst said the budget shortfall is mainly due to a loss of revenue from property taxes, which account for 42 percent of the district’s operating revenue.

Since 2008, Lindhorst said

the district to control by the elected board would improve educational outcomes for children in the district.

I would never argue that SLPS represents the highest standard of educational excellence or even that they’ve turned the corner on that issue. But an honest critic has to admit they’ve climbed out of the hole they were in and they’re beginning to make sustainable progress. This is where the question of governance becomes critical.

The SAB and Superintendent Kelvin Adams have created an effective, coherent governing philosophy and the ability to build consensus around educational policy and strategies. This consistency and predictability are critical in achieving and sustaining academic progress. A change in the SLPS governance structure would require all that to be renegotiated, and that would be disruptive. Now is not the time for that disruption.

property values throughout the district have decreased by 22 percent, or $15.7 million.

“That’s a large drop in revenue,” said Lindhorst. Despite major cutbacks, Lindhorst said the district tries to maintain competitive salaries and benefits to “attract and retain” quality faculty, staff and administrators.

“The raises have contributed to the shortfall,” he said. “We were trying to bide our time and hope that revenue increased more than they have. It hasn’t happened, so here we are.”

To view the school district’s past financial reports, click here.

This story is published as part of a partnership between The American and The Huffington Post.

However, the state board directed the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop a plan that specifies what conditions have to be met in order for SLPS to begin a transition to return to elected governance. That plan will be presented in April.

I commend and thank the three members of the SAB, Richard Gaines, Melanie Adams and Rick Sullivan, for extraordinary public service on behalf of the students that attend SLPS. However you measure the progress SLPS has achieved in the road back toward full accreditation, the foundation and context was provided by their work. SLPS has come a long way, but still has a long way to go. The SAB may not be the ideal way to govern a school district, but for now it’s the best way to govern this school district. Mike Jones is a member of the State Board of Education as well as The St. Louis American’s editorial board.

SCHOOL

Continued from A1

about himself.

“We all came from one place,” Emerson said. “The first human Homo sapiens bones were found in Ethiopia; they were approximately 3.4 million years old. Some people named her Lucy.” He added that everyone’s “mitochondria DNA” is connected to Lucy’s.

“We’re all family, no matter who we are, where we are or what we are,” Emerson said.

In 2011, SLPS district leaders decided to transform Cole Elementary into an African-centered school, modeled after a program in Kansas City. The activist Bertha Knox Gilkey strongly urged the district to open the program, and it was renamed in her honor after she passed in 2014.

Much of the program is focused around the seven principles of the Nguzo Saba, which is also celebrated during Kwanzaa. Most important is the idea of collectiveness and improving your community, said Nichols, who has led the program since the beginning.

“Pamoja is an innovative approach to education,” said Alderman Terry Kennedy of the 18th Ward, where the school is located. “I have seen it help students with poor selfconcepts grow in self-esteem, achievement, respect and community pride. That selfesteem and community pride promoted by Pamoja can surely

WEBSTER

Continued from A1

Inclusion for Regional Higher Education Institutions” and concludes 1:45 p.m. March 1 with a panel on “Campus Pride – Safe Zone.”

Focusing on inclusion in higher education and providing safe zones for marginalized groups on campus show the conference’s roots in the strife at the University of Missouri – Columbia last year, whose impacts continue to be felt and discussed throughout Missouri and the nation.

“When events unfolded at Mizzou, we reached out to student leaders and met with them and asked them to tell

lead to higher test scores and academic achievement.”

Since 2013, the school has more than doubled its state assessment score. In 2015, the school earned 48 points or 68.6 percent on the state’s Annual Performance Report. That’s just shy of a score that would qualify for full accreditation.

us their experiences and what we can improve,” Webster University President Beth Stroble told The American This conference, she said, was designed to “help create more learning opportunities.”

Nicole Roach, associate vice president for diversity, inclusion and community engagement at the university, served on the six-member committee that planned the conference. She said it was planned with Webster University in mind, but also “for the community as a whole” and is “open to the community at large.”

Panelists include senior administrators at other universities around the country, including Lee A. Gill, associate vice president for inclusion

Currently the school is provisionally accredited.

Eighth grader Diamond Blue said the teachers are constantly ensuring the students that they can “conquer things in life.”

“For instance, when I first started coming here in sixth grade, I made D’s and C’s,”

and equity at The University of Akron, and Adis M. Vila, senior fellow for the Institute for Cross Cultural Management at the Florida Institute of Technology and formerly the first chief diversity officer at the United States Air Force Academy.

Panels probe diversity by race, with discussions of “African-American Students Shaping Tomorrow” and “Hispanic Point of View.” The conference also takes up “Interfaith Cooperation,” “Disabilities and Accessibility” and “Gender Entitlement.”

Speaking of gender, Stroble emphasized that Webster University has its own unique trajectory of inclusion, as it was founded (as Loretto College) in 1915 admitting

she said. “Now I make straight A’s.”

Before she came to the school, she said she had minimum knowledge about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other African-American leaders.

“I was walking around the world just thinking that black

only women students. The first male students were not enrolled until 1962.

The university diversified by race before it did by gender.

Two students who identified as African-American were first enrolled at Webster University in 1947. In May, 1950 Janet Irene Thomas became the first African-American graduate of the University.

Stroble acknowledged that Webster University’s

people don’t have culture, black people don’t have history,” she said. “Now I know we have history, and I walk around more confident.”

Isaiah Strong, an eighth grade student who is now in his second year at Pamoja, said the curriculum was a “shock” to him.

local campus is essentially a commuter school, with only 850 students in residence on its Webster Groves campus (out of more than 7,250 students). Mizzou currently has 6,343 students living in campus housing, according to a university spokesperson. As such, Webster faces far fewer diversity challenges than a massive residential campus like Mizzou.

“A large state university

“When I was younger, I thought everything was white, white, white,” he said. “The only black leader that I knew was Martin Luther King.” He said what the school taught him about his culture changed his life.

“Before, my behavior was horrible,” he said. “I used to play a lot; I wasn’t serious about school. Now I’m trying to practice my culture, and I’m doing the best that I can.” On a Tuesday afternoon, Rodney Barber was walking through the hall with a few boxes of cupcakes for his daughter Rodnita’s birthday. She has attended the school for three years.

“She comes home at least once a week telling me something I didn’t know,” Barber said. “It makes me do a little more research myself. If my daughter is into it, then I got to get into it.”

The program embraces the importance of family and community, Nichols said, and these core values help connect struggling families. About one-fourth of the students come from transient homes, and 65 of their families are homeless, he said.

“The children that we work with daily, the energy and spirit that they bring is something that you have to embrace and understand,” said Redding Njoki, lead preKindergarten teacher.

“And once you understand it, they just soar. And once they understand that you know, they just grow.”

with a lot of residential students has more people and more complex interactions,” she said.

“There’s more opportunity for tension – and then you have the added elements of fraternities, sororities and frat houses.”

For more information on the conference and to register, visit http://www.webster.edu/ diversity-inclusion/diversityconference.html.

Principal Sean Nichols chatted with Gilkey Pamoja Preparatory Academy students Tessazghi Emerson, Myshon Stowers, Truth Tsenane and Malei Triplett after lunch on February 16.

Photo by Wiley Price

As we celebrate Black History, we remember the long marches, the stirring speeches and silent sit-ins. We may forget that the places where history was made are still here. And that history is still alive in the solid iron of bridges, the creaking wood of courtrooms and the sun-dappled dirt of back roads where a dream took root and grew to change a nation. Write the next chapter by embracing your Real Possibilities Visit us at aarp.org/blackcommunity

Green snubs committee seeking evidence of bribery

It had the potential to be the St. Louis Board of Aldermen’s Watergate hearing, but Deep Throat did not show.

The board’s Personnel and Administration Committee invited 15th Ward Alderwoman Megan Ellyia Green to discuss her allegations of corruption and bribery at the board in a public meeting on Wednesday, February 17, but Green did not appear.

17th Ward Alderman Joe Roddy pointed out to committee chair Alderwoman Marlene Davis (19th Ward) and aldermanic President Lewis Reed that they had the power to subpoena Green and compel her testimony, but the committee did not discuss issuing a subpoena.

Formally, the committee was considering Resolution Number 197, which calls for the committee “to hold a public hearing regarding allegations of criminal conduct and to issue a report.” At the outset of the meeting and again at the end, Davis said she hoped the committee would not vote on the resolution, and if it did vote she would vote “no.” In the end, the committee did not take any action on the resolution. Davis did fleetingly call for a motion for Reed to censure Green, but Reed advised that this would not be the best way to let the matter die. No one made that motion.

4th Ward Alderman Sam Moore did appear and address the committee. Though Green’s accusations of bribery and corruption in City Hall were sweeping, and Davis and other committee members said her accusations impugned every board member, Moore is the only alderman who stood accused of anything resembling a specific crime.

According to media reports, Green claimed that Moore accepted a donation of winter

coats for residents of his ward by unions in exchange for legislative consideration. Moore told the committee that he regularly accepts donations of coats and even dresses up as Santa Claus to give them away to youth in his ward. Indeed, Moore made an appeal for more coat donations while speaking to the committee.

The legislative consideration in question would have been support for the NFL stadium financing bill. The unions and many business interests pushed hard for partial public financing of the stadium deal that was offered to the St. Louis Rams and the NFL. Green first alleged “bribery and correction” (a misspelling of “corruption,” the word she subsequently used) in a tweet on December 10. That was the day the Ways and Means Committee passed the stadium financing bill by a 7-2 vote. Moore and Reed voted to pass the bill out of committee, along with 21st Alderman Antonio French, 18th Ward Alderman Terry Kennedy, 8th Ward Alderman Steve Conway, 13th Ward Alderwoman Beth Murphy and 23rd Ward Alderman Joe Vaccaro. Aldermen Chris Carter (Ward 27) and Scott

“There were millions of dollars floating around on this stadium deal,” 4th Ward Alderman Sam Moore told the personnel committee on February 17. “Check my bank account. If you don’t see a million in my account, leave me alone. Don’t cheapen me by saying I took coats for a bribe.”

Photo by Wiley Price

Ogilvie (Ward 24) voted against the measure.

As The St. Louis American reported at the time, it was a new minority inclusion proposal for the stadium deal that swayed Reed, French, Kennedy and Moore to vote the bill out of committee.

Moore used the same language before the personnel committee on February 17 that he used before the Ways and Means Committee on December 10, talking about the promise of jobs for the “forgotten people” of the 4th Ward.

“There were millions of dollars floating around on this stadium deal,” Moore told the committee. “Check my bank account. If you don’t see a million in my account, leave me alone. Don’t cheapen me by saying I took coats for a bribe.”

As Davis reminded the committee and the public, authorities very quickly dismissed Green’s allegations. Davis read in full the letter that St. Louis Police Commissioner Sam Dotson sent to Reed on December 14. “Certainly any individuals with relevant information are encouraged to come forward,” Dotson wrote, “but based on the social media posts and the interviews with Alderwoman Green, there

was no actionable information obtained.”

Bribery is a felony, so Green had accused unnamed colleagues of a felony without having any “actionable information” for the police and the FBI – or any testimony for her colleagues when called before them in committee.

“The alderwoman of the 15th Ward, by not talking to us, has done some harm to herself,” Roddy said as the meeting was winding down. “Is it irreparable harm? She does not remain unscathed because we do not take more action today.”

‘Legal safeguards’

Green said that she did not appear under advice of counsel, after Vaccaro hinted at a law suit in a media report. She said her attorney advised her to testify only if served a subpoena, since that would ensure “legal safeguards” that would not be in place if she testified voluntarily before the committee.

Green has backpedaled since making her public accusations of “bribery and corruption,” using the term “legalized bribery,” but in fact bribery is a crime and a felony at that.

Green objected to a report in the EYE last week that she had accused Reed of bribery. It is true that she never stated that Reed took a bribe. However, she made her claim of “bribery and corruption” on the day the stadium financing bill was passed out of committee after a number of aldermen switched their vote in support of the bill.

Even Dotson, in his letter to Reed about Green’s allegations, said she made her claims “in the context of the upcoming vote for the financing of the city’s new stadium.”

It would not take a brilliant investigative mind to link Green’s vague allegations of bribery to Reed. After all, he is board president who whipped votes in support of the stadium financing deal and was in the voting majority that passed the bill out of committee. Anyone

investigating her claims would ask what, if anything, she knew about Reed. This also is in keeping with standard practice when investigating corruption.

Investigators always try to work their way up to the most powerful elected official they can snare.

In other words, for all of Moore’s piety about 4th Ward children who need winter coats, this was never about an alderman accepting some coats for cold kids. If this was only potentially about Moore and coats, the media would not have bit on the story and it would never have merited the committee meeting on February 16. This explains why Reed was so enraged at Green –angry enough to sit through a shock radio host’s misogynist tirade against her without objection – and why Dotson mailed his letter saying he had “no actionable information” to Reed. If there were a genuine investigation, it would have tried to get to Reed’s office. But clearly Green did not have enough evidence to start a genuine investigation. Just a few days after her tweet accusing unnamed colleagues of felonious acts, the St. Louis police commissioner was writing to Reed to inform him that all of the aldermen were off the hook. “Currently there are no criminal investigations underway by either this department or the FBI that I am aware of,” Dotson wrote.

Social justice and legislation

The personnel committee meeting may not have been the beginning of Watergate hearings for the Board of Aldermen, but there were some amazing moments. Davis pointed out that Green was motivated by a passion for social justice, which led Davis to the unforgettable comment that “social justice does not belong in a legislative body.” Yes, she said that. She meant that Green was using tactics

that belong in the street, not on the Board of Aldermen, but it was not the best message to send about a legislative body that stands vaguely accused of bribery and corruption. Davis also had this to say: “You can train a dog, you can train a cat, you can train a bird, but that is impossible with humans.” Two questions. What tricks has Davis taught her cat? Those animals are difficult to train. And: Should the city stop funding the St. Louis Agency on Training if it is trying to achieve the impossible? It is, after all, humans they claim to be training.

12th Ward Alderman Larry Arnowitz revealed a very poorunderstanding of social media, where Green first made her accusations. “Social media was playing this up because they need more people to watch TV,” Arnowitz said. Memo to Larry: social media, if anything, competes with television for eyeballs. You seldom find anyone on Twitter with anything good to say about broadcast media. Arnowitz also seemed to vouch for the spirit, if not the letter, of Green’s accusations when he said this of the wrangling over the stadium financing deal: “I felt like I was in a chess game, and I was a pawn.” Moore testified wearing blue jeans, sneakers, a loose-fitting casual shirt and a ball cap. He said, “I dress like this ‘cause I’m a ‘hood rat.” He also said he might be incoherent because he was heavily medicated. Moore may have joked his way through his testimony, which is not unusual for him, but he ended up in tears when he offered to take all of the aldermen on a tour of his ward, “but I guarantee you you’ll get off the bus, it’s so horrible.” 11th Ward Alderman Thomas Villa brought a literary touch to the proceedings when he wished that Green would appear and testify and “make this whole exercise in the macabre go away.”

Banking on having enough diapers

Most families with diaper need fall about 25 diapers short each month, according to Jessica Adams (above), founder and executive director of the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank. Donated diapers or diapers purchased wholesale get repackaged into bundles of 25 before they are provided to organizations to distribute to families in need.

By Sandra Jordan

Of The St. Louis American

Clean, dry diapers are a basic need for babies. Having an adequate supply of diapers makes for a healthier baby and a less-stressed parent. Unfortunately, in the U.S., one in three mothers and families struggle to have enough diapers for their baby, according to the National Diaper Bank Network, which impacts the physical, mental and economic well-being of families.

Diapers are also an expensive necessity if you are struggling to make ends meet. Most babies use six to 10 diapers per day –costing about $70-$80 dollars each month. The ramifications go far beyond the dollar

cost. Without diapers, babies cannot partake in early childhood education programs or child care. Most childcare centers require parents to bring in a day’s worth of disposable diapers for each child. Without childcare, parents are unable to go to work or keep a steady job –creating mental anguish and economic instability for the household.

Children that participate in early childhood education are three times more likely to move on to higher education.

Jessica Adams heard about diaper need on the radio and decided a local diaper bank would be a great place to volunteer. She discovered that St. Louis did not have a diaper bank. After some pondering, Adams did the next best thing; in 2014, she founded the St.

Louis Area Diaper Bank.

“I called around to a couple of child-serving organizations – Nurses for Newborns, Maternal Child and Family Health Coalition, the Crisis Nursery and other food pantries and stuff around the area just to ask, ‘Do your clients tell you they need diapers?’ and every one of them said absolutely yes,” Jessica Adams, executive director of the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank. “And the child-serving organizations all said they spend a pretty hefty amount of time and money acquiring diapers to give to their clients.” Adams said she and her husband, Jay Harden brook, worked to get it started. The diaper bank has been growing steadily since

See DIAPERS, A11

Think of the heart, not just on Valentine’s day

The Saint Louis County Department of Public Health is encouraging residents to do all they can do to keep their hearts strong and healthy beyond Valentine’s Day. One of the leading causes of death is heart and cardiovascular disease.

Faisal Khan, director of the county public health department, said, “Despite the stereotypes that still exist, heart disease can affect anyone – not just men. In fact, one in three women who die each year dies from either heart disease or a stroke, and it’s time to change that.”

Common symptoms for both men and women who are having a heart attack are chest pain, discomfort in the left arm, and shortness of breath. Women may also experience irregular back pain in the upper or lower

See HEART, A11

Your Health Matters is provided in partnership with

Taking the time to read food labels is key when trying to make healthy decisions.

Your Family Doctor

When love hurts

Recently a friend posted on Facebook a very touching all too familiar life situation for which she had been involved in for several years. From her posting I learned that she was having to place an elderly loved one in a facility. That particular loved one had actually been the caregiver for her 101-year-old uncle for years. She cared for him initially part time but eventually had become full time, staying in the guestroom. The uncle and the caregiver became good friends and they promised one another to care for each other until death. Sounds like a blockbuster romance movie, right?

My friend went on to say that in December, the caregiver became quite ill requiring hospitalization. The uncle never left her alone and stayed in the hospital by her side. When she returned home, it seemed as if she would make a full recovery. However, in January things did not look good and the 101-year-old uncle actually became the caregiver. His health started to fade, he lost weight and it became obvious to my friend that this type of relationship at this point was unsustainable. She had to make a tough decision. On the day she arrived to have the caregiver transported to a more appropriate facility, she had to witness her uncle sob uncontrollably as his longtime friend was taken from him. She pondered to herself would he ever heal from such heartbreak.

n But toward the end of life, caring for her was difficult.

That scene and chain of events is something I see quite a bit. Some families are able to care for their loved ones up until the very end of life and others due to finances, time or severity of the illness cannot. I remember watching my mother and her siblings care for my grandmother. They had promised to never put her in a nursing home. But toward the end of life, caring for her was difficult. One of my aunts quit her job and became a 24-hour assistant. My mother and the rest of her siblings would take turns relieving my aunt on the weekends. Now as a physician, I looked at this and thought how is this sustainable? My grandmother was obese, had severe osteoarthritis which rendered her essentially immobile, and if she fell, my aunt could not handle her alone. But my family insisted on caring for her alone.

They were able to keep their promise and my grandmother died peacefully in her home. But is this the case for most families? Not at all!

Family commitments, work commitments, lack of resources, and poor caregiver health all contribute to the difficult nature of caring for aging family members. However, resources do exist that assist in this emotional process. Social workers, home health agencies, senior services and nursing homes are available to help. But families have to be willing to receive the assistance.

Life’s a journey. We begin life dependent upon others and we end it possibly the same. Nevertheless, this journey does not have to be in isolation. Showing love to our respected elders, spouses, children, or other individuals precious in our sight not only means being present in their time of need, but it also means making the tough decisions for them when needed.

Your family doctor, Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D. Assistant Professor SLUCare Family Medicine yourhealthmatters@stlamerican.com

A10

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • FEBRUARY 18 – 24, 2016

Denise HooksAnderson, MD

Photo by Sandra Jordan

Sweet start for babies’ first year

By Sandra Jordan Of The St. Louis American

An SSM St. Mary’s hospital volunteer was on an elevator and overheard nurses talking about going to garage sales to buy clothing for newborns there whose moms and dads had little or no resources.

“We heard that the nurses were going home, going to garage sales to get the girls clothes to go home with,” Alice Provaznik said.

While it broke her heart, she decided that was a task volunteers could take on, and thus the genesis of the Sweet Babies program at St. Mary’s. It started five years ago and became a 501 c.3 nonprofit organization in 2014.

Provaznik started as a volunteer force of one, and while the organization is still quite small, volunteers help 60-70 families per month, sending newborns home with a gift bag of diapers, new or gently used clean seasonal clothing, blankets, onesies, socks and other baby items needed through their first year of life.

“When we give a bag to the girls in the hospital to go home with, we give them [sizes] 0 to3, 3 to 6, and 6 to 12, so they always have something to go into,” Provaznik said. “Mothers always ask for socks, so we put three pairs of socks in each bag, and we put hats.” They also supply pack-inplays for babies who do not have beds to sleep in. Hospital social workers determine which

families are in need of assistance from Sweet Babies. Clothing comes from individual donations and thrift stores. Inmates at the maximum security prison in Potosi,

Missouri knit little hats and booties for the babies.

“We went to Potosi one day to thank them … these big men do the hats on looms, but the booties – they take two men’s short combs, one in each hand,

and they knit with the teeth of the comb. We are very grateful to Potosi,” she said. Sweet Babies supplies the yarn.

Barb Fisher, a Sweet Babies volunteer, treasurer and board member, said individuals sew

DIAPERS

Continued from A10

that time, thanks to an active volunteer working board of directors. Last summer, the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank acted on the opportunity to purchase diapers from another diaper bank in Missouri, Adams said.

“The diaper bank in Kansas City had a surplus of size 1s, which is what we distribute to one of our partner organizations exclusively. We were able to purchase them for 4 cents each when retail is about 25 cents,” Adams described. “That was super cheap and we purchased 30,000 diapers to deliver to this organization,

called Sweet Babies.” (Read the Sweet Babies article on the next page.)

The diaper bank distributes 3,000 diapers per month each to Sweet Babies, Parents as Teachers and St. Louis Public Schools.

The diaper bank first operated out of the couple’s garage until the Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry offered them warehouse and office space. Adams said they moved in during early October 2015 and pay their rent in diapers.

“They get 4,500 diapers from us every month, which does not meet their need, but it’s a sustainable number for us right now,” Adams said. In addition to financial donations, the organization receives diaper donations and

The Saint Louis County Department of Public Health is encouraging everyone to educate themselves more on the issue by:

back, jaw pain, neck, pain, and nausea.

• Finding out your heart num-

purchases some diapers wholesale.

“Ninety-eight percent of the diapers that we have in our warehouse right now, which is over 100,000 diapers have been donated from the community,” Adams said. “Folks will have a diaper drive at their church or lots of folks have been collecting diapers in lieu of presents at birthday parties … one family adopted us and purchased diapers for us instead of purchasing presents for each other at Christmas; schools do it –it’s amazing how much we’ve gotten since we moved in.”

Adams said the diaper bank needs additional financial donors as well as diaper donations, especially a few particularly sizes.

“We are always in greatest

bers by seeing a doctor and having your blood pressure, cholesterol level, and glucose level checked.

• Learning about the importance of making healthy food

need of size 4, 5, 6 and then pull-up sized diapers,” Adams said.

The St. Louis Area Diaper Bank distributes only to organizations and groups that distribute to individuals. The bank recently selected seven additional distribution partners.

“One of our major goals for this new major partner application process is to identify some organizations that can be emergency diaper distributors – organizations we can refer folks to and actually go there even if they are not a client of that organization, and go there and receive some diapers.”

To donate or for more information, call 314-384-2512, email jadams@stldiaperbank. org or visit www.stldiaperbank. org.

choices and staying active to keep your heart healthy.

• Owning your lifestyle by choosing to stop smoking, lose weight, manage stress, and limit alcohol intake to promote

Barb Fisher, a Sweet Babies volunteer, treasurer and board member, and Ron Laurentius prepare gift bags for families in need with newborn babies.

baby items to donate as well.

“We have so many people make things; most of our bibs are burp cloths are made, although we’ve had to buy some because we run out of people making them,” Fisher

said. A $750 Walmart card from The Assistance League allowed them to buy socks and receiving blankets for the babies.

“When we get donations from people, we get a lot of the clothes, because they are hand-me-down or we can go to Goodwill and find them,” Fisher said. “You can’t find nice socks for babies – and receiving blankets, so those are the two things we found that we had to buy.”

Provaznik said their greatest need is diapers, and donations from the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank, along with diaper donations from baby shower donations and individuals help tremendously.

“We used to buy a lot of diapers, but now, we’ve been lucky with the [St. Louis Area] Diaper Bank,” Provaznik said. Each gift bag has 50 to 60 diapers in it.

“That’s a little over 4,000 and we started getting to Cardinal Glennon, probably close to 5,000,” each month, said Ron Laurentius, a volunteer and board member. Additionally, donations of baby items and toys for older children go to SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital for its patients. In addition, each child goes home with three books in their gift bag from Sweet Babies. To donate or for more information, call (314) 768-8419, email info@sweetbabies.org, or visit www.sweetbabies.org.

Lawmakers introduce bill for 30-day paid family leave bill

Missouri Lawmakers introduced a bill in the house and Senate for the Missouri Earned Family and Medical Leave Program. Rep. Tracy McCreery (D-St. Louis) introduced a similar measure last session (HB1161).

The Missouri Earned Family Medical Leave Program would provide employees with access to up to 30 days earned paid leave. Employees would be eligible to take leave to care for a family member, after the birth of a child or the placement of a foster or adopted child, or for taking care of the employee’s own medical conditions.

“The purpose of this paid leave program is simple: it helps give hardworking Missourians the resources to put their families first,” said Sen. Schupp. “By introducing this bill, we’re starting an important conversation.”

“Nearly all employees need to take time away from work at some point to deal with a serious personal or family illness or to care for a new child. Providing earned paid family and medical leave allow workers to meet these needs without jeopardizing their economic security,” Rep. McCreery said.

“We know that the economic and emotional burden of being the primary caregiver for new children, parents, grandparents, and other relatives often falls on women. Paid leave for taking care of family members would relieve the economic stress of this undertaking and empower women and their families to prioritize their health and wellness,” said Alison Dreith, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri. “If the anti-choice Missouri legislature really wants to support women in their pregnancies, or their family values, passing this legislation would be a great way to prove that.”

February 5th marked the 23rd anniversary of the Family Medical Leave Act.

the health of your heart.

• Visiting www.cdc.gov/heartdisease to learn more about reducing your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Around 80 percent of cardiac events can be prevented with education and lifestyle changes and the time to start is now. For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/features/heartmonth.

Photo by Wiley Price

Dance teacher named SLPS Teacher Of The Year

American staff

Saint Louis Public Schools named Raymond Parks its 2015-16 Teacher of the Year. He is the dance teacher at

Central Visual and Performing Arts High School, where he has worked since 1983.

“Arts programs are judged by our end products and how we impact student

lives. By that standard, Ray Parks is the industry model,” said SLPS Performing Arts Curriculum Specialist Kaye Harrelson. “Over time, he has shepherded his students beyond high school and toward dance careers in national troupes. His students model self-confidence and courage.”

Parks was selected by the district’s Professional Development Office as the overall Teacher of the Year from a pool of 15 educators honored in November. At that time, he received the Webster University Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts Middle/ High Performing Arts Teacher of the Year award.

In addition to his decades of service to SLPS students, Mr. Parks has also taught dance instruction on the college and professional levels. He is a former choreographer for several St. Louis sports teams, including the St. Louis Blues and St. Louis Cardinals.

Parks’ commitment to students is embodied in his attendance record; he has not missed a day of work in the past 17 years.

“Mr. Parks will reach out to us if we need help with our homework or if we need help with anything besides dance,” said Emara Neymour-Jackson, a senior at Central VPA High School. “It’s not just dance that he’s there for us; he’s there for us with anything.” As the district’s overall Teacher of the Year, Parks will now compete for the district in the Missouri Teacher of the Year contest.

Supreme Court seeks input on child support guidelines

The Family Court Committee of the Supreme Court of Missouri has been directed to conduct a review of the child support guidelines, including an examination of the assumptions, information and methodology that provide the basis for the current guidelines. The committee would appreciate comment from the public and members of the Missouri Bar. Comments can be provided to the committee through testimony at a public hearing at 1 p.m. Friday, March 4 in Courtroom S01 at the St. Louis County Courts Building, 105 S. Central Avenue in Clayton. Other hearings in March are scheduled for Independence, Springfield, Columbia and Benton. Comments will need to be limited to the guidelines and the determination of child support. The committee cannot consider revisions to current state laws or issues related to the child support collection process, or enforcement or modification of child support orders, as these are outside the committee’s authority and scope. Any individual who wishes to testify and is in need of special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act should contact Rick Morrisey at 573-526-8825. Written comments may be sent via postal mail to: Child Support Comments, c/o Office of State Courts Administrator, P.O. Box 104480, Jefferson City, MO 65110. Comments also may be sent via e-mail to: childsupportcomments@courts. mo.gov All comments must be received no later than 5 p.m. Friday, April 1.

WEEK 24

DON’T BROWN BAG IT!

Do you like to take your lunch to school? If so then this is one small change you can make today that can make a big difference. Many students bring their lunches in a disposable brown bag. While convenient, all the paper from these bags cost the environment a lot of resources. Pick up a fun lunchbox that you can use every day and ditch those boring brown bags.

The same goes for disposable sandwich bags! It is estimated that we use 1 trillion plastic bags worldwide and they are a huge contribution to pollution, especially in the sea. Use a small reusable Tupperware container to separate your food and stop buying disposable plastic bags today!

ONE SMALL CHANGE is an ongoing series that challenges us to take very small steps toward being more environmentally-friendly. If we all participate then ONE SMALL CHANGE can make a big difference! participate, then ONE SMALL CHANGE can make a big difference!

Yummy Yogurt!

Nutrition Challenge: Yogurt is a healthy food powerhouse. It is a great source of calcium, vitamins A and D, potassium and protein. Greek yogurt is usually the highest in protein.

Winter Activities

Conflict Resolution

Now that the temperature has dropped, how can we stay active and fit this winter? Ask your parents where you can set up a work-out corner in your house for exercising (jumping jacks, stretching, dancing, etc.) Here’s an idea — why not stay active while watching TV? It’s easy to do! Instead of sitting and watching your favorite TV show,

When you find yourself in a conflict (fight/disagreement) with someone, practice these 5 steps for conflict resolution.

1. Identify the conflict. (Why aren’t we getting along?)

2. Agree to disagree. (Nobody has to be “wrong.”)

3. Listen to each other. (Really listen to the other person’s side.)

PRESENT:

Healthy Kids Kids

Yogurt is also a great way to regulate your digestive system. It contains “good” bacteria called probiotics that can help your stomach and intestines work better. If you’ve ever been constipated or had diarrhea, you know how uncomfortable it can be when your digestion isn’t working properly.

you can stand and walk briskly in place. Raise your knees and swing your arms as you walk. You can easily get in 20-30 minutes every night just by remembering this easy fitness trick!

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

4. Negotiate. (Discuss possible options.)

5. Compromise on a solution. (Each person can give a little.)

Look through the newspaper for a story where two people (or groups of people) are in a conflict. Write out how each of these steps could help the situation.

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 4

How to “sneak” yogurt into your diet:

> Substitute your usual sour cream with plain Greek yogurt.

> Use plain yogurt as a dip for celery or carrots.

> Mix vanilla yogurt, fruit and granola into a tasty breakfast parfait.

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

Healthcare Careers

Rachel Simon-Lee, Media Production Specialist

Where do you work? I work at BJC Healthcare. Where did you go to school? I graduated from Hillsboro High School in Nashville, Tennessee, and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Video Production from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri.

What does a media production specialist do?

Every day, I get to watch videos of open-heart surgeries! The surgeons at the Heart Center of St. Louis Children’s Hospital record heart surgeries and then I edit the footage on my computer into a short movie. I also get to meet with families and put together a DVD with pictures and video clips for them to take home once their baby leaves the hospital.

Cucumber-wiches

Ingredients:

Directions: Use the cucumber slices as the “bread” of the cucumber-wich. Spread with softened cream cheese and top with the turkey, cheese and tomato.

Why did you choose this career? I love everything about TV and film. When I was in high school, I took a radio and TV class and that’s where I was introduced to video production. I chose this career because it is so much fun editing video footage and making my own movies. What is your favorite part of the job you have? Heart surgeries can be scary and challenging. My favorite part is hearing families say, “Thank you! We loved it so much. It was perfect,” after watching their personalized DVD. Knowing that their video makes them feel happy or cry tears of joy is all that matters.

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

The St. Louis American’s award winning NIE program provides newspapers and resources to more than 7,000 teachers and students each week throughout the school year, at no charge.

CLASSROOM SPOTLIGHT

Fairview Intermediate School

6th grade teacher

Iesha Lewis, shows students Myra Martin, JaVion Richard, Demelliah Tabron, Jeffe McCarthan-Johnson, Markell Abernathy how to use scent as a way of indentifying what’s in the cups as a STEM lesson using the newspaper. Fairview Intermediate is in the Jennings School District.

by

Wiley Price/St.

Louis American

SCIENCE CORNER

The atmosphere is a thick layer of air that protects us from the sun’s radiation, falling meteors, and toxic gas. The atmosphere consists of five layers: troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, ionosphere and exosphere.

The layer closest to the earth is the troposphere. It is 11 miles thick and it controls our weather. The next layer is the stratosphere, which is 30 miles high and contains the ozone layer, which protects us from the sun. Next, is the mesosphere (about 50 miles from Earth), which is -180 degrees

SCIENCE EXPERIMENT

Background Information:

In this activity, you will build a device to measure the air pressure.

Materials Needed:

Fahrenheit. 430 miles above the earth is the ionosphere, which is considered outer space. Ions in the ionosphere create an electrical layer used to transmit radio waves.

Extending more than 6,000 miles is the final layer, the exosphere. The atmosphere is approximately 75%

• Large Jar (such as a jar for spaghetti sauce or jelly) • 2 Straws • Balloon • Tape

nitrogen and 25% oxygen. For more information, visit: http:// www.kidsgeo.com/ geography-for-kids/0040introduction-to-ouratmosphere.php.

Learning Standards: I can read nonfiction text for main idea and supporting details.

Build a Barometer!

y Starting at the bottom of the paper, mark 21 lines that are one centimeter apart all the way up the paper and label the lines from 1 to 21, starting with 1 at the bottom.

SCIENCE

African-American Civil Engineer

Derrick Pitts

Derrick Pitts was born in Philadelphia on January 22, 1955. As a young child, he was fascinated with outer space, stars, and rockets. That interest would serve him well in his future career. After graduating from Germantown Academy,

he earned a geology degree from St. Lawrence University. In 2011, he received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from LaSalle University.

In 1978, Pitts began working at Franklin Institute as the chief astronomer. In this career, he was in charge of educational programs and exhibits. He wanted to make his love of space come alive in his astronomy exhibits. Pitts was often labeled as an excellent teacher and soon became the planetarium director for the Franklin Institute. In 2002, he was in charge of the renovation and he has made improvements and updates to the observatory. Pitts is also the president of the Philadelphia chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc.

He has made numerous television appearances, including shows such as The Colbert Report, The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS Morning News, The Late Late Show, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, and The Ed Show. Pitts co-hosts a weekly radio program called Skytalk on WHYY-FM. In 2009, he served as the United States spokesperson for the International Year of Astronomy. Two years later, he was named a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Solar System Ambassador. Pitts has been named as one of the 50 most important African Americans in research science and has received many awards and honors, including the Liberty Bell Award, the George Washington Carver Scientist of the Year Award, the David Rittenhouse Award, and he is a 2004 inductee into the Germantown Historical Society’s Hall of Fame.

• Small Triangle (cut out of poster board or construction paper) • Rubber Bands • Ruler

• Paper Process:

q Cut the neck off of the balloon, stretch the balloon over the opening of the jar, and secure it with a rubber band.

w Tape the two straws together.

e Tape one end of the straws to the top of the balloon stretched over the opening of the jar. (The straws should stick out about 8 inches perpendicularly from the jar.)

r Tape the small triangle to the end of the straws to make a pointer for your barometer.

t To make a scale, cut a piece of paper so it measures 30 by 6 centimeters.

u Hang the scale on the wall. Put the barometer next to it, with the pointer lined up with the 11 line on the scale.

i To record your data, make a chart that has columns labeled Date, Barometric Reading, Weather Today. Each day, look at where the pointer of the barometer is pointing to. Then, on your chart, write down the number along with the date and the weather. Soon you’ll see a pattern.

Analyze/Draw Conclusions: What do you notice about the weather when the air pressure is high? What do you notice about the weather when the air pressure is low?

Learning Standards: I can follow sequential directions for an experiment. I can analyze and draw conclusions. I can make text to world connections.

Weather Word Problems

Solve these weather word problems. Remember to look for clue words and check your answer.

z A hurricane has wind speeds as low as 75 miles per hour (mph). If the wind is blowing 87 mph, how many fewer mph until it is no longer considered a hurricane? ________

x Sixteen inches of rainfall fell last year. Twelve inches fell this year. What is the total number of inches of

rainfall over the past two years? ________ What is the average of the two numbers? ________

c The temperature in New York City is 43 degrees. In San Francisco it is 70 degrees. What is the difference in temperature between New York and San Francisco? ________

v If a cloud is 18 feet long, how many inches long is it? ________ If snow is falling at a rate of ¾ inch per hour, how much snow would you have in 5 hours? ________

Learning Standards: I can read word problems to determine clue words. I can add, subtract multiply, and divide to solve a problem.

DID YOU KNOW?

Discuss: Pitts loved space as a child. His childhood interests became his career. What are your interests? How can you use these interests in your future career? Pitts was known as an excellent teacher. When you think of excellent teachers, what qualities or traits come to mind? Why is it important to have excellent teachers?

Learning Standards: I can read a biography about a person who has made a contribution in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.

MAP CORNER

Enjoy these activities that help you get to know your St. Louis American newspaper.

Activity One — and Present Tense: a newspaper article written in the present tense and clip it out of the paper. Underline all the verbs and then rewrite the article in the past tense.

Activity Two —

Apartment for Rent: Select three apartments listed in the classified ads for rent. Calculate the total rent for a year for the apartments you have chosen and determine the average monthly rent based on the three apartments you have chosen. Which of the three apartments is the best choice? Why?

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can identify verb tense. I can add, subtract, multiply, and divide to solve a problem. I can make text to world connections.

Photo

Business

‘I want to teach them: you can do this’

Boeing engineer built a flight simulator to teach students the wonders of science

By Chris King

Of The St. Louis American

The story of the mobile flight simulator that Christopher Miller created to get school kids excited about math and science would make for the kind of buddy movie that never gets produced in Hollywood. Miller was working on assignment for the Boeing Company at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake in 2007. This is the U.S. Navy’s single largest piece of real estate, a chunk of California larger than the state of Rhode Island. A computer engineer based at Boeing’s large complex near the St. Louis airport, Miller liked the idea of a temporary assignment in California. It suggested a beach might be nearby. In reality, China Lake is all beach and no ocean. It’s 1.1 million acres of the Mojave Desert. The nearest piece of sand that touches the ocean is in Santa Monica, 150 miles away. That’s a lot closer to the beach than St. Louis, but it eliminates the beach as a place to hang out after work – especially if you’re working on computers built into the world’s highest-precision fighter jets. But there was down time at the remote test site. The Navy’s weapons testing site obeys the “hurry up and wait” ethos that dominates military culture. An engineer who works on fighter jets computers but always wanted to fly, Miller got the wild idea of building his own flight simulator. He started trying to piece one together in the living room of the house he rented at China Lake. This is where the buddy movie plotline begins. Miller was renting a house in the desert with Keith Rogers, a Boeing test engineer who also was deployed at China Lake on DTA (Domestic

Being a Boeing intern

Annually, Boeing hires more than 1,500 summer interns across the enterprise, many with engineering goals in mind. For more information on these types of opportunities visit: http:// www.boeing. com/careers/ college/

See story video at www.stlamerican.com

retail franchise. In between tests of the EA-18G Growler on the Navy’s weapons range, Miller and his buddy Radio Shack went – not to the beach – but to their living room, where they tried to figure out how to build a flight simulator. When Miller returned home from DTA in the California desert, he brought with him the rudiments of the flight simulator they were trying to build. He knew that he was going to end up with a contraption bigger than a cockpit, and he knew that his fiancée at the time – now his wife, Jessica Miller – would not approve of his building a cockpit in the living room of his house in Webster Groves. “I knew she was not having it,” Miller said.

So he turned to Radio Shack. A bachelor without a fiancée at that time, Radio Shack made the living room of his house in Maryland Heights available for the project. As the contraption grew, and love also entered Radio Shack’s life, they moved their project to his garage. They had more things to do back home in St. Louis after work than tinker with the flight simulator, so it was more than five years after they began work in China Lake in 2007 before they were ready to get this thing out of the garage. The next phase after the engineering was finished involved some heavy lifting in physical space. Miller wasn’t building a flight simulator just to have the world’s greatest personally owned video game in his buddy’s garage. Now he needed to build this thing out and get it on the road. He needed a flight simulator you could drive around to schools. Miller had become a father since he started

David Steward was elected to the Board of Directors of The Concordance Academy of Leadership. In partnership with the Concordance Institute for Advancing Social Justice, the academy is a public, private and academic initiative focused on lowering incarceration rates in the country. Steward is founder and chairman of World Wide Technology. Donald M. Suggs, publisher of The St. Louis American, also was elected to the board.

Rekha Patterson is

of his parents, James and Hazel Thompson. He graduated from Sumner High School in 1971 and is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.

Susan Buford was named to the Board of Directors of YWCA Metro St. Louis. YWCA provides housing for women in need; is the largest provider of Head Start/ Early Head Start in the St. Louis region; and offers crisis intervention and counseling for victims of sexual assault, economic empowerment for single mothers, leadership and business training for teens, and diversity training. Buford is a longtime community volunteer.

Wiley Price will be the featured artist for University City’s 2016 Returning Artist Series. He is the longtime photojournalist for The St. Louis American. Returning Artists spend a week visiting classrooms in the University City School District exposing students to various arts disciplines and working on interactive projects. A free public reception for Price will be held 7 p.m. February 25 in the McNair Board Room, 8136 Groby Rd.

Dorothy Willis was named an Ageless Remarkable St. Louisan by the St. Andrews Resources for Seniors System. Through her church, she volunteers to help the homeless, visit the sick and donates funds to help feed poor children in the U.S. and abroad. She also helps assist those addicted to alcohol and drugs through her involvement with the Mission Teens, Inc., First Fruits discipleship-training program.

David Steward

Craig V. Thompson

Susan Buford

Wiley Price

Rekha Patterson

Dorothy Willis

Photo by Steve Menendez

Christopher Miller, a computer engineer at Boeing, looks on as children from Our Lady School in Festus experience the mobile flight simulator in April of 2015.

Christopher Miller stands in front of the mobile flight simulator that he created to get school kids excited about math and science.

Photo by Randy Jackson / Boeing Company

American staff

As the 2016 tax season gets underway, the U.S. Department of the Treasury encourages Americans to consider using their federal tax refunds to boost their retirement savings. Certain incentives are available for eligible taxpayers who choose to save, and the U.S. Treasury’s new myRA (my Retirement Account) can help those who lack long-term retirement savings options.

“Tax time is an important opportunity to think about your finances and plan for your future,” said U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew.

“It’s also a great time to start saving with myRA, Treasury’s new simple, safe and affordable retirement account designed for individuals without an employer-sponsored retirement

SIMULATOR

continued from page B1

Personal Finance

Tax time tips from the Treasury

plan. If you’re receiving a tax refund this year, you can jumpstart your savings by putting some of your refund into your myRA. It’s easy to get started at myRA.gov you’ll begin earning interest on your deposit immediately and you can watch your savings grow over time.” myRA is a new opportunity to save and, for eligible individuals, there are additional advantages to saving federal tax refunds. Taxpayers will want to keep in mind the following tips as they prepare for tax time:

Jumpstart Retirement Savings: Launched nationally in November, myRA is a simple, safe, and affordable savings option designed for Americans without access to a retirement savings plan at work. Savers can sign up for accounts in minutes at myRA.gov, and then easily

contribute part of their tax refunds by simply marking the “Savings” box in the refund section of their tax returns, choosing “Direct Deposit”

as the refund method, and providing their myRA account and routing numbers. Taxpayers can also work with their tax preparers to move

work on his brainchild. In 2011 he published a children’s book, under the author name Chris Ryan Miller, that he wrote for his daughter titled, “Daddy, How Do Planes Fly?” He dedicated the book to his father, Glenn Miller, who had been an operations manager at the St. Louis airport. His father worked at TWA during Chris’ earliest childhood. Chris had been around and inside airplanes for as long as he could remember. But he knew that many children were not as worldly or as fortunate as him. A flight simulator, even more than his book, could really engage young minds with the wonders of flight and the possibilities of science. So he called together the guys, some fellow engineers

who ride bikes together, and they brought the tools of carpentry to bear upon Miller’s science experiment. His friend

Steve Menendez offered to buy the lumber. “He showed up one Saturday with all the wood,” Miller said, “and we said,

through this process. myRA account holders can also add savings to their myRA accounts directly from bank or credit union accounts or from their paychecks.

Determine Eligibility for the Saver’s Credit: myRA is a Roth IRA that allows eligible tax filers to claim the Saver’s Tax Credit while saving for retirement. Individuals who contribute to a Roth IRA with modified adjusted gross income below certain levels (for 2015, $61,000 if married filing jointly, $45,750 if head of household, $30,500 if single) may be eligible to claim a Saver’s Tax Credit for their contributions. The amount of the Saver’s Tax Credit can be 50 percent, 20 percent, or 10 percent of retirement contributions up to $2,000, depending on income and filing status.

‘Let’s just do it.’” They did it. They built the flight simulator inside a trailer. When they were done, another friend, David Smith, an engineer turned accountant, paid to wrap the trailer with a graphic design and signage. “Take Flight to Your Dreams” was emblazoned across the trailer in letters as big as Miller’s head, with a small logo for Smith’s firm, Smith Patrick Financial Advisors. Then Miller hit the road to public schools to show kids what it feels like to fly a plane.

He pulls up to schools trailing some sophisticated equipment. Building this machine required deep expertise in aviation and engineering. “Chris works on some of the most advanced systems at Boeing,” said Randy Jackson, a communications specialist at Boeing who produced an in-house video about Miller’s mobile flight simulator. “It took him a long time to create something that delivers that experience for young people and teaches the fundamentals of flight.”

The fundamentals are, indeed, where the action is for Miller.

“I want to catch them early,” Miller said. “By high school, a lot of minds are made up. I really want to hit the elementary schools and capture them while they’re young with simple concepts.”

He means more than the fundamentals of flight, such as roll (rotation around the frontto-back axis), pitch (rotation around the side-to-side axis) and yaw (rotation around the vertical axis). He means the fundamentals of learning itself. Miller said, “I want to teach them, ‘You can do this.’”

‘Be the smart one’

Hollywood may not have arrived yet at this vision for a buddy movie, the young black computer engineer who gets a

Participate in the SaveYourRefund Program: Offered by America Saves and the Doorways to Dreams (D2D) Fund, SaveYourRefund incentivizes individuals to save with their tax refunds. Taxpayers who choose to save portions of their refunds will have the chance to win one of ten $100 weekly prizes and a $25,000 grand prize. To enter the promotion, taxpayers simply need to save at least $50 of their federal refunds in qualified savings accounts, such as myRA accounts, through IRS Form 8888, and then fill out a short entry form. For more information and details, visit saveyourrefund.com.

Additional details, fact sheets, and testimonials are available at myRA.gov.

rainbow coalition of buddies to build a mobile flight simulator with him so he can open young minds to the wonders of science.

But it was, in fact, a movie about black men that made him want to fly: “The Tuskegee Airmen,” the 1995 HBO movie starring Laurence Fishburne and Cuba Gooding Jr. that had its origins in a manuscript by Captain Robert W. Williams, one of the original Airmen.

“I wanted to be a fighter pilot,” Williams said. He went right to the source. After graduating from Hazelwood Central High School in 2001, he went to Tuskegee University, where the Airmen were educated. He decided to study the mechanics of flight, rather than how to be a pilot. It was no easy ride. He remembered that 30 students started with him in Aerospace Science Engineering 101; only six from the class would finally graduate with a degree in the subject.

His fantasies of being a fighter pilot also explain his gravitating towards Boeing. “They build fighter jets,” he said. Inroads was the matchmaker. The St. Louis non-profit has the mission “to develop and place talented underserved youth in business and industry, and prepare them for corporate and community leadership.”

“Boeing typically hires interns after their junior year in college,” Miller said. “Inroads placed me there after my freshman year.” He went back to Boeing every summer during college to continue his internship and then was hired fresh out of Tuskegee. He has worked in weapons systems and on commercial platforms, and now specializes in computer systems aboard the F-15 Eagle, the U.S. Air Force’s primary fighter jet.

See MILLER, B6

Business Brief

STL Youth Jobs accepting applications

STL Youth Jobs is now accepting applications for summer employment opportunities. The program will provide eight-weeks of employment and workreadiness training to city youth. In order to be eligible for the program, youth must be between 16-24 years of age and must live in one of the following neighborhoods: Penrose, O’Fallon, Baden, Mark Twain, Walnut Park East, Walnut Park West, Dutchtown, Gravois Park, Tower Grove East or BevoMill

Each participant will also receive financial literacy classes and access to his/ her own free checking and savings accounts, provided by 1st Financial Federal Credit Union. In summer 2015, STL

Youth Jobs directly supported over 400 job opportunities for St. Louis youth and worked with over 115 employers. Nearly half of these participants reported that STL Youth Jobs provided them with their first job experience, and over 94 percent of employers agreed to participate again.

Private sector businesses can participate STL Youth Jobs by hiring youth. If a business or any individual would like to sponsor a youth for the summer employment opportunity, they may do so through the STL Youth Jobs fund at the St. Louis Community Foundation.

Online registration and application for summer employment is available now through May 31. Youth interested in applying for STL Youth Jobs should visit www. stlyouthjobs.org/application.

Photo by Wiley Price

Christopher Miller works on Boeing’s F-15 Eagle.

n “There will never be another Kobe.”

– Dwyane Wade

PreP BaskeTBall noTeBook

Hail to St. Mary’s

Kelvin Lee enjoyed a very successful run during his 16 years as the head coach at Chaminade College Prep.

The highlight came in 2009 when Lee guided the Red Devils to the Class 5 state championship. While at Chaminade, Lee also coached McDonald’s AllAmericans and current NBA standouts David Lee and Bradley Beal throughout their entire careers.

Lee and Chaminade parted ways after the 2013 season. After leading the program at Miller Career Academy for one season, Lee took over at St. Mary’s. In just two seasons, Lee has the St. Mary’s program on the verge of becoming a major factor in the St. Louis area. In Lee’s second season, the Dragons are 16-7 and clinched at least a share of the Archdiocesan Athletic Association championship in the Large Schools division. The Dragons hold two victories over perennial Class 4 powerhouse St. Francis Borgia. The scary apart about St. Mary’s is that they are still a very young team. Their top scorers are sophomores Tony Burkes and Yahuza Rasas. The 6’2” Burkes is averaging 16.7 points while the 6’6” Rasas is averaging 13 points and 6.1 rebounds. Freshman point guard Yuri Collins is one of the top first-year players in the area, averaging 8.8 points and 7.6 assists a game. Sophomores Isaiah King and Miles Jones combine to average 10 points a game. Providing senior experience are guard Zach Ortinau and 6’4” forward Melvin Wilson.

MICDS turnaround

One of the area’s best bounce back seasons has been turned in by MICDS. The Rams were 7-19 a year ago in a rebuilding season,

By Earl Austin Jr. Of The St. Louis American

The road to Columbia begins next week for small schools as small schools around the state of Missouri begin its district playoffs.

Several area teams will be competing in Class 3 district competition. Here is look at those upcoming district tournaments.

Class 3, District 4 (at John Burroughs)

Boys: Whitfield is the No. 1 seed and the prohibitive favorite to take home the district title. The Warriors are led by sophomore standout Torrence Watson and seniors Devaughn Rucker and Bryce Barry. John Burroughs and Valley Park are the No. 2 and 3 seeds, respectively. Both teams have some young talent and will be heard from in the future.

Championship Game: Friday, Feb. 26, 7 p.m.

Girls: Top-seeded Whitfield will be looking to repeat as district champions. The Warriors are young and talented, led by freshman Aijha Blackwell and sophomore Taylor Lawson-Hicks. Host John Burroughs is led by 6’0” sophomore Allison Gill.

Championship Game: Friday, Feb. 26, 5 p.m.

Class 3, District 5 (at Lutheran North)

Boys: Cardinal Ritter is the top seed as new coach Randy Reed tries to bring

There is something about dunks, amazing dunks, that make it near impossible to capture the essence, the brilliance, in words. Athletes soar through the air like creatures of the sky with grace and power. A great dunk is poetry in motion. That’s why nearly every story about a phenomenal slam dunk always concludes with the storyteller running out of words and muttering, “Man, you’ve just gotta see it!” Such was the case Saturday night when Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon put on the greatest slam dunk exhibition of alltime. No shade to Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins in 1988 or Vince Carter’s coronation in 2000, but LaVine and Gordon literally took the dunk contest to heights never seen before.

Though there has been nearly universal disdain for the lack of star power in the dunk contest in recent years (here’s looking at you LeBron James), the two 20-year-olds showed you don’t need the big names to put on a big show. Dedicated NBA followers already knew what the 6’6” LaVine was capable of above the rim, but nobody expected him to have such a remarkable challenger in the 6’10” Gordon. Dunkers that tall usually fall flat in the dunk contest. What good is making history without a little controversy? Many thought that Gordon deserved to win the contest without the need for an overtime. His over-the-mascot, under-the-legs, sitting on the air-chair, reverse dunk was seen as one of the greatest of all-time. Also, if

Ishmael H. Sistrunk

With Ishmael H. Sistrunk Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon may not have raised the trophy at the end of the night, but his sit-down dunk over the Magic’s mascot was second-to-none.

With Earl Austin Jr.

Earl Austin Jr.

University City Indians’ Zach Bush (1) goes up for two over Maplewood’s Silas Roberson (42) during a game Tuesday night at University City.

Photo by Wiley Price

S

portS EyE

Ezekiel Elliott is off to the NFL and is more than ready

Ezekiel Elliott has left Ohio State University and is headed to the NFL, as he revealed in a humorous and entertaining interview Monday on ESPN’s “Highly Questionable.”

The running back said he hadn’t been to a class since just before Christmas break, is training daily for the upcoming NFL Combine in Indianapolis and “can’t remember what class is like.”

After a bitter 17-14 home loss to Michigan State cost the Buckeyes a shot at back-to-back national titles and Elliott ran the ball just 12 times, the junior running back said there was “no chance” that he would return to college in 2016.

“My mom used to wrestle with me. (She) is a big, strong athletic woman. It took me (until) high school (at John Burroughs School) to keep up with her. We would be at track practice playing around, before I knew it I’d be on the ground with my mom on top of me.”

Host Dan Le Batard asked what “Momma Bear” had to say after Elliott criticized Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer following the Michigan State loss. He, Elliott and co-host Bomani Jones were soon in hysterical laughter.

NFL.com has Elliott being drafted in the first round by the Houston Texans with the 22nd pick. The week before the Super bowl, ESPN’s Mel Kiper had him also being selected in the first round – by the eventual world champion Denver Broncos.

While he is physically ready for the draft, Elliott showed through his wit and storytelling that he is mentally ready to compete at the highest level too. His father, Stacy, was a linebacker at the University of Missouri. His, mom, Dawn, ran track at Mizzou and apparently also is capable of running the household.

“I think everyone is afraid of my mom. We call her ‘Momma Bear,’ he said with respect and a smile.

“That’s on my list of topics that are offlimits,” he said while holding up a sheet of paper.

“That is so great,” said Le Batard, who then asked what else was on the list.

“Just one other thing: no questions regarding the Heisman (Trophy),” Elliott said while still chuckling.

He also demonstrated how he wore his jersey tucked under, exposing his abdomen during games. He called it the “crop top,” and the college football powers-that-be didn’t like it.

“You can’t show too much. Show just enough. The NCAA might try to come and get you,” he said.

I had been wishing he would return to Ohio State. However, Elliott seems so grounded and intelligent –along with having great talent – that he has won me over. I’m sorry to have doubted your son, “Momma Bear.”

Golden boy tarnished Peyton Manning went out a winner in the Super Bowl. He was on top of the world, even though the NFL is investigating an allegation he used HGH.

However, a Title IX federal lawsuit filed last week against the University of Tennessee reminded the world that Manning was alleged to have been involved with a sexual harassment/assault in 1996. There reportedly also was some type of incident in 1994.

The 1996 case was settled out of court and the female trainer involved, Dr. Jamie Ann Naughright, left the school. A defamation lawsuit was settled when the alleged victim said derogatory comments about her work at Tennessee in the 2001 book “Mannings,” which led to her losing her job at Florida Southern University.

The debate rages as to whether Manning was given a free pass then – and now –by a sports media that would certainly vilify a black athlete alleged to have committed the same offense. In my opinion, “yes!”

A document entitled “Facts of the Case: Filed in Opposition to Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment” published in May of 2001 is available online and resurfaced this week. It summarizes the case of Jamie Ann Naughright vs. Peyton Manning, Archie Manning, John Warren

Underwood, Peydirt, Inc. and HarperCollins Publishers, Inc

Its allegations include:

The allegations are disgusting and, if true, so are Peyton and Archie Manning.

Taxing daily fantasy sports

Few items involving taxes garner bi-partisan support in Jefferson City, but there is one that Governor Jay Nixon and some Republican legislators see eye-to-eye on – taxing daily fantasy sports through online sites including DraftKings and FanDuel.

Nixon said during his State of the State address last month that he wants state lawmakers to tax daily fantasy sports and “regulate the industry like gambling.” While other states, including Illinois, have outlawed daily fantasy sports, Missouri has a chance to reap millions of dollars in tax revenue.

State Rep. Scott Fitzpatrick (R-Shell Knob) wants to legalize gambling on daily fantasy sports. He, in my opinion incorrectly, considers fantasy sports a game of skill and not gambling. He is considering a bill that proposes a tax and another that would require players to be at least 18.

State Sen, Kurt Schaefer (R-Columbia) filed a bill that would include standardized guidelines, but not a tax.

“Some form of regulation is appropriate to make sure that it’s not being abused and participants are appropriate ages,” Schaefer recently said. Missouri is late to the party so often that it would be great if it were progressive in taxing daily fantasy sports. Operators could feel free to offer the games and offset the tax by making Missouri players pay an additional fee to take part.

n “That’s on my list of topics that are offlimits,” Elliott said while holding up a sheet of paper.

- A player named Malcolm Saxon was asked to verify Manning’s “mooning” story as part of a cover up for Manning’s alleged sexual misconduct. He didn’t play along, and he alleges it cost him his eligibility.

- Tennessee specifically asked Naughright to pin the incident on a particular athlete — an African-American athlete.

- Manning told his father (Archie Manning) that Dr. Naughright was “trashy,” had a “vulgar mouth,” was unattractive despite her “big breasts,” and that “she had been out with a lot of black guys.” Archie Manning said in his deposition there was a perception among some that trainers “should not be going out with blacks if the trainer is white.”

While it could result in fewer players, it would also put badly need dollars into state tax coffers without much overhead. Something is certainly better than nothing when it comes to money. It’s a win-win situation that legislators from St. Louis, St. Louis County and Jackson County should back wholeheartedly because this is most likely where the majority of daily fantasy sports players reside.

In fact, someone should propose a bill that sends a percentage of the tax directly to the city and/or county where the player’s computer is located.

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

With Alvin Reid

Alvin Reid

Ezekiel Elliott has left Ohio State University and is headed to the NFL, as he revealed in a humorous and entertaining interview Monday on ESPN’s “Highly Questionable.”

DISTRICTS

Continued from B3

some of that postseason success that he enjoyed at McCluer North for 16 years. The Lions will lean on seniors Brandon Jackson, Sterling Wooten and Alvin Thompson. Northwest Academy is the No. 2 seed. They have a nice point guard in senior Charles James and power forward in sophomore Jamar Williams. Lift for Life

CLUTCH

Continued from B3 from the free throw line are otherworldly, yet Levine made them all look easy breezy. In fact, I’m 98% sure that LaVine could dunk from the high school three-point line. Maybe he’ll have that up his sleeve for next year. Either way, both men put on one heck of a show. For whatever it’s worth, I thought Gordon had the better dunks in regulation and that he should have won. Once it went to OT though, LaVine stepped up his game and was slightly better down the stretch. Both men helped push each other during the competition and both increased their stature due to their epic performances. Hopefully we’ll see a rematch next year. One thing is for certain, the league can expect a bump in viewership for Timberwolves and Magic games for the foreseeable future.

Trade deadline buzzing So far the NBA tradewinds

PREP

Continued from B3 but they are currently 16-7 this year with at least a share of the Metro League championship in their pockets. MICDS can win the league outright on Friday night if they can defeat rival John Burroughs in their home finale. The Rams are led by 6’5” junior guard Alec Spence, who is averaging 18.6 points and 5.4 rebounds a game. He is one of the top juniors in the area. Sophomore forward Dominic Mitchell is averaging 14.5 points and five rebounds. He is a versatile player who can score in the post or on the perimeter. Junior guard Matt Roper is averaging 12.1 points a game while leading the team in 3-point shooting. Sophomore point guard Austin Thompson averages 5.4 points while leading the team in steals. Juniors Teddy Schmid and Harry Welliford are strong role players inside while sophomore Preston Buchanan and junior Keiondre Jordan are athletic swing players.

Vashon wins at Tolton

Vashon ventured into Mid-Missouri last Saturday night and came away with another signature win as it defeated Father Tolton 65-62 in Columbia. Father Tolton is a Class 3 power that is led by five-star recruits Michael Porter, Jr. and Jontay Porter. The Wolverines staged another dramatic fourthquarter rally to take home the victory. Vashon trailed by 15 points with six minutes left in the game before turning up the full-court pressure to overtake Tolton.

Junior guard Daniel “Peanut” Farris led the charge with 18 points, including 16 in the second half. Freshman guard Mario McKinney added 13 points. With top-ranked Sikeston losing for the first time this season at Cape Girardeau Central last Friday, look for the Wolverines to retake the No. 1 ranking in the Class 4 state poll heading into the postseason.

Valley Park on the rise

The Valley Park Hawks are enjoying an excellent season with a 16-3 record with more

could also be a factor as they boast a fine senior guard in Nigel Ferrell. Championship Game: Saturday, Feb. 27, 2 p.m.

Girls: Top-seeded Cardinal Ritter is looking good again this season after advancing to the state-championship game in 2015. Senior Andranae Wash is a veteran returnee from last year’s state runner-up team. Lift for Life has a solid team while host Lutheran North has the best player in the field in

have been blowing pretty quietly. Now the breeze and the buzz are picking up. Plenty of big-name stars have been rumored to be switching zip codes before Thursday’s deadline. The Clippers’ Blake Griffin’s name has been bandied about. Griffin was recently suspended for punching a Clippers staffer, so it’s not far-fetched he could be moved, but it’s still very unlikely. More likely to move are guys like Dwight Howard, Kevin Love Pau Gasol Ryan Anderson, Kevin Martin and Lance Stephenson. Depending on where they land, any deals involving Love and Gasol could have an enormous impact. As far as done deals, the Detroit Pistons sent point guard Brandon Jennings and power forward Ersan Ilyasova to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Tobias Harris. Harris is a solid and skilled player, though he developed a bit of a reputation as a gunner in Orlando. I wonder how much impact Gordon’s breakout performance at the slam dunk contest had to do with the move. Gordon had only recently been inserted into the Magic’s starting lineup.

success on the way with a very young team. The top scorer is 6’1” sophomore Ryan Courtney, who is averaging 18 points a game. Right behind is 6’2” freshman Jeremy Shaw, who is averaging 15 points a game. Senior guard Sam Rhoads is averaging 9.4 assists a game, which is among the leaders in the St. Louis area.

senior guard Renetha Dickson. Championship Game: Saturday, Feb. 27, noon

Class 3, District 6 (at Christian-O’Fallon)

Boys: North Tech draws the No. 1 seed with its talented front line of 6’6” seniors Tyree White and Jontae Huntspon and junior guard Eric Hicks. Duchesne will still be a big factor behind stellar senior guard Ryan Briscoe and sophomore forwards Luke

His newfound star power, and Orlando’s desperate need for another point guard while the promising-but-erratic Elfrid Payton develops may have helped Orlando pull the trigger. With Harris gone, Gordon will get the opportunity to prove he’s more than just a dunker.

The Charlotte Hornets acquired Courtney Lee from the Memphis Grizzlies in a three-team deal with the Miami Heat involved that involved a lot of picks and bench riders.

Clutch or Nah?

Clutch: The Splash Brothers Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson put on a show of their own Saturday night in a dramatic three-point shootout. Thompson showed the while Steph may have the rest of the league shook, he’s not afraid to go toe-to-toe with the man revered as the best long-range shooter in the game. Thompson watched Curry put on a terrific performance and then beat him. That level of marksmanship and competitive nature is precisely why the Warriors will cruise to another championship.

Nah: Thank God for Kansas football. The Jayhawks’ 0-fer

Edwardsville on top again

The Edwardsville Tigers have regained their spot at the top of the Southwestern Conference. The Tigers are currently 19-4 with a lineup full of underclassmen. The top player is 6’5” junior A.J. Epenesa, who is averaging 16 points and 13 rebounds a game.

Lowenstein and Adam Moore. The Pioneers won the district title last year over North Tech. Championship Game: Saturday, February 27, 7:30 p.m.

Girls: It should be a competitive district with North Tech, Duchesne, Orchard Farm and Lutheran St. Charles battling for the championships. Championship Game: Saturday, February 27, 6 p.m.

season is the only thing keeping Mizzou basketball fans such as myself from jumping off a cliff. The Tigers dismissed Wes Clark from the team for academic reasons and the program continued its freefall into oblivion. Between the players dismissed and the scholarship sanctions, the Tigers have a deep hole to crawl out of for the foreseeable future.

Clutch: The best poundfor-pound fighter on the planet, Andre “S.O.G.” Ward, recently signed an agreement to fight light-heavyweight champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev in the fall if he gets past undefeated Sullivan Barrera in March (which is far from a ‘gimme’ fight). The agreement is music to the ears of fight fans who were disappointed by the inability to secure a matchup between Kovalev and Adonis Stevenson. Kovalev vs Ward would be a mega fight pitting the game’s most lethal puncher vs its most skilled tactician.

Follow Ishmael and In the Clutch on Twitter @ IshmaelSistrunk

He has already committed to play football at Iowa. Juniors Oliver Stephen and Mark Smith are big wing players who can really shoot the ball. Stephen is averaging 14.6 points while Smith is averaging 13 points. Sophomore Caleb Strohmeier is a 6’7” forward who averages seven points and four rebounds a game.

St. Louis American Prep Athletes of the Week

Kamau Kinder

Festus – Boys Basketball

The 6’5” senior forward became the school’s all-time leading scorer last week in a victory over Bourbon.

Kinder had 30 points, 17 rebounds, nine assists and six steals in the Tigers’ 74-60 victory over Bourbon. He also had 25 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and four steals in a 74-57 win over Perryville.

A four-year starter, Kinder is averaging 20.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 2.6 steals while shooting 48 percent from the field, 36 percent from 3-point range and 73 percent from the free throw line.

Marcus Latham

Alton – Boys Basketball

The 6’2” senior guard averaged 23 points a game in leading the Redbirds to three victories last week.

Latham scored 33 points and hit seven 3-pointers in a 71-51 victory over Collinsville. He scored 13 points in a 79-74 victory over East St. Louis and had 24 points in a 72-69 victory over Belleville East.

For the season, Latham is averaging 16.5 points a game go lead the Redbirds in scoring. Alton is currently 12-7 and in second place in the Southwestern Conference.

Ballard commits to Mizzou via tweet

McCluer North three-sport standout says, ‘I will be a Mizzou Tiger’

By Earl Austin Jr. Of the St. Louis American

McCluer North High standout football player Harry Ballard has given a verbal commitment to the University of Missouri.

In getting Ballard’s commitment, new Mizzou coach Barry Odom secured a prime-time athlete who is also one of the top prospects in the state of Missouri. Ballard has been timed at 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash and he also has a 40-inch vertical jump.

A 6’3” 200-pound wide receiver, Ballard did not sign immediately during the National Signing Day period, but he made his verbal commitment to the Tigers via Twitter recently.

As a senior, Ballard caught 32 passes for 606 yards; rushed for 395 yards and scored 15 touchdowns. He was an electrifying big-play performer as a receiver, running back and kick return specialist.

Ballard is a three-sport standout at McCluer North. He is currently the leading scorer on the Stars’ basketball team, averaging 18 points a game. Last spring, Ballard was the Class 5 state champion in the long jump.

The commitment of Ballard was the second big-time addition to Odom’s first recruiting class at Missouri. Lafayette High standout tight end Brendan Scales signed with Mizzou after originally giving a verbal commitment to national champion Alabama.

The 6’4” 230-pound Scales had 34 receptions for 400 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior for the Lancers.

Harry Ballard

jobs filled.”

Asked for his elevator speech about what he does for Boeing, Miller said, “Airplanes have computers. Computers often need updates. I update their operating systems and add new capabilities.”

Miller does not talk about the F-15’s advanced infrared targeting and navigating system when he takes his flight simulator to places like Bermuda Elementary School in the Ferguson-Florissant School District. He does not explain its Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System that allows a pilot to aim sensors and weapons wherever he or she is looking.

(Miller could not confirm what, if any, security clearance is required for his work at Boeing.) The flight simulator is more of a motivational tool than an intro to aerospace engineering.

“I tell them to ‘be yourself’ and not be afraid to be smart,” Miller said. “I tell them, ‘Sometimes you might be ridiculed for being smart, but you want to be that person. It will not hurt you. Be the smart one.’”

Miller designed and built his flight simulator on his own time and dime, with a little help from his friends. And like the other 600 Boeing employees in the St. Louis region who devoted about 4,000 hours last year to reach 17,000 area students (according to Matt Daniels, senior manager of education relations at Boeing), he trucks his flight simulator to schools on his own time as well. But he has the company’s wholehearted support.

“Chris is bringing math and engineering to life and bringing students hands-on experiences,” Daniels said. Without question, volunteerism brings a halo effect to the defense contractor, which reported $96.1 billion in revenue in 2015. But the work that Miller and other Boeing volunteers are doing in local classrooms also contributes, ultimately, to the company’s bottom line.

“We are facing a shortage of engineers in the U.S.,” Daniels said. “We have almost 4 million people starting in kindergarten every year. We’re graduating just under 70,000 people from college with engineering degrees. In the aerospace industry alone, we need four times that number of

Boeing has a workforce crisis looming much sooner than the elementary school kids of today can help to solve. Daniels said nearly 30 percent of the company’s workforce is eligible to retire today, and almost 50 percent is eligible to retire within the next five years.

“The numbers are not adding up,” Daniels said. “But, one by one, we are trying to impact students and get them interested in math and science and let them know that they can do this.”

Miller does not have to be told how crucial it is to hear this positive message at the beginning of your education.

Asked to name teachers who had an impact on him, this man with a university degree in aerospace engineering praised teachers he had in kindergarten (Mrs. Pennington) and 4th grade (Ms. Whitaker).

“In fourth grade, I remember being encouraged to study math and science,” Miller said, “In kindergarten, I remember being encouraged in math – and to follow my dreams.”

For more information or to “schedule a flight,” visit http:// chrisryanmiller.com/.

Financial Focus

By Veronica Coleman

As

need to periodically review and rebalance your portfolio. Stocks, and investments containing stocks, often perform well before a correction. If their price has risen greatly, they may account for a greater percentage of the total value of your portfolio – so much so, in fact, that you might become “overweighted” in stocks, relative to your goals, risk tolerance and time horizon. That’s why it’s important for you to proactively rebalance

If you’re still working

…

• Also, you may want to use the opportunity of a correction to become aware of the

Children from Bermuda Elementaryenjoying the flight simulator.

Photo by Christopher Miller

A matter of ‘Race’

New film chronicles Jesse Owens’ journey to Olympic gold in Berlin

By Kenya Vaughn

Of The St. Louis American

Thanks to a storied performance at the Berlin Olympics at the height of Hitler’s Nazi Germany, Jesse Owens has been synonymous with track and field greatness for three generations.

This weekend, black history comes to the big screen by way of the Stephen Hopkins film “Race,” a depiction of Owens’ rapid transcendence from collegiate track star to Olympic hero. The film is specific to the small window of Owens college career and preparation for the 1936 Olympics.

“Race” comes to theatres just in time to commemorate the 70th

anniversary of Owens’ earning four gold medals in a single Olympiad.

When he arrived on Ohio State University’s campus, Owens was the fastest collegiate sprinter in the world.

But because of his skin color he was not awarded an athletic scholarship.

He worked two jobs – one to support his education and the other to help his family at home – in addition to being a full-time student athlete.

Even as the star of his track team, Owens was subjected to the segregation laws of his day – despite his family migrating from Alabama to Ohio when he was a small child.

He ran with the weight of an entire people on his shoulders – some of whom thought America didn’t

Love and soul

“Race,” the story of Jesse Owens’ storied performance in the 1936 Olympics, opens in theatres nationwide on Friday, February 19.

deserve him because of the way the country treated blacks. His seminal performance came nearly 20 years before the Montgomery Bus Boycotts incited the Civil Rights Movement. Hopkins’ interpretation of Owens’ storied performance at the Olympics

feels more like an inspirational television movie than a feature film.

The cruelty imposed upon people of color is made apparent, but diluted to make it digestible for mainstream

Choreographing Black History

St. Louis icons honored through movement in New Dance Horizons

By Kenya

“I was impressed that Michael Uthoff was having this particular project – and him having me be a part of it was really special,” said famed choreographer Diane McIntyre. Next weekend Dance St. Louis has commissioned three nationally renowned choreographers –McIntyre, BeBe Miller and Robert Moses – to celebrate the legacies of some of the regions’ most famous native sons and daughters with “New Dance Horizons IV: A Celebration inspired by St. Louis’ Legendary Black Artists.”

They’ll honor Maya Angelou, Lester Bowie, Miles Davis, Dick Gregory, Rev. Cleophus Robinson and Albert Walker over the course of two days.

The boldness of Uthoff’s idea of using concert dance – not known for diversity outside of niche groups such as the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and The Dance Theatre of Harlem – isn’t lost on the artists. They will each have a designated group of dancers from different local companies to execute their visions.

“I can feel the dance in her words because she was a dancer to her

Rap star Kendrick Lamar used his performance at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards Monday night to express the complexities of being black in America. He would take home five statues after receiving 11 nominations for his seminal album ‘To Pimp a Butterfly.’

Lamar’s liberating performance breathed life into 58th Grammy Awards

By Kenya Vaughn Of The

St. Louis American Mainstream media are reporting Taylor Swift as the big winner at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards because of her “Album of the Year” victory for “1989.”

But even if the argument that Swift’s three Grammys outweigh Kendrick Lamar’s five for “To Pimp a Butterfly” because he “didn’t bring home the ‘big’ awards” had a leg to stand on, he gave this year’s ceremony its most celebrated performance. He challenged black artists to tune into their truth and power – and raised the bar for hip-hop live performances at awards shows.

“His last album ‘Good Kid, M.A.A.D City’ was such a vivid introduction it was a tough act to follow, “Don Cheadle said as he introduced Lamar.

“Instead, this man took another giant leap forward with ‘To Pimp a Butterfly,’ an album that daringly incorporates jazz, funk, soul and pure poetry into a hip-hop masterpiece that helped earn him 11 nominations this year.”

Lamar’s 11 nods were one shy of Michael Jackson’s record of 12 for “Thriller.” He had already won five by the time he took the stage, about halfway through the broadcast.

“Ladies and gentlemen, here to speak for himself – as only he can –Mr. Kendrick Lamar,” Cheadle said. Lamar walked towards the stage chained to a handful of African-

See KENDRICK, C5

Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

Valentine’s Day came early for the several thousand who made their way to The St. Louis Music Festival Saturday night at Chaifetz Arena. Love was definitely in the air as three generations of R&B (Joe, Fantasia and Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly) provided soulful sounds

How to place a calendar listing

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

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

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

black history activities

Through Feb. 28, African American Inventions Exhibit, St. Louis County Library – Thornhill Branch, 12863 Willowyck Drive. For more information, visit www.slcl. org/black-history-celebration.

Sat., Feb. 20, 1 p.m., Black History Month Program presented by Ruth Rattler, New North Side Village Apartments 2054 Nemnich Rd. Sun., Feb. 21, 6 p.m., Community Women Against Hardship Black History Month Beneit Concert featuring Bethany Pickens, The Harold & Dorothy Steward Center for Jazz. 3536 Washington, St. Louis, MO 63103. Tickets available via the Jazz St. Louis Box Ofice, by calling (314) 571-6000 or online by visiting www.jazzstl. org

Sun., Feb. 21, 2 p.m., St. Louis Public Library presents Black History Month Keynote Speaker Sonia Sanchez. St. Louis Public Library – Central Branch, 1301 Olive St., 63103. For more information, call (314) 5390359 or visit www.slpl.org.

Sun., Feb. 21, 3 p.m., UMSLAfrican American Alumni Chapter and the Associated Black Collegians presents Black in St. Louis: Sculpting The Future. A thought provoking Black History Month forum featuring distinguished panelists and moderator. Free and open to the public. J.C. Penney Auditorium, 8100 Natural Bridge Rd., 63121. For more information, call (314) 5165833.

Mon., Feb. 22 6:30 p.m., Webster University hosts #BlackLivesMatter. Join them in welcoming the Founders and International Ambassador

of #BlackLivesMatter. Loretto Hilton Center for the Performing Arts, 130 Edgar Rd., 63118. For more information, visit blogs. webster.edu/mcisa.

Feb. 26 – 27, Touhill

Performing Arts Center hosts New Dance Horizons IV: A Celebration inspired by St. Louis’ Legendary Black Artists. 1 University Blvd., 63121. For more information, visit www.touhill.org.

Saturdays, Through Feb. 27, 11:30 a.m., Teens Make History presents Looking for Dunham. It’s a slow news day for the paper’s entertainment reporters when rumors that the great Katherine Dunham is in town start to circulate. Will they ind Miss Dunham before the TV journalists get the scoop? Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112. For more information, visit www.mohistory.org.

Sat., Feb. 27, 11 a.m., The Greater St. Louis Alumni Chapter of Lincoln University hosts Greater St. Louis Alumni 150th Founder’s Day Luncheon. 9801 Natural Bridge, 63134. For more information, visit www.lincolnu.edu.

Sun., Feb. 28, 9:30 a.m., Calvary Missionary Baptist Church presents Black History: Our Heritage On Stage, presented by the Calvary Missionary Baptist Church Sunday School Department , 2822 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive St. Louis, Missouri 63106.

concerts

Fri., Feb. 19, 8 p.m., Sheldon Concert Hall presents Ruthie Foster with special guest Bottom Up Blues Gang. 3648 Washington Ave., 63108. For more information, call (314) 533-9900 or visit www. thesheldon.org.

Calendar

The St. Louis American Foundation’s 6th Annual Salute to Young Leaders Networking and Awards Reception. Rebecca Bennett, Kwofe Coleman and Vanessa Cooksey from last year’s reception. For more information, see SPECIAL EVENTS.

Featured Event

Sat., Feb. 20, 11 a.m., Sheldon Concert Hall & Art Galleries in Grand Center presents The Onyx Bridal Affair. Designed to place the spotlight on the multicultural bride and groom. 3648 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www.thesheldon.org or call (314) 5341111.

(See Special Events)

Through Feb. 20, Jazz at the Bistro presents Marcus Roberts Trio. The Marcus Roberts Trio is known for its virtuosic style and entirely new approach to jazz trio performance. 3536 Washington Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www.jazzstl. org.

Sun., Feb. 21, 7 p.m., Chaifetz Arena welcomes LooseCannon S.L.I.M.’s State of Emergency III starring Lil Wayne and featuring Yo Gotti, 2 Chainz and more. 1 South Compton Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www.thechaifetzarena.com.

Feb. 28, 8 p.m., Gary Clark Jr. - The Story of Sonny Boy Slim Tour, The Pageant, 6161 Delmar. For more information, visit www.thepageant.com, www.ticketmaster.com or call (314) 726-6161.

Mar. 2 – 5, Jazz at the Bistro presents James Carter Organ trio. 3536 Washington Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www.jazzstl.org.

local gigs

Thur., Feb. 18, 6:30 p.m., Not So Quiet! Concert Series presents David Dee & The Hot Tracks Considered by

many to be the reigning blues king of St. Louis, Dee has earned the title as bandleader, song writer, guitarist, entertainer, and singer through 40 plus years of road work, recording and performing. Central Library, 1301 Olive St., 63103. For more information, call (314) 2412288 or visit www.slpl.org.

Fri., Feb. 19, 8 p.m., Kasimu Taylor presents Here’s Lee Morgan: The Music of a Jazz Legend. Opening set by DJ Needles. Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, visit www.brownpapertickets. com.

Sat., Feb. 20, 7:30 p.m., Kranzberg Arts Center presents Shades of Jade. Debuting new music and vibes to its listeners and excited to feature some of STL’s inest musicians. 501 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, call (314) 630-5674 or visit www.eventbrite.com.

Sun., Feb. 21, 7 p.m., Manchester United Methodist Church presents Duke Ellington Tribute Concert. St. Louis’ own Adaron “Pops” Jackson will lead guest musicians in a fabulous evening of music by the legendary Duke Ellington.

129 Woods Mill Rd., 63011. For more information, visit www.manchesterumc.org.

Mon., Feb. 22, 7 p.m., Jazz at Webster: Webster University Jazz Collective. Winifred Moore Auditorium, 470 E. Lockwood Ave., 63119. For more information, visit www. events.webster.edu.

Sat., Feb. 27, 7 p.m., Ballpark Village presents National Blues Museum Showcase. 601 Clark Ave., 63102. For more information, visit www. facebook.com.

Sat., Feb. 27, 8 p.m., Blank Space presents FEMFEST 2: All Females Hip Hop Showcase. 2847 Cherokee St., 63118. For more information, visit www.slumfest.com/ femfest2.

special events

Fri., Feb. 19, 5:30 p.m., The Magic House hosts Free Family Night. Some of the best things in life are free. These special nights enable a family (no more than two adults and four of their own children) to enjoy more than 100 hands-on exhibits in the museum at no charge. Reservations are not required. 516 S. Kirkwood Rd., 63122. For more information, visit www.magichouse.org.

Sat., Feb. 20, 11 a.m., Sheldon Concert Hall & Art Galleries in Grand Center presents The Onyx Bridal Affair. Designed to place the spotlight on the multicultural bride and groom, this is not your typical bridal show. 3648 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www. thesheldon.org or call (314) 534-1111.

Sat., Feb. 20, 8 p.m., The Fox Theatre hosts AC2: An Intimate Evening With Andy Cohen & Anderson Cooper Deep Talk and Shallow Tales. Join Cohen and Cooper for an unscripted, uncensored and unforgettable night of conversation. The late night talk show host and the journalist, longtime friends, interview each other and take questions from the audience. It’s a live, interactive look behind the scenes of pop culture and world events. 527 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, call (314) 534-1111 or (314) 534-1678.

Mon., Feb., 22 6:30 p.m., Loretto Hilton Center for the Performing Arts hosts #BlackLivesMatter. Join Webster University and the Multicultural Center and International Student Affairs ofice as we welcome the Founders and International Ambassador of #BlackLivesMatter. With a vision of justice for all, they will engage us in discussions about race relations in America and how their activism from the fringes became the national movement it is today.130 Edgar Rd., 63118. For more information, visit blogs. webster.edu/mcisa.

Thurs., Feb. 25, 5:30 p.m., St. Louis American Foundation’s 6th Annual Salute to Young Leaders Networking and Awards Reception, The Four Seasons Hotel. For more information, call (314) 533-8000 or visit www.stlamerican.com

Sat., Feb. 27 7 p.m., The Mandarin House hosts 1st annual Mardi Gras Hangover party. BYOB event & VIP tables available. 8008 Olive, 63130. For more information, call 314-229-5267 or 314-496-7959.

Mon., Feb. 29, 7 p.m., 2016 Black History Celebration presents Blues Unlimited: Essential Interviews from the Original Blues Magazine St. Louis County Library Headquarters, 1640 Lindbergh Ave., 63131. For more information, call (314) 9943300 or visit www.slcl.org. Sat., Mar. 5, 6:30 p.m., The Ritz-Carlton St. Louis host SouthSide Gala Dinner and Auction. 100 Carondelet Pl., 63105. For more information, visit www.southside-ecc.org.

Through Mar. 27, Missouri Botanical Gardens hosts 2016 Orchid Show: Where the Wild things Grow. Approximately 500 orchids are on display at any one time. This year’s Orchid Show offers visitors the chance to learn more about the habitats of orchids and how they adapt to changing environments. 4344 Shaw Blvd., 63110.For more information, visit www.mobot. org.

Fri., Feb. 26 8 p.m., The Chaifetz Arena presents Katt Williams: The Conspiracy Tour. 1 South Compton Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www.thechaifetzarena. com.

March 12, 8 p.m., The Comedy Getdown starring Cedric ‘The Entertainer’, Eddie Griffin, D.L. Hughley, George Lopez and Charlie Murphy, Scottrade Center. For more information, visit www.ticketmaster.com.

literary

Thur., Feb. 18, 7 p.m., Left Bank Books hosts author Devin J. Group, author of Inside Ferguson: A Voice for the Voiceless. 399 N. Euclid, 63108

Fri., Feb. 19, 7 p.m., St. Louis County Library Foundation hosts authors Frankie Muse Freeman and Koran Bolden. Growing up in the Jim Crow-era South, Frankie Freeman learned lessons about discrimination. She also learned how to fight injustice and make a difference. Ms. Freeman is a legendary St. Louis civil rights activist, attorney and author of A Song of Faith and Hope: The Life of Frankie Muse Freeman. Koran Bolden is a youth motivational speaker and author of Rock, Paper,

Scissors. Together, Freeman and Bolden will discuss the Civil Rights movement and discrimination issues, past and present. Library Headquarters, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd., 63131. For more information, call (314) 994-3300 or visit www.slcl.org.

theatre

Feb. 20 – 21, COCA presents

Three Little Birds. Based on the known and loved reggae music of Bob Marley, join the fun of this musical, which has been adapted from the children’s book “Three Little Birds” by Cedella Marley. An empowering tale about triumph over anxiety, the musical’s young protagonist, Ziggy, must ind a way to leave the house despite a fear of hurricanes, mongooses and other things in his native Jamaica. 524 Trinity Ave., 63130. For more information, call (314) 7256555 or visit www.cocastl.org.

Saturdays, Through Feb. 27, 11:30 a.m., Teens Make History presents Looking for Dunham. It’s a slow news day for the paper’s entertainment reporters when rumors that the great Katherine Dunham is in town start to circulate. Will they ind Miss Dunham before the TV journalists get the scoop? Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112. For more information, visit www.mohistory.org.

Through Feb. 28, Metro Theatre Company presents And in This Corner… Cassius Clay. Based on the early life of Muhammad Ali in Jim Crow Louisville, the play tells the story of a young man who believes his potential is unlimited despite the segregation and racism he is surrounded by. Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd., 63112. For more information, call (314) 9327414 or visit www.metroplays. org.

arts

Tues., Mar. 8, 7 p.m., Contemporary Art Museum presents Picturing Women With Lisa Yuskavage’s paintings of the female body as the backdrop, Second Tuesdays will give a special presentation through a night of storytelling. Eight speakers share personal stories exploring feminine identity, sexuality, gender roles, and the body. 3750 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, call (314) 535-4660 or visit www.camstl.org.

Through Mar. 13, COCA presents Carl Richards: Money. Visualized. Carl Richards, author and creator of the weekly “Sketch Guy” column in the New York Times, makes complex financial concepts easy to understand through his elegantly simple sketches. There will be an opening on Jan. 15 at 6 p.m. 524 Trinity Ave., 63130. For more information, call (314) 7256555 or visit www.cocastl.org.

Through March 19, Pulitzer Arts Foundation hosts Kota: Digital Excavations in African Art. 3716 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www. pulitzerarts.org.

lectures/ workshops

February 21, Application deadline for The St. Louis Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., 2nd Innovative Think Tank Entrepreneurship Competition. The “Think Tank” aims to empower the young people of this community to take the initiative in social innovation and become pioneers in building a harmonious and sustainable society. Interested persons should contact Minnette Scruggs at (314)

952-5160 or Teresa HargrowSimmons at (314) 790-1234 for information on how to participate.

Thur., Feb. 25, 7:30 a.m., COCA bizSession presents Carl Richards: Creative on Purpose. As both an artist and inancial planner, Carl Richards has a unique perspective on what artists and entrepreneurs can learn from each other. 524 Trinity Ave., 63130. For more information, call (314) 7256555 or visit www.cocastl.org.

Sat., Feb. 27, 8 a.m., Webster University hosts 5th Annual St. Louis ProductCamp. ProductCamp is a unique opportunity for anyone who designs, builds, markets, or manages a product or service. 545 Garden Ave., 63119. For more information, visit www. stlpm.org.

Sat., Feb. 27, 3 p.m., Education 4 All presents Author Showcase and Book Fair. Featured local authors & entrepreneurs Mrs. Lydia Douglas and Mr. Odie Smith will present workshops about their books, writing, and publishing. These and other authors will be available to autograph purchased copies of their books during

The Chaifetz Arena presents Katt Williams: The Conspiracy Tour. See COMEDY for details.

Leaders, Authorization Of The Ministry, Three Ways Spiritual Leaders Are Appointed, Divine Calling, and Season Of Preparation. Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel, 9801 Natural Bridge Rd., 63134. For more information, visit www. kossuthcogic.org.

Sun., Feb. 28, 5 p.m. doors, Saint Paul AME Church Social Action, YAM, YPD and Host Event & Urban Marketing Co. present Sweet 2K16 Launch Party Expo, The Cathedral, 1260 Hamilton, St. Louis MO.

the event. Registration is required. 20 S. Sarah, 63108. For more information, call (314) 397-8757 or visit www. education4allinc.com.

health

Sat., Feb. 20, 9 a.m., University City Library hosts a Free Health Screening. February is Heart Month. Come in for a free EKG screening. Registration begins at 9 am. No appointment necessary. Free cholesterol testing, diabetes testing and EKGs performed along with other testing. One-on-one consultation with a physician after testing at no charge. 6701 Delmar Blvd., 63021. For more information, call (314) 4487373.

spiritual

Feb. 18 – 19, Olive Chapel A.M.E. Church Winter Revival. Life events can knock the wind out of you. Do you need a second wind? Come and join us for our Winter Revival at Olive Chapel AME Church. Our revival theme is When God Gives You A Second Wind from Ezekiel

37:1-14. 309 S. Harrison Ave., 63122. For more information, call (314) 8210237 or visit www.facebook. com/olivechapel.amechurch.

Sat., Feb. 20, 3:30 p.m., Legend Singers presents 2016 Festival of AfricanAmerican Spirituals Finale Concert. Kirkwood Baptist Church, 211 N. Woodlawn Ave., 63122. For more information, call (314) 524-9086 or visit www. legendsingers.org.

Sun., Feb. 21, 10 a.m.

Human rights activist Nontombi Naomi Tutu -- the third child of Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Nomalizo Leah Tutu -- will be at Christ Church Cathedral on Sunday, February 21 to preach at the 10 am worship service. Christ Church Cathedral, 1210 Locust Street, St. Louis, MO. For more information, visit www.christchurchcathedral. us, or call (314) 231-3454.

Feb. 26-27, Flame Of Fire Ministries presents ‘The Making Of A Leader Leadership Conference Workshop & Luncheon. Presenters will teach The Principles of leadership in workshops on Selective

Through Mar. 31, 9 a.m., AARP Tax Assistance Eligible Seniors may call the AARP tax help line and schedule an appointment for free tax preparation assistance. St. Louis Public Library, Buder Branch, 4401 Hampton Ave., 63109. For more information or to register, call (314) 525-1660. Through Apr. 11, University of Missouri St. Louis hosts Volunteer Income Tax Assistance St. Louis Public Library, Schlafly Branch, 225 N. Euclid Ave., 63108. For more information, call (314) 3674120 or visit www.slpl.org.

Through Apr. 11, 12 p.m., AARP Tax Help. St. Louis Public Library, Kingshighway Branch, 2260 S. Vandeventer Ave., 63110. For more information, call (314) 5251660.

Through Apr. 15, 10 a.m., AARP Tax Aide. We will provide free tax preparation assistance throughout this tax season by appointment only. St. Louis Public Library, Julia Davis Branch, 4415 Natural Bridge Ave., 63115. For more information or to register, call (314) 525-1660.

DANCE

Continued from C1

heart,” McIntyre said about Maya Angelou. “I wasn’t just grasping for movement out of thin air. Her poetry gave me a very strong foundation.”

McIntyre was eager to share the story of the one time she was blessed to have a one-onone meeting with Angelou, whose roots stem from Old North St. Louis.

“It was back in 2008, and I didn’t know what I was going to talk about,” McIntyre admitted. “I was just going to tell her how I admired her poetry and all of that, but she went right into dance. Being with her just took her back to that part of her life.”

Angelou enjoyed a short career in a professional dance duo that included a young dancer who studied under Katherine Dunham named Alvin Ailey. Problems with Angelou’s knees would cut that career short, but she danced vicariously through her words.

McIntyre will deliver Angelou’s words back to dance with Dance St. Louis Ensemble’s performance of “When We Come to It,” inspired by Angelou’s poem “A Brave and Startling Truth.”

“She had these very strong images of nature – some are images of devastation, how people are enemies to each other and how they pull each other down,” McIntyre said.

“And at the same time she has these uplifting images of mountains and streams that are captivating. All of them are easily translatable to movement.”

Angelou’s legacy ripples through this production with Ailey principal alums Antonio Douthit-Boyd, Kirven Douthit-Boyd and Alicia Graf Mack among the company of performers for the selection.

“The dancers are fantastic,” McIntyre said. “None of these ideas as far as having a work that is married to the words of Maya Angelou could have been realized without the commitment of the dancers.

n “I hope that they can take a lot of pride in seeing people who have come up through the soil in St.

Louis.”

– Diane McIntyre

They are dancing inside of Maya Angelou’s words.”

She also uses the music of St. Louis jazz icon Lester Bowie in the piece.

“He would do some crazy things in the music that nobody else would do – they would think it was too out there,” McIntyre said. “I was thinking, ‘Lester would love this piece,’ because the music I chose is daring.”

She hopes the show will inspire a sense of ownership in the accomplishments of those being honored.

“No matter what the cultural or ethnic background of the audience is, I hope that they can take a lot of pride in seeing people who have come up through the soil in St. Louis,” McIntyre said. “Maybe they will see the piece and say, ‘These dancers are doing this, these artists did that and tomorrow I’m going to do my thing’.”

This commission will be the first time BeBe Miller used Miles Davis’ music in a dance piece.

“When I’ve listened to his music, I feel like it’s really complete, like it does not need me at all,” Miller said.

But she thought New Dance Horizons was the perfect opportunity to give it a try.

For “Line Up Low Down,” members of MADCO will perform to selections from “Bitches Brew” and “Kind of Blue,” which will be performed live by the University of Missouri St. Louis Jazz Ensemble.

“I’m not a thematic choreographer – for me it’s more like ‘how can we connect?’” Miller said. “And Miles’ music has an undertone that’s says, ‘Let me tell you about this, just be with me here.’ I feel like that’s what I’m doing with the piece.”

In his piece “Gunshots/ Daffodils/Moans/Still,” performed by The Big Muddy Dance Company, Robert Moses will deliver his interpretation of the truths of Dick Gregory, singer and pastor Rev. Cleophus Robinson and Albert Walker.

“The thing about Mr. Gregory is that there’s no censorship there, it’s just the truth of how he sees the world,” Moses said. “They are kernels of the truth – whether they are comedic or hard-hitting. I just try to find another way of getting at those truths.”

Using dance to express the richness of African Americans’ contribution to culture and creativity – through opportunities like New Dance Horizons – has added to his own artistic experience.

“They’ve lived these colorful, extremely articulated lives, and I’m trying to bring what I can bring to their history,” Moses said “This place is so unique – not just in the country, but in the world –and I want to give the audience a deeper understanding of the richness of their own community.”

“New Dance Horizons

IV: A Celebration inspired by St. Louis’ Legendary Black Artists” will take place February 26-27 at The Touhill Performing Arts Center. For the full schedule, tickets or more info, call (314) 534-6622 or visit http:// dancestlouis.org or www. touhill.org.

JESSE

Continued from C1

moviegoers.

Those looking for the untold story of Jesse Owens won’t get it with “Race.” What they will see is an on-screen reenactment of Owens’ ascension into an iconic sports figure, just as it has been told for decades as part of Olympics and Black History Month programming.

Aside from the relationship with his Ohio State University Coach Larry Snyder, Owens’ support system and family ties play a relatively minor role in “Race.” The 1984 television film “The Jesse Owens Story” starring Dorian Harewood was more compelling in that sense. “Race” also takes some

KENDRICK

Continued from C1

American men wearing uniforms that reflected the present-day epidemic of mass incarceration among men of color, and with a rhythmic pace that paid tribute to the days of the chain gang.

He proceeded with the blackest, most woke performance the Grammy Awards have ever seen in its entire 58 years.

He wrapped his chains around the microphone stand and jumped right into “Blacker the Berry,” proclaiming, “I’m the biggest hypocrite of 2015.”

To truly understand the impact of his performance, one has to see the lyrics he shamelessly shared with popular music’s most captive audience.

I’m the biggest hypocrite of 2015

Once I finish this, witnesses will convey just what I mean Been feeling this way since I was 16, came to my senses You never liked us anyway,

liberties as far as historical accounts to enhance America’s image. Owens often said he felt more disenchanted with being ignored by President Franklin Roosevelt than discounted by Hitler. An illustration of that irony would have added some much needed depth to “Race.”

While more one-dimensional than most films offering a snapshot into the life of a historical figure, solid performances and an authentic evocation of the era enhance the experience.

Unknown actor Stephan James perfectly captured Owens’ clean-cut persona and expressed the determination one would expect of an athlete of his caliber. The film portrays a more willful Owens than the times would have allowed, and James leans into that element in a way to make it somewhat

[expletive] your friendship, I meant it

I’m African-American, I’m African

I’m black as the moon, heritage of a small village

Pardon my residence

Came from the bottom of mankind

My hair is nappy, my nose is round and wide

You hate me, don’t you?

You hate my people, your plan is to terminate my culture

You’re [expletive] evil, I want you to recognize that I’m a proud monkey

You vandalize my perception but can’t take style from me

And this is more than confession

I mean, I might press the button just so you know my discretion

I’m guardin’ my feelings, I know that you feel it

You sabotage my community, makin’ a killin’

You made me a killer, emancipation of a real [expletive].

As he unapologetically recited his unfiltered pro-black anthem to the mainstream, a saxophonist behind bars improvised to the cadence of Lamar’s delivery.

believable. Jason Sudekis in a starring role without the crutch of comic relief seems questionable, but through “Race” he shows his potential as a serious actor. While the film is lacking in the layers that make for an interesting biopic, seeing this black history moment make its way to a major theatre release is in itself a major win. And watching Owens succeed despite obstacles in his path that many black youth can relate to today – poverty, teen parenthood and lack of educational resources – may compel audiences to put in the work towards living their own best lives.

“Race” opens in theatres nationwide on Friday, February 19. The film is rated PG-13 with a running time of 134 minutes.

When the verse was finished, Lamar and his crew collectively removed their chains.

As we proceed, to give you what you need…you can lock our bodies but you can’t trap our minds.

At the moment of selfemancipation, Yoruba drums and African dancers came from behind the stage and a simulated fire erupted that implied a healing ritual as Lamar jumped into “Alright.”

Wouldn’t you know, we’ve been hurt, down before When our pride was low

Looking at the world, where do we go?

We gon’ be alright. Do you hear me, do you feel me, we gon’ be alright.

He then jumped into “Hiii Power” for the medley’s finale. With his nearly seven minutes on stage at this year’s Grammys, Lamar took Beyoncé’s Super Bowl 50 performance of “Formation” and raised it to infinity. He explicitly flexed his blackness – in all of its complexity – to an audience who couldn’t be further removed from the reality of it. He seemed if anything inspired by their discomfort. Lamar didn’t win “Album of the Year,” but he walked away with the Grammys’ biggest win by a landslide.

Lalah Hathaway makes Grammy history

Taylor Swift pointed out in her “Album of the Year” acceptance speech that she was the first female to win the award twice. Her win wasn’t the only historic one of the evening. Lalah Hathaway, daughter of St. Louis’ own Donny Hathaway, became the only artist to garner three awards in the “Best Traditional R&B Performance.” Her cover of her father’s signature hit “Little Ghetto Boy” earned her third consecutive Grammy in the category.

Nuptials

Reunions

Beaumont High School

Class of 1971 is planning its 45th year reunion for July 22-24, 2016.Please send your contact information (address and phone number) to Gladys Smith at beaumont1971alumni@aol. com.

Soldan Class of 1971 is planning its 45th year reunion for: June 17-19, 2016 at the Ameristar Casino Resort & Spa, One Ameristar Boulevard, St. Charles, Mo 63301.

Soldan Class of 1976 reunion will be held June 10-12, 2016. For more information, email soldanclassof1976@yahoo. com or Facebook: Soldan High School Class of 1976.

Sumner Alumni Association hosts its 13th Annual RoundUp of Sumner Alumni Sunday, February 28, 2016, 1-4 pm at Sumner High School. Theme: “Climbing Jacob’s Ladder” with Special performances by Sumner Alumni and non-Sumner

Celebrations

Birthdays

Happy Birthday to our mother, Maria L. Cooley, on February 14. The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra. Our mother pushes us to do that little extra! We love you! Dianne, Charlotte, Charmaine, Tyrone, Madelene, Jerome, Jeaneene and Bryan

Happy 1st Birthday to my handsome baby boy, Jamir Johnson, on February 20. Mommy loves you so much and wishes you many more to come!

Happy 1st Birthday to our little sister, Denym Collins! Love, Alecia, Demetrius, De’morian and Da’mara

Alumni. Reception with entertainment: 12:45-1:45 pm in the gym with displays, souvenir items, photographer and more. New, Renewal, and “Climbing Jacob’s Ladder” (Lifetime) for alumni memberships accepted in the foyer. Program: 2 pm in the auditorium. Vendors are welcome ($50 in advance); contact B. Louis at 314.385.9843 for Vendor Form or Flyer at: sumneralumniassn@yahoo. com. John House, Chairperson 314.420-3442.

Sumner High School Class of 1966 is planning their 50th Class Reunion. Please contact Ella Scott at 314-436-1696, Els2188@sbcglobal.net with

your name, address and email or join the Sumner Class of 1966 Facebook Group page.

University City High School Class of 1976 is planning its Fabulous 40th year class reunion for June 24-25, 2016. We need your contact information. Please email your information to: weareuc76@ gmail.com or call the UCHS Class of 76 voicemail at 314301-9597.

University City Class of 1981 35th reunion will be August 5-7, 2016. Please send your contact information to Denise Weatherford -Bell at msdenise38@yahoo.com.

Vashon January and June Classes of 1966 will celebrate our 50 year reunion October 7-9, 2016 at the Hollywood Casino, 777 Casino Center Drive, Maryland Heights, MO 63043. Contact Marilyn Stuckey, Chairperson, 314-438-8338, email: masystucup@att.net or Janice Holland, Co-Chairperson, 314-727-1695, email: jholland1695@att.net for more information.

Vashon Class of 1986 will be celebrating its fabulous 30th Class Reunion in beautiful Las Vegas Nevada, July 21-23, 2016. For more information contact, Claudette at 314 3681502 or cctreze@att.net.

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

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

is:

Congratulations to newlyweds Mr. and Mrs. Antonio and Monica Scaife, who were married on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2016 at Greater Paradise M.B. Church. by Pastor Mike Tyler.

Maria L. Cooley

Jamir Johnson

Denym Collins

Religion

The Message

Rev. Sekou found not guilty Woe to whom?

Movement pastor was arrested in Ferguson while praying

By Mariah Stewart Huffington Post

It took less than 20 minutes on Tuesday, February 9 for a jury in St. Louis County to find a local clergyman not guilty of a charge stemming from his arrest outside the Ferguson Police Department nearly a year and a half ago.

Rev. Osagyefo Sekou, arrested while he knelt in prayer outside the police department the month after a Ferguson police officer shot and killed 18-year-old Michael Brown Jr., was found not guilty of failing to obey police orders.

The two-day trial was a “serious waste of resources” for the City of Ferguson, said Sekou’s lawyer, Jerryl Christmas.

“In order to put on this trial for this ordinance violation, [Ferguson] probably spent several thousand dollars, which could have been used much more creatively on needed issues centered around Ferguson,” Christmas told HuffPost.

St. Louis County Circuit Judge Joseph Dueker ruled there could be no mention of the U.S. Department of Justice’s consent decree with Ferguson during Sekou’s trial. The evening after his trial was concluded, the Ferguson City Council effectively rejected the consent decree by amending it.

The next day, the DOJ filed suit, accusing Ferguson of abusing its law enforcement system to generate revenue from ticketing mostly black and poor residents.

Ferguson’s part-time assistant prosecutor was J. Patrick Chassaing, who works for Curtis, Heinz, Garrett & O’Keefe, a Clayton firm that contracts as city attorney for 27 municipalities in St. Louis County and as prosecutor or judge in another dozen municipalities in the county.

He called former Ferguson police officer Justin Cosma as a witness on February 8.

The Rev. Osagyefo Sekou left Ferguson Municipal Court on December 16, 2014, where he received a continuance on a refusal to disperse charge that was finally decided in his favor on February 9. He was accompanied by Derek Laney, an organizer for Missourians Organizing for Reform and Empowerment.

Cosma, who processed the arrest in Sekou’s case, had previously settled a lawsuit filed by the family of a 12-year-old boy whom Cosma had arrested. Cosma also was involved in the arrest of two journalists during the Ferguson protests (including one from The Huffington Post) in August 2014. Judge Dueker did not allow references to Cosma’s background.

Like his law firm colleague Stephanie Karr when she prosecuted another protestor case last year, Chassaing seemed determined to put the Ferguson protests on trial rather than focus on Sekou’s individual

conduct.

“Did you see the burning and the looting and the riots?” Chassaing asked one witness. “You are aware of the violent protests, right?” he asked another.

At other times, the judge chose to steer Chassaing away from broader references to the actions of protestors.

“The Ferguson prosecutor tried to put the Ferguson movement on trial and failed as he attempted to portray me as violent and supporting violence,” Sekou told HuffPost after the verdict.

In his closing argument, Christmas said that Ferguson officials wanted to “make an example of Rev. Sekou” and that he shouldn’t be held responsible for the actions of other demonstrators.

“The First Amendment is not on trial,” Christmas said. “The city wants you to get sidetracked on all these other issues and has failed to provide evidence of Sekou failing to obey.”

Chassaing told the jury during his closing argument that “the case is based on limits” and that it wasn’t about disrespecting a “man of the cloth.”

“There must be limits, and we’ll have an awful situation if there are not,” he said.

On the jury of 12, there appeared to be just two black jurors. According to one of the white jurors, 34-year-old Drew Wilcoxen, the limits on what the prosecutor and defense lawyer could say about the Ferguson protests “made it difficult for everyone to do their job.”

Wilcoxen didn’t seem to mind that he had been called to judge nothing more than an alleged ordinance violation, declaring it “a great thing” for citizens to be involved.

Chassaing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Christmas said he would be interested to learn how much the law firm bills Ferguson for the part-time prosecutor’s work.

“That’s why the protesters say the whole system is messed up, because everyone is profiting off of this and the people are suffering and that’s what needs to stop,” he said.

“This is not over. The movement is not over,” Sekou said. “We will continue to resist in various facets.”

This story is published as part of a partnership between the Huffington Post and the St. Louis American.

As believers we have a lot on our plates. But our ability to ascertain right from wrong is accentuated, particularly when the wrong comes from people you know and who knew you when. That doesn’t mean we are challenged beyond our capacity to fulfill God’s destiny for us, even when it looks good as positioned by those who know what we are vulnerable to. It just that God’s purpose in our lives should at least allow us to recognize when it comes under attack.

The more we understand and internalize this, the more we should see and appreciate the individual blessings in our lives. What I’d like to call your attention to now is a statement from Jesus’ mouth to your reality. It’s a forgiveness thing. It’s not forgiving yourself I’m talking about. It is God’s forgiveness and grace about the sins we commit. Nowhere in the Bible can I find an expectation by God that you won’t sin after you are saved. To the contrary, the expectation is that you will. God’s grace and Christ’s blood have taken care of that for you and me. We just need to keep the appropriate perspective regarding sin and prayer and let God know our confession is genuine.

The point I want to bring to your attention is when Jesus says your forgiveness ain’t happening. Luke 17:1 says,

“Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to the person through whom they come.” This one stunned me, and I thought I’d pass it along to you: “woe to the person through whom they come.” This kind of redefines the concept of friendship, don’t you think?

This statement doesn’t absolve the sinner from the sin, but it does put a huge burden on the one bringing the sin trying to convince his or her Christian family member that it’s okay to partake. The consequences of this act appear to be catastrophic.

For anyone to truly hurt you, they have to be close enough to you to kiss you. Can you say, “Judas”? You cannot plead ignorance on this one. God won’t let you. Woe is waiting. The verse continues to illustrate how you should respond to one who sins against you. You forgive, period. The verse is also clear as to your role in the body of Christ. Don’t bring sin to the party and try to convince others it really is okay to engage in it. Eve did that, and we all know how that turned out.

So remember this. You are forgiven and you are to forgive. I don’t believe I follow a God of confusion. This is pretty simple stuff, actually. But let’s not get it twisted. This can be a trap, as in entrapment. Don’t fall for it. Do not ask your friends and family to wallow in your “oh woe is me.” That’s an indication of a lack of faith.

Be glad for the finished work of Christ. The alternative is His “oh woe is you.” As always, it’s your choice.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

Columnist James Washington

ENGLISH TEACHER

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

TEACHER

REQUESTFOR PROPOSALS

INVITATION FOR BIDS

CENTER, Madison County, for subcontracting opportunities in the following areas: DEMOLITION, CONCRETE, MASONRY, DOORS/WINDOWS, PAINTING, HVAC, ELECTRICAL, HAULING, and SEEDING & FERTILIZING. All interested and qualified Disadvantaged businesses, should contact, in writing, (certified letter, return receipt requested), HALKLAUS, to discuss the subcontracting opportunities. All negotiations must be completed prior to the bid opening bid date of March 16, 2016. Proposals will be evaluated in order on the

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Notice is hereby given that The Metropolitan St. Louis SewerDistrict (District) will receive sealed bids for Anchor Dr and Dana Ave Storm Sewer under Letting No. 11367-015.1,at this office, 2350 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103, until 02:00 PM on Friday, March

NOTICE TO BID

Haulage, Earthwork, Utilities, Mechanical, Surface (Landscaping, Curb & Gutter, Paving, Building Construction)

Plans and Specifications can be obtained at the MSD’swebsitewww.stlmsdplanroom.com

Atkinson offers an array of business opportunities for pre-qualified subcontractors and suppliers. Time is of the essence so please do not hesitate to contact us. Welook forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely, Guy F. Atkinson Construction, LLC

J.P. Holbik Regional Business Manager

Invitation for Proposals

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE:

Swag Snap of the week

Mocha Latte kept it live as Yandy of “Love and Hip Hop” fame had the Marquee bursting at the seams when she stopped through Friday night.

Home stretch to Young Leaders 2K16. You already know what time it is, but I must issue a last-minute “don’t say I didn’t remind you” note about the St. Louis American Foundation’s 6th Annual Salute to Young Leaders Networking and Awards Reception going down ONE.WEEK.FROM.TODAY at The Four Seasons. Every time I go I feel energized after seeing the future of the region recognized on the front end. Our Young Leader alums have gone on to do some fantastic things within the corporate, civic and community realms and I’m sure the Class of 2016 will follow suit. Be sure to use the #SaluteToYoungLeaders2016 hashtag when you carry on about it in your social media channels. It’s happening Feb. 25 at 5:30 p.m. at The Four Seasons. For those who don’t have tickets yet, say a prayer and call (314) 533-8000 or visit www.stlamerican. com in the hopes that the windows of heaven will open up and find you a stray seat. Hats off to Helium. On Thursday night I made my way to the official opening celebration of Helium, the all-new comedy club that recently opened in the Galleria. By belly was so full from the delicious spread they laid out for the crowd that I was scared to laugh during the set. There were some tastemakers in the building to extend their welcome too. The Radio One St. Louis family was pretty deep in the building and I got a chance to meet their new Director of Promotions (Hi Kesley!).

Kevin Johnson of the Post-Dispatch was in the house as well for the dinner and the complimentary performance of Last Comic Standing Season Three Winner Alonzo Bodden. They are kicking things off with a bang in the form of big names. My boo Marlon Wayans will be in the building for a standup set March 4. I can’t wait!

Yandy’s welcome. Reality TV “talent” Yandy was in the house for the latest string of Friday night celebrity appearances at The Marquee. While I was sad that more people showed up to watch miss “Love and Hip Hop” run her fingers through her bundles than for Mystikal’s full-fledged show, but knowing that the Marquee clocked a win as far as the crowd made me happy. Yandy also broke the losing streak of struggle appearances by her co-stars. There were more people in the Marquee’s bathroom than showed up to see Joseline the last time she came to town.

Birthdays all around. 2016 must be the year of the turn up for team Aquarius because I stayed in somebody’s birthday party this weekend. Do you hear me? I started out at Teddy Blackett’s bash at the Rustic Goat. He got all the way grown with it thanks to those throwback jams and the overall vibe. I left there and made my way to Mood to show love to my boy Mick Woods, who had the best early b-day gift possible thanks to a star-studded Super Bowl 50 experience. On Saturday I toasted it up with my girl Mousie from 100.3 The Beat at Lux. Her family, friends and boo Smitty were in the building as she slayed in some sequined pants and served up serious shoe envy for days with those geometrical gold pumps. I was distracted by some woman without a curve to speak of that looked like she borrowed one of those “Blossom” body dresses twerking like the rent was due all across the dance floor. Please don’t accuse me of body shaming the petite sexy population, but I swear I could hear the poor thing’s hip bones cracklin’ all the way over in VIP. I ran into Robert Hughes and the Black Pearl crew. If I had Yung Ro’s parents, I would most definitely be in the club with them too because they slay!

The Red Hot Music Festival. The parties involved should be thrilled with the success of the St. Louis Music Festival last Saturday at the Chaifetz Arena. It was packed – and if I had $10 for everybody that was wearing some shade of red (red leather in particular) there would be no need for me to play the Powerball EVER AGAIN! One of y’all’s aunties looked like an unwrapped roadside V-Day gift basket with her red fur vest, pink turtleneck, candy striped tights and bedazzled Muggz (not Uggz). Joe’s little set was cute, but folks probably forgot he was on the bill after Fannie May did her thing. Fantasia decided to shake it like a polaroid picture, but to be honest she could’ve done anything on that stage and I would have given her a pass by the way she put it down on stage. I was shocked (and quietly disappointed) that she didn’t take her shoes off. I’m gonna go head and say it, so please forgive me because I’m coming from a place of love and concern. Frankie Beverly just needs to stop singing altogether at this point. I knew from the first “laid back” that it would be painful to watch, but he only made it to the second song before I had to wrestle with the idea of pulling up a Maze playlist on my phone and plugging my earphones in as I watched them on stage. That throat of his had to be on fire- shoot, I went on vocal rest for three days after hearing him sound like a hurt lion for an hour and some change. He looked fantastic (as usual) for a man of a certain age – and the band was absolutely sickening. I am NEVER an advocate for full-fledge lip syncing on stage, but I’ll make an exception for him. I was Karaoke style crooning. I went ahead and made my way to the Valentine’s extravaganza starring Carl Thomas Sunday night and I’m glad. Terran Rome and his crew had the folks deep in that Airport Renaissance for Valentine’s Day Sunday night. Rhoda G. gave an Usher medley that got more of a reaction than when Carl Thomas sang for dear life to those tracks, which I’ll get into a bit later. But first I must offer a note to the evening’s self-esteemed Mistress of Ceremonies Gina Cheatham. While I applaud your confidence, assume that nobody wants to hear your autobiographical one-woman show as they count down the clock to hear “Summer Rain.” You can shout out folks and add BRIEF funny stories for flavor, but keep the transition moving. With that off of my chest I can say that Carl Thomas tried it with those tracks, but the people who came through had a taste for a full live experience on that night – which is why they seemed unbothered by the time he finally came on stage. He sounded well enough, but that horn duo wasn’t enough to keep the folks from being underwhelmed by the Memorex.

Dani of Contrary Cupcakes and her husband William Hump of EyeKon Klothing celebrated the grand opening of their Contrary Cupcakes Saturday @ 4904 DevonShire

Katie and Charvonne were visions in winter white Friday @ The Rustic Goat

The St. Louis American’s own Mary Easter and her dapper husband Eric soaked in the R&B and Soul Saturday night @ The St. Louis Music Festival @ Chaifetz Arena

Heather and Shaniqua took time to unwind this Friday @ HG

Michael, Mimi and Flea started their weekend off with B-Free Friday night @ The Rustic Goat

Teddy “B-Free” Blackett was basking in all the b-day love with his beautiful wife Makeda @ Friday night @ The Rustic Goat

Brandy and Erica stopped though Element Saturdays @ The Marquee

DJ Smitty helped his lovely lady Mousie celebrate her birthday Saturday night @ The Lux

Kristy and Kiihanda kept it cute Saturday night @ The Rustic Goat

PT and LT of The Goods had VIP on lock Friday @ The Marquee

Photos by Lawrence Bryant & John Scott

Resistance in higher education: a timeline

By Stefan M. Bradley

For The St. Louis American

It appears that history does indeed rhyme, as one famous Missourian, Mark Twain, is said to have quipped.

Students are active again; protests are suddenly ubiquitous as simmering grievances have kindled a crisis. But boycotts by athletes, building occupations and demands that presidents resign - all to force change for students of color - are not new acts.

This school year, Black Lives Matter has found a place on campuses like the University of Missouri, Yale, Princeton and the historically black Howard University in the same way that the civil rights and black power movements once did.

The following timeline is hardly exhaustive, but it provides some linear and ideological connections between the current campaigns and those of the past.

1900 Princeton denies application of William Drew Robeson Jr., brother of Renaissance man Paul Robeson. University president and future U.S. president Woodrow Wilson personally denies family’s appeal. (Other Ivy League institutions do accept black undergraduates.)

1906 Alpha Phi Alpha, first official black fraternity, established at Cornell. First sorority for women comes two years later, at historically black Howard University.

1923 Students at historically black Florida A&M begin three-month protest, boycotting classes, firebombing a building and violating curfew to remove segregation-accommodating college president.

1925 Urged by scholar W.E.B. Du Bois, students at historically black Fisk University in Nashville wage 10-week strike leading to resignation of socially conservative president, who denied their desire to create N.A.A.C.P. chapter.

1940 Traditionally, Southern teams refuse to play against black athletes. New York University agrees to pull black fullback from football game against Missouri. Two thousand N.Y.U. students stage on-campus protests. Game is played without black player. N.Y.U. loses 33-0.

1945 Princeton knowingly admits first black undergraduate under auspices of Navy’s V-12 program (actual first, in 1930s, was sent home when he showed up to register and was found not to be white).

1950 Missouri enrolls first black students. (Fellowship for underrepresented minority

See BRADLEY, D3

Faces and places of Black St. Louis

John Wright Sr. publishes ‘African American St. Louis’

By Nancy Fowler Of St. Louis Public Radio

The author of a new book called “African American St. Louis” hopes images of the past will help people better understand the issues of today.

Lead author and educator John Wright Sr. grew up in St. Louis in the 1940s and ‘50s. His book, written in collaboration with his sons John Wright Jr. and Curtis Wright Sr., contains 170 color and black-and-white photos from the 1960s through

See WRIGHT, D4

Pioneering aviator joins Wings of Hope

Barrington Irving, a pioneering pilot and aviation educator, has joined the Honorary Council of Wings of Hope, the St. Louis-based aviation charity. Other council members include former Secretary of State Colin Powell and former U.S. Senator John Danforth. Irving was born in Jamaica and grew up in inner city Miami, surrounded by poverty, crime

and failing schools. When he was 15, a chance encounter with a pilot ignited in Irving a passion for aviation that would lead him to shatter his own expectations and the record books. He first saved his money to buy a flight simulator game that allowed him to fly anywhere and in any kind of weather conditions from the safety of his PC. That made him passionate enough to save more of his money so that he could afford flight lessons.

In 2007, at the age of 23, Barrington Irving became the first African American to fly solo around the world.

By the time he turned 21, Irving had lost friends to violence and prison. “I’ll never forget asking myself the question, ‘What’s one thing I can do whether I live or die that would be worth something?’” he told NPR’s Michel Martin. An idea hit him: to fly around the world. In 2007, at the age of 23, he set a Guinness World Record as the youngest person at that time

See BARRINGTON, D6

First black U.S. Army surgeon general sworn in

U.S. Army Surgeon General Lt. Gen. Nadja Y. West had her three-star shoulderboards pinned on by son, Logan, and daughter, Sydney, while her husband Don looked on. West was promoted during a ceremony hosted by Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley on Joint Base MyerHenderson Hall, Virginia on February 9.

Photo from U.S. Army News Service

Presenting sPonsors

Nadja Y. West also first African-American woman promoted to lieutenant general

By J.D. Leipold U.S. Army News Service

Washington – The U.S. Army formally welcomed the service’s 44th surgeon general on February 9 and promoted Nadja Y. West to lieutenant general.

West became the first African American to serve as Army surgeon general when she assumed the position December 11. With her promotion, she became the Army’s first black woman to hold the rank of lieutenant general and the highest-ranking woman of any race to graduate from West Point.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley hosted the ceremony held on Joint Base MyerHenderson Hall.

“She has performed brilliantly in the two months she’s been the surgeon general and I can personally attest to that,” Milley told the audience.

Following the ceremony, West spoke with the press to provide an idea on where Army medicine would be heading.

She said her predecessor, Lt. Gen. Patricia Horoho, had brought Army medicine to the

See WEST, D3

This mural memorializes Michael Brown Jr., whose death sparked the Ferguson uprising.

Photo courtesy of Arcadia Publishing

American staff

Stefan M. Bradley

BRADLEY

Continued from D1

graduate students is named for one of them, in 1987.)

1960 Sit-in movement is started at historically black North Carolina A&T, leading thousands of students across South to successfully desegregate lunch counters in downtown locations.

1961 After mass imprisonment of Freedom Riders in Jackson, Mississippi, students from Fisk, Tennessee A&I and American Baptist Theological Seminary rescue campaign by boarding buses to rout out segregation in seating in violation of Supreme Court order.

1962 Amid riots, James H. Meredith desegregates University of Mississippi at cost of two human lives, significant property damage and more than $4 million for his security.

1963 Vivian Malone and James A. Hood desegregate University of Alabama in spite of Gov. George Wallace’s dramatic resistance, physically blocking doorway of registration building.

1964 Students at historically black Tougaloo Southern Christian College persuade traveling show of the hugely popular “Hootenanny” TV series to cancel performance before segregated audience in Jackson, Mississippi.

(In January three stars of

WEST

Continued from D1

point that it is now and that one of her priorities would be to ensure that the Performance Triad – focus on sleep, nutrition and activity – continues.

She said, though it sounds basic, “we want to take care of ourselves in all dimensions, then to the next level.”

“Bonanza” and the trumpeter Al Hirt also canceled appearances.)

1965 Higher Education Act makes federal financial aid available to all students, encouraging low-income black students to attend college, and increases funds for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

1966 Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton, students at Merritt College, in Oakland, California, found Black Panther Party for Self-Defense.

1967 Black students at San Jose State protest lack of administrative response to racially discriminatory housing patterns and, with support of some black football players, threaten to prevent team from playing season opener. Fearing violence, college cancels game, at loss of tens of thousands of

“Gen. Milley says readiness is his No. 1 priority … and there is no other number one, so my job will be to ensure that from the health care aspect that I can enhance the readiness of our soldiers, our families and those who are entrusted to our care,” she said. “You can’t lead people if you don’t care about them. It has to be genuine care.”

West said that her mission was to ensure medical formations are appropriately

dollars.

1968 Three South Carolina State black students die and 27 wounded during demonstration to desegregate bowling alley near campus.

Students take over administration building at Howard, demanding black studies program and university engagement with surrounding black community. San Francisco State students strike for black studies department and more faculty of color; it lasts five months (longest on a U.S. campus), forcing college to shut for several weeks.

Black and radical white students at Columbia protest university expansion into Harlem in weeklong demonstration that leads to sixweek student strike. Black students take

agile and adaptable to meet the needs of the entire aligned force to include the Army and the joint force. West was raised in the nation’s capital and was the youngest of 12 adopted brothers and sisters.

Before she took the oath of allegiance, her son Logan and daughter Sydney replaced their mother’s two-star shoulder boards with the threestar versions gifted by her predecessor to the applause of

2015: Protesting unresponsiveness to racial tensions, student group calling itself #concernedstudent1950, named to signal historic arc of struggle (see 1950), calls for resignation of Missouri president.

over Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs to protest university investment in South Africa apartheid.

1969 On February 13, in what scholar Ibram X. Kendi, formerly Ibram H. Rogers, calls “apex” of black student activism, demonstrations are held on campuses in every state except Alaska.

Cross is burned outside Cornell residence for black women; black students take over student union, and fearing backlash, barricade and arm themselves.

University of Missouri’s Legion of Black Collegians (one founder: current interim chancellor Michael Middleton) issues list of demands calling for increased black presence in student body, staff and faculty. Missouri employs first black tenure-track professor, in department of history.

1970 Police shoot and kill two students at historically black Jackson State in Jackson, Mississippi, after two nights of sometimes violent student disruption.

1976 Black enrollment in institutions of higher education

family, friends and dignitaries. Milley then presented her with a personal three-star flag before administering the oath of office as her husband, Don, held the Bible.

“In short, she’s in charge of tens of thousands of medical professionals and she has significant responsibilities here and overseas that cover health care policies and medical materiel,” Milley said.

“She’s in charge of organizing and integrating

reaches high – 10 percent of student population nationwide.

1978 Black students march in Washington to protest U.S. Supreme Court ruling against affirmative action quotas, in University of California Regents v. Bakke

1987 Due to pressure from protesters, Harvard decreases holdings in South Africa by $230 million. Young people on campuses across nation build shantytowns reminiscent of those found in Soweto.

1996 Students of color demonstrate against passage of Proposition 209, eradicating race-conscious admissions in California.

2003 Thousands of mostly black students march in Washington as Supreme Court deliberates University of Michigan admissions policy.

Students form By Any Means Necessary coalition to defend affirmative action. Court rules race can be one of many factors in evaluating applicant because of “educational benefits that flow from a diverse student body.”

2013 Viral YouTube video criticizes dearth of black men enrolled at University of California, Los Angeles.

2014 Black students initiate “I, Too, Am Harvard” Internet and Twitter campaign, exclaiming: “We are here. This place is ours.”

Policeman shoots to death son of black employee at Saint Louis University two months after white policeman kills Michael Brown Jr. in nearby Ferguson. Six days of campus

Army-wide healthcare assistance for about two and one-half million people. That’s a lot of work, a lot of responsibility and no one is going to do it better than Gen. West … and she also manages money; she’s in charge of $11.8 billion.”

West next took the lectern and spoke briefly about her large family and thanked them for the support her brothers and sisters had given over the years.

“My family was a really

vigils and demonstrations follow.

2015 Protesting unresponsiveness to racial tensions, student group calling itself #concernedstudent1950, named to signal historic arc of struggle (see 1950), calls for resignation of Missouri president, among other demands (see 1969). Graduate student goes on hunger strike until president steps down; he does when football team threatens strike.

Yale students protest racial slights and message of residential college “master” that university should not suggest culturally sensitive Halloween costumes.

Students across country demand campuses be cleansed of racially offensive historic icons, including Woodrow Wilson at Princeton. Black groups from 76 colleges and universities list demands on thedemands.org.

2016 Supreme Court to rule on use of race in admissions at University of Texas, for second time, signaling court may limit or even end such affirmative action.

Stefan M. Bradley, an associate professor of history at Saint Louis University, is contracted with New York University Press to write the book “Blackened Ivy: Civil Rights, Black Power, and Ivy League Universities in the Postwar Era.”

This article, reprinted with permission of the author, first appeared in the New York Times.

good team. There was a group who was all the same age and were friends in the orphanage, so they hung together and looked out for each other … that was a good environment to grow up,” she said.

“I think the message that sends is that there’s no limit [to] what you can do; what you can accomplish once you put your mind to it. No matter what your beginnings are, you can aspire to be anything you want.”

WRIGHT

Continued from D1

the present. Wright said many of the pictures are unique images you won’t see in museums, libraries, newspapers or online.

“What we find in the African-American community [is that] most of our history is in homes and in basements,” Wright said. “So generally, the pictures you get are from individuals or you go out and take them yourself.”

“African American St. Louis” explores a half-dozen topics, including abstract ideas such as “challenges” and “culture” and more concrete subjects, including housing and commerce.

Wright, 76, remembers when Taylor Avenue and what is now Martin Luther King Drive in North City boasted rows of shops and other businesses.

“As a result of that, the money stayed in the community several times before it left,” Wright said.

But now? “You have a neighborhood where there are no stores,” he said.

The book also features images of dilapidated homes. These include scenes that

Wright described this way:

“The roof is falling down, half the building’s gone,” he said.

Wright said these decayed areas are part of an environment that can ultimately result in oppression and even tragedy.

“These are the things that spark the Michael Brown incidents,” Wright said.

The book includes two images related to the shooting death of unarmed 18-yearold Michael Brown Jr. by a Ferguson police officer in August 2014. One is of mural dedicated to Brown, over a caption that reads: “The mantra ‘Hands Up, Don’t Shoot’ was echoed around the country and was adopted by celebrities as a sign of solidarity for change.”

Another shows demonstrators marching in downtown St. Louis in memory of Brown. One protest sign calls for “No More Killing.” Still, Wright said, “We didn’t dominate the book with Michael Brown.”

A photo adjacent to the protest image features a statue of “Justice” at the U.S. Court and Custom House at Tucker and Market Streets. Wright said while many such figures around the country are blindfolded, this one is not.

“It kind of points out in

many cases justice has not been blind when dealing with African Americans in St. Louis.”

But not all the images are grim or even demonstrate the need for change. Many depict the progress and pride in St. Louis’ African-American community, including photos of black political leaders, business owners and everyday citizens.

One picture shows the St. Louis African Arts Festival, held every Memorial Day weekend in Forest Park. The festival celebrating African culture draws thousands of people every year.

Another is an atypical photo of a young African-American man. He’s celebrating his bar mitzvah at Central Reform Congregation in the Central West End. The event marks his coming of age and devotion to Jewish laws and traditions. Wright has written more than a dozen books about St. Louis and Missouri. His next project examines St. Louis’ AfricanAmerican history beginning with the arrival of the first Africans aboard slave ships. Reprinted with permission from news.stlpublicradio.org.

Follow Nancy Fowler on Twitter: @NancyFowlerSTL.

A 1963 photo of the Congress of Racial Equality demonstrating at the Jefferson Bank & Trust Company over the issue of jobs. Photo courtesy of Arcadia Publishing

Black History Events Calendar

Thurs., Feb. 18, 4 p.m., Book Worms: “The Honest To Goodness Truth,” by Patricia McKissick, St. Louis County Library- MidCounty Branch, 7821 Maryland Ave. For more information, visit www.slcl.org/ black-history-celebration.

Thurs., Feb. 18, 4 p.m., Creative Kids: Historic Headstones, St. Louis Public Library – Carondelet Branch, 6800 Michigan Ave. For more information, call (314) 7715450.

Thurs., Feb. 18, 5 p.m., Creative Kids: Famous Alumni of Sumner and Vashon, St. Louis Public Library – Barr Branch, 1701 S. Jefferson. For more information, call (314) 7715450.

Thurs., Feb. 18, 6 p.m., Annie Malone Hope Floats, St. Louis Public Library – Schlafly Branch, 225 N. Euclid Ave. For more information, call (314) 771-5450.

Thurs., Feb. 18, 7 p.m., Rhythms and Folklore of Africa, St. Louis County Library – Lewis & Clark Branch, 9909 Lewis-Clark Blvd. For more information, visit www.slcl.org/blackhistory-celebration.

Fri., Feb. 19, 10:30 a.m., Joining Hands: Stories and Crafts for Black History Month, St. Louis County Library – Thornhill Branch, 12863 Willowwyck Drive. For more information, visit www.slcl.org/black-historycelebration.

Fri., Feb. 19, 2 p.m., Rhythms and Folklore of Africa, St. Louis County Library – Bridgeton Trails Branch, 3455 McKelvey Rd. For more

information, visit www.slcl.org/ black-history-celebration.

Fri., Feb. 19, 7 p.m., A Reflective Evening with Frankie Muse Freeman and Koran Bolden, St. Louis County Library Headquarters, 1640 S. Lindbergh. For more information, visit www.slcl.org/ black-history-celebration.

Sat., Feb. 20, 1 p.m., Black History Month Program presented by Ruth Rattler, New North Side Village Apartments 2054 Nemnich Rd.

Sat., Feb. 20, 1 p.m., Rhythms and Folklore of Africa, St. Louis County Library – Indian Trails Branch, 8400 Delport Dr. For more information, visit www.slcl.org/black-historycelebration.

Sat., Feb. 20, 2 p.m., St. Louis Freedom Struggle 1821-1968, St. Louis County Library – Daniel Boone Branch, 300 Clarkson Rd. For more information, visit www.slcl.org/ black-history-celebration.

Sat., Feb. 20, 2 p.m., Recipes and Traditions: Soul Food Desserts, St. Louis County Library – Jamestown Bluffs Branch, 4153 N. Highway 67. For more information, visit www.slcl.org/black-historycelebration.

Sat., Feb. 20, 2 p.m., Reading Women: Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, St. Louis County Library – Thornhill Branch, 12863 Willowwyck Drive. For more information, visit www.slcl.org/blackhistory-celebration.

Sat., Feb. 20, 3 p.m., A Conversation with journalist Sylvester Brown, Afro World, 7276 Natural Bridge Rd. For more information, call (314)

389-5194.

Sat., Feb. 20, 4 p.m., Lila: The Life of a Missouri Slave, St. Louis Public Library – Julia Davis Branch

Sun., Feb. 21, 12 noon, Black History Month Program, St. Louis Catholic Academy, 4720 Carter Ave. For more information, call (314) 8681621.

Sun., Feb. 21, 12 noon, An Historic Journey, St. Louis Public Library – Central Branch, 1301 Olive St., 63103. For more information, call (314) 539-0359 or visit www. slpl.org.

Sun., Feb. 21, 6 p.m., Community Women Against Hardship Black History Month Beneit Concert featuring Bethany Pickens, The Harold & Dorothy Steward Center for Jazz. 3536 Washington, St. Louis, MO 63103. Tickets available via the Jazz St. Louis Box Ofice, by calling (314) 571-6000 or online by visiting www.jazzstl. org

Sun., Feb. 21, 2 p.m., St. Louis Public Library presents Black History Month Keynote

Speaker Sonia Sanchez. St. Louis Public Library – Central Branch, 1301 Olive St., 63103. For more information, call (314) 539-0359 or visit www. slpl.org.

Sun., Feb. 21, 3 p.m., UMSL African American Alumni Chapter and the Associated Black Collegians presents Black in St. Louis: Sculpting The Future. A thought provoking Black History Month forum featuring distinguished panelists and moderator. Free and open to the public. J.C. Penney Auditorium, 8100 Natural Bridge Rd., 63121. For more information, call (314) 516-5833.

Mon., Feb. 22, 7 p.m., Black History Month Trivia, St. Louis County Library –Lewis & Clark Branch, 9909 Lewis-Clark Blvd. For more information, visit www.slcl.org/ black-history-celebration.

Mon., Feb. 22 6:30 p.m., Webster University hosts #BlackLivesMatter. Join them in welcoming the Founders and International Ambassador of #BlackLivesMatter. Loretto Hilton Center for the Performing Arts, 130 Edgar Rd., 63118. For more information, visit blogs.webster.

edu/mcisa.

Tues., Feb. 23, 1 p.m., Central Cinema Presents: Black History Month, St. Louis Public Library – Central Branch, 1301 Olive St., 63103. For more information, call (314) 539-0359 or visit www. slpl.org.

Tues., Feb. 23, 3 p.m., African Percussion, St. Louis County Library – Grant’s View Branch, 9700 Musick Rd. For more information, visit www.slcl.org/black-historycelebration.

Tues., Feb. 23, 7 p.m. Barefoot Bookworms Book Discussion, St. Louis County Library – Rock Road Branch, 10267 St. Charles Rock Rd. For more information, visit www.slcl.org/black-historycelebration.

Tues., Feb. 23, 7 p.m., Books for the Soul: Literary Desserts, St. Louis County Library – Thornhill Branch, 12863 Willowyck Drive. For more information, visit www.slcl.org/black-historycelebration.

Wed., Feb. 24, 7 p.m., African Percussion, St. Louis County Library Headquarters, 1640 S. Lindbergh. For more information, visit www.slcl.org/ black-history-celebration.

Thurs., Feb. 25, 10 a.m.

Budding Artists: Black History, St. Louis County Library – Grant’s View Branch, 9700 Musick Rd. For more information, visit www.slcl.org/ black-history-celebration.

Thurs., Feb. 25, 12 noon, New World, St. Louis Community College at Meramec, Meramec Theater, 11333 Big Bend Rd. For more information, call (314) 721-6556 or e-mail: info@gitana-inc.org.

Thurs., Feb. 25, 2 p.m., The Skin We Live In, St. Louis County Library – Indian Trails Branch, 8400 Delport Dr. For more information, visit www.slcl.org/black-history-

celebration.

Thurs., Feb. 25, 7 p.m.

Elizabeth and Hazel: Two Women of Little Rock, St. Louis County Library – Grant’s View Branch, 9700 Musick Rd. For more information, visit www.slcl.org/black-historycelebration.

Fri., Feb. 26, 10 a.m., Black History Quiz, White Castle System, 11120 New Halls Ferry Rd. For more information, call (314) 562-2916.

Fri., Feb. 26, 2 p.m., St. Louis Freedom Struggle 1821-1968, St. Louis County Library – Grant’s View Branch, 9700 Musick Rd. For more information, visit www.slcl.org/ black-history-celebration.

Sat., Feb. 27, 11 a.m., The Greater St. Louis Alumni Chapter of Lincoln University hosts Greater St. Louis Alumni 150th Founder’s Day Luncheon. 9801 Natural Bridge, 63134. For more information, visit www. lincolnu.edu.

Sat., Feb. 27, 1 p.m., AVisit With The King of Ragtime, St. Louis Public Library –Walnut Park Branch, 5760 W. Florissant.

Sat., Feb. 27, 1 p.m., Gospel Artists, St. Louis County Library – Florissant Valley Branch, 195 New Florissant Road S. For more information, visit www.slcl.org/blackhistory-celebration.

Sun., Feb. 28, 9:30 a.m., Calvary Missionary Baptist Church presents Black History: Our Heritage On Stage, presented by the Calvary Missionary Baptist Church Sunday School Department , 2822 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive St. Louis, Missouri 63106.

Through Feb. 28, African American Inventions Exhibit, St. Louis County Library – Thornhill Branch, 12863 Willowyck Drive. For more information, visit www.slcl.org/

Community Women Against Hardship Black History Month Benefit Concert featuring Bethany Pickens, The Harold & Dorothy Steward Center for Jazz. 3536 Washington, St. Louis, MO 63103.

Bob Marley joins Hard Rock Signature Series

Hard Rock Cafe has launched a new merchandise line: The Bob Marley Signature Series: Edition 34 shirt and collectable pin, inspired by iconic reggae artist Bob Marley.

The black unisex shirt featuring Bob Marley’s side profile along with a green, yellow and red burst of the Rasta colors that are synonymous with the artist’s music and beliefs. The guitarshaped pin features Marley’s signature alongside Hard Rock’s logo and city drop.

The limited-edition merchandise line will be available online and participating Rock Shops at Hard Rock Cafe, Hotel and Casino properties worldwide. Fifteen percent of sales will benefit City of Hope, a research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases.

The St. Louis location for Hard Rock Café is at Union Station, 1820 Market St. in downtown St. Louis. A manager there said they do have the shirt and pin in stock. Also, it remains open during construction with two years left on its lease and no plans to move as a new owner redevelops the historic train

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and only African American to fly solo around the world.

“Barrington’s rise from some of the toughest streets in America to record-setting pilot is an inspiration to any child who has ever dreamed of something better,” said Wings of Hope President Don Hamblen. “Even more impressive is his dedication to sparking a passion for STEM careers in young people.” Irving founded Experience

station.

Marley joins Rihanna, Jimi Hendrix, Shakira, U2, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, The Who, Jon Bon Jovi, Linkin Park and Ringo Starr in Hard Rock’s Signature Series and Artist Spotlight

Aviation, a nonprofit that aims to boost the numbers of youth in aviation and other science and math-related careers. The program engages students with hands-on robotics projects, flight simulator challenges, and STEM-inspired field trips. In his inaugural “Build & Soar” program, 60 students from failing schools built an airplane in just 10 weeks—and then watched Irving fly it. In 2014, he launched the world’s first flying classroom, a jet with digital, cutting-edge global flight curriculum that travels the world inviting students to participate in real-

world STEM research and expeditions.

Wings of Hope works in Africa, Asia and the Americas, partnering with communities to improve their health, education, food security and economic opportunity. In 2003, the charity established its Medical Relief and Air Transport Program, the only free medical air transport service in the U.S. with air ambulances that can accommodate stretchers, wheelchairs and medical equipment. For more information, visit wingsofhope.ngo or call 636537-1302.

“If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.”

Edward Jones honors Dr. King’s memory and achievements. – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

World Wide Technology Proudly Celebrates Black History Month

We honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and pay tribute to the accomplishments of African-American leaders past and present.

World Wide Technology understands that a critical component of our success is our ability to leverage diversity and our core values--that is the strength of our people and why we celebrate Black History Month year round.