March 28, 2024 e-Edition

St. LouiS

Viola Ford ‘Mother’ Fletcher, the oldest living survivor of the Tulsa Race Massacre

By Sylvester Brown Jr.

St. Louis American

The

At 109-years-old, amid a busy media tour, it’s understandable that Viola “Mother” Fletcher-the oldest living survivor of the Tulsa Race Massacre-didn’t say much during her presentation at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville last week. Still the packed audience inside the university’s Dunham Hall seemed transfixed by the elderly legend’s actual presence.

“She’s Black history, Black present and Black future,” Simone Williams, SIUE Diversity & Engagement librarian said in introducing Fletcher. Using the elderly author as an example, Williams went on to stress the importance of storytelling.

See FLETCHER, A7

Viola “Mother” Fletcher, 109, recently published her memoir “Don’t Bury My Story: The Oldest Living Survivor of the Tulsa Race Massacre In Her Own Words.”

Black students lack exposure

By Andrea Y. Henderson

YouScience, a student career guidance technology company, and Black Girls Do STEM, a St. Louis-based STEM nonprofit, collaborated to produce the report. The organizations analyzed over 328,000 middle and high school students’ interests and talents through an aptitude assessment and interest survey to help identify which STEM areas students have not been exposed to and which field may match their skills and pique their curiosity.

Now that the career exposure data has been revealed, the community can help Black students pair their interests and skills to a fulfilling career in STEM, said Cynthia Chapple, founder of Black Girls Do STEM.

“When we think about the basic skills of technology, Black students have them,” Chapple said. “We are just simply not highlighting that for them well enough … and then telling

There is no place like home for McDonnell Foundation

Shifts focus to St. Louis

By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American

For generations, the James S. McDonnell Foundation has been a leader in global research support and philanthropy. Its impact has reached all corners of the world since its creation in 1950 by James McDonnell, founder of the McDonnell Aircraft Corp. He established the foundation’s mission to improve quality of life by supporting advancements in complex areas of science. The foundation has announced it will now focus all resources and expertise on St. Louis, according to Jason Purnell, JMF president.

“Our North Star is shared prosperity and quality of life in St. Louis,” said Purnell, who has led the foundation since Feb. 1, 2023.

“The [McDonnell] family decided to make this shift two years ago. We have spent the latter part of the past year developing our strategic plan. We have also talked with many local stakeholders.

Purnell said the McDonnell Foundation’s community and civic supJason Purnell

By Sylvester Brown Jr. St. Louis Amerian

In

Love Holt, at the time a reproductive freedom organizer with Pro Choice Missouri, shared a courageous commentary with the Riverfront Times, titled:

“My Abortion Helped Me Escape an Abusive Marriage.

“After I had my abortion, I gathered the courage to leave my abusive marriage,” Holt wrote. “I was homeless with no resources to provide (for) myself or my children…I couldn’t imagine taking a new baby through this horrific journey. I don’t know if I would have made it as a single mother of four plus a newborn.” The commentary, Holt said, didn’t

Photo by WIley Price / St. Louis American

Photo by Eric Schmid / St. Louis Public Radio

Hunter Richardson, right, explains a racing tire nut to, from left, Juan Peal, Javahn Watkins, Nichelle Davis and Charles Singleton at World Wide Technology Raceway in 2019. A new report finds that Black students have the aptitude for

exposed to

Kawanna Shannon

St. Louis star Jenifer Lewis opens up about potentially fatal fall in Africa

Jenifer Lewis said the pain from her fall made the year following it the hardest, and she thought she could die.

“I didn’t know you could be in that much pain and be alive,” Lewis said. “I went from that high kick standing on my star at the Hollywood Walk of Fame, five months later, I was on the ground of the Serengeti, and that same leg couldn’t move.”

pear defeated publicly.

“I didn’t want y’all to know I had fallen until I could show you how I got back up.”

“I went out; I was just taking in that I was back in the Serengeti again. And I’m walking, and suddenly, I fell 10 feet into a dry ravine full of boulders, stones, and sharp rocks, and there was no sign.’”

Lewis said she did not want to ap-

Rapper GloRilla says don’t misread White House visit President Joe Biden invited rapper GloRilla to the White House in honor of Women’s History Month and spoke with Biden and VP Kamala Harris. Afterward, GloRilla went on CNN and made it clear that speaking with the president and posting photos with him does not link her to politics or the president.

“That [Biden support] ain’t got nothing to do with me,” Glo said before playfully singing

Jill Scott’s hit ‘Golden.’ “I’m just living my life like it’s golden. I’m not going to talk politics; I love the president, and I love everybody. But at the end of the day, the day gotta end.”

GloRilla emphasized how the invite felt surreal.

“It means everything to me because we really did come from absolute nothing,” Glo said. “Everybody doesn’t get to meet the President and the Vice President, so just being able to be in the White House, like I never in a million years thought I’d be in the White House.”

Miami and Los Angeles. Combs has not been charged with any crime.

In November 2023, Combs and former girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura reached a settlement after she filed a lawsuit accusing him of rape, sex trafficking and domestic violence.

Is Diddy dodging the Feds? Makes his way to Miami

TMZ reported that Sean “Diddy” Combs was seen at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport on Monday as federal Homeland Security officials raided his respective homes in

Liza Gardner alleged in November that Combs and singer-songwriter Aaron Hall sexually assaulted her and a friend in New York more than 30 years ago. A third woman, Joi Dickerson-Neal, filed a lawsuit in New York accusing Combs of sexual assault.

On Dec. 6, a fourth person accused Combs of sexual assault, and on Feb. 27, 2024 Combs’ former producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, filed a lawsuit seeking $30 million in damages for allegations including harassment. Combs has refuted all allegations, saying in December, “Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday.”

Sources: Vibe, Buzzfeed, PEOPLE

Four African American candidates vie for STLCC Board of Trustees seats

By Sylvester Brown Jr.

The St. Louis American

Four Black candidates will vie for the Subdistrict 1 seat on the St. Louis Community College Board of Trustees. St. Louis Community College is governed by six board members who represent the four sub districts of the college service areas, and one appointed board member.

The candidates, Theo Brown, Sr., Cortez Harris, and Clem Smith will challenge incumbent, Doris Graham in the April 2 election. The winner will serve a six-year term.

About the Candidates:

Incumbent Doris A. Graham, Ph.D., of north St. Louis County, was elected to the STLCC Board of Trustees in 2012. She earned a doctorate in educational administration/superintendency from Saint Louis University, a master’s degree in elementary administration/ principalship from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Harris Teachers College.

She also served on the Ferguson-Florissant School District Board for 23 years. During that time, the district twice was recognized as a school district of distinction by the Missouri School Boards Association.

During her tenure with St. Louis Public Schools, Graham was a classroom teacher, remedial reading specialist and co-host of an after-school radio program. She spent 38 years as assistant principal at Ames Visual and

Performing Arts Elementary School in St. Louis before retiring in 2005. Graham also holds a master of arts in pastoral studies from the Aquinas Institute of Theology.

Theodis Brown, Sr., is the current chief of the Castlepoint Fire Protection Association. He is also a trustee and retired sergeant at arms officer of the Castlepoint Community Association. Brown was elected to the STLCC Board of Trustees in 2014, resigning that same year.

Brown graduated from the St. Louis Police Academy in 1970 and formerly served as the chief of police and fire marshal in Kinloch. He is also a 1977 graduate from the St. Louis Major Case Squad Police Detective Academy. He graduated from the St. Louis Fire Academy in 1978 and is a member of the Fire Marshal Association of Missouri.

Brown is a member of the Missouri Peace Officers Association, the Missouri State Investigators Association, the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the St. Louis Police Veterans Association. Brown is a freelance paralegal who studied at the Blackstone School of Law and is a member of the National Paralegal Association.

Brown, a graduate of Sumner High School, is a former member of the Alumni Association of St. Louis Community College and father of five adult children.

Cortez Harris obtained his high school diploma from Charles Sumner High. He attended St. Louis Community College

and graduated from Columbia (Mo.) College with a bachelor’s in business administration.

Harris, who is married with four children and a grandson, currently serves on the Parking Ministry at Church on the Rock in St. Peters, Mo. He currently serves as a delegate to the Mid America Carpenters Regional Council and the St. Louis Union Label and Trades and, for the past 13 years, has been employed as a union carpenter.

Harris is also a delegate for the Local 97 United Brotherhood of Carpenters E-Board and has served as a mentor to the new apprentices that joined Local 97 Carpenters’ Union. He also serves on the Architectural Review Board for the City of Black Jack.

Clem Smith, a graduate of Clayton High School, earned his bachelor’s degree from Columbia (Mo.) College, and Certificate of Specialization in Skilled Trades Industrial

Training from St. Louis Community College. Smith graduated from St. Louis Community College’s Boeing Pre-Employment Training program which led to seven years of employment at The Boeing Company. He is also stationary engineer for The Phillips 66 Company, and former State Representative of St. Louis County’s 85th district (2011-2019.). Smith has more than 13 years’ experience in community advocacy, legislating, government oversight, and policy research. He formerly served on the executive boards of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators, National Labor Caucus of State Legislators, and the Advisory Board of Missouri Vocational Enterprise Program. Smith has served eight years in the Missouri Legislature, and five years as senior policy advisor for State Senator Karla May. One of the “notable achieve-

ments” he cites in his bio, is the successful passage of the College Credit Disclosure Act in 2018. The act provides transparency and support for college students by requiring institutions to disclose information about the transferability of college credits. As the author of this legislation, Smith said he has demonstrated “a keen focus on education policy.”

In 2023, Smith helped start the Uplift Foundation of Greater St. Louis to assist in the areas of youth mentoring, financial empowerment, and eliminating educational inequity. He is a member of the St. Louis Community College Alumni Association, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., Multiple Sclerosis Society, and the International Union of Operating Engineers.

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

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Doris A. Graham, Ph.D Theodis Brown, Sr

Cortez Harris

Clem Smith

Editorial/Commentary

Anti-immigrant hysteria borders on insanity

By Marc H. Morial

“The bomb outrage in New York emphasizes the extent to which the alien scum from the cesspools of the Old World has polluted the clear spring of American democracy. While hundreds of detectives scour the haunts of the anarchist and the terrorist in the slums and outlandish foreign quarters of American Babels, the doors of Ellis Island stand open to fresh hordes of warped and half-crazed deserters from Europe.” – The Washington Post editorial board, Sept. 20, 1920

Replace the bombing in New York with the death of Laken Riley “cesspools of the Old World;” “polluted the clear spring” with “poisoning the blood” and Ellis Island with the American southwest border, and a 1920 editorial could be a 2024 presidential campaign speech.

In 1920, the targets of anti-immigration hatred were European, not Central and South American, but were no less targets of the racial and religious bigotry of the era. The newcomers from Italy, Greece and Eastern Europe were considered inferior -- dirtier, less intelligent, more criminally inclined -- than Americans of northern European and Anglo-Saxon descent. The current presumptive GOP presidential nominee’s own father, the son of a German immigrant, was arrested at an anti-Catholic Ku Klux Klan march in 1927.

not because immigrants are fueling a violent crime wave. To the contrary, violent crime rates have fallen sharply since President Biden took office, and communities with more immigration tend to have less crime, especially violent crimes. One study estimated that about 3 percent of undocumented immigrants had felony convictions, compared to 8 percent of the overall population.

As President Biden noted in his State of the Union Speech, the hypocrisy of right-wing extremists demanding policy changes based on one tragic killing is breathtaking when they continue to block common-sense gun safety measures in the face of tens of thousands of gun deaths every year.

Columnist Marc H. Morial

The racist stereotypes at the heart of anti-immigrant hatred are no more true today than they were a century ago, but bigots and extremists still cling to them just as tightly.

The same baseless hysteria about violent crime that permeated the 2022 midterm elections is front-and-center in this year’s presidential race.

“You have these politicians who are strategically, intentionally, purposefully seeking to exploit people’s unconscious vulnerability by saying welfare queen, illegal alien, terrorist, gangbanger, terms that they know will trigger unconscious racist views,” U.C. Berkely law professor Ian Haney López, who specializes in race and racism, told PBS

We do need immigration reform. But

Just as hypocritical was their deliberate sabotage of a bipartisan deal on border security for the contemptable purpose of denying President Biden a victory in an election year. A “popular commentator” told Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford, chief negotiator of the compromise, he would “destroy” him if he tried to solve the border crisis “because I do not want you to solve this during the presidential election.”

Meanwhile, the asylum seekers fleeing violence in their homelands are subjected to the cruel whims of publicityhungry southern governors, who use the chaos they inspire to misrepresent the migrants as disruptive and burdensome.

The bipartisan border agreement would have quadrupled the number of Asylum Officers to process the years-long backlog in asylum claims. It would have provided $1.4 billion to provide migrants with critical services, and expedited work permits.

“The tragedy is that Republican leadership and important media outlets have convinced a significant portion of Americans that their best future depends on rejecting and indeed actively fighting against a multiracial democracy,” López said. “But we’re already a multiracial society. What we stand to lose then is our democracy and a society that works for all of us.”

Marc Morial is National Urban League president and CEO

As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues

Honoring moms during Women’s History Month

By Janice Ellis

As we come to the close of Women’s History Month, we have remembered and celebrated women who have broken barriers and made contributions in many areas in our society.

But where does motherhood fit among the contributions to be honored?

Motherhood should be among the first professions and accomplishments to be recognized. Your immediate thought might be, “We celebrate and recognize mothers on Mother’s Day.”

We do.

But how is that typically done?

It is primarily done on a personal level, thanking and honoring the women who have directly impacted our lives. What about the far-reaching importance of the role of mothers beyond us and members of our immediate families?

Mothers in carrying out the responsibility of motherhood reach and impact defining aspects of society. That impact should be recognized and celebrated before and beyond Mother’s Day.

Arguably, motherhood has always been one of the toughest jobs on earth.

hood.

Those challenges could range from lack of understanding and respect for what is required of motherhood to fighting for the policies and resources that are needed to be successful — within the home and workplace.

Mothers are among those who fight for adequate prenatal care, safe childbirth, quality childcare and paid family leave to name a few.

Good and bad influences exist from the playgrounds to what is brought into the family room by television, the Internet and social media.

Our mothers and grandmothers sometimes shared the responsibility of rearing not only their children, but also their neighbor’s children. Back then, there may not have been much in the way of technology, but reinforcement and respect for the job of rearing children abounded.

Mothers have led and are leading the fight in many areas of public policy affecting all citizens like access to healthcare, a quality education, reducing poverty and homelessness, as well as issues important to women like equal pay, reproductive rights and women maintaining control of their bodies.

In many respects, despite all of our advancement, the job of motherhood has gotten tougher and deserves our ongoing acknowledgement and recognition of its rightful place among careers and professions.

In recent years, more and more women are choosing to be stay-at-home moms for any number of reasons. At the end of 2023 nearly 25% of mothers identified as stayat-home moms.

Where do stay-at-home moms fit on the career scale and to be recognized as an honorable profession?

Mothers who hope to achieve good outcomes for their children face ominous challenges from infancy to young adult-

But fighting for those issues has inadvertently sublimated and minimized the importance and contributions motherhood has played.

Honoring and appreciating motherhood, in all its complexity, its beauty, its pain, its challenges and its fulfillment, should not only be recognized during Women’s History month but be ongoing.

Where would women’s history and societal history be without motherhood?

Missouri Independent columnist Janice Ellis analyzes educational, political, social and economic issues across race, ethnicity, age and socio-economic status

Commentary

By Kelvin Adams

We at the St. Louis Community Foundation have unveiled our new strategic plan, “A Foundation for the Future,” which will guide our efforts over the next five years.

Central to our approach is our intention to concentrate our discretionary dollars in two key priority areas: Economic Mobility and Youth Connections. The economic mobility priority area is defined as organizations and initiatives that address issues of housing, financial empowerment, and job creation. The youth connections priority area encompasses early childhood development, educational innovation, and scholarship efforts.

We selected these priority areas after analyzing our donor’s giving patterns, assessing the needs of our community, meeting with and listening to local stakeholders, and considering where partnership opportunities exist with other funders. Our visits to community foundations in Atlanta, Columbus, and Pittsburgh helped inform our placed based community-centric approach and showed us that it could be effective here.

We can’t go it alone

collaborate, and coordinate.

What does this mean for the St. Louis Community Foundation? How will we serve our region—and you—in the months and years ahead?

First, we will strengthen and build upon existing relationships and establish new ones with regional and national funders. We are going to be in — and actively involved with — our community. We will also convene regional partners and work to create a culture of inclusion that deepens our connection to the people who call our region home and the nonprofits, businesses, and government entities that serve it.

For example, we are already working with the City of St. Louis right now on the Economic Development Transformation Fund, which will radically change how philanthropy invests in economic justice matters within the City. We will also be exploring ways to make giving to our community through the Foundation more accessible by reducing barriers to giving and diversifying our donor base. Already, Give STL Day, our region’s online day of giving, which has raised 30 million for nonprofits over the past 10 years enables everyone to experience the joy of philanthropy. This year’s event will be held on May 9.

With our region at a crossroads, it is clear to me that no one foundation, nonprofit, or regional initiative can thoughtfully and meaningfully address the challenges that confront our region. Too often in St. Louis we find multiple organizations trying to tackle the same or similar problems but often pulling in different directions.

I saw this firsthand as superintendent of the St. Louis Public School District. During my tenure, many nonprofits and other partners reached out intending to generously support our students. Their intentions were noble and appreciated. However, students needing sneakers might often get two pairs, while their need for school supplies went unfulfilled. Why? Because there was a lack of collaboration and coordination.

To be effective, we must convene,

Finally, as we move forward — together — we will keep community at the center of our work. Our values of equity, inclusion, and integrity will guide our efforts. We intend to serve as a home for innovative, community-driven initiatives that inspire charitable giving and drive solutions that deliver meaningful results. The key to our future success is candid communication and a sense of adventure as we partner in ways we already understand, and in ways we have yet to discover. Of one thing I am certain: WE will work together to build a foundation for the future and for betterment of all of St. Louis. I look forward to sharing our progress and updating you on future developments.

Kelvin Adams is president and CEO of the St. Louis Community Foundation

Former St. Louis Cardinal John Jay to host Make-A-Wish golf event

John Jay, a St. Louis Cardinals 2011 World Series champion and current Miami Marlins coach, is presenting a golf fundraiser to support children facing critical illnesses.

The Jay Family Foundation, Adam Betz and the Family Golf and Learning Center will host the second annual “Golf and Games” charity for MakeA-Wish Missouri & Kansas and PGA REACH Gateway from 5-9 p.m.

Friday, April 5 at the Family Golf and Learning Center, 3717 Tree Court Industrial Blvd, St. Louis.

“We’re thrilled to bring the Annual ‘Golf and Games’ Charity Event to St. Louis and engage with our community in a meaningful way,” said Jay. “It’s an opportunity for us to make a positive impact and support causes that matter to us.”

Jay and his wife Nikki, along with Betz, invite participants to enjoy a range of activities, including the ‘Longest Drive Challenge’ and ‘Closest

to the Pin’ competition.

“This event that the Jay family and Betz family put together is so meaningful to our chapter,” said Brian Miller, vice president of marketing & communications at Make-A-Wish Missouri & Kansas.

“Over the past 41 years, we have discovered that the benefits of granting a wish extend well beyond the initial experience. For many children, the wish marks a significant turning point in their treatment as fear is replaced by hope, helping children feel stronger and more resilient.”

All proceeds will go to the Make-AWish Missouri & Kansas chapter and PGA REACH Gateway. Sponsorship opportunities are available for businesses and individuals interested in supporting this impactful cause. Tickets to attend the fundraiser are available here: www.wish.org/mokan/ our-events

Remembering my Grandma Murphy

By Frances “Toni” Draper

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, many of us can name countless women who had a profound impact on our lives.

For me, it was my maternal grandmother, Vashti Turley Murphy. She was a softspoken, genteel woman, who rarely raised her voice. But, when she spoke, we (her 16 grandchildren — 8 boys and 8 girls) stood at attention, ready to receive her pearls of wisdom. Sometimes it was in the form of a gentle admonition. Other times it was simply a raised eyebrow or a disapproving glance.

Grandmother Murphy was quite the teacher. She taught us how to set a table, how to sit with our backs straight and our ankles crossed, and she insisted that you can “catch more flies with honey than with vinegar” or that “beauty is, as beauty does” (it took me a long time to figure that one out). She also taught us to respect ourselves, to tell the truth no matter what, and to advocate for what we believed was right.

A Washington, D.C., native, a graduate of D.C.’s famed Miner Normal School, and a D.C. public school teacher, Grandmother Murphy was one of the 22 Howard University students who co-founded Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. on January 13, 1913.

Two months later, she joined her fellow sorority sisters and others, as they marched down Washington’s Pennsylvania Avenue in support of a woman’s right to vote. The “colored women” were relegated to the back of the line, but they continued to march with their heads held high — enduring slurs and insults along the way.

Isn’t it ironic (sad and disgusting) that here we are, more than 110 years later, still fighting for full voting rights for African Americans? Still witnessing the “lynching” of Black Americans?

Still being judged by the color of our skin, rather than the content of our character? Still studying history books (those that are not banned) that gloss over the brutality of enslavement while minimizing the full contributions of the enslaved? Still fighting the structures and systems that privilege one race of people over another? Still having “The Talk” with our sons…and our daughters?

More than 60 years ago, in a speech for a Delta sponsored mother–daughter luncheon, Grandmother Murphy said, “As a founder, it has been my privilege to rejoice quietly in the growth of this child; to see it stretch north, south, east, and west; to see it expand into regions, boards, committees, and projects. It has been a joy to note its work in fellowship, libraries, and the creation of jobs; to discover that everywhere Delta goes, it encourages women to reach for the noblest, the highest and the best in our civilization, and shed its sweetness and light upon our communities.”

She went on to say, “Wherever one Delta exists, graduate or undergraduate, wherever one Delta family is established, there should grow an outpost of freedom: firm, unyielding, accepting no compromise. What a tragedy it would be, if we should stand by the Red Sea of Segregation, unwilling to advance up to our knees, up to our waists, up to our throats, up to our chins, up to our lips.

Grandmother Murphy was quite the orator. She also was a double amputee, the mother of five daughters, the convener of several civic organizations, the wife of a busy newspaper publisher (her husband, Carl J. Murphy, was the publisher of the Baltimore AFRO for more than 40 years, and as I’ve already said, the grandmother of 16, yet she rarely complained. She, like so many strong Black women, was always fighting for one cause or another, refusing to give in or to give up.

Grandmother Murphy died in 1960, yet her legacy lives on. She and countless other Black women of yesterday and today are the role models we need — and the role models that must be remembered and revered — not only during Women’s History Month, but all year long.

Frances “Toni” Draper is the publisher of the AFRO-American Newspaper (the AFRO)

Frances ‘Toni’ Draper

Former St. Louis Cardinal John Jay, along with his charitable foundation and partners, will present the 2nd Annual Golf and Games event to support Make-A-Wish Missouri & Kansas and PGA REACH Gateway on April 5 at the Family Golf and Learning Center.

Courtesy photo

Rights

Continued from A1

go over well with Black people she knew.

“I was in a stand-alone position with many in my community, turning their backs on me, shunning me,” Holt recalled, adding: “They were perplexed as to why I was supported by white people for a white cause.”

African American attitudes toward abortions have always been rather nuanced. Although they overwhelmingly vote Democrat, there’s always been a stubborn streak of conservatism-especially among older Black churchgoers-that isn’t as robust among white liberal voters.

For centuries, the Black church has played a crucial role in the civil rights struggle. Therefore, religiosity, even for those who don’t attend church regularly, has influenced how many Black people discuss, debate or vote on reproductive rights issues. Some support issues like abortion in silence or not at all.

Apparently, according to several surveys, those attitudes are changing, especially since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.

STEM

Continued from A1 them, ‘Hey, you can go and do this as a career fulltime and make this amount of money.’”

Across the country, African Americans are underrepresented in STEM-related fields. According to the National Science

According to recent polling, Black voters are becoming more supportive of a legal right to abortion and are concerned about how eliminating access to abortion will disproportionately harm women of color.

An aggregated Gallup poll found the percentage of Black Democrats who found abortion morally acceptable rose from 34% in 2017 to 50% in 2020 …before Roe was overturned.

A Public Religion Research Institute poll after Roe v. Wade was overturned, found that about 75% of Black Americans — compared with 88% of all Democrats — are now supportive of laws protecting “most or all” cases of abortion.

That figure is mostly attributed to younger Blacks being more likely than older Black voters to be fully supportive of abortion rights. It also speaks to why Vice President Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party are framing the issue of reproductive rights as part of a broader civil rights struggle.

Kawanna Shannon is a former director at Planned Parenthood who is now an author, motivational speaker, and owner of her own healthcare company.

“Reproductive work,”

Foundation’s Diversity and STEM: Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities 2023 report, Black Americans represented only 9% of the STEM workforce in 2021. In 2011, Black workers made up 7% of the STEM workforce. Although the access gap in St. Louis is slowly closing for Black students, STEM advocates say there is still a dire need for new

she said, has her studying new and pending laws that will impact the health of Black people. Shannon, too, maintains that Black attitudes-even among those in church-are evolving and many are becoming more concerned and politically active on the issue.

“I believe (Black) people are waking up and realizing this is bigger than church and state. Reproductive rights are more than just about abortion. Black women are number one in almost every disease; we’re number one in dying (both mother and child) on the delivery table during

solutions to help students explore education and careers in the field at an early age.

“If you’ve grown up in an environment where you have these blinders on, and all you can see is what your neighbors did or what your parents did, or what your friends did, then pretty soon you become very blinded,” said Edson Barton, CEO of YouScience.

childbirth.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Black women have the highest abortion rate at 23.8 per 1,000 women, compared with 6.6 per 1,000 white women. Additionally, the maternal mortality rate for Black women is 55.3 deaths per 100,000 live births, 2.9 times the rate for white women.

Changing thoughts into action is one reason Pamela Merritt accepted the role of executive director at Medical Students for Choice. The nonprofit has a network of over 10,000 medical

Barton said the aptitude assessments and interest surveys help keep Black students’ options open to STEM careers and help them realize that there are jobs in STEM that directly correlate to their interests.

YouScience’s aptitude tests are performancebased measures. They include brain exercises to help develop a robust picture of students’ capabilities and then connect them to a particular STEM career that incorporates their natural talents and skills. The aptitude tests are administered through various school districts.

After analyzing the data, the report also found that Black female students are less likely to be exposed to STEM careers than Black male students. It found that 88% more Black female students have

Pamela Merritt, executive director of Medical Students for Choice, addressed a reproductive rights rally in downtown St. Louis in 2021. She said Black women and African American voters are connected to reproductive rights because it’s a “life-or-death issue.”

students, who after graduation, Merritt said, “should be able to describe reproductive healthcaremedically and accuratelyto their patients.”

“We have to realize that 51% of the population is capable of pregnancy and that we deserve, as the majority, to have our realities centered in medical information. If people don’t learn how to talk about reproductive healthcare and how to advocate for access to it for their patients, we’ll never break this cycle of providing inadequate care.”

Merritt said Black women and African

an aptitude for careers in advanced manufacturing than an interest and 73% more Black female students have the aptitude for careers in computers and technology than interest. In addition, 72% more Black female students have the talent for architecture and construction jobs than there is interest. “In particular, this is a problem for young minority women and rural and urban students in general,” Barton said. “So, those groups tend to be the ones that have even more of this limitation put on them, and we need to break that open so that everybody has this opportunity to see themselves in a new life.”

Chapple said representation in STEM is crucial, especially for Black girls. Most of the

American voters of all genders are deeply connected to reproductive rights and access to abortions because it’s a “life-or-death issue” and Black women “uniquely die as a result of pregnancy complications.”

Social mediaparticularly Black Twitter, she added “has done a wonderful job in allowing people to connect across states and talk about how scared they are of pregnancy and possible complications.”

Shannon warns that even if Black attitudes and voting habits evolve to the point where antireproductive rights initiatives are defeated in November, the fight should continue.

“There’s always work to do. We should never be comfortable because there’s too many (Black) people who aren’t registered to vote, too many who will not exercise that right. Yet, the adversary never sleeps,” she said.

“We need to be ready to take action and make change at any given moment. We should never rest, never sleep, never think we’ve made it…even if we win.”

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

girls who are a part of Chapple’s organization, Black Girls Do STEM, are often interested in the construction and civil engineering workshops. She plans to continue to widen access to STEM education and careers through mentorship with Black women in the field, in hopes of eventually broadening the girls’ view of their career path.

To create interest and engagement in STEM education and careers from middle school through high school, the report proposes SAT and ACT preparation and tutorial courses to help with university admissions, college tours, mentorship programs for Black students and high school internships and externships with companies and organizations that provide hands-on experience in STEM industries.

“When we just think about overall child development, we have to think about how we socialized kids into believing in themselves, belonging in community and space,” Chapple said. “We have to do a lot better for Black kids simply because of the traditional environments that they have to navigate.”

Photo by Martha Stevens

Fletcher

Continued from A1

“Through storytelling, we were able to pass down the experiences of our ancestors, the struggles they faced and the traditions and values that are of importance to our communities. I would like for you all to go home and talk to your elders; listen to their stories and learn from them.”

The audience had the opportunity to learn from a legend. Fletcher, now 109 years old, is the oldest known living survivor of what has become known as the “Tulsa massacre.” She is a living testament to that horrendous day in 1921 when a white mob burned about 35 blocks of the Greenwood district of Tulsa, Oklahoma (also known as “Black Wall Street”) to the ground and murdered innocent Black residents.

McDonnell

Continued from A1 port “is certainly not new.”

“What’s new is the foundation’s focus. Where is there needed investment where there has been disinvestment in the past?”

The new focus will be on places and people who have been “intentionally excluded from opportunity” including support of Black, brown and immigrant populations, Purnell explained.

Quality of life improvement is a goal for lowto-mid income families in

“I will never forget the violence of the white mob when we left our home. I still see Black men being shot, Black bodies lying in the street,” Fletcher wrote. “I still smell smoke and see fire. I still see Black businesses being burned. I still hear airplanes flying overhead. I hear the screams … I have lived through the massacre every day. Our country may forget this history, but I cannot.”

Fletcher shared the stage with her grandson, Howard, and writer, producer, director, Jana “J.P.” Haynes. A massive burgundy curtain with golden tassels served as backdrop for Fletcher who was seated in a wheelchair with her book propped faceup on her lap. Haynes delivered questions pre-submitted by the audience while Howard mostly interpreted for his grandmother who he dubbed “the oldest author in the world.”

“Granny, what did you see?” Howard asked, con-

The venerable author captured the story in her 2023 memoir, Don’t Let Them Bury My Story: The Oldest Living Survivor of the Tulsa Race Massacre in Her Own Words, co-written with her grandson, Ike Howard.

the city of St. Louis and north St. Louis County.

The foundation will be supporting local organizations through grant-making and impact investing. Impact investing expects less of a return on investments with a priority on greater community benefit.

The four “Areas of Focus” are “deeply interconnected, mutually reinforcing and offer a chance to build great momentum for collaborative, positive change,” according to the foundation.

Workforce –Supporting work that will build cradle-to-career workforce systems that

densing Haynes’ question about what she remembered on the night of the massacre.

“Well, I saw people shot and killed, run over by cars…they burned down the houses were people lived… the churches, schools, grocery stores…they destroyed everything,” Fletcher said recalling what she witnessed at the tender age of seven. “It was really sad for me to look at and I wondered ‘why are people being treated like that?’”

neighborhood,” Fletcher answered.

Howard went on to explain how he and his grandmother came to collaborate on the book. He addressed why his grandmother was so afraid to talk about the incident for several years.

n “We had everything nice... our churches and stores, schools, playgrounds, parks… things that families and their children could enjoy.”

– Viola Fletcher

Howard then asked Fletcher what Black Wall Street was like before it incinerated.

“We had everything nice...our churches and stores, schools, playgrounds, parks…things that families and their children could enjoy. I was satisfied living in the

support the attainment of thriving-wage quality jobs—supporting both the current generation and the next.

• Strengthening high-quality early childcare and education to both prepare the future workforce and address barriers the current workforce is facing.

• Enhancing wraparound support for students and job seekers to build awareness, readiness, and access to quality jobs.

• Strengthening connections between job seekers, employers, and education and training organizations.

Small and Midsize

“Imagine living in a society where they (whites) controlled everything; the city council, the national guard, the sheriff’s department, the judges, the lawyers… and they burned your entire city to the ground. Then they told you, ‘If you speak of this, we will kill everybody that you love.’ So, she didn’t want to say anything about it…she thought she was protecting me.”

After serving time in the military, Howard said he came home with a “kick-ass attitude” and convinced Fletcher that her

Businesses - Supporting efforts to help scale small and midsize businesses.

• Increasing access to capital and additional support for small and midsize businesses.

• Strengthening connections between small and midsize businesses, anchor institutions, financial institutions, and corporations to drive new business opportunities.

Wealth BuildingSupporting efforts to help individuals and communities build and protect wealth.

• Supporting financial products and services that enable individuals and

story must be told. “I said, ‘we’re not our ancestors, history will not repeat itself on my watch, I’m not going to let anything happen to you and we can tell the world this story.’”

Howard talked about the post traumatic syndrome (PSD) his grandmother and her relatives suffered for decades after the massacre. Fletcher’s mother, he said, had to be “institutionalized” after enduring repeated nightmares of their home ablaze.

“Everybody had to go into this survival mode every night,” Howard recounted. “They went from having property to going to ground zero with nothing.”

In her book, Fletcher describes how, after the riots, her family lived in a tent about an hour north of the city. When she was 16, she moved back to Tulsa, where “streets that bustled with life just a few years ago now carried the weight of trauma. The destruction was just the visible version of the scars that were inside of us,” she wrote.

families to build wealth.

• Building capacity within community-based organizations that support individuals and families to build wealth.

• Attracting new investment to the region, including federal, state, national philanthropic, and other private capital. Civic Infrastructure - Striving to strengthen regional leadership capacity and civic infrastructure.

• Strengthening coalition and collaboration capacity.

• Supporting current and future leaders to impact policy and actions across sectors.

To this day, Howard said his mother refuses to sleep in a bed. “She’s always in ‘go mode.’ The way she’s sitting right now (onstage) is how she sleeps; she wants the lights on; she wants to face the door…this is how she’s lived her entire life for 100 years.”

Not only has Fletcher recounted the horrors of the 1921 carnage before Congress, but she’s also participated in several lawsuits seeking restitution and reparations.

After a lawsuit in 2020, filed by three survivors against the city of Tulsa, the Tulsa Board of Commissioners and the Oklahoma Military Department seeking restitution for the massacre, was dismissed, Fletcher vowed to use her voice as resistance.

“We will continue to fight for truth, for justice, and for the acknowledgment of our suffering. They will not bury my story.”

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

• Enabling shared knowledge development and learning. (i.e., make sure we’re defining problems in a collaborative way so we can address and track success collaboratively, too.)

• Helping develop a shared narrative about our region and our collective destiny.

If we’re going to get to real growth as a region, everyone has to be at the table,” said Purnell. “We will not achieve growth and equity unless everyone is involved. It cannot happen with 20% to 30% out of the mainstream.”

‘Taking Care of You’

Affinia adds midwifery care, increases access to women’s healthcare

Filling a health ‘void’

Allergy season is early this year

By Denise Hooks-Anderson

Melting icebergs. Wildfires. Species extinction. What do they all have in common? It has been shown that climate change is one of the main culprits contributing to those previously mentioned situations. Believe it or not, seasonal allergies may also be getting worse because of climate change. Allergy seasons are now longer and more severe due to the warmer weather. Many places in our nation have already seen spikes in allergy cases due to the early entrance of higher temperatures.

n There is no scientific evidence to suggest that people of any specific race or ethnicity are more susceptible to seasonal allergies. However, socioeconomic factors, access to healthcare, and environmental conditions can play a role.

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, more than 80 million people suffer with runny nose, itchy eyes, and other allergy symptoms. The severity of symptoms that people will experience depends on what they are allergic to and where they live. For instance, in Chicago, tree pollen was already at a “moderate” level in mid-February. Seasonal allergies are typically caused by airborne allergens such as grasses, weeds, pollen from trees, and mold spores. However, it is possible to prevent seasonal allergies by doing the following:

1. During peak pollen times, which is usually in the morning and evening, stay indoors.

2. Keep windows closed and use air

Case pending more than two months

By Clara Bates Missouri

and

Missouri’s

In

Processing

Certified

Tirae Abernathy, Hali Ledet and Marsha Hill joined Affinia Healthcare President and CEO Dr. Kendra Holmes at a recent Missouri History Museum event. Midwifery care is now offered at Affinia Healthcare at the Ferguson and South Broadway locations.

Photo courtesy of Affinia

Courtesy RHC

among the nation’s high-

Meanwhile, the St. Louis

Denise HooksAnderson

Affinia

Continued from A8

its new Ferguson location, it added midwifery to its service offerings to help close this gap in care.

“We hear a lot of talk about health disparities and ‘closing the gap,’ but we have to do something about it,” said Dr. Kendra Holmes, Affinia Healthcare president & CEO.

“Our recent community needs assessment showed that the demand for services in North County outweighed the supply, especially for women’s health. The addition of midwifery increases healthcare resources for women and infants in this community.”

Certified NurseMidwives Tirae Abernathy, Hali Ledet, and Marsha Hill joined Affinia Healthcare in 2023. Abernathy and Ledet work at the Ferguson location; Hill is seeing patients at Ferguson and the S. Broadway locations.

“Midwives are trained healthcare professionals who take care of people from ‘menarche through menopause (or from their first period through the rest of their life),’ and specialize in caring for people during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period,” said Abernathy who is also a Family Nurse Practitioner with Affinia Healthcare.

“Midwives also take

Medicaid

Continued from A8 have lost coverage during the eligibility verification process and need to reapply.

Alistair Wiley, of Ste. Genevieve, has been trying to get back on Medicaid since January. She and her husband lost coverage during the renewal process, despite submitting the paperwork and continuing to meet the income limit, she said. “It’s just been a living nightmare,” she said.

Since then, she says she’s endured several calls that were at least a two hour wait time each, submitted a new application in January, and received confusing information on why her

Anderson

Continued from A8 conditioning with a clean filter to reduce indoor allergens.

3. Shower and change clothes after being outdoors to remove pollen from your skin and clothing.

4. Use a saline nasal rinse to clear out allergens from your nasal passages

5. Consider taking overthe-counter antihistamines or other allergy medications as directed by your primary care provider.

Performing these measures may help reduce your exposure to allergens and alleviate symptoms of seasonal allergies.

care of healthy newborns through 28 days of life.”

The Certified NurseMidwives provide birthing services, along with prenatal, well-woman, gynecological, and infant care. And since Abernathy and Ledet are also family nurse practitioners, they can also provide general medical care for children and adults.

Abernathy grew up in North St. Louis County, and earned her bachelor’s degree at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. While an undergraduate, she began working to address and eliminate racial disparities in maternal and infant health.

This led her home to pursue a master’s degree in public health with an emphasis in Maternal Child Health at Washington University Saint Louis. She then earned another master’s degree, this time in Nursing from Vanderbilt University School of Nursing and became a Certified Nurse-Midwife and Family Nurse Practitioner.

Originally from Lafayette, La., Ledet received her bachelor’s degree in public health and her master’s degree in public health/maternal child health from Tulane University in New Orleans. In New Orleans, she developed her passion for reproductive justice and health equity and found her calling as a birth worker.

She then earned her second master’s degree,

application was stuck. She said workers couldn’t give her an estimate on when her application would be processed.

Wiley has had to ration or miss several medications, she said, and her husband has had to delay surgery.

“I am only on half of the dose I need to treat my severe depression, which has made keeping track of this and fighting for myself incredibly difficult,” she said.

On top of that, she said, she has called several state hotline numbers that don’t give the option to speak to a person and tell her to check the state portal, “even though it’s difficult to navigate.” When she reaches a human being, she said some staff “don’t seem to know what to do.”

“It feels like there

this one in nursing from Vanderbilt University and became a Certified NurseMidwife and Family Nurse Practitioner.

Ledet is committed to meeting the holistic health needs of individuals and families across the lifespan, addressing racial disparities in health outcomes, and providing compassionate, high-quality care for LGBTQIA+ folx.

Hill is a St. Louis native who earned bach-

are many roadblocks to receiving the help we need in this state,” she said.

Federal data lags, but as of November, Missouri’s processing delays were among the worst in the country, according to a report by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services published last month.

According to that data, only New Mexico, Missouri, Georgia and Washington, D.C., were processing over 40% of applications in more than 45 days. Forty-two percent of all applications Missouri received were processed in violation of the federal limit as of November.

Leaders of the Department of Social Services have said they’ve shifted to devoting efforts to overcome the backlog

elor’s degrees in nursing and French from Missouri Southern State University. She continued her studies in Nursing (specializing in Midwifery) at the University of IllinoisChicago where she earned her master’s degree. A healthcare professional with more than 20 years in maternal-child healthcare including 15 as a nurse-midwife, Hill has experience in hospital and birth center settings. With the need for more

and that the average processing time will soon decline as a result. The backlog of applications dropped to 35,833 in February, from 52,891 in January. Baylee Watts, a spokesperson for the Department of Social Services, says that’s because Missouri’s Family Support Division withdrew duplicates and ramped up efforts to process more applications, in “an effort to utilize all available staff to process applications during the large majority of their work hours.”

“With these efforts we were able to largely reduce our pending application numbers and expect to see the median days to processing return to an acceptable number,” Watts said.

midwives in the Midwest region growing, adding Midwifery was a logical addition to Affinia Healthcare’s services for women and families.

“There’s definitely a shortage of midwifery care in the Midwest in general and has grown in St. Louis over the last six to eight years,” Hill said. “There are more women of all colors asking for midwifery services. Women of color have been stepping up to take hold of their

Missouri is required to report the median processing time to the federal government but publishes the mean — what most people think of as the average — in monthly public reports, Watts told The Independent. The mean posted in state reports is slightly lower but still exceeds the federal limit: It was 57 days in February and 50 in January. State Sen. Tracy McCreery, a Democrat of Olivette who serves on the MO HealthNet advisory committee, cited The Independent’s findings when asking Kim Evans, director of the Family Support Division, last month about wait times. McCreery said she “remain[s] concerned” and asked what the state’s plans are to remedy it.

health care, pregnancies and families and are demanding something better,” she added.

In addition to Midwifery, the Affinia Healthcare team includes obstetricians/gynecologists, family physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, medical assistants, community health workers, and doulas. Affinia Healthcare also offers both traditional prenatal appointments and group prenatal care.

The Affinia Healthcare OB/GYN team was awarded the 2023 Standing Up for Black Moms and Babies Award from Generate Health St. Louis. Research shows that many Black and Brown women experience poor medical treatment based on one primary reason – racism. Maternal deaths for Black women cross age, income levels and education attainment. The addition of the Midwifery services is part of Affinia Healthcare’s effort to eliminate health disparities for women.

It begins with a simple act – honoring their humanity, according to Ledet.

“[Birthing people] deserve to be listened to,” said Ledet. “They deserve to be heard.”

For more information about the Midwifery program with Affinia Healthcare, visit www. affiniahealthcare.org. To schedule an appointment, call 314.814.8700.

Evans said it “is never our goal for individuals to wait this long. But there are different levels of the call center,” she said, going on to explain user error in selecting the correct phone line, or failure to listen to the automated answers.

She added that the department is asking the legislature for money to create a “call center bot,” to increase automation and reduce the need for staff on the general call center line. The goal, Evans said, is to free up staff who are currently answering the general questions calls to transfer them to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program interviews instead. The state is facing a federal lawsuit over its call center wait times for SNAP.

There is no scientific evidence to suggest that people of any specific race or ethnicity are more susceptible to seasonal allergies. However, socioeconomic factors, access to healthcare, and environmental conditions can play a role in the prevalence and severity of allergies in different populations. For example, living in dilapidated housing may increase exposure to mold which can cause allergy symptoms.

includes expenses related to doctor’s visits, medications, allergy testing, and emergency room visits for severe allergic reactions.

Seasonal allergies are caused by 3 main types of allergens. The main culprit in early spring is tree pollen. Grass pollinates after that followed by the weeds in late summer and early fall. Allergic reactions begin in your immune system. When a person who is allergic to pollen encounters it, the immune system may overreact by producing antibodies that attack the allergen. This causes itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing, coughing or wheezing. There is a significant monetary impact on individuals and society due to seasonal allergies. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, allergies cost the U.S. healthcare system an estimated $18 billion dollars annually. This

In addition to healthcare costs, seasonal allergies can also lead to indirect costs such as lost productivity at work or school due to symptoms such as fatigue or congestion. Allergies can also increase the risk of developing other health conditions like asthma or sinus infections. Some people need to use intermittent family medical leave to help protect their jobs due to their severe allergy symptoms.

For some, allergy season is occurring early this year. Get prepared by meeting with your provider and mapping out a prevention and treatment plan as soon as possible.

Denise HooksAnderson, MD, FAAFP, is a family physician. She can be contacted at yourhealthmatters@ stlamerican.com

Certified Nurse-Midwife Hali Ledet examines a patient at the Affinia Healthcare location in Ferguson. Midwifery is offered at the Ferguson and South Broadway locations.

Photo courtesy of Affinia

The St. Louis American’s award winning NIE program provides newspapers and resources to more than 8,000 teachers and students each week throughout the school year, at no charge.

CLASSROOM SPOTLIGHT

Mr. Ira Sanders looks on as ninth-grade students Christian Noel and DaVonte Robinson, in Ms. Cheryl M. Christian’s class at Jennings Senior

SCIENCE CORNER

Software and Copyright Laws

Have you ever wondered what the term “software” means? Software is defined as various kinds of programs used to operate computers and related devices. Software includes anything that runs digitally on a computer, such as word processing programs, media players, and games.

When you purchase a program, you are the only one with the right to use it. When you install the program, you must agree to the terms of purchase, which include not copying or sharing the program with anyone else. If you break this agreement, you are breaking copyright law. The person or company who created the software is the copyright owner.

SCIENCE INVESTIGATION

Background Information:

In this experiment, you will evaluate how effectively water is filtered.

Materials Needed:

• 2-Liter Soda Bottle (cut in half by an adult) • Napkins or Paper Towels • Gravel, Sand and Cotton Balls (for your filter) • Water Pitcher • Dirty Water (you can make it by adding cooking oil, food coloring, pieces of paper, and tiny pieces of styrofoam to water)

Process:

q Put the top half of the soda bottle upside-down (like a funnel) inside the bottom half. The top half will be where you build your filter; the bottom half will hold the filtered water.

MATH CONNECTION

Use your math skills to answer these questions.

z Samantha purchased a book online and is waiting for it to download. If the book has been downloading for 15 minutes and is ¾ finished, approximately how much longer will she need to wait?______

x Jermaine wants to buy a new video game for his laptop. If it costs $49.95 and he has $27.00, how much money does he need to save?______ If he earns $5/week in allowance, how many weeks will it take him to earn that money?______

DID YOU KNOW?

If you receive a copy of software from a friend, download it illegally

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

w Layer the filter materials (gravel, sand, and cotton balls) inside the top half of the bottle.

e Pour the dirty water through the filter. What does the filtered water look like?

r Take the filter apart and look at the different layers. Can you tell what each material removed from the water?

t Use the napkins or paper towels to wipe the bottle clean and try again. Try putting materials in different layers or using different amounts of materials. Evaluate the effectiveness.

Learning Standards: I can follow sequential directions to complete an experiment. I can make predictions and draw conclusions.

c If your teacher purchases a game for the classroom that is licensed for 10 users, how many licenses will they need to purchase so that every student in your room can use the program?______ (Remember there are 10 users per license. Answers will vary depending on class size.)

v You receive a $25 gift card to shop online. If you buy a book for $9.95 and a journal for $4.95, with $1.50 added for tax, and $2.50 added for shipping, how much money do you have left?

________

Learning Standards: I can add, subtract, multiply, and divide to solve a problem.

Today, 37 percent of the software products running on U.S. computers were

SCIENCE STARS

African-American Entrepreneur & Inventor Janet Emerson Bashen

Janet Emerson was born on February 12, 1957, in Mansfield, Ohio. She went to college at Alabama A&M. While in college, she met her husband, became Janet Emerson Bashen, and moved to Texas. In Texas, she earned a degree in legal studies and government from the University of Houston. She attended Rice University for postgraduate studies and is also a graduate of Harvard University’s “Women and Power: Leadership in a New World.” Bashen earned her master’s degree in law from Northwestern California University School of Law.

In May 2000, Bashen testified before Congress regarding the effect of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigations and was able to have the legislation changed. She became the first African-American female to hold a patent for a software invention. Her patent #6,985,922 was issued on January 10, 2006, for the software program Linkline. Linkline is used in Equal Employment Opportunity businesses to keep track of information online. Bashen is also the founder, President and CEO of the Bashen Corporation, a human resources consulting firm named as one of America’s entrepreneurial growth leaders by Inc. Magazine in its 2002 500 ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. This title was earned because Bashen Corporation had a 552% increase in sales. In October 2003, Bashen was given the Pinnacle Award by the Houston Citizens Chamber of Commerce. She has also received the Crystal Award, presented by the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Inc. She was inducted into the Black Inventors Hall of Fame in 2007. In 2012, Bashen was on Ebony magazine’s list of the 100 most influential African Americans in entertainment, politics, sports and business. Bashen is very devoted to helping the community. She is on the Board of Directors for the North Harris Montgomery County Community College District Foundation, and chairs the Corporate Advisory Board of the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Inc. She is also a board member of the Prep Program, a non-profit organization which focuses on preparing at-risk student athletes for college.

Learning Standards: I can read a biography about a person who has made contributions 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 Science in the

News: Some of the top news stories in recent years have involved science-related topics, such as the weather, natural disasters, health and medicine, and space exploration. Find a science-related story about one of these topics. Identify the five Ws — who, what, when, where, and why. Complete some additional research so you can explain the “how” in writing. Share your news story with the class.

Activity Two —

Bar Graph: Newspapers have local stories, stories about current events in the state, and national news. Create a bar graph that represents the number of newspaper stories that are local, state, and national.

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can write for a specific purpose and audience. I can make text-to-world connections.

Photo

Presents

Women’s History Month

JPMorgan Chase’s Renée Horne talks career, finances & achieving success

Sponsored content from JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Women’s History Month is a time to come together to celebrate and recognize the achievements and contributions of women throughout the years. For this Women’s History Month, we spoke with Renée Horne, chief marketing & experience officer, Chase Auto, based in Dallas-Fort Worth, to discuss her career journey, share tips on taking charge of your finances and other recommendations to achieving success.

1. What has been key to your success throughout your career?

I think being curious and a bit adventurous has been a big part of my success. I’ve always had a passion for learning and a willingness to take on new assignments across functional domains and industries—including in finance, product, digital, marketing and communications. The combination of functional rotations and continuous education beyond graduate school made me more versatile and able to take on complex challenges. This is a significant part of what prepared me for joining JPMorgan Chase in 2021. And while self-initiative has always been at the core, I benefited greatly from the support of mentors and sponsors along the way. You need both to be successful and grow.

2. Looking back, what is one thing you wish you knew when you were first starting out in your career?

One thing I wish I knew in the early phases of my career was to place equal, if not greater, focus on proactively building relationships. It’s easy to become fixated on meeting business goals and objectives. If I could do things over, I would have been more intentional about nurturing relationships more deeply at the onset. After all, relationships are what matters most. Knowing that, I would also have given myself permission to have more laughs and more fun.

3. What are some tips for women to take charge of their career and finances?

view feedback as a gift.

PeoPle on the Move

Anderson new VP at STL Area Foodbank

Tina Anderson has been named vice president of community impact & innovation by The St. Louis Area Foodbank. Anderson brings a longstanding commitment to grassroots community engagement with a background in government, social work, insurance and healthcare. She comes from Aetna, a CVS Health company where her team led nationwide initiatives tied to social determinants of health and health equity with a heavy focus on food insecurity.

Matthew Banks named Kirkwood band director

Matthew

Matthew Banks has been named the Kirkwood School District’s next band director. Banks has served as an assistant band director in Kirkwood schools and directed bands at Kirkwood High School and both Nipher and North Middle Schools since 2018. Previously, he served as a band director at Central Visual Performing Arts High School and in the Alton School District. Banks received a Bachelor of Science degree in music education from Illinois State University and received a master of arts degree in educational leadership from McKendree University.

Kimbrough, Liekweg named co-chairs

As women, we are challenged with overcoming societal norms of what is expected of us. Sometimes, gender roles work differently from the norm, and you may find yourself as the breadwinner of the family or the primary source of income. Be ok with that. Manage it well and protect your assets by saving for an emergency,

having a will, investing in an estate plan, etc. As women, we must think about and engage in these aspects and not defer to someone else to do it for us. Taking charge of your career also means taking charge of your finances. Seek knowledge and support to effectively manage your income through

Taking charge of your career means you should unapologetically embrace the vision you have for yourself and your professional future. This includes being intentional about your own life plan, networking and seeking out trusted advisors and mentors who can help you grow. Always ask for feedback; I See HORNE, B2

Get ready for real changes in world of real estate

Impact on Black homebuyers is unknown

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire

A Kansas City area lawsuit settlement could lead to profound impact on the nation’s housing industry. How this impacts Black homebuyers and sellers is being determined by the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB).

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) announced on March 15, 2024, the approved settlement following a multibillion-dollar antitrust ruling. This $418 million settlement, expected to go into effect by July pending judicial approval, marks a significant shift in loosening the powerful trade group’s grip on America’s hous-

See REAL ESTATE, B2

purchase homes and build wealth. A recent lawsuit settlement could have a major impact on the process of buying homes.

Orvin Kimbrough, chairman & CEO of Midwest BankCentre, and Richard J. Liekweg, president & CEO of BJC HealthCare, are serving as co-chairs of the 27th Annual FOCUS St. Louis What’s Right with the Region Awards Celebration at 5 p.m. Thursday, May 9, 2024 at the Sheldon Concert Hall. FOCUS St. Louis provides diverse leaders with the civic awareness and powerful connections needed to be collaborative changemakers who advance a thriving region for all. www.focus-stl.org/WRWR

Pastor Futrell appointed Jurisdictional Bishop

Pastor Marquaello Futrell, E.D.. was recently consecrated to the office of Jurisdictional Bishop. He was appointed by Presiding Bishop Sheard of the Church of God in Christ, Inc. He served as the new prelate of Missouri Eastern First under the late Bishop William L. Harper and the late Bishop Robert J. Ward. Missouri Eastern First one of the oldest jurisdictions in the COGIC, marking 115 years of ministry in 2024.

Renée Horne is chief marketing & experience officer, Chase Auto, based in Dallas-Fort Worth.

Tina Anderson

Photo courtesy of JPMorgan Chase

Marquaello Futrell

The National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB), which represents many African American agents, has launched a $2 million initiative help more Black Americans

Banks

Photo courtesy of NNPA

Orvin Kimbrough

Horne

Continued from B1

budgeting, saving and investing—for short and long-term. There was a lot I did not know about managing finances until I entered the workforce. My first manager sat me down and explained to me the importance of investing into a 401K retirement savings account and the significance of the company match. This was the beginning of my journey to taking charge of my

Real Estate

Continued from B1

ing market. (NAREB) said this week it is gearing up to support its members, who predominantly serve Black communities. Courtney Johnson Rose, NAREB president, acknowledged the profound implications of the settlement on the organization’s members, particularly those representing buyers. “NAREB recognizes that this settlement, if approved by the judge, will bring dramatic changes to our industry,” Rose stated.

“Our members often represent Black families and individuals who struggle to raise money for the down payments needed to purchase homes due to decades of discrimination and a lack of generational wealth.”

finances.

4. How has your local community shaped you and what are your recommendations to others for achieving success?

My community has been a lifelong collective

network including my alma mater of Mizzou athletics, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and other non-profit associations which I have had the pleasure to serve. This collective community has been a key component of shaping my experiences, honing

my leadership skills and building a lifelong network of friendships and support.

And through it all, my mother has been my biggest influence and cheerleader. She instilled in me her values and ambitions to want to do more to reach my full God-given

potential, while reminding me to give back to my roots and community.

For more information about JPMorgan Chase’s Women on the Move, visit https://www.jpmorganchase.com/impact/people/ women-on-the-move.

To address future challenges, NAREB has outlined a series of initiatives:

• Special Task Force: A dedicated task force will analyze the settlement’s impact and recommend strategies to assist members and promote Black homeownership.

The settlement comes after the lawsuit challenged the decades-old system requiring the agents of home sellers to split the commission on sales with the agents of home buyers. Most commissions range between five and six percent of home sale prices. Under the settlement, home sellers and their agents can no longer outline compensation for agents representing buyers within their MLS listings. They can, however, negotiate outside of the official listing. Still, the agreement effectively ends decades of the NAR’s profound influence, with its 1.5 million agents shaping industry practices. Central to the lawsuit was the standard commission structure, typically around 6% of a home’s sale price, split between the seller’s and buyer’s brokers. Critics argued that specific NAR rules have artificially inflated these commissions, maintaining them at levels far above international standards. The settlement allows brokers to advertise rates and consumers to seek better deals. Projections indicate a potential reduction in commissions by 25% to 50%, according to TD Cowen Insights, heralding a new era of affordability in real estate transactions.

• Realtist Toolkit: NAREB will develop a comprehensive toolkit providing members with

essential information and resources.

• Black Developer Academy: Expansion of the Black Developer Academy will offer training and support to members interested in real estate development, diversifying revenue streams and increasing housing inventory in communities of color.

• Community Engagement: Leveraging national initiatives such as the Building Black Wealth Tour, NAREB aims to strengthen connections between members and their communities while educating consumers on homeownership.

While the settlement promises increased transparency, concerns persist regarding potential burdens on buyers, especially first-time buyers. Moreover, the anticipated commission reduction could precipitate a significant upheaval in the brokerage industry, potentially prompting a mass exodus of brokers.

In a CNN report, Jaret Seiberg, housing policy analyst for TD Cowen Washington Research Group, said changes could mean buyers will save on commissions, eventually bringing U.S. fees more in line with the much lower transaction costs seen in other residential property markets around the world.

Some commissions could even be cut in half,

Seiberg, told clients in a note Friday. The new rules “should lead to commissions falling 25% to 50%, which we view as benefiting online real estate brokers,” Seiberg wrote, but he warned it’s too early to declare “the end of local real estate agents given their local expertise and reputation in neighborhoods. It is why we do not see this following the travel agency model in which online eclipsed local offices.”

“NAREB is prepared to lead in this changing environment and ensure that our members…are strong and remain valuable assets in communities,” Rose said.

“NAREB is committed to the advancement of Black real estate professionals, increasing Black home ownership and our enduring pursuit for Democracy in Housing.”

Courtney Johnson Rose

n “BIG3 made a historic [$5 million] offer to Caitlin Clark. Why wouldn’t we?” – Ice Cube on his league’s courting of Iowa star

InSIdE SportS

By Earl Austin Jr.

St. Louis in the Sweet 16

NCAA Sweet 16 has plenty of STL flavor

The NCAA Men’s and Women’s basketball tournaments have reached the “Sweet 16” stage and there a group of St. Louisans will take the court when play resumes this week.

The STL trio remaining in the men’s NCAA Tournament mix are Caleb Love of Arizona (CBC), Keshon Gilbert of Iowa State (Vashon) and Ryan Kalkbrenner of Creighton (Trinity Catholic).

Aijha Blackwell of Baylor (Whitfield) helped guide the Lady Bears to a Sweet 16 berth in the NCAA Women’s Tournament.

The 6’4” Love will be playing in his second Sweet 16 in three years. He was a starting guard for North Carolina’s national runner-up team in 2022. He had a great season with Arizona, which saw him win Pac 12 Conference Player of the Year honors.

He is averaging 12.5 points, three rebounds and two steals in Iowa State’s two tournament victories over South Dakota State and Washington State. He had 15 points, five rebounds and three steals against South Dakota State. He was six of nine from the field.

Iowa State, the No. 2 seed, will face No. 3 seed Illinois in the East Regional semifinals on Thursday night in Boston.

In two NCAA Tournament games, Love is averaging 18.5 points, seven rebounds and five assists in Arizona’s victories over Long Beach State and Dayton. He had 18 points and 11 rebounds against Long Beach State and 19 points and five assists against Dayton.

Arizona, the No. 2 seed in the West Regional, will face No. 6 seed Clemson on Thursday night (March 28) in Los Angeles. Gilbert, a talented 6’4” guard, was the Most Outstanding Player of the Big XII Conference Tournament after leading the Cyclones to the championship last week.

Kalkbrenner, a 7’0” center is averaged 21 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks a game in the Bluejays respective victories over Akron and Oregon. He had a team-high 23 points, eight rebounds and three blocks against Akron, then followed up with 19 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks in Creighton’s thrilling double overtime victory over Oregon. Kalkbrenner hit a key 3-pointer in the double overtime, which gave the Bluejays a six-point lead.

Blackwell, a 6’1” forward, has been a steady player throughout the season for Baylor, who is making its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2019. She had a strong first game against Vanderbilt with eight points and seven rebounds in the Bears’ first-round victory. Baylor is the No. 5 seed in the West Regional. The Bears will face either USC or Kansas in the regional semifinal on Saturday.

MBCA Player of the Year honors

Baylor’s Aijha Blackwell (33) drives by Virginia Tech’s Clara Strack during the second half of a second-round college basketball game in the women’s NCAA Tournament in Blacksburg, Va., Sunday, March 24, 2024.

The Missouri Basketball Coaches Association recently released its postseason honors for All-District, All-State and Player of the Year last week. There were seven players from St. Louis who received the state’s Player of the Year award in their respective classes.

For the girls, freshman Dasia Scott of Principia was named the Class 2 Player of the Year, senior Chantrel “Tutu” Clayton of Vashon was named the Class 4 Player of the Year,

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

senior Allie Turner of John Burroughs was named the Class 5 Player of the Year and junior Nevaeh Caffey of Incarnate Word Academy was named the Class 6 Player of the Year. On the boys’ side, junior Nicholas “Butta” Randall of Vashon was named the Class 4 Player of the Year, junior Zyree Collins of St. Mary’s was named the Class 5 Player of the Year and senior Clayton Jackson of Cardinal Ritter was named the Class 6 Co-Player of the Year. Jackson shared the award with senior Tyrese Brooks of Springfield Central.

Scott lands spot on Cards’ opening day roster

Victor Scott II’s outstanding spring training did not win him a position on the St. Louis Cardinals opening day roster.

But he’ll be starting in centerfield on Thursday (March 28) on the road against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

An ill-timed shoulder injury to outfielder Dylan Carson on Monday created the opportunity for Scott to make his Major League debut in what will be one of the mostwatched games of the day.

an injured wrist and Lars Nootbaar’s fractured ribs have landed him on the injury list. Carson’s injury will keep him out “weeks not months,” according to John Mozeliak, president of baseball operations, giving Scott an extended chance to prove himself.

Scott came to spring training as the reigning Gold Glove winner among all outfielders in the Cardinals’ minor league system. His defensive credentials stood out from day one in Jupiter, Florida, then Scott added an impressive slash line (batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage) of .316/.409/.368.

He also stole four bases and caught the eye of coaches, teammates and fans.

Starting outfielder Tommy Edman will be out several more weeks with

Scott seemed like a lock to be on the team’s roster based on his spring training performance. The Cardinals had another plan, though, announcing that Scott was destined for Triple A Memphis. He kept a positive mental outlook, and in retrospect, his comments following the news he was going to Memphis sound prophetic.

“It would mean the world to me,” Scott told mlb.com about a Major League debut during the season.

“I know it’s not just me who has gotten here. God, first and foremost, my parents and coaches along the way -- all those things in tangent have helped me get to this point. If it comes, I’ll probably be teary-eyed, for sure.”

Fate stepped in and

and Double-A Springfield (.323) last year – with the help of some coaching by former Cardinal Vince Coleman.

He also batted a respectable .286 in the Arizona Fall League last October/November.

“He’s the starting centerfielder. If he’s here, he’s going to play. He’s here to play. I’m extremely excited to watch him,” St. Louis manager Ollie Marmol said Tuesday.

“He’s confident in his abilities and he embraces competition. Secondly, he has a personality that even if he’s tested and faces adversity, he’s going to come out of it just fine. It’ll be fun to watch.”

Unless he severely struggles, Scott should not have to worry about a quick demotion to Memphis.

Last season, Walker was on the opening day roster and hit .275 during the opening two weeks of the season. Then he was inexplicably demoted to Triple-A.

Ironically, it was the Jordan-Carson collision that paved the way for Scott.

The Reid Roundup

Kevin Keats, North Carolina State coach, was on thin ice job wise entering the ACC Tournament two weeks ago. The Wolfpack then ran off five wins to win the tourney and secure an NCAA bid. Two wins later, Keats has him team in the Sweet 16… Black coaches joining Keats in the Sweet 16 are Houston’s Kelvin Sampson and Marquette’s Shaka Smart. NC State faces Marquette, with the winner advancing to the Elite Eight… James Jones, Yale’s coach, turned in the best performance as the NCAA Tournament opened last Thursday. He guided his Bulldogs to a stunning 78-76 victory over No. 4 seed Auburn…Congratulations to Grambling State University and coach Donte’ Jackson for topping Montana State 88-81 in an overtime NCAA Tournament First Four game. The Tigers hung tough with topseed Purdue for a while before falling 78-50… If any MLB player other than Shohei Ohtani were involved in a gambling scandal of this magnitude, they would be suspended while the league investigated matters.

Scott is headed to L.A. because Jordan Walker and Carson met while chasing a line drive in the rightcenter gap.

A 2022 fifth-round draft pick, Scott stole a staggering 94 bases between High-A Peoria (.282 batting average)

Earl Austin Jr.

Alvin A. Reid

Victor Scott II, who said during Winter Warmup that he was working with former Cardinal Vince Coleman, will be the team’s starting centerfielder on opening day.

Photo courtesy of KTVI

Photo courtesy of the AP

Lincoln University to host NASA STEAM Summer Camp

Lincoln University in Jefferson City will host the Lincoln NASA-USDA STEAM Summer Camp July 6-14, 2024. This free, nine-day residential summer camp will give students exposure to STEM and life-skills training. Campers will learn from Lincoln University and the University of Missouri experts on digital agriculture technology, data robotics and machine learning.

Rising sophomore and junior students who are interested in STEM are eligible to apply. The online application will close at 5 p.m. Tuesday April 15, 2024. The application has two parts — a student section and a parent section. Both sections must be completed, and all questions are mandatory. Students are also required to upload a letter of recommendation and an essay (maximum 750 words) describing their interest in STEM education and how attending this camp will benefit them.

Selected students will be notified via email/ text on May 15, 2024. Parents and students must accept the selection by May 29, 2024, or the spot will be released to waitlisted candidates. Upon successful completion of the camp, each student will receive a $200 gift card.

For more information, contact Dr. Sougata Bardham at Bardhans@lincolnu.edu

City of St. Louis launches ‘Stronger STL’ website

NASA will host a free, nine-day STEAM residential summer camp on the Lincoln University campus in July, offering students exposure to STEM and life-skills training.

The city of St. Louis Stronger STL website is now available to area residents to highlight the impact of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds allocated to the city and provide support for residents and organizations seeking to learn more about funding eligibility and allocation.

The Sustainable Housing & Equitable Development (SHED) nonprofit will host a Housing Fair at 9 a.m.

Saturday April 6, 2024, at University City High School, 7401 Balson

“The Stronger STL website provides a direct line of sight into how these funds are being

deployed to grow and foster resilience within our communities,” said Mayor Tishaura Jones.

The Biden administration’s allocation of $350 billion to state and local governments included

$498 million dedicated to St. Louis. This new website serves as a centralized hub for residents to access funds and tap into the progress of current projects.

The site highlights

local businesses helping to revitalize the community and create a more resilient future. Residents, nonprofits, and businesses can use the site to determine their eligibility for certain ARPA

SHED to host inaugural Housing Fair April 6

Avenue in University City. The event will include breakout sessions on topics essential to purchasing a home or managing an existing home to promote value and long-term sustainability as an asset and

future legacy opportunity. The event is in partnership with multiple organizations including financial institutions, realtors, nonprofit housing organizations, educational institutions, and governmental agen-

cies. “The Housing Fair will inform participants on how the process works to become a homeowner and what’s required to be a successful homeowner once you are in your

funding, like homebuyer assistance and small business and nonprofit funding

The Stronger STL website can be accessed at arpa.stlouis-mo.gov

home.” said Mimi TaylorHendrix, president of the SHED board of directors. SHED is a community-based nonprofit Community Development Corporation (CDC) and a Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) focused on assisting low- and moderate-income homeowners in University City, Missouri and leading the efforts to revitalize the 3rd Ward of University City, Missouri.

Photo courtesy of NASA

Love is stronger than pride

The Black Rep’s ‘Wedding Band’ demonstrates the power of devotion

By Kenya Vaughn

The St. Louis American

Alice Childress bestowed her 1963 play “Wedding Band” with the fitting subtitle “a love/hate story in black and white.” And with those eight brilliantly succinct words, she provides a nearly complete synopsis of what her cast of characters endure. Over the course of her play – along with the power of love and hate – Childress also spells out the conquering magnetism of devotion.

The Black Rep continues its 47th season with the play, which is currently running through March 31 at COCA’s Berges Theatre. The rock solid cast and sturdy production value lend properly to Childress’ unrepentant, contemporary response to an interracial relationship –and the subsequent fallout that ensues because of it – in early 20th century South Carolina.

cast that speak to the injustices of that era.

Julia, a middle aged seamstress, tries to mind her business. However, her love life proves to be the ultimate complication. She has been secretly committed to a man for a decade. His feelings for her are mutual. But because of social norms, they must share their love in secret –and Julia’s life is constantly upended as she attempts to keep the relationship from being exposed. Herman is a white man who comes from a family that wears their racism like a badge of honor – which was typical for the time period and location.

However it is Julia who bears the brunt of the burden caused by their relationship. Audiences meet her after she is once again forced to relocate out of fear that someone has gotten wind of her relationship. She is the new tenant of a backyard living space owned by Fanny Johnson –an anomaly in that she is a Black woman property owner in their area. Johnson is eager to make friends with her newest tenant – as are Julia’s neighbors Mattie and Lula. That is until they learn about the man she feels defiantly destined to

“You

stage,

marry, despite the anti-miscegenation laws of the day.

Things get all the more complicated when Herman becomes the latest victim of the influenza pandemic and Julia’s humble abode must become his temporary infirmary.

As the drama surrounding the situation unfolded, Childress managed to provide fully formed character arcs for the supporting cast that speak to the injustices of that era. She addresses the racism faced by Black World War I recruits who are likely to return home as second class citizen heroes. She touches upon the possibility of Fanny Johnson becoming collateral damage for Julia’s life choices.

As Childress reflects the racial injustices of the era, she confronts them so unapologetically that contemporary audiences clutch their proverbial pearls. “Wedding Band” is not an easy watch, but The Black Rep makes it worth it.

Even before the actors emerge on

Ashley Winters

the

an

is in store for a top notch production. The scale and authenticity of the shanty structure is impressive. And with the exception of Nelson’s uniform, so are Andre Harrington’s costumes. He properly illustrates the spectrum from affluence to poverty among the ensemble – the garments of Fanny Johnson and Herman’s mother are among the most impressive.

Because of the moving parts with respect to subplots and compounded themes, director Geovonday Jones had his work cut out for him with “Wedding Band.” It is a play that many directors wouldn’t have the nerve to helm, but he was up for the challenge.

His cast embodied the story, and bore the load of all of the complicated emotions, confrontations – and contradictions

See Wedding, C3

By American Staff

As the IN UNISON Chorus continues with its 30th anniversary, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) announced a visionary partnership with MorningStar Music Publishers that will make sheet music of pieces performed and commissioned by the SLSO’s IN UNISON Chorus available worldwide.

The collaboration will significantly broaden the impact of the IN UNISON Chorus, a resident chorus of the SLSO that performs and preserves music from the African diaspora.

“We are delighted that this new partnership will make music by Black composers and arrangers available for performance by ensembles internationally, advancing the mission of the IN UNISON Chorus,” said Marie-Hélène Bernard, SLSO President and CEO. “For 30 years, the IN UNISON Chorus has been a pioneering ensemble, meaningfully expanding the choral-orchestral repertoire of music by Black voices.”

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra IN UNISON Choral Series—as the collection of published scores is called—highlights and elevates Black composers and arrangers, deepening the portfolio for and improving access to music for combined choral and orchestral forces by these composers.

‘“All of us at MorningStar Music Publishers are excited to have a chance to work with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and the IN UNISON Chorus on this significant series of publications,” said Mark Lawson, President of MorningStar Music Publishers. “The SLSO and its choruses are known around the world for impeccable musicianship, and this series will help provide a unique body of musical compositions for orchestras with choruses around the world.”

Since its founding in 1994, the IN UNISON Chorus has performed several times each season with the SLSO, including the annual IN UNISON Christmas and Lift Every Voice: Celebrating Black History Month concerts, as well as a free community concert. Core to the chorus’

Chris Cumberbatch’s scenic design serves as

indicator that

audience

Photo courtesy of The Black Rep

Jeff Cummings and Jacqueline Thompson star as Herman and Julia in The Black Rep’s production of Alice Childress’ ‘Wedding Band.’ The production continues through March 31 at COCA’s Berges Theatre.

Courtesy photo

Myrina Otey-Myton, better known as ‘Renaissance,’ displays an official proclamation from the City of St. Louis that honored her during the week of March 25-31. “It’s because we believed” she said of the recognition. The 4th Annual Installment of Her Eminent Reign was held on March 24, 2024 at HG Events in Ferguson.

Photo by Wiley Price I St. Louis American Soprano Jennifer L. Kelly sings ‘It’s Working’ during the IN UNISON CHORUS ‘Lift Every Voice’ Black History Month concert at the Stifel Theatre on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024. The composition by Isaac Cates will be included in the new partnership between SLSO and MorningStar Music Publishers that will launch later this spring.

production by Saint Louis Story Stitchers, written by Story Stitchers artists and directed by Sillo.

ZACK Theatre 3224 Locust, St. Louis, 63103 $10+

NIGHTLIFE

Up All Night STL 3/29/2024 6:00pm

Description The Attic Music Bar 4247 South Kingshighway Blvd., 2nd Floor St. Louis, MO $6.00

ART ACTIVITIES, EXHIBITS AND MUSEUMS

Salon de Griot: Mosaic Making with Lu Ray Studios 3/29/2024 6:30pm

Lu Ray Studios is hosting a mosaic workshop Using ceramics pieces to learn to create a unique art piece! At a later date, some pieces produced from this workshop will become part of the city’s landscape.

The Griot Museum of Black History 2505 Saint Louis Avenue St. Louis, Free

Kahlil Robert Irving: Archaeology of the Present

3/29/2024 11:00am

3/30/2024 11:00am

3/31/2024 11:00am

4/1/2024 11:00am

The Easter Egg Hunt at White Birch Park in Hazelwood, Missouri, on Saturday, 3/30/24, at 10:00am free for kids 10 and under. Please bring a basket.

4/3/2024 5:30pm

4/4/2024 11:00am

St. Louis–based artist Kahlil Robert Irving creates assemblages made of layered images and sculptures composed of replicas of everyday objects. Mainly working in ceramics, Irving critically engages with the history of the medium and challenges constructs around identity and culture.

Kemper Art Museum

1 Brookings Dr St. Louis, MO Free

See STL: Gay Liberation in the Gateway City 3/29/2024 2:00pm St. Louis’s Central West End was a hub of LGBTQIA+ community life and political activism. Explore some of the places that were instrumental in shaping the neighborhood’s fascinating history. Missouri History Museum 5700 Lindell Blvd

St. Louis, MO

Storytelling: March

3/29/2024 10:30am

The Storytelling themes for Women’s History Month-Women of the West Missouri History Museum 5700 Lindell Blvd St. Louis, MO

COMMUNITY

Easter Egg Hunt

For ages 10 and under. Bring a basket.

3/30/24 10:00am

White Birch Park 1186 Teson Road Hazelwood, MO

Fore more information, go to: https://www.hazelwoodmo.org/ calendar.aspx?EID=441 Free

2024 Missouri MBDA

Tribute to Women Business Leaders Brunch 3/30/2024

12:00pm-3:00pm

Join the Missouri MBDA in recognizing stellar women executives

Honorees: Stacey Fowler Shay Gillespie

Jeanetta Hawkins Kelley Hoskins Dr. Valerie Patton

Jacqueline Randolph

Danita Smith

Michelle D. Tucker

Veronica Walton

Guest Speakers:

Mayor Tishaura O. Jones

Constance Y. Jones

Hyatt Regency at the Arch 315 Chestnut St. Louis, MO 314-704-6971

$100.00 to $500.00

Elizabeth Keckly: A gifted modiste

By Cicely Hunter Missouri Historical Society

Black modistes displayed their skill and brilliance as they wove and stitched together pieces of fabric to create beautiful ensembles. One such woman was Elizabeth (Lizzie) Hobbs Keckly (also spelled Keckley), whose skillful hands and ingenuity brought her into prominence as a dressmaker as recounted in her memoir, Behind the Scenes: Or, Thirty Years a Slave, and Four Years in the White House.

Keckly was born enslaved in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, in February 1818. Her mother, Agnes (Aggy) Hobbs, had been impregnated by her enslaver, Colonel Armistead Burwell. Though Keckly was not biologically the daughter of Agnes’s husband, George Pleasant Hobbs, he considered himself her father and she was given his last name at birth.

Keckly worked as a domestic servant from a young age, learning how to sew alongside her mother. At age 4, she was responsible for the Burwells’ infant daughter. When she rocked the cradle too hard, causing the baby to fall out, Keckly was severely punished by Mrs. Burwell. She recalled in her memoir, “The blows were not administered with a light hand, I assure you, and doubtless the severity of the lashing has made me remember the incident so well. This was the first time I was punished in this cruel way, but not the last.”

George Hobbs was enslaved on a different plantation, and for much of Keckly’s childhood, she only saw him twice a year. Colonel Burwell later arranged for George to live with them, but their happiness was short-lived, as George was forced to move west with his enslaver. The family was given only two hours to say goodbye. Keckly described their anguish: “The announcement fell upon the little circle in that rude-log cabin like a thunderbolt. I can remember the scene as if it were but yesterday;—how my father cried out against the cruel separation; his last kiss; his wild straining of my mother to his bosom; the solemn prayer to Heaven; the tears and sobs—the fearful anguish of broken hearts. The last kiss, the last good-by; and he, my father, was gone, gone forever.”

Keckly was sexually assaulted by a white man for four years and gave birth to her only son, George Kirkland, at age 21. Her enslavers, Ann Burwell and Hugh Garland, moved Agnes, George, and Elizabeth to St. Louis in 1846, and Elizabeth was hired out as a seamstress and dressmaker to sustain the Garlands’ income. She wrote, “With my needle I kept bread in the mouths of 17 persons for two years and five months.”

Keckly desired freedom and labored as a skilled seamstress to obtain it, gaining a reputation as the best dressmaker in St. Louis and working with prominent families. Her clients offered to loan her the money to purchase her and her son’s freedom, and in November 1855 she borrowed $1,200—about $35,000 today. For

the next five years, she worked to repay them.

In 1860 she moved east—first to Baltimore and then Washington, DC. She was soon sewing dresses for the wives of Jefferson Davis and Stephen Douglas and other elite women. Her most notable client was First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln. Keckly was Mary’s confidante as well as modiste, and her memoir depicts the Lincolns’ grief at the death of their son Willie in 1862—a grief that was understood all too well by Keckly, as her son George had died fighting for the Union at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek near Springfield, Missouri, in July 1861. Mary also named Keckly the presiding officer of the Contraband Relief Association of Washington, DC, in 1862 to “support self-emancipated refugees of slavery.”

After President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, publisher G. W. Carleton & Co. expressed interest in Keckly’s story, and Behind the Scenes came out in 1868. Keckly criticized G. W. Carleton for publishing restricted information about Mary Todd Lincoln and later sued the publisher for her share of the book’s profits.

In 1892, Keckly moved to Ohio to become the head of Wilberforce University’s sewing and domestic science arts department. After a stroke, she returned to Washington, DC, spending the rest of her life at the National Home for Destitute Colored Women and Children— an institution she had co-founded. In 1907, she passed away at age 89.

On April 13, the Missouri Historical Society will present its signature biennial fundraiser, Threads: Make It Bold. Make It Patterned. Make It Work. Meet the 2024 designers and the historic fashions that inspired their creations at threads. mhs.yourcultureconnect.com. Special thanks to Caleres (Designer Sponsor) and Saint Louis Fashion Fund (Chiffon Sponsor).

Be a Tourist in Your Own Town

St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission

Spring it on

By Barry Draper

With the St. Louis Battlehawks soaring back into The Dome at America’s Center, among other exciting events, we dare you not to have fun in April.

For more things to do in St. Louis, visit explorestlouis.com.

BODYTRAFFIC

April 6

Direct from Los Angeles, BODYTRAFFIC leaps into St. Louis with surprising, unforgettable, cutting-edge theatricality. Presented by Dance St. Louis at the Touhill Performing Arts Center, the provocative performance will feature a combination of superb dancers and accomplished choreographers with universal appeal.

St. Louis Battlehawks April 6 and 20

while Clarice Assad introduces us to the vibrant folk melodies and dances of South America in Canções da America. Argentine composer Osvaldo Golijov conjures the sounds of Brazil in memory of a close friend in Mariel, and Molly Herron ponders the evolution of the sarabande and its roots in the new world in Three Sarabandes.

St. Louis Earth Day Festival April 20 and 21

The St. Louis Battlehawks amassed quite a following in their first season at The Dome at America’s Center, and they’ll remain one of the most watched teams in the newly formed United Football League (UFL). Regular season home games in 2024 will take place on April 6, April 20, May 4, May 19 and June 1. The UFL recently announced that the championship game will also be held in St. Louis on June 16.

Ka-Kaw!

Live at the Pulitzer: People and Place

April 9

As part of the 20th anniversary of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra: Live at the Pulitzer series, People and Place celebrates dynamic musical practices from the Americas. Pulitzer Prize winner Raven Chacon tells a future creation story in The Journey of the Horizontal People,

The St. Louis Earth Day Festival is a community tradition. At the two-day event, guests learn about sustainable products and services offered by area businesses and organizations, including 4 Hands Brewing Co., Bellefontaine Cemetery and Arboretum, Big Muddy Adventures, Kakao Chocolate, Schlafly Beer, Urban Chestnut Brewing Co. and World Bird Sanctuary. You can also meet local nonprofits, such as the Gateway Arch Park Foundation, which share Earth Day values, and try local restaurants, such as Salt + Smoke, which comprise the Green Dining Alliance – all while enjoying live entertainment. Whether you come for the activities, the food or the music, the St. Louis Earth Day Festival will leave you feeling inspired by the real progress being made to preserve our planet.

GO! St. Louis Marathon & Family Fitness Weekend April 27

The GO! St. Louis Marathon & Family Fitness Weekend brings the area’s favorite running tradition to the city streets, historic landmarks and beautiful parks of our unique neighborhoods. Held on April 27, the special event also includes races and festivities for everyone in the family, including a marathon relay, 5k and kids’ fun run.

Illustration by Rori!

Elizabeth Keckly

Columnist Barry Draper

St. Louis Battlehawks

By Rev. Dorothy S. Boulware

Religion As Holy Week nears its end, Christians rejoice

While Muslims continue their Ramadan fast until April 10, Christians throughout the world continue to commemorate Holy Week.

People of faith find ways to honor these days in personal ways and incorporate them in varied houses of worship.

“I think of Holy Week as a time to gather daily and hear a sermon centered around the event that took place on that day,” says Minister Julius Dawson, chief financial steward, of The Hill Inc.

Historically, this time had to have been incredibly sad for the disciples who’d been with Jesus for three years and had witnessed the incredible miracles he’d performed, most of which were showing loving kindness to people society had pushed aside.

The days of Holy Week

The scriptures outline the activities of Jesus on each day.

The week begins with his triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, a total blowout on Monday chasing the money changers out of the temple, a Tuesday trek that provoked a curse of Judas on a fig tree and then a rest on Wednesdaythere’s no record of activities on Wednesday.

Maundy Thursday is one of the most well-known days because at the Passover meal, Jesus issued instructions about

remembering him, as often as possible, through the breaking of bread and drinking of wine. He also issued a mandate to the disciples that they should be known to the world by the love they demonstrate for each other; while he wrapped himself in a towel and kneeled to wash their feet. Their first instinct was to refuse such lowly service from one they considered to be their master. He rebuffed their objections with the directive that they should also wash each other’s feet.

just to get through the day. The cross calls us to see and be the truth that lies within us through the grace of God.

The cross makes us stand straight and be accountable for the reigning evil that pervades every system of our existence. The cross elicits truth from our inner selves, but not the recognition without responsibility to speak truth to power.

“Our call before the altar as we stand to receive the body and blood of Christ is to become what we receive. At any given moment, we must be ready to defend the hope that lies within us,” Toni-Moore Duggan, president of Call to Action Maryland, told the Black Catholic Messenger in an article about “Walking the ‘Via Dolorosa’ of Antiracism.”

“God injected grace into our being gratuitously, unconditionally, and irrevocably. This truth should give us courage and embolden us to live in justice, mercy, and light,” Duggan said.

She also said we should be able to take greater risks, “knowing that his love and presence are unconditional and cannot be earned.”

Of course, Friday was the day of crucifixion, and many Christians around the world fast until the hours pass that represent his time on the cross.

Imagine that these women who had been in Jesus’ company were designated to be first to sound the alarm that something mystic and majestic had taken place at the same time they were mourning. Imagine how that message was received, especially those who’d had inner circle proximity.

The Way of the Cross

For some, it is the beginning of a vigil that lasts from 3 p.m. Friday until Resurrection morning (Easter) when the women, the first reporters of his good news, discovered the empty tomb.

The “via dolorosa” or way of the cross, strikes at the heart of reality and demands we pay attention to the pain, ugliness, and injustice we readily ignore

Even on such a rocky path, we still have choices, according to Duggan. “We can follow the crows, we can run and pretend this is not happening…or we can stand up and say, “Not on my watch. Not with my eyes wide open. Enough.”

Rev. Dorothy S. Boulware is Word In Black religion writer and columnist

Photo from YouTube/Peoples Community Christian Church

Easter speeches, delivered in church on Easter Sunday, have been a tradition of Black excellence for generations.

CONTRACT ATTORNEY

Family Court of St. Louis County is seeking to enter into a professional service agreement with an attorney to provide assistance to Family Court judges who handle domestic cases filed by unrepresented individuals. These services are funded by special monies received from the Family Services and Justice Fund and are subject to continued availability of these monies. Primary responsibility will be to assist with management of the pro se docket including legal analysis, notifying litigants of requirements to revise legal documents and providing notices of court hearings and other correspondence. The professional service agreement is funded at $26.31/hour working up to 28 hours/week. A one year commitment to the position is highly preferred. Qualification: Licensed to practice law in the State of Missouri. Requirement: Maintenance of professional liability insurance.

NOTE: All selected individuals will be required to submit to a background check. To apply (position open until filled), please send a resume, along with a cover letter to the following address on or before April 5, 2024: Contract Attorney, Attn: Human Resources Department, Family Court of St. Louis County, 105 S. Central., Clayton, MO 63105. OR Email same to SLCCourtJobs@courts.mo.gov. EOE. Please contact the Human Resources Department at 615-4471 (voice) or RelayMO 711 or 800 735-2966 if you need any accommodations in the application process, or if you would like this posting in an alternative format.

FAMILY SUPPORT SPECIALIST II

Urban Strategies, Inc is seeking applicants for the Family Support Specialist II position. To view the full job description for the Associate Project Manager, visit https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/ recruitment.html?cid=a2c37eec-f84c-45d0-ac24-4ca57894e7dc&ccId=19000101_000001&jobId=535345&source=CC2&lang=en_US . After entering our website, click on Who We Are and select Join Our Team to find career opportunities. USI is an Equal Opportunity employer, and this position is funded in whole or in part with Choice Neighborhood Initiative grant funds from the US Department of HUD.

SILVER HAIRED LEGISLATURE TO HOLD ELECTION MAY 14, 2024

Notice is hereby given that this year’s Silver Haired Legislature (SHL) election is to be held at Aging Ahead’s senior centers on Tuesday, May 14. SHL is a formally elected group of volunteers aged 60 or older who advocate on behalf of Missouri’s older adults. Seats are open in the counties of St. Louis, St. Charles, Franklin, and Jefferson.

The SHL members meet monthly at the Aging Ahead central office in Manchester with a virtual option available. Each October, the SHL holds an annual meeting in Jefferson City with Missouri’s nine other SHL delegations to present, debate and vote on priority bills and resolutions. Following the meeting, SHL members advocate in a variety of ways to build support for these priority bills. To learn more about the SHL, please visit www.agingahead.org

The deadline for filing for the SHL election is 4p.m. on Thursday, May 2. Contact Kerri at kgallagher@agingahead.org or 636-207-4211 for filing information and documentation.

PUBLIC NOTICE

MBE/WBE/SDVE/ DBE/VBE

INDIVIDUAL GIVING MANAGER

Forest Park Forever has a position open for an Individual Giving Manager. The position is responsible for cultivating and maintaining relationships with individual donors to secure financial support to advance the mission and objectives of Forest Park Forever. Please visit https://www. forestparkforever.org/jobs for full details and to apply online.

LIBRARY ASST III

The St. Louis County Library is seeking qualified applicants for a full-time Library Associate at the Oak Bend Branch. Responsible for performing a variety of circulation duties to meet the needs of Library customers and other clerical duties as assigned. High School Diploma or GED required. Hours: 40 hours per week, evenings and weekends are required. Salary $33,758, plus paid vacation. Apply online at: https://www.slcl.org/about-us/ employment. Equal Opportunity Employer

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

REQUEST FOR BIDS

UMSL

K&S Associates, Inc. is soliciting MBE/ WBE/SDVE/DBE/ VBE for the following project for the Month of April 2024

and Alumni Center. Plans and specs can be viewed by visiting www.ksgcstl. com or please call us at 314-647-3535 for more details. Please submit bids to estimating@ ksgcstl.com

The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center requests qualifications from experienced firms to perform Professional Design Services for Pre-Construction Study and Planning. The project will include assessing three buildings within 39 North AgTech Innovation District for uses as “graduate” space in the ag-tech sector. A copy of the complete RFQ is available at: https://39northstl.org/careers/ . To be considered, proposals must be received no later than 4pm CT on Friday, April 19, 2024.

Great Rivers Greenway is requesting bids for irrigation, plumbing and electrical services. Go to www. greatriversgreenway. org/jobs-bids for more information and submit by April 12, 2024.

www.stlamerican.com

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

St. LouiS american Bids & Public Notices St. LouiS american

NOTICE OF ELECTION

GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION CITY OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

TUESDAY, APRIL 2, 2024

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a General Municipal Election will be held at the designated polling place for each precinct in the City of St. Louis, State of Missouri, on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. The polls will be open between the hours of 6:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M. for the purpose of voting on two propositions. There are no candidates on the ballot.

The last day the Board of Election Commissioners could accept an application to vote an absentee ballot by mail in the April 2, 2024, General Municipal Election was 5:00 P.M. on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Absentee voting in person will conclude at 5:00 P.M. on Monday, April 1, 2024. The office of the Board of Election Commissioners will be open on Saturday, March 30, 2024, from 9:00 A.M. until 1:00 P.M.

THE OFFICIAL BALLOT WILL BE SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE FOLLOWING FORM:

INSTRUCTIONS TO VOTERS: In today’s election, you will be issued a paper ballot by the Election Judges to vote on two Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District propositions. Touch screen voting machines are no longer used.

To cast your ballot, if you are in favor of a proposition completely darken the oval next to the word “YES.” If you are opposed to a proposition, completely darken the oval next to the word “NO.” Do not try to punch through the ballot. Use only the marking device provided to you. If you tear, deface or make a mistake and incorrectly mark the ballot, return it to the Election Judges and obtain a new ballot.

_____________________________________________________________

PROPOSITION W

To comply with federal and state clean water requirements, shall The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) issue its sewer revenue bonds in the amount of Seven Hundred Fifty Million Dollars ($750,000,000) for the purpose of designing, constructing, improving, renovating, repairing, replacing and equipping new and existing MSD sewer and drainage facilities and systems, including sewage treatment and disposal plants, sanitary sewers, and acquisition of easements and real property related thereto, the cost of operation and maintenance of said facilities and systems and the principal of and interest on said revenue bonds to be payable solely from the revenues derived by MSD from the operation of its wastewater sewer system, including all future extensions and improvements thereto?

YES – FOR THE PROPOSITION NO – AGAINST THE PROPOSITION

PROPOSITION S

Shall the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD), for the purpose of providing revenue to fund capital improvements for flooding and erosion control, impose (i) a property tax upon all residential taxable tangible property within the District at a rate of not more than Seven and 45/100 Cents ($0.0745) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) of assessed valuation and (ii) a charge upon all non-residential customers, whether public or private, within the District based on the amount of impervious area (IA) on each such customer’s real property at a rate of $1.05 per month per 1,000 square feet of IA?

YES – FOR THE PROPOSITION NO – AGAINST THE PROPOSITION

YOU HAVE NOW COMPLETED VOTING.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF: The undersigned, comprising the Board of Election Commissioners for the City of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have caused this notice to be signed and the official seal of the office to be affixed at the office of the Board of Election Commissioners in St. Louis, Missouri, this 22nd day of February, 2024.

BOARD OF ELECTION COMMISSIONERS FOR THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS

JERRY M. HUNTER

Chairman/Member

GERALDINE M. KRAEMER Member (Seal) Attest: JOSEPH A. BARBAGLIA Secretary/Member

CITY OF ST. LOUIS WATER DIVISION REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR MECHANICAL SYSTEMS SERVICES #24RFP005

Date of Issuance: March 21, 2024

Question Deadline: April 12, 2024

Proposal Due: April 24, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. central

The City of St. Louis Water Division has issued an RFP for a mechanical systems services contractor. This RFP is on the City’s webpage (https://www.stlouis-mo. gov/government/procurement/#rfp), and/or email PKuehling@stlwater.com. Typical systems to be covered include plumbing, HVAC, industrial piping, refrigeration, boilers/chillers, pumps, valves, compressors, etc. Multiple vendors may be selected.

PUBLIC NOTICE

NAME CHANGE

Jeff Lamont Taylor has changed his name to Jeff Shumpert III.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District Requests for Quotes, Bids and Proposals are posted online for public download. Please navigate to www.msdprojectclear.org

> Doing Business With Us

> View Bid Opportunities

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

PRODUCE RFP 2024

The Saint Louis Zoo seeks bids from qualified firms to submit proposals. Bid documents are available as of 3/27/24 on the Saint Louis Zoo website: stlzoo.org/vendor.

INVITATION TO BID FERGUSONFLORISSANT SCHOOL DISTRICT CUSTODIAL DUST MOP BID

Sealed bids for CUSTODIAL DUST MOPS are being requested from the Ferguson Florissant School District and will be received and publicly opened on Friday, April 19th 2024 @ 10:00am CST at the Operation and Maintenance dept. located at 8855 Dunn Rd. (REAR) Hazelwood, MO 63042. Bid specs must be obtained at http:// new.fergflor.k12.mo.us/ facilities-rfq. Contact Shawn Everett at (314) 824-2415 for further information/questions.

RE-BID REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

# 57824088,

REDESIGNING, DEVELOPING AND DEPLOYING THE WEBSITE

Harris-Stowe State University (HSSU) is again requesting proposals for Redesigning, Developing and Deploying the website on the CMS platform. If interested, a copy of the request can be obtained by emailing Barbara A. Morrow at email address: morrowb@hssu.edu

Proposals must be emailed no later than 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 18, 2024 (there will not be a public opening), and must be emailed to: morrowb@hssu.edu

The University reserves the right to accept or reject any or all responses received, or to cancel this request in part or in its entirety if it is in the best interest of the University to do so.

We Publish every Thursday in the Newspaper and Online ahouston@stlamerican.com

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

Sealed bids for 24-131- Fairfax Drive Storm Water Improvement Project will be received by the City of St. Peters, Purchasing Department, City Hall, One St. Peters Centre Boulevard, P.O. Box 9, St. Peters, Missouri 63376 until 2:00 PM local time, April 29, 2024 and then opened and read aloud. Contract Documents will be available on March 28, 2024 and may be obtained from the City of St. Peters website https://mo-stpeters.civicplus. com/Bids.aspx

All questions regarding this project shall be submitted to the City of St. Peters Purchasing Department in writing to Bids@stpetersmo.net under the subject line 24-131- Fairfax Drive Storm Water Improvement Project before noon local time, April 18, 2024.

Bidders on this work will be required to comply with the President’s Executive Order Number 11246 (https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ofccp/ executive-order-11246/ca-11246). Requirements for bidders and contractors under this order are explained further in Sections T through Y of the bid document. “The ARPA Plans & Specifications Drop-In Requirements (Sections P, S, T-Y) as provided. No changes to these documents are allowed except for entering the federal minority participation goal percentage.

A bid bond in the amount of 5% (five percent) shall be submitted with each proposal.

This project will be awarded to the lowest, responsive, responsible bidder. No 2nd tier subcontracting will be allowed on this project.

The City reserves the right to waive any informality in bidding and to reject all bids.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

St. Louis Language Immersion School is accepting proposals for contracting out the Food Service Program with a Fixed Price contract for the 2024-2025 school year. A mandatory pre-proposal meeting will be held on Friday, March 15, 2024, at 9:00 am.

Proposals are due by April 15, 2024.

For questions and bid specifications, please contact St. Louis Language Immersion School at 1881 Pine Street, St. Louis, MO 63103, 314-533-0975.

St. Louis Language Immersion School reserves the right to reject any or all bids.

PUBLIC NOTICE

NAME CHANGE

Keyshon Hosea Morgan has changed his name to Keyshon Jeff Shumpert.

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE:

Advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, imitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial\status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.“We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law.

All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.”

Call Angelita Houston at 314-289-5430 or email ahouston@stlamerican.com to place your ads today!

INVITATION TO BID

PARIC Corporation - [the GC/CM] - is requesting bids for Delmar Devine: Phase-3 on select packages.

The project consists of a renovation of the historic St. Luke’s Episcopal Presbyterian Hospital Building located at 5535 Delmar Boulevard in St. Louis, MO. Existing Building will be converted into 81 residential apartments. Converting the Gymnasium Wing will also consist of offices and an event space.

Bids are being requested for the following:

• Elevators

• Design/Build Fire Protection

• Design/Build Electrical

Proposals are due on April 25th, 2024, at 12:00pm cst on the Bid Form Provided, by email to Mskalski@paric.com or bids@paric.com

A Pre-Bid Meeting and walk-through is scheduled for April 4th at 10:00am at 5535 Delmar Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63112. Bidders are encouraged to confirm attendance if possible.

Diversity requirements for this project will comply with business participation as mandated under the St. Louis City Ordinance No. 70767 and 71094.

All questions regarding this Invitation to Bid shall be directed to: Michael Skalski –MSKALSKI@PARIC.COM 636-561-9740

We Publish every Thursday in the Newspaper and Online ahouston@stlamerican.com

This year’s benefit concert as part of Her Eminent Reign was entitled “She Believed.” It kicked off a campaign year to support the project’s short documentary premiering in Spring 2025.

HER Reign

Continued from C1

Believed’ because it was the most consistent feeling we had over the last four years, said the artist.

Otey-Myton’s HER project has faced challenges, however, those were met with grit and teamwork. The result, according to the artist, is growth and triumph.

“We believed in the stories we needed to tell and the mission of collaborating with BIPOC women creatives,” she said.

“So when we achieve new heights and have these accomplishments and stats such as 7.5 million views, Delux Power 100 Award, 60+ collaborations, and an official Proclamation from the City of St. Louis March 25-31 it’s because we believed”

“It feels amazing! To be an arts and storytelling project now recognized and honored by the city is huge,” Otey-Myton said when talking about receiving the proclamation.

She says she feels “seen and validated.”

“ This proclamation reminds us that we are on the right path, the right side of history and that St. Louis truly loves and supports their own.”

True to fashion the HER Reign annual women’s history event captivates the audience through photography, spoken word, and Neo Soul performances.

Otey-Myton began her campaign when she was a student at the University of Missouri-St. Louis in 2019. She was the president of the Black Student Business Association and her art project was more of a forum; a panel discussion during Women’s

History Month.

In 2021 the exhibit creator said her panel discussion morphed into a visual arts project showcasing its first event online during the pandemic. She decided to recreate images of the women she was researching. She wanted to do more than have a panel discussion, she wanted to create an experience and leave an impression on those who came to her shows.

“For years, women have believed in Her Eminent Reign’s storytelling aspect and the bonds of sisterhood that we curate around the production annually,” said Otey-Myton.

An exclusive premiere of the trailer gave the

n True to fashion the HER Reign annual women’s history event captivates the audience through photography, spoken word, and Neo Soul performances.

audience a first look at the documentary, “HER: She Believed” which is a compelling short documentary film that delves into the dynamic journey of an annual photography and exhibition experience during Women’s History Month titled Her Eminent Reign.

The documentary will show the behindthe-scenes commitment to provide a haven for BIPOC women to authentically express themselves in the production industry unapologetically and without the need for

code-switching. Through the lens of photography, videography, performance theater, poetry, and music, the documentary aims to provide a behind-thescenes look at the collaborative effort that brings this unique production to life.

The imagery at the event was a stunning and thought-provoking form of storytelling. Her photography showed the resilience, power, and grace of Black women, and also the talent of creatives in St. Louis.

Photo replica subjects included Fredrika Washington, an actress known for several controversial films including “Imitation of Life,” and Lois K. Alexander-Lane, founder of the Harlem Institute of Fashion and the nation’s first Black Fashion Museum.

Also depicted was Florence Mills, the first Black woman to star in a Broadway show.

She also had exhibits from last year’s event, including photo replicas of Kendake Amanirenas, Pharaoh Hatshepsut, and Kendake Amanitore.

Performances by Intersection artists Latoya Sharen and Be.Be the Neo Soul mixed with HipHop violinist Bell Darris brought it all home. Lyrics of self-love and never giving up took the audience to church.

Through visual art, Otey-Myton tells the stories of Black women history often forgets, and she hopes women leave feeling empowered and encouraged. She hopes women start to think about the legacy they want to leave behind for future generations.

Ashley Winters is a Report for America reporter for the St. Louis

SLSO

Continued from C1

mission is engagement with leading Black composers and arrangers. Composers who have engaged with the chorus include Jeffery Ames, Rollo Dilworth, Moses Hogan, Nathalie Joachim, André Thomas, the late Dr. Robert Ray— prolific composer, teacher, and founding director of the IN UNISON Chorus, and others. The chorus’ portfolio spans many genres, singing in many languages, including Swahili and Latin. Led by McBeth since 2011, the chorus continues to expand its range and impact while remaining focused on Black composers.

Publication for The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra IN UNISON Choral Series begins this spring. McBeth will edit the series for MorningStar.

“Since becoming the IN UNISON Chorus Director, it has been a dream of mine to expand the gospel symphonic repertoire,” McBeth said. “The legacy of this new choral series is not only the realization of a dream, but an opportunity to share the SLSO’s vision with choruses and orchestras around the world. I am grateful to MorningStar Music Publishers for helping to create this avenue for new

music and tremendously honored to be a part this legacy.”

The chorus is an arm of the SLSO’s IN UNISON program, a multi-pronged initiative begun in 1992 to engage primarily with St. Louis’ Black community. Embraced by the institution and its Music Directors for more than 30 years, IN UNISON also includes a partner church program— which has grown to involve more than 30 churches in the St. Louis region, and the IN UNISON Academy— which provides support and mentorship for students seeking careers in music fields.

The partnership with MorningStar Music Publishers, a prominent publisher of classical and choral music, will fortify the chorus’ position as a leading ensemble in the development and performance of choral-orchestral repertoire by Black composers.

Founded in 1986, MorningStar’s composer list has grown significantly over the past 35 years, and new composers are added each year. Based in Fenton, Missouri, MorningStar is part of the ECS Publishing Group, which publishes all genres of classical and sacred music, with a focus on choral music. ECS Publishing Group also owns Canticle Distributing, which maintains a large network of music dealers worldwide.

“This vital SLSO ensemble is a nexus of the institution’s community engagement initiatives, and the talents of its members demonstrate the vitality of the music they perform,” Bernard said. “MorningStar Music Publishers, with its strong network globally, is an essential partner in sharing this important body of music.”

The series’ initial offerings include:

• “Lord, I Am Grateful,” by Emorja G. Roberson, Assistant Professor of Music and African American Studies at Oxford College of Emory University, first performed by the IN UNISON Chorus and the SLSO at the 2023 Lift Every Voice concert; and

• “It’s Working” by Isaac Cates—a Missouri-based composer, pianist, vocalist, and teacher—an SLSOcommissioned piece for the IN UNISON Chorus that received its world premiere in February 2019 by the SLSO, IN UNISON Chorus, and soprano soloist Jennifer Kelley. Additional pieces will be added to the series on an ongoing basis. “The SLSO was visionary in establishing the IN UNISON Chorus 30 years ago,” Lawson said. “It is an honor to now collaborate with the institution in this publication partnership.”

Wedding

Continued from C1

– that the play required. As Julia, Jacqueline Thompson was the glue of “Wedding Band.” But each of the supporting players were given a moment to shine – particularly the scene-stealing Velma Austin as Fanny Johnson. The robust ensemble each manage to give the audience something to remember them

for. Christian Kitchens turned on the charm as Nelson. Tamara Thomas’ Lula pulled at heartstrings as she attempted to protect her son as much as she could before sending him off to war. Jeff Cummings had audiences feeling the love Herman had for Julia – and displayed a natural chemistry with Thompson. Ellie Schwetye, Kari Ely and Isaiah Di Lorenzo were believably vicious in their personifications of the racist attitudes of 1918 South Carolina. And Christina Yancy made

Mattie’s plight to keep her family afloat after her husband was shipped off to war all too real. Child actors Vivian Helena Himes and Lucy Miller served up plenty of cuteness.

The Black Rep’s presentation of Alice Childress’ “Wedding Band” continues through March 31 at COCA’s Berges Theatre, 6880 Washington Ave. For tickets and additional information, visit www. theblackrep.org or call 314-534-3807.

Photo courtesy of The Black Rep

The Black Rep’s presentation of ‘Wedding Band’ will play COCA’s Berges Theatre through March 31.

Courtesy photo