May 1st, 2025 edition

St. LouiS AmericAn

Dr. Mati Davis resigns as city health director

‘A joy to lead this department’

By Alvin A. Reid and Sylvester Brown

The St. Louis American

Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis doesn’t speak loudly, and she is small in stature.

However, she was a force in guiding St. Louis through much of the pandemic with valor, determination and skill as she helped save countless lives with her dedication to the community.

Davis’ influence thundered as she battled gun violence, infant and maternal mortality, heroin addiction, and other health issues that have long plagued the city.

Former Mayor Tishaura Jones named Davis the City of St. Louis director of health in October 2021, and she immediately began transforming her office into one of the best in Missouri and the nation.

See DAVIS, A7

The Old Courthouse offered a “sneak peek” tour before the official grand reopening after major renovations that is scheduled for Saturday May 3, 2025. The “Journey to Justice” Festival will begin with a ribbon cutting at 11 a.m. The event will include “Fountain-side Chats,” with Lynne Jackson, great-great-granddaughter of Dred and Harriet Scott, and Jenifer Lewis, award-winning actress and St. Louis. St. Louis television host Chelsea Haynes will serve as the festival’s emcee, with events throughout the day on the community stage in Kiener Plaza.

‘Journey to Justice’

By Alvin A. Reid

America is still on its journey to justice, and one of the most important locations on its trek stands in St. Louis

near the Mississippi River. It is the Old Courthouse, site of the first two trials of the pivotal Dred Scott case in 1847 and 1850. In 1847, Dred Scott, with his wife Harriet, sued for, and were granted, their freedom. After many appeals, the U.S. Supreme Court finally ruled that slaves were property. The Old Courthouse was also the site where the Virginia Minor case, which sought a woman’s right to vote, came to

trial in the 1870s.

Enslaved people were auctioned from its steps, and the site is listed in the National Park Service’s National Underground Railroad Network To Freedom, which recognizes sites, programs and facilities with verifiable associations to the Underground Railroad.

By Sylvester Brown, Jr. St. Louis American

In January 2023, former Mayor Tishaura Jones, using American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds, announced she was launching a pilot program called “Stable Communities STL.”

n “This program was well-intentioned but, unfortunately, very poorly executed.”

– Mayor Cara Spencer at Tuesday’s press conference

The program, Jones said, would address vacant and neglected properties and stabilize buildings in St. Louis. Further, it would stabilize privately owned properties “so they can then be renovated and become, instead of neighborhood sores, neighborhood gems,” Jones added.

Jones told a group of business owners last year: “Under this program, if owners fail to make needed repairs, the city will exercise our right to hire contractors to complete this work and send the absentee owner a bill. If you are an absentee property owner, read my lips: neglect is no longer welcome in the city of Saint Louis.”

Newly elected Mayor Cara Spencer has just pulled the plug on that program.

“This building stabilization program was well-intentioned but, unfortunately, pretty poorly executed,” Spencer said during a Tuesday afternoon press conference.

“As we have seen in previous media

100 days of chaos

Given his first term, President Donald Trump’s second go-round in the White House was expected to be chaotic.

With Republican majorities in both houses of Congress — and the Supreme Court’s conservative supermajority — the hard-right, war-onwoke agenda he promised to unleash was expected to strain the country’s political guardrails, if not smash through them.

But few experts anticipated Trump’s sweeping, rapid-fire attacks on institutions, policies, and laws that benefit or protect Black America to go this far, this fast. And the damage he’s done through 139 executive orders — and counting — in just 100 days could take decades to fix.

An early target of Trump’s was the Department of Education, which guaran-

St. Louis American

Trump’s return to

See TRUMP, A6

Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis has resigned as City of St. Louis director of health.

Photo courtesy of The Arch Gateway National Park

Photo courtesy of Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis’ Office

Shannon Sharpe puts

Front Office Sports. “We agree with Shannon’s decision to step away.”

Bishop T.D. Jakes stepping down as Potter’s House senior pastor

edged it won’t be easy. “I know you might feel the weight sliding from my head to you,” he said before citing a verse from the New Testament book of Romans. “I know the crown is heavy, but also know that if God is for you, who can be against you?”

Combs’ attorneys previously claimed was altered and therefore non-admissible in the trial. Ventura is expected to testify at the trial. Jury selection on May 5 and opening statements are scheduled for May 12. The trial is expected to last for eight to 10 weeks.

SCAN HERE TO MAKE THIS PULLED

Shannon Sharpe

Tower Grove Christian Academy students plant community urban garden

Crops go to local food pantry

By Namratha Prasad St. Louis American

Fourth graders at Tower Grove Christian Academy planted vegetables at the urban garden in the Shaw neighborhood last week. All the food they harvest this summer will be donated to Operation Food Search.

Teacher Geri Creel said the students are always excited for the hands-on learning the garden provides, as well as a sense of pride for donating the crops they grew themselves to those in need. The students plant the vegetables in their classrooms during the winter, and when the weather gets warm enough, they transfer the plants to the outdoor space.

“They really love this,” Creel said as she taught the students to water the plants. “I think it means a lot to them to know this is how the things they grow are being used.”

The garden plot is located on a slope just next to interstate 44. MoDOT leases the space to The Green House Venture for $1 per a year thanks to a federal grant to beautify roadsides across the country.

But this urban garden located in the Shaw neighborhood at the intersection of Lawrence Street and De Tonty Street is a first for the nation, Dr. Donald Stump, Curriculum Director at The Green House Venture said. The organization saves MoDOT thousands of dollars in the cost of beautification, as Stump’s organization pays for the fencing and landscaping. Principal Mike Gregory said he had the privilege to grow up on a farm where all his neighbors also had a garden. But

in the city, finding gardens in neighborhoods can prove to be a challenge.

“For us, in the most simplistic way, it’s an extension of the classroom,” Gregory said. “This has been great for our kids, especially growing up in the city… a lot of our urban kids have not had the opportunity to try to

garden.”

But the produce grown in the leased spot not only serves as a donation for Operation Food Search, a food pantry located in Overland, but also as a way to introduce the children to the world of science and agriculture at a younger age.

“We don’t just want to create

a sort of Disney Land for the kids,” Stump said. “We really want these to be like adult work spaces. They’re actually working alongside master gardeners.”

Fourth grader Layla said she has learned how to dig an outline in the soil to easily be able to plant the grown plant in the ground. She said she is excited to see the kale she planted grow, so she can make kale chips.

“The most exciting thing is going around the garden and seeing what you can eat and taste testing it,” she said.

The crops in the garden will be harvested during the summer. Stump said the students will have a chance to taste test the vegetables they grow, including some they may not be as familiar with, such as swiss chard and kohlrabi.

“They do a lot of planting out here,” Stump said. “A lot of the things they’re growing out here, they really don’t know much about. We’re trying to expand their food groups without them noticing. We found that once they grow it, they’ll put it in their mouth.”

Ultimately, the goal of the garden is to help those in the community who struggle to access healthy food. According to a 2022 Map the Meal study, over 47,000 people in the city were food insecure and lacked resources for healthy lifestyles. With the growing problem of food deserts and shortages in the city, Gregory said he is proud the kids can be part of the solution.

“Now they get to see reality, how we have a food shortage,” Gregory said. “They’re going to be the ones making a difference.”

Award-winning care in your neighborhood

At Christian Hospital, we’re known for clinical excellence. When you choose us for your care, you’ll benefit from access to BJC HealthCare, including BJC Medical Group and WashU Medicine physicians, and the nationally recognized cancer care provided by Siteman Cancer Center. Our award-winning care in your neighborhood doesn’t stop there. We’ve expanded services, upgraded technology, and added providers to better support your health.

Photo by Wiley Price I St. Louis American

Tower Grove Christian Academy students Laila 9, (left) and Laynie 10, plants flowers in a curbside garden a block from school during a neighborhood clean up Tues. Apr. 22, 2025.

Guest Editorial Commentary

‘Reverse discrimination’ a manufactured crisis St. Louis region and nation need re-entry solutions

By Alphonso David

It is difficult to keep up with the rampant disinformation that the radical right is pushing.

On day one, the new administration took a sledgehammer to long-established diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. These programs are not only legal, but they promote greater fairness and opportunity across society, lead to greater innovation and result in higher revenues for companies.

Now, the right-wing legal movement is attempting to redefine the legal standards needed for white plaintiffs to prove discrimination.

Earlier this month, the United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services. The case involves a heterosexual white woman who sued her employer under the 1964 Civil Rights Act, arguing that she was demoted and replaced by a gay man and denied promotion in favor of a gay woman. She claims that both positions were awarded to people less qualified than her.

names were about 10% less likely to get a call back than similarly qualified white applicants.

When it comes to promotions and upward career movement, the numbers paint a similar picture. As any professional knows, in order to move up the ladder, you have to promote your successes to upper management.

However, Black employees are penalized for self-promotion more than any other racial group, according to a 2022 study from the London School of Economics. The study showed that when white employees engaged in self-promotion for job advancement, it worked out in their favor.

She is arguing what is commonly referred to inaccurately as “reverse discrimination.” These types of cases are being brought more frequently to courtrooms across America. However, the contention that “reverse discrimination” against majority groups is widespread, especially against white males, is simply untrue and not supported by data.

Let’s start with hiring. Despite new laws and changing attitudes, racial discrimination in hiring is still a persistent problem. Some may recall the landmark 2004 study, when two economists submitted fake job applications with fictitious names in Boston and Chicago. They found that applicants with names suggesting they were white received 50% more callbacks from employers than those whose names indicated they were Black.

Nearly two decades later, in 2021, researchers sent more than 80,000 fake job applications for entrylevel openings to Fortune 500 firms. On average, the researchers found that applications with distinctively Black

Break promotion data down by gender, and the story is not much different. On average, women are 13% less likely to be promoted than men. While women hold more of the top jobs in companies than ever before, they lag behind men on crucial early promotions into management. That said, to all the people who claim that white people are being “reverse-discriminated” against at scale, I would love to see the peer-reviewed studies from which they are getting this data. Let’s get back to the plaintiff is arguing “reverse discrimination” because she is heterosexual. If the Supreme Court makes it easier for majority groups to sue, the environment for promoting fair workplaces will suffer.

Those in favor of changing these standards are doing so because they believe the Constitution should be “colorblind.”

The problem is the theory ignores reality on the ground. It is political cover for a decades-long agenda focused on rolling back the progress of the Civil Rights movement.

“Reverse discrimination” is nothing short of a manufactured crisis. Data clearly shows that marginalized communities continue to confront discrimination and bias. Now is not the time to weaken our laws and policies. Instead, we should build towards the promise of equity.

Alphonso David is a civil rights attorney, and the president and CEO of the Global Black Economic Forum.

This is how democracies die

By Marc Morial

“For as in absolute governments the King is law, so in free countries the law ought to be king; and there ought to be no other.”

— Thomas Paine

In a stunning but unsurprising act of lawlessness, the Trump administration has refused to return a man wrongfully deported to El Salvador, even after a U.S. court ordered the government to do so. With this decision, the administration has crossed a chilling threshold—one that places it in open defiance of the Constitution, the courts, and the very foundation of our democracy.

This is no longer the erosion of democratic norms. This is their outright collapse.

The deportee, who fled danger in his home country and sought asylum in the United States, was forcibly removed by federal agents despite a judicial order halting his deportation.

His fate, now uncertain in a country he fled in fear, is a grotesque reminder that for many in today’s America, due process is not a right—it’s a suggestion.

By Courtney Allen Curtis

A recent headline from Ferguson, Missouri — a name now synonymous with cries for justice — quietly told an equally urgent story of the national failure of our criminal justice system to truly deliver second chances.

Tauren Taylor, one of six protestors arrested during the 10th anniversary demonstration of Michael Brown’s death, accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to three years of probation after serving six months in jail. If he violates his probation, he faces four years in prison.

This is not just Tauren’s story. It’s the story of thousands of justice-involved individuals, especially minorities, who are set up for failure. This is not because they are incapable of success, but because our system provides almost no meaningful re-entry support or long-term planning.

The hard truth is this:

Nearly two-thirds of citizens returning from incarceration are re-arrested within three years.

Probation is not a support system; it is often an extended trapdoor leading back to incarceration.

Coordination between re-entry planning while incarcerated and re-entry success on the outside almost doesn’t exist today.

and support networks daily.

Navigate probation requirements with clarity and transparency.

Build real, achievable plans for one year, three years, and beyond. If we combine technology with coordinated reentry support across government agencies, nonprofits, businesses, and community groups, we could possibly drop recidivism rates in any community significantly.

Today, instead of a clear path forward, we are giving most justice-involved minorities a three-year tightrope to walk. The odds are stacked against their success, and the justice system offers little more than warnings and consequences.

We are sentencing individuals like Tauren to “supervision” without giving them the tools, support networks, or opportunities needed to succeed. It’s a setup for failure, not a pathway to redemption.

Technology has advanced to a point that Artificial Intelligence (AI) now offers transformational potential to bridge this gap. AI can deliver personalized re-entry plans, real-time support, predictive risk modeling, and coordinated community resources on a scale and with precision that human systems simply have not.

Imagine a system where every person released from jail or prison had access to an AI-powered personal re-entry coach, helping them:

-Find stable housing, a job, and mental health care.

-Monitor their mental wellness and stress triggers.

-Connect with mentors, case managers,

Without bold reform, the next generation will see the same Ferguson headline repeated. The result is more broken lives, more broken communities, and a deeper erosion of faith in the promise of true justice. It’s time to act. It’s time to move from punishment to preparation. It’s time to harness AI and human willpower to finally build a real continuum of reentry success — from day one of incarceration to years after release. That work begins now.

The St. Louis City NAACP will host an AI-Focused Re-entry Hackathon from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 10, 2025, at 4811 Delmar Blvd, St. Louis, 63108. We invite returning citizens, family members, service providers, tech innovators, and community members to join us. Come ready to discuss the real problems we face, develop new solutions, and learn how AI can be used safely and ethically to reduce — not exacerbate — recidivism rates.

There will also be a quick, accessible overview of how the AI development process works and how community members can be a part of building the solutions our communities need.

Second chances shouldn’t just be discussed in speeches. They must be built, together, into the foundations of our justice system.

Courtney Allen Curtis is criminal justice chair for the St. Louis City NAACP

The common thread? The normalization of state violence cloaked in bureaucratic indifference.

In addition, the administration is carrying out a frenzied assault on American history, outlined in the Orwellian executive order, “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” is a tactic in its broad agenda to erode democracy, entrench inequities, and reinforce injustice.

The National Urban League is sounding the alarm that the attempted mass erasure of Black history and culture is a key pre-condition for our ongoing anti-democratic slide.

The refusal to comply with a lawful court order is not just an immigration issue. It is a constitutional crisis. The executive branch, once again, is signaling that it is not bound by the rule of law. This is how democracies die—not with a dramatic coup, but with a series of quiet refusals, deliberate omissions, and willful negligence.

There is a name for governments that imprison, exile, or disappear individuals without judicial review: authoritarian.

From Franco’s Spain to Pinochet’s Chile, history has no shortage of examples where unchecked power replaced fair trials with forced removals and “administrative detentions.”

And in our own American past, we’ve seen this brand of injustice before—from the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II to the mass deportations during “Operation Wetback” in the 1950s.

Our Constitution was designed with a system of checks and balances—a safeguard against the very tyranny we now face. But those safeguards are failing. When courts are ignored, when Congress is silent, and when federal agents act as enforcers of political will instead of protectors of the people, we are left with a government unmoored from accountability. Let’s be clear: this is not an isolated event. It is part of a broader pattern of constitutional degradation. From the violent suppression of protestors to the vilification of immigrants and the weaponization of executive orders, we are witnessing the federal government operate with impunity. This moment demands outrage. It demands resistance. And above all, it demands clarity. We are not on the edge of authoritarianism—we are in it.

Our charge, as citizens and as a civil rights movement, is to expose this regime for what it is and to organize with relentless determination to hold it accountable. The stakes are not abstract. They are real, they are human, and they are urgent.

If we are to preserve what is left of our democracy, we must act like democracy itself is at stake

it is.

STAFF

The Pruitt-Igoe housing development was hailed as a national model when it opened in 1954. Poor construction, maintenance issues, crime, and failed social policies, led to its downfall in the 1970s, beginning with a thunderous implosion in 1972.

Pruitt-Igoe historic celebration, 2K walk May 4

St. Louis American

Former residents and descendants of the Pruitt-Igoe housing complex will join to honor the lives, stories, and resilience of one of St. Louis’ most storied communities from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday May 4, 2025, at St. Stanislaus Church, 1413 North 20th Street, and along Cass Avenue

The unveiling and dedication of a historic marker on the original Pruitt-Igoe site will be part of the celebration. Its purpose is to memorialize the community and illuminate unresolved health and environmental issues linked to the site’s toxic legacy.

The day will include the 2nd Annual Memorial Walk of former residents and families carrying banners with the names of their original buildings, live music and entertainment, a children’s Village, food trucks, and interactive art.

A video recording booth will also be on site to capture personal stories of families impacted by the Pruitt-Igoe demolition and chemical exposure.

Speakers will highlight the work with the EPA and local environmental advocacy groups, including organizers from Coldwater Creek.

Named for Tuskegee Airman Captain Wendell O. Pruitt and Congressman William L. Igoe, the Pruitt-Igoe public housing project was built in 1954.

It was first viewed as an “oasis,” as families beautified their spaces with landscaping and other projects. Poor construction, maintenance issues, crime, broken promises, and failed social policies, led to a downward spiral.

Its first buildings thundered to the ground after an implosion in 1972. The last of the buildings were brought down in 1977.

Listen and learn Black men

By RaShanda Tate Word In Black

Black men hold a special place in our hearts, but sometimes—just sometimes—y’all make this love thing harder than it needs to be. Read carefully, take notes and apply accordingly.

1. Emotional intelligence

This is 2025, and we need you to tap into those emotions. We’re not asking for full-blown poetry readings. A simple “Hey, I appreciate you” or “I was wrong” will go a long way.

“I don’t need a man to cry on command, but I do need him to recognize when I’m struggling and offer some support,” says Brandi, a Houston educator.

2. Consistency

One day you’re sending “Good morning, beautiful” texts, the next day you’re in witness protection. We need consistency, not surprises.

“If you don’t want to be here, just say that. Don’t make me guess,” says Tiffany, who has retired from the guessing game.

3. Effort

A little effort goes a long way. Plan a date, pay attention to the details and please know that “What you wanna eat?” is not it.

“A man who remembers my favorite flowers, orders my go-to coffee and shows up for me? That’s a man who wins,” says Jasmine.

4. Protection Yes, we love it when y’all check somebody on our behalf, but protection isn’t just physical, it’s emotional and mental, too. Have our backs in rooms where we’re not present. Stand up for us when it counts.

“Protect me from the group chats full of nonsense, the ‘alpha male’ podcasts and my own tendency to overthink,” said Simone, a mental health advocate.

5. Accountability If you messed up, own it. It’s really that simple. We’re tired of hearing, “I don’t remember saying that” when the receipts are sitting in our phones.

“Grown men hold themselves accountable. Boys play the blame game,” says Keisha.

6. Vulnerability

Saying “I don’t do emotions” is not an excuse. We want to know what’s on your mind, what worries you, what excites you—because relationships are built on connection, not just vibes.

“It’s attractive when a man can be open and trust me with his thoughts,” says Ashley.

7. Love that feels like partnership

We’re not trying to be ride-or-die for a man who’s still deciding if he even likes us. We want to build with you, not survive with you.

“Stop thinking we have to struggle to prove our loyalty,” says Destiny.

8. Know our love language

If we love words of affirmation, don’t hit us with dry texts. If we need quality time, don’t think a quick FaceTime call while you play Madden counts.

“He can buy me flowers, but I’d much rather he fixes that wobbly shelf in my kitchen,” says Lauren.

9. Make us laugh

Nothing is sexier than a man who can make us laugh. Not just meme-sharing funny, but genuinely funny. Life is stressful enough—we need joy, not dry energy.

“If I can’t ugly laugh with you, we won’t last,” says Camille.

10. Be a man of your word

Say what you mean and mean what you say. If you say you’ll call, call. If you say you’ll show up, show up. We notice when you don’t.

“If you say, ‘I got you,’ then have me. No more empty words, please,” says Nia, who is done with broken promises.

Photo courtesy of State Historical Society of Missouri

RaShanda Tate

Its historic courtrooms and hallowed halls have been closed for as extensive renovations were completed, and beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday May 3, 205, the public is invited to join the celebration of its reopening during the “Journey to Justice” Festival on Saturday, May 3, 2025, in commemoration of the reopening of the Old Courthouse.

Attendees will be able to wander freely between Gateway Arch Park Foundation’s event and the newly reopened Old Courthouse until the building closes at 5 p.m.

Respective “Fountainside Chats,” with Lynne Jackson, great-great-granddaughter of Dred and Harriet Scott, and Jenifer Lewis, award-winning actor and St. Louis native during the event. Jackson’s will be held at 11:45 a.m., and Lewis’ follows at 1:30 p.m.

Trump

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tees equal access to education for Black children.

President Trump and his billionaire allies have given us so much to worry about in the first 100 days — the lawlessness, the cruel deportations, attacking education, and whitewashing our history,” said Fredrick Ingram, American Federation of Teachers secretary treasurer.

“The reason I do not despair is because I remember that at every moment in American history, Black folks have created strategies for survival. And every strategy centers around one idea: community.” Trump has slashed tens of thousands of federal

St. Louis television host Chelsea Haynes will serve as the festival’s emcee, with events on the commu-

jobs, which helped build the Black middle class; and fired a highly-decorated general and storied fighter pilot who was just the second Black chairman in the history of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The bedrock of our civil rights isn’t safe, either. Trump is challenging the 14th Amendment in court and signed an executive order rolling back protections enshrined in the Civil Rights Act of 1965.

The president threatened to whitewash the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture. He hollowed out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, emptying offices that tracked minority health

A new analysis from Americans for Tax Fairness (ATF) concludes

nity stage in Kiener Plaza:

“This is a momentous occasion for Gateway Arch National Park, for St.

that Trump’s sweeping tariffs on foreign goods have already added $14 billion in costs for U.S. households.

According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, import taxes soared to $96.3 billion in the first quarter of 2025, up 17% from the same period last year. ATF called the tariffs a regressive tax scheme that burdens working—and middle-class families while shielding the wealthy.

“These are just the first effects of Trump’s reckless and regressive tariffs—the beginning of higher costs that families will face due to the president’s incompetent trade policies and to fund his tax giveaway to billionaires,” David Kass, ATF’s executive director, said.

ATF’s analysis found

Louis, and for our visitors from all over the world,” said Ryan McClure, executive director of Gateway

that the bottom 60% of households, which receive about one-fifth of the nation’s income, will shoulder nearly one-third of the tariff burden. Meanwhile, the top 1% of income earners—those making more than $940,000—will pay just one-tenth of the cost despite taking in more than one-fifth of national income.

More than 200 demonstrators shut down traffic across Washington on Tuesday April 29, 2025, to protest what organizers called “100 days of disaster.” The protests resulted in eight arrests and widespread disruption throughout the city’s morning commute.

“For 100 days, Trump, [Elon] Musk, and their billionaire friends have stripped away our fun-

Families took advantage of a tour of the historic courtrooms and halls of The Old Courthouse during a recent event held prior to its reopening on Saturday May 3. The public is invited to celebrate the “Journey to Justice” Festival at The Courthouse and on Kiener Plaza.

Arch Park Foundation.

“This building connects us to the pivotal stories of our past and now, through

damental freedoms— abducting our neighbors, cracking down on political dissidents, and attempting to erase trans people from existence,” Ella Weber, an organizer, said.

Olivia DiNucci of CODEPINK said the administration has “gutted social services, sent billions to Israel, and boosted a trillion-dollar Pentagon budget, while families struggle to survive.”

Rev. Al Sharpton of The Action Network said Trump’s first 100 days “are Project 2025 in motion.”

He pointed to executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion, eliminating police accountability efforts, and attacking LGBTQ+ rights.

“Trump may have executive orders. He may

these renovations and upgrades, will continue to bring our community and nation together for years to come.”

St. Louis visual artist Cbabi Bayoc crafted the “Journey to Justice” theme, and his designs will be featured throughout the event. He also illustrated a video for the Old Courthouse, which will play throughout the day in the new Dred and Harriet Scott exhibit.

“As one who is always dipping back into the history of this country and St. Louis, I am honored to have been invited to create branding involving such a meaningful and historic building that saw some of America’s most impactful court cases,” said Bayoc. The festival will include local vendors, food trucks, activity booths, giveaways, and an interactive “passport” program, which will offer insight into the Old Courthouse’s role in history and its’ impact on the fight for justice and civil rights.

have the House and the Senate. He may have a conservative Supreme Court that will stand idly by even when he defies their orders. But he does not control our dollars. He cannot stop us from marching,” Sharpton asserted.

The Not Above the Law coalition accused the administration of ignoring court rulings, targeting political opponents through the Justice Department, and rewarding allies with sweeping pardons and federal contracts.

“We have come too far, heard too many commitments, and proved our case for success to go back now,” Sharpton said.

Stacy M. Brown, BlackPressUSA.com senior national correspondent, contributed to this report

Photo courtesy of The Arch Gateway National Park

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coverage, the City has been billing property owners for work that wasn’t done and causing undue stress to communities already suffering from blight. Given the widespread and well-documented problems, we had no choice but to end this program and re-evaluate more effective ways of making much-needed investments in North St. Louis.” The program has indeed proven problematic. Some property owners were shocked when they learned they owed hundreds of thousands to the city for repairs they didn’t ask for or authorize. Others claimed the work was poorly done or nonexistent.

Late last year Jones asked the FBI and the state auditor’s office to investigate reports of corruption in the St. Louis city Building Division after one inspector, who later resigned, allegedly had ties with two construction companies that had been

Davis

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The department achieved national re-accreditation by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) in December 2024, and Davis said, [It’s] not just a certificate, but a symbol of the extraordinary work we do every day.”

“It is the result of the teamwork, innovation, and passion each of our employees has brought to the reaccreditation process.”

The outstanding team she assembled must now continue without her. Davis resigned last week

paid more than $2.3 million in ARPA funds to do work mandated by the city.

Stable Communities STL was allocated some $13 million in ARPA funds to make repairs to privately held properties and then bill the owners for the work. The St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) and other city departments provided administrative support to the program.

Two programs operate under Stable Communities STL’s umbrella: “Building Stabilization” and the privately-owned “Property Stabilization” programs.

Jones said she had no comment, when contacted by The American.

There are thousands of abandoned or dilapidated properties on the city’s land bank, better known as the Land Reutilization Authority’s (LRA) database. The city has always had the authority to conduct emergency repairs on buildings that pose a threat or nuisance, but its building division lacked the funds to cover the costs of repairs upfront.

That all changed in 2022 when the city was

from her position, shortly after Mayor Cara Spencer was inaugurated as St. Louis mayor. Calling it a “difficult decision,” which came after much reflection, Davis remained on the job this week “to support the department’s continued progress and ensure a smooth handoff.”

“Together, we faced historic public health challenges and accomplished extraordinary milestones,” she said in a release.

Davis told The American that the timing of her departure is “coincidental” and that she decided upon her own to resign. The mayor’s office confirmed that it had not sought Davis’ resignation.

awarded millions in federal pandemic aid. After that windfall, elected officials began drafting guidelines to prioritize targeting the roughly 5,000 vacant and deteriorating structures in the city.

With the passage of tougher legislation, the city increased its efforts to stabilize its LRA properties and pursue problematic property owners like Paul McKee’s NorthSide Regeneration. It also threatened to seize high-profile but problematic vacant properties such as the Railway Exchange building downtown, according to the St. Louis Post Dispatch.

“The program has sent “a message to bad property owners that the city is not going to tolerate their behavior,” said former Mayor Jones’ chief of staff, Jared Boyd last year.

The Post Dispatch reported that more than 100 properties had been identified by which the city had hired contractors to do repairs and then bill the owners afterwards. Another “20 or so,” it reported, were “in the process of having the repair

“[Tuesday] I accepted Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis’ resignation as director of health. Dr. Mati has done an exemplary job and is well respected by her employees and citizens. I thank her for her service,” Spencer said in a statement.

Recognized as one of the leading urban health directors in the nation, Davis is leaving the post where she was a champion in support of the mental and physical well-being of city residents – despite state and national obstructionism. She leaves behind an impressive list of achievements.

The department’s staff was increased by 36%, and according to

work bid out.”

To ensure “no cloud is left” on any liens resulting from enforcement by the stabilization program, Spencer said her office is working with the Assessor and City Counselor’s offices to “lift all remaining liens” against penalized property owners.

There’s still $5.4 million in ARPA funds remaining with the Stable Communities STL program. Spencer’s answer to what will become of that money or if it will still be allocated to stabilization efforts, was inconclusive.

“We’re looking into that and hope we’ll continue to have dialogue about it,” Spencer answered. “Making sure we spend those dollars in the intended way to improve communities, particularly in north St. Louis, is really important and how we do that is something we’re still evaluating at this point.”

The same day Spencer announced she was shuttering the program, a lawsuit was filed in federal court targeting former Mayor Jones and others. Plaintiffs claimed the pro-

Davis, “removed the city from all high-risk designation audits, and built critical infrastructure, including the city’s first ever Behavioral Health Bureau.”

She did the following:

-Advocated for more than 60 local and state health bills and earned reaccreditation from the Public Health Accreditation Board, five years in the making.

-Established the city’s first Community Outreach and Communications Bureau, which engaged more than 13,000 residents at community events in 2024.

-Partnered to address pharmacy deserts, and helped reduce deaths at the

gram “Unilaterally hired construction crews to perform alleged repairs on a property, billed the owners for costs, and then placed a tax lien on the property for

City Justice Center to a low of 2 in 2024. Davis entered the office as the pandemic raged, and conservative state legislators and judges mocked science and medical knowledge. This included a ruling that a mandatory mask ruling in St. Louis County should be halted. She said the judge’s ruling was influenced by “petty, political perspectives.”

“It is, quite frankly, astounding to me that the political players involved would ever do this. It goes to show what happens when people in glass towers, people in positions of privilege, who don’t have to deal with the results of these types of rulings…

how they have no idea of the impact it will have on real people’s lives,” Davis said.

Davis is moving on and it is a significant loss for St. Louis and the region.

“It has been a joy to lead this department and to serve alongside such brilliant and committed public health professionals,” Davis said.

“A strong foundation has been laid for the next leader to build upon, and I know that the department will continue to excel. It has been one of the greatest honors of my professional life to serve this city, and I want to thank you all for the collaboration that has made this journey so meaningful.”

Symara Lunteford, 13, learning the art of composting at Earth Day in Forest Park Sunday, Apr. 27, 2025.

those bills.”

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

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American Happy Earth Day!

‘Taking Care of You’

A Black-owned ‘Sanctuary’ opens in Clayton

Helping women through holistic care

By Ashley Winters

The St. Louis American

St. Louis has a new Sanctuary, an integrated health and lifestyle resource headquartered in Clayton.

The Sanctuary celebrated its grand opening on Friday, April 25, and it offers a team of professionals specializing in health and wellness and personal styling, according to Kelli Braggs, MDIV, MSW, founder and owner.

Her goal is to “help women thrive personally and professionally through

holistic care.”

“Through the years, I’ve encountered many smart, capable women seeking external fixes on how to move forward and become their best selves,” Braggs said.

Sanctuary’s innovative approach involves personalized coaching experience to help clients feel more confident, have a sense of well-being, and develop an intentional purpose.

“In reality, the answers and power lie within. When we become our own sanctuary, we realize that everything we need to thrive is already inside of

us,” said the owner. Entrepreneur is just one of Braggs’ titles. The mother of a 13-year-old daughter, she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Liberty University, a Master of Divinity from Eden Theological Seminary, and her Master of Social Work from Washington University.

She plans to complete the Residential Interior Design Qualification Certification through Lindenwood University in 2025.

See SANCTUARY, A11

APHA leader Dr. Benjamin blasts HHS Secretary Kennedy

‘He

should resign or be fired’

By Jennifer Porter Gore Word In Black

With more than two decades leading the American Public Health Association as its executive director, Dr. Georges Benjamin knows how to keep people and communities healthy.

As the first Black doctor to serve as executive director of the APHA, Benjamin pays particular attention to the health gaps between Black and white people in the U.S.

When he recently called for Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy to “resign or be fired,” in a scathing public statement, he detailed the damage Kennedy has done to the nation’s health during his brief tenure. “Americans deserve better than someone who is trying to impose his unscientific and judgmental view of public health and science,” Benjamin said in his statement. “We deserve better than RFK, Jr. He demonstrated his incompetence in only a few weeks.” Word In Black interviewed Benjamin and he shared his perspective on our nation’s state of healthcare and See BENJAMIN, A11

Being well in health under informed age

By Joshua Levi Perrin

In a culture that profits from confusion, clarity is a form of protection — especially when it comes to health.

From social media influencers promising overnight cures to underfunded clinics and biased algorithms, it’s easy to feel both overexposed to health content and under informed when it matters most.

For Black communities—and particularly Black women — navigating healthcare systems that have long ignored their needs requires self-advocacy and a heavy dose of reliable information. Women’s Health Month calls out an opportunity to examine how health is pursued, preserved and protected amid the noise.

Identify fact from fiction

n A 2020 Pew Research Center survey found that the majority of Americans blame social media for misinformation.

From TikTok tutorials to wellness podcasts, information about health is everywhere. But more is not always better. A 2020 Pew Research Center survey found that the majority of Americans blame social media for misinformation. In an environment where misinformation can be deadly, learning how to evaluate sources is a skill that serves everyone — and safeguards collective wellness. For those seeking accurate, culturally competent guidance, these indicators can help assess reliability: 1. Seek trusted health sources: Some reputable entities include global and academic leaders like the World Health Organization, Meharry Medical College, Johns Hopkins, and Harvard, as well as philanthropic sources like See PERRIN, A11

by Dr. Will

associate dean for diversity at Washington University School of Medicine and professor of medicine in the Nephrology Division. Benjamin says HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy is unqualified for the position and a threat to American healthcare.

Left to right: Cutting the ribbon on the Santuary are Chef Dave Chandler, Jamila Owens-Todd, Mayor Bridget McAndrew, founder of Santuary Kelli Braggs, Heather Bell, and Dr. Jennifer Wessels.

Photo courtesy of Sanctuary

Joshua Levi Perrin

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Dr. Georges Benjamin (right), the executive director of the American Public Health Association, was keynote speaker at the Washington University School of Medicine 2017 Homer G. Phillips Lecture on October 27, 2017. He was presented with a plaque

Ross,

‘Taking

Free health fair set for May 5-8 at America’s Center

Pathway to Health and the Seventh-day Adventist Church, have partnered to bring together more than 1,800 healthcare professionals and volunteers for a free dental, medical, and vision large-scale health clinic in downtown St. Louis, Missouri at the America’s Center Convention Complex May 5-8, 2025.

Sanctuary

Continued from A10

Her dedication to fostering positive change, helping individuals realize their power, and making meaningful contributions to her community drives her.

Braggs’ Sanctuary is exactly what she wants to give back to women–a guide towards intentional living, helping women better maintain their peace within while managing life through tailored solutions so they can achieve excellence in all areas of their lives.

“I understand what freedom feels like and what freedom allows women to do,” said Braggs during the grand opening.

“We are helping women tap into their divine purpose of who they are. When women can fully tap into their full selves and live out their wildest imagination, that’s when they can truly be free.”

The mission is to provide a holistic wellness experience for women through spiritual, physical, spatial, and style transformations. The Sanctuary aims to empower each cli-

Benjamin

Continued from A10

what’s on the horizon for healthcare in the Black community.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

WIB: Why should Kennedy resign?

Georges Benjamin: First of all, he didn’t have a health background. And even though there have been other health secretaries that haven’t had a health background, most of them were certainly grounded in health policy

Secondly, [Kennedy] had really no serious administrative experience. [HHS] is an almost $2 trillion agency with over 14 operating divisions,

Perrin

Continued from A10

the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Kaiser Health News. Communitybased platforms such as BlackDoctor.org also provide culturally grounded insights tailored to the lived experiences of Black patients.You can also view our curated list of Black Health Resources and organizations

2. Transparency matters: Reliable content documents findings, avoids sensational language and doesn’t promise instant results.

3. Cross-checking

Health-related services will be offered to noninsured and underinsured residents of St. Louis, and there will be free on-site healthcare services include medical care visits in cardiology, dermatology, lifestyle medicine, pediatrics, podiatry, psychiatry, women’s health services, and even minor surgeries; dental care includes cleanings,

fillings, and extractions; and vision care includes exams and prescription glasses.

Other services include physical therapy, massage, haircuts, and clothing. To serve as many St. Louis residents as possible, media outlets are encouraged to alert the greater community that services will be offered

on a first come, first served basis. No insurance and no identification are required.

According to its website, Pathway to Health has served thousands of individuals across the country through similar events, providing crucial medical attention to those who might otherwise go without.

“We are a non-profit, humanitarian, organization dedicated to spreading the love inspired by the example of Christ to be of service to others through our free clinics. With the help and commitment of our volunteers, donors, partners, and the Seventh-day Adventist Church, we have been able to share

the gift of physical, mental, and spiritual health.” Doors open at 7 a.m. Monday through Wednesday, May 5-8. Patients interested in surgery or have general questions should call (844) 545-8000. For more information visit www.pathwaytohealth. org

ent to become and create their own sanctuary.

Clayton Mayor Bridget McAndrew, who just took office in April, was impressed with Sanctuary. “I thought, wow, this is incredible. I want to tell all my friends about this,” said McAndrew.

Each Sanctuary client will have access to a team through their work with partner organizations and

including several other departments. It’s a big, complicated organization with lots of overlapping parts in terms of decision-making.

WIB: Has Kennedy done specific harm to the Black community?

GB: He was just in a TV interview the other day about his department having $11 billion cut out of his budget, and he said he didn’t know anything about those cuts. Then he said those were diversity, equity, and inclusion cuts. Well, there may be some grants in there that supported DEI, but the people he fired were the very people that were out there trying to fight the measles epidemic, the tuberculosis epidemic, the obesity epidemic, and the chronic disease programs that he says he wants to

is key: If new health information is cited, compare it across several reputable platforms and consider reaching out to a licensed provider for context.

Health without a luxury price

Health isn’t defined by access to boutique gyms or expensive supplements. While systemic barriers to care remain a reality, there are evidence-based habits that support physical and emotional well-being without high costs.

1. Nutrition: Incorporating more fiber-rich vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins into meals can significantly

n “You are your own sanctuary. Everything you need already exists within you.”

– Kelli Braggs

healthcare practitioners.

Braggs hopes her business can elevate women and the impact they can make on their communities, in their professions, and in their

support.

WIB: Those issues disproportionately affect Black communities.

GB: Racialization of services that serve people is racist in its very core, in my view. And while they articulate they want to make this non-racebased, the fact of the matter is we are still in a racialized society in this country. Structural racism is alive and well, structural inequality is alive and well.

For example, he has been advocating to get fluoride out of our drinking water. Well, fluoride can naturally be in our water. He doesn’t talk about the fact that one of the leading causes of children not being able to go to school is poor dental health.

Kids who are already living in challenged com-

impact long-term health. Frozen or canned produce (with low sodium or no added sugar) are budget-friendly options often overlooked in wellness discourse.

2. Movement: The CDC recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity weekly. That can include walking, dancing, housework, or neighborhood workouts — forms of movement that are both accessible and sustainable.

3. Hydration and sleep: Basic, often undervalued aspects of health include drinking more water and at least seven hours of sleep per night are foundational in

personal lives.

“Our curated techniques help women to ‘show up powerfully’ in their bodies and spaces. Each session is an opportu-

munities and have a whole bunch of other barriers that keep them from getting a good education, good dental health shouldn’t be one of those barriers. If they are from lower-income and underserved populations, and not on Medicaid, they may not have access to dental health care at all.

WIB: The APHA calls Kennedy a purveyor of misinformation.

GB: He’s actively promoted the theory that vitamin A is a preventive cure for measles, when actually, vitamin A is dangerous to give to people, particularly kids. Vitamins in general help you remain in good health, particularly when you’re not eating a really great diet. In most cases, they don’t hurt. But there are certain vitamins, like vitamin A, which get stored in the body’s fat,

supporting energy, focus, immunity and mood.

The broader wellness industry has commercialized many of these practices, but the principles remain rooted in simplicity and repetition.

Dealing with stress

The physical toll of stress is well documented. Chronic stress has been linked to hypertension, heart disease, digestive issues and mental health conditions. These outcomes disproportionately impact Black women, who are more likely to face multiple overlapping stressors related to caregiving, employment,

nity to refine, realign, and reinforce habits that result in lasting transformation,” said Braggs, who brings over 20 years of experience in the health and wellness industry serving as a certified fitness trainer, wellness coach, social worker, and non-profit executive and pastor.

As a former executive director at Bridge of Hope Ministries, Braggs led

that when taken in anything more than extremely low doses can cause liver damage.

WIB: How can Black people protect their health?

GB: First thing is to become more health literate. This means you understand your body and how it functions. So, you can understand how to be healthy within your own community. Because 80% of what makes you healthy occurs outside the doctor’s office.

Also, it’s important to advocate for things that we know we don’t have.

For example, in many of our communities, we don’t have access to grocery stores that sell affordable, healthy foods, and that we have a lot of convenience stores.

When I was a health

racism and medical discrimination.

Managing that stress can build resilience.

Mindfulness — whether through guided meditation, deep breathing, prayer, journaling, or simply taking a quiet walk — can interrupt the body’s stress response and help recalibrate the nervous system. According to the American Psychological Association, even short, consistent mindfulness practices can lower cortisol levels and improve cognitive function over time.

There’s no one-sizefits-all approach to health, and there never has been. But there are tools that can help communities navigate

its transformation from a daytime shelter to the St. Louis region’s first integrative medical respite program. Her expertise crosses between business, racial and health equity, economic mobility, and spirituality.

“You are your own sanctuary,” she said. “Everything you need already exists within you.”

commissioner in Washington, D.C., there were lots of grocery stores in Northeast and Northwest Washington, but no grocery stores in the overwhelmingly Black section east of the [Anacostia River] until fairly recently. Our communities need to advocate our elected leaders for them to do what is necessary to get grocery stores to come to our community now. Then we have to, as the customers, go over there and shop at those businesses. But we also have to recognize that there are unhealthy foods for us, and we do have to improve our own individual health. So, it’s both a population approach and an individual responsibility approach that are important parts of this process.

the complexity: critical thinking, collective care and culturally grounded support. As digital platforms continue to shape what’s seen and shared about health, being a savvy consumer puts you on the path to reclaiming authority, aligning choices with your needs and building habits that promote better quality of life.

In that process, Black communities — especially Black women — continue to lead the way in defining what holistic, accessible, and transformative health truly looks like.

Joshua Levi Perrin is a writer for Unerased | Black Women Speak

Sanctuary Founder Kelli Braggs speaks to guests at the grand opening Friday, Apr. 25, 2025.

Photo courtesy of Sanctuary

resources to St. Louis area teachers and students each week throughout the school year, at no charge.

Questions or comments? Contact Cathy Sewell csewell@stlamerican.com or 618-910-9551

Questions or comments? Contact

CLASSROOM SPOTLIGHT

Students Summer Williams and Jarbari Watson, in Ms. Nikki Binion’s 2nd grade class at Jackson Park Elementary School, work together on a Novel Engineer build. The story was about the “Three Bears!” They had to find a way to keep Goldilocks out of the house.

Students at The American’s Summer Science Academy work in teams to discover the many different computer programming languages.

SCIENCE CORNER

SCIENCE STARS

AFRICAN-AMERICAN MYCOLOGIST AND EDUCATOR:

Jeanette Jones

SCIENCE CORNER

What Is Gravity ?

What Are Fungi ?

Gravity, also known as gravitational forces (g-force), is the force of attraction. Gravity attracts all objects toward each other. It is the pull that keeps you walking on earth, instead of floating into space. Every person has a mass, or gravitational pull, which places a force on every other mass. The bigger an item is, and the closer you are to it, the stronger the gravitational pull.

Not only does gravity keep things grounded, it also affects the ways things fall.

Fungi are organisms made of filaments (called hyphe) that are stacked together. Unlike plants, fungi do not have chlorophyll, so they cannot make their own food. Some fungi are parasites, which mean they live off of other organisms. Some fungi feed off of dead and decaying matter. Fungi are everywhere in the environment, including the soil, lakes, river and seas, air, and on plants and animals. Fungi (plural of fungus) help organic matter to decay and release carbon and oxygen into the environment. Unlike plants, fungi do not have

Another important factor in falling

is acceleration. Earth always produces the same acceleration on each item. This means that if you dropped an apple or a piano, then they would fall at the same rate due to gravity, and acceleration.

leaves, stems, or roots. Fungi use spores to reproduce. One common type of fungus is the mushrooms you find on your pizza. Mold, yeasts, and mildew are also types of fungus.

For More Information: https:// spaceplace.nasa.gov/what-is-gravity/en/

For More Information, Go to: https://kids.kiddle.co/Fungus

Learning Standards: I can read nonfiction text to gain background information about fungi.

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

Katherine C. G. Johnson was born on August 26, 1918, in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. Her father was a farmer and janitor, and her mother was a teacher. Because she was African American and many local schools were not available to her, Johnson had to attend West Virginia State High School 125 miles from home. Johnson developed a love for math at an early age and could solve problems that were even difficult for her teachers. Due to her advanced intellectual abilities, Johnson graduated from high school at the age of fourteen. She went to West Virginia State College and earned a bachelor’s degree in French and mathematics at the age of eighteen. Dr. W.W. Schiefflin Claytor, the third African American to earn a PhD in mathematics, was her mentor and created an analytical geometry course specifically for her. After college, Johnson taught in elementary and high schools for seventeen years. Then, she began working at Langley Research Center (LaRC) as a research mathematician for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), which later became NASA. In 1953, Johnson began her work with an all-male flight team. She was accepted because of her knowledge and confidence. Next, Johnson worked at the Spacecraft Controls Branch, calculating flight trajectory for Alan Shepard (the first American to go into space, in 1959). Also, Johnson verified the math behind John Glenn’s orbit around Earth in 1962, and calculated the flight trajectory for Apollo 11’s flight to the moon in 1969. She retired in 1986.

Jeanette Jones was born on September 19, 1950, in Fort Valley, Georgia. Jones graduated from Fort Valley State University in 1972 with a bachelor’s degree in biology education. In 1973, Jones received her master’s degree in botany and mycology (a branch of biology that studies fungi) from The Ohio State University. In 1976, she received her doctorate (Ph.D.) degree. She also studied at the University of Nevada, the University of California Medical School, the National Center for Disease Control-Atlanta, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After graduation, Alabama A&M University hired Jones as an assistant biology professor. In 1986, she served as an adjunct professor in the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Services at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and worked on a project with NASA. In 1991, Jones served as the first female vice president of research and development at Alabama A&M University. She also served as President of Alabama A&M University’s Faculty Senate from 2001 to 2006. In 1992, she was appointed to the U.S. Army Science Board by the U.S. Secretary of the Army, Togo West. Since 2004 Jones has been the director of the Center for Biomedical, Behavioral, and Environment Research at Alabama A&M University. She also worked as a consultant with federal agencies to help them develop training programs to attract women and minorities to STEM education and careers.

SCIENCE INVESTIGATION

SCIENCE INVESTIGATION

Materials Needed:

Drinking Glass • Cardboard • Water

Procedure:

Materials Needed:

q Fill the glass with water.

• 3 slices of bread • Water • 3 Ziploc bags

• 10x10 square centimeter grid • Ruler

Growing Mold!

t For five days, measure the square centimeters of mold on each piece of bread through the bag. Use a grid, if possible, or a ruler. If mold covers more than half a square centimeter, it is counted as one full centimeter. If it is less, it is counted as 0 centimeters. This will give you the area of mold on each slice of bread

Reflect: What happens? Does the water fall from the glass? Does it stay in the glass? Considering what you know about gravity, why does this happen? Learning Standards: I can follow directions to complete an experiment. I can make observations.

Johnson co-authored more than 26 scientific papers, and received an Honorary Doctor of Laws and an Honorary Doctor of Science. In 1999, she was named as the Outstanding Alumnus of the Year by West Virginia State College. Johnson was also the recipient of NASA’s Lunar Spacecraft and Operation’s Group Achievement Award.

Johnson’s impact at NASA was portrayed in the movie “Hidden Figures.”

Discuss:

Process:

w Put the cardboard over the mouth of the glass, making sure that no air bubbles enter the glass as you hold onto the cardboard.

q Wet one slice of bread enough to make it moist and place it in a bag. Seal the bag very tightly.

e Turn the glass upside down (over a sink or outside until you have practiced a few times).

r Take away your hand holding the cardboard.

w Place the two other slices of dry bread in two separate bags and seal them, as well.

MATH CONNECTION

e Place the bag with the wet slice of bread and one of the bags with a dry slice of bread in a dark place, such as a closed cabinet or closet.

r Place the third bag with a dry slice of bread in the refrigerator.

y At the end of a week (5 days of measuring) or longer, use your final results to say what percentage of the bread was covered in mold. Make a table or graph to display the information.

Discussion Questions: How much mold was on the bread? Which location had the most mold? Which had the least? What conclusions can you draw about the conditions in which mold grows? How can food manufacturers and restaurant owners use this information to help them?

In 1975, Jones was listed in the World’s Women’s Who’s Who and she was named an Outstanding Young Woman of America in 1978. Beta Beta Beta National Biological Honor Society awarded her the distinguished service award. Jones also received the Significant Service Award from the NASA Space Life Sciences Training Program and the Extramural Associate Research Development Award from the National Institute of Health. In 1990 and 2006, she was named Woman of the Year at Alabama A&M University and was given the Outstanding Leadership Award by the Faculty Senate. The U.S. Army presented Jones the Commander’s Award for Outstanding Civilian Service as a member of the Army Science Board.

q What is the most interesting thing you learned about Dr. Johnson?

w Dr. Johnson was the sole female among male colleagues on her flight research team. Have you ever felt like the odd person out? How did it make you feel? How did you overcome it? How can you learn from Dr. Johnson’s story?

Discussion Questions: Dr. Jones received many awards and honors. How would you describe her achievements and her contributions to science? Dr. Jones is studying how fungi might be used as agents of war. What purpose do you think fungi serve in modern warfare? Are fungi beneficial or harmful?

Learning Standards: I can read a biography to learn about an individual who has made contributions in math, science, and technology.

Learning Standards: I can read a biography to learn about an African American who has made contributions in science, math, technology, or engineering.

MATH CONNECTION

“G” force is the amount of gravitational force your body feels. When you are on a roller coaster, your body will experience a strong g-force. Aircraft pilots and astronauts also experience high g-forces. If you experience 3 Gs, you experience three times your weight in gravitational pull. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds and experience 3 Gs, it is equivalent to 450 pounds.

Calculate the following problems:

q If you weigh 180 pounds and experience, 2.2 Gs, what weight do you feel in a gravitational pull? _______

Learning Standards: I can follow sequential directions to complete an experiment. I can display my results, make observations, and draw conclusions.

e If you weigh 120 pounds and feel the gravitational pull of 240 pounds, how many Gs are you experiencing?

r If you weigh 115 pounds and you feel the gravitational pull of 253 pounds, how many Gs are you experiencing?

Analyzing a Bar Graph

Scientists often use tables and graphs to display the results of their research. Looking at these displays,

w If you weigh 100 pounds and experience 3.5 Gs, what weight do you feel as a gravitational pull?

t If you experience 4 Gs at your current weight, what is the gravitational pull? ________

Discussion Questions: Which day had the most measured rainfall? Which day(s) had the least? Looking at the bar graph, what might you conclude about rain patterns in March/April? What other observations can you make?

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

Learning Standards: I can use a bar graph to display information. I can use the information to make deductions and inferences.

MAP CORNER

MAP CORNER

Use the newspaper to complete these activities:

Activity One — Editorial Cartoons: Editorial cartoons are a powerful medium for expressing ideas. Find an editorial cartoon in an online newspaper. Who is the intended audience? What is the message? What is the theme or tone of the cartoon? What symbolism is being used? Has the author chosen an effective way to present the idea? What would you do differently?

Use the newspaper to complete the following activities: Types of News: Use the front section of the newspaper to evaluate the types of news stories presented: local, national, and international. Sort the articles into the three categories and create a bar graph that displays the amount of coverage each type of news story received.

Newspaper Headlines: Locate and read several newspaper headlines. Discuss how the headlines sum up the article while catching the reader’s interest. Compare headlines to story titles. Next, write a headline for a familiar fairy tale. Share the headlines with a classmate, and have them guess the fairy tale.

Mystery Story: Cut out several pictures from the newspaper without reading the caption. Place the pictures in a bag, and without looking, pick your mystery picture from the bag. That’s your stimulus for writing. Construct a graphic organizer to identify the 5Ws (who, what, when, where, and why) of your story by looking at your picture. Then, continue the writing process.

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can categorize and summarize that information.

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can write an effective headline. I can analyze a political cartoon.

AFRICAN AMERICAN PHYSICIST & MATHEMATICIAN: Katherine C.G. Johnson

Photo by Nikki Binion

Photo courtesy of National Visionary Leadership Project

Missouri Supreme Court upholds Prop A

Rally on May 3 in St. Louis

Proposition A supporters were out in full force at the Kansas City UAW Hall on November 6, 2024. The ballot proposal, which called for an increase in the state minimum wage and mandatory sick leave for employees, passed with 58% of the vote. The measure was challenged in a lawsuit, but on Tuesday the state Supreme Court upheld Prop B, which becomes law May 1.

By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American

The Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld Proposition A, the voter-approved law expanding paid sick leave and minimum wage rises each year.

Proposition A, passed by an overwhelming majority of Missouri voters in November 2024, will go into effect Thursday. May 1.

Yet, Republican legislators continue to ignore the will of the people by pressing for House Bill 567.

The bill would repeal Proposition A’s paid sick leave provisions and eliminate cost-of-living adjustments

for its minimum wage increase.

The Supreme Court heard arguments last month seeking to strike down the law. A lawsuit was filed by a coalition of business groups and individuals, which argued the law should be vacated because it violated constitutional rules on ballot initiatives.

The alleged infractions included of the state constitution’s single-subject requirement and a lack of a clear title, which the court ruled it lacks jurisdiction over.

“This court finds there was no election irregularity, and the election results are valid,” Chief Justice Mary Russell wrote in the opinion.

Low-wage workers with Missouri

Workers Center will join together in support of Prop B and workers’ rights during a rally at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 3, 2025, outside of SEIU Healthcare, 5585 Pershing Avenue, St. Louis, 63112.

Democratic state Sens. Doug Beck, Karla May, Steven Roberts, Angela Mosley, Brian Williams, and Tracy McCreery of St. Louis, who all have filibustered in an effort to stop the bill, will join along with Missouri Jobs with Justice and allies representing faith, labor, and civil rights organizations.

The rally will be in celebration of International Workers’ Day and the May 1 implementation of earned paid sick days

STL County Land Bank targets abandoned properties

By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American

A new land bank will be an investment in St. Louis County’s future according to County Executive Sam Page.

Sponsored by Council Chair Rita Days and Councilwoman Shalonda Webb, Page signed Bill No. 57 on Monday, formally establishing the Saint Louis County Land Bank. The inaugural county agency of this type has a goal of restoring vacant and tax-delinquent properties to productive use.

“The Saint Louis County Land Bank restores hope and opportunity for our communities,” said Dr. Page in a release.

“Vacant lots and abandoned buildings hurt everyone. This land bank will help us turn eyesores into assets – creating safe, affordable housing, vibrant green spaces, and stronger neighborhoods for generations to come.”

According to the County, it is home to thousands of vacant, abandoned, and tax-delinquent properties, with many long trapped in “legal limbo.” Many of the properties are in north St. Louis County.

“The new land bank offers a powerful, targeted tool to reclaim, restore, and redevelop these properties, strengthening neighborhoods and supporting sustainable growth,” according to Page.

Tony L. Smee, Department of

Former state Rep. Kevin Windham did not seek re-election in 2024 and began working for Washington University. Before leaving office, he was instrumental in passage of House Bill 2062, which expanded local authority to create land banks. St. Louis County became the first in the state to create a land bank following the bill’s passage.

Dr. Lewis appointed as College dean at HSSU

Dr. Timothy E. Lewis

Harris-Stowe State University has announced the appointment of Dr. Timothy E. Lewis as Dean of the College of Social Sciences, Arts, and Humanities. Lewis previously served as an Associate Professor of Political Science at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), where he became the first Black American to earn tenure in the department. He also served as chair of the Department of Social Work and Black Studies director He will oversee academic programming, assessment, faculty development and recruitment, budget management, and strategic scheduling. He will also serve as a campus and community ambassador.

Smart new member of Society of I&O Realtors

Brandon K. Smart

Brandon K. Smart, president of SmartEquity Commercial Real Estate and Property Management, has been selected as a member of The Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR). A former St. Louis Commercial Realtors president, Smart holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business from Lake Forest College in Chicago and is a Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM).

“Smart brings a distinguished track record to the organization. His leadership and dedication to excellence in commercial real estate exemplify the values and standards upheld by SIOR,” according to the organization.

Webster U’s Hall shares knowledge with Newsweek

Webster University Adjunct Professor Bill Hall was recently quoted in Newsweek Magazine about a new poll that showed a large percentage of Americans now want their state to secede and join Canada.

Bill Hall

Hall also was quoted by the magazine in polls showing the Democratic Party will likely win the majority of seats in the next Congressional race. In addition, Newsweek sought his comments on the plummeting favorability numbers of President Trump. Hall has been an adjunct professor of political science in the Department of History, Politics, and International Relations at Webster University since 1997.

Isom appointed director of communications

Beverly Isom was recently appointed director of communications for the office of St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer. She has more than 25 years of experience as a senior communications and public affairs professional in government that includes the City of Atlanta, CDC, FEMA, and the Commerce Department.

She most recently served as Operation Food Search director of Policy and Advocacy.

Photo by Vaughn Wheat / Courtesy of The Beacon

Photo by Tim Bommel / Missouri House of Representatives

Beverly Isom

Prop A

Continued from B1

guaranteed to workers through passage of Proposition A, passed with the support of 58% of Missouri voters.

The Missouri Independent reported that Williams, a Democrat from University City, spent over two hours blocking action in the chamber with a filibuster Tuesday morning, saying some had been acting in bad faith during negotiations.

“This year, there’s been again, people going back on negotiation, bad faith efforts, distrust, people feeling deceived and members of the body feeling disrespected,” he said.

“But most importantly, all in the name of disregarding voters. The very same voters that have sent us here.”

Under the law, beginning May 1, employers with business receipts greater than $500,000 a year must provide at least one hour of paid

Land Bank

Continued from B1

streams. This, according to the county, [will give] buyers legal certainty and confidence.”

A land back board will be appointed by the County Executive, County Council, and the Municipal League of Metro St. Louis. House Bill 2062, which was passed during the 2024 state legislative session, expanded local authority to create land banks.

leave for every 30 hours worked. Employers with fewer than 15 workers must allow workers to earn at least 40 hours per year, with larger employers mandated to allow at least 56 hours. The law also gradually increases the minimum wage.

“I felt the need to take a stand against HB 567,” said state Sen. Mosley in a legislative update.

“So far, I, along with many of my colleagues, have been successful in keeping this bill from passing.”

Proposition A raised the

minimum wage to $13.75 and would raise it again to $15 on Jan. 1, 2026. It would continue to raise the minimum wage based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) which helps track inflation and the cost of goods.

HB 567, if passed,

State Sen. Brian Williams filibustered against House Bill 567, which would repeal Proposition A’s paid sick leave provisions and eliminate costof-living adjustments for its minimum wage increase. Williams accused Republicans of “bad-faith bargaining” and again ignoring Missouri voters, who overwhelmingly passed the proposal.

ensure every employee in Missouri had the ability to take off work when sick, but HB 567 would remove guaranteed sick leave for Missouri employees.”

Buddy Lahl, CEO of the Missouri Restaurant Association, which was a plaintiff in the lawsuit, told The Missouri Independent on Tuesday that Prop B “is financially burdensome, just short of devastating, and its regulatory requirements are extremely difficult for single unit operators.”

In a statement, the Missouri Workers Center said, “Missourians shouldn’t have to choose between their paycheck, their health, and their family’s health.”

would make it so the minimum wage would not automatically increase and “instead require us to fight for every additional increase in future years,” according to Mosley.

“Prop A also established an employee’s right to sick leave and

“But 1 in 3 Missouri working parents don’t get a single paid sick day, so staying home means missing out on pay needed for prescriptions, food, or rent. Prop A implementation would mean the freedom for over 700,000 workers to care for themselves and their loved ones without having to worry about affording basic necessities amid a cost-of-living crisis.”

million investment.

St. Louis County is the first jurisdiction in the state to enact a land bank agency under the new statute.

A group of diverse partners, the St. Louis County Land Bank Coalition, worked for passage of the bill last year.

The partners included former state Rep. Kevin Windham, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, the Municipal League of Metro St. Louis, Beyond Housing, the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, The Housing Partnership, Spanish Lake Community Development Corporation, The Center

for Community Progress, and others.

“I’ve watched homes in our community sit empty for years—windows shattered, roofs caved in, and hope slipping through the cracks,” said Windham, who originally elected from the state’s 85th House district.

After redistricting in 2022, he was elected from the 74th district, which includes 22 municipalities and portions of unincorporated St. Louis County. Among the communities are Cool Valley, Wellston, Vinita Park and Pasadena Hills.

“The unanimous council vote is more than just policy, it’s a promise to neighborhoods like mine that we haven’t been forgotten. This land bank ordinance is a step toward restoration, toward dignity, and toward the future our communities deserve.”

St. Louis Realtors

President Stacey Sanders said, called the bill and its signing, “a historic moment for St. Louis County.

“The creation of this land bank adds a critical tool to transform blighted areas into opportunity. Helping to reclaim prop-

erties, stabilize neighborhoods, and open the door to new investment. We are proud to have fueled this effort from the beginning,” she said.

According to the County, the inaugural Land Bank is unique because it can deliver:

Selectivity - “The County chooses which properties to take—not everything by default.”

Clean titles – “Courtsupervised sales mean no legal surprises for future buyers.”

Funding - It’s built to last, with three revenue streams plus an initial $1

The banks will also help create safer neighborhoods by reducing blight and vacancy, create opportunities for new homeowners, local developers, and nonprofits, and create a fair and transparent system designed with input from the public.

“Together, we worked tirelessly to ensure that local leaders have the tools they needed to revitalize blighted properties and build a stronger future for all residents of St. Louis County,” said Sanders of the Coalition.

Photo courtesy of Brian Williams Facebook

n “He’s a really good quarterback but doesn’t have traits that jump off the chart.”

– NFL Network analyst Maurice Jones-Drew on Shedeur Sanders

InSIdE SportS

With Earl Austin Jr.

Prep track luminaries light up Ladue lanes

Lightning-fast performances struck the track during the Phil Brusca-Connie Strobach Invitational at Ladue.

Sprinter Havyn Smith of Pattonville won the 200- and 400-meter dashes in winning times of 23.9 and 55.88 seconds, respectively.

Cardinal Ritter standout Kyndall Spain won the 100-meter-high hurdles in 13.95 seconds. She also finished second in the 100. Alexa Adams of Timberland won the 300meter low hurdles with a winning time of 43.91. She also finished second in the 100meter hurdles.

Ladue’s tandem of Delaney Brinker and Laila Murray also had productive afternoons. Brinker won the 100-meter dash in 12.06 and she finished second in the 200 in 23.98. Moore finished third in the 100 and 300-meter low hurdles. The Rams also won the 4x400-meter relay in 3 minutes 53.39 seconds.

the 4x100 and 4x200. In addition to being a part of those winning relay units, Dai’Shawn Houston finished second in the 100 and 200.

Earl’s World

In the sprint relays, Belleville East dominated as it swept the 4x100 and 4x200. The Lancers won the 4x100 in 47.69 and the 4x200 in 1:40.02 - five seconds faster than their nearest competitors.

On the boys’ side, Henry Rohan of MICDS won the 100 and 200 with winning times of 10.59 and 21.89. In the sprint relays, Lift for Life swept

It was great seeing two players from the St. Louis area selected in last week’s National Football League Draft. Wide receivers Luther Burden III and Dominic Lovett graduated from East St. Louis Senior High and were teammates at the University of Missouri for a year… Burden, who was taken by the Chicago Bears in the second round with the 39th pick, was a three-year standout for the Tigers. As a sophomore, he was a Second Team All-American with 86 receptions for 1,212 yards and 15 touchdowns. He caught 61 passes for 676 yards and eight touchdowns his junior year… Lovett, who transferred to Georgia for his final two seasons, was selected by the Detroit Lions in the seventh round. Lovett was Mizzou’s leading receiver as a sophomore during the 2022 season. During his two seasons at Georgia, he had 113 receptions for 1,210 yards and 10 touchdowns…A pair of former basketball standouts from Cardinal Ritter College Prep have found new homes. Forward Garry

Bailey Harvey finishes at 13.29 and Jaidyn Conners from University

the Ladue Brusca-Strohbach Invitational track meet Saturday, Apr. 26, 2025.

Clark is headed to Utah State while forward Nick Ellington will be playing for George Mason…Clark is a 6’8” forward, played at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi last season, where he averaged 14.9 points and 7.7 rebounds a game while shooting 54% from the field…Ellington, a 6’7” forward, averaged 10 points and five rebounds a game at Murray State in the Missouri Valley

Conference. They were teammates on back–to back state championship teams at Cardinal Ritter in 2020 and 2021… A starting guard on the 2021 team was the aforementioned Luther Burden III, who was also a basketball standout at Ritter before transferring to East St. Louis…Former DeSmet standout Brian Taylor has given a commitment to East Tennessee State

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

University. The 6’4” Taylor was a standout guard for SIUE this past season, helping the Cougars to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament title and the school’s first ever berth in the NCAA Tournament. He averaged 11.9 points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting an impressive 44 percent from 3-point range…. Wentzville Timberland High has

tabbed Arlen Harris as its new football coach. A former running back for the St. Louis Rams, Harris returns to the coaching ranks where he was the coach at Lutheran St. Charles from 2015 to 2021. Harris guided the Cougars to the Class 2 state championship in 2021 with a last-second victory over perennial small-school powerhouse Lamar.

Dissecting Shedeur Sanders’ NFL draft situation

It was an interesting weekend for Shedeur Sanders.

The former Colorado quarterback, and son of NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, plummeted down the 2025 NFL Draft board until the fifth round when the Cleveland Browns selected him.

The Browns had earlier selected former Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel in the third round.

The Tennessee Titan’s picked former Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the draft’s first overall pick, which was expected.

Jaxson Dart (New York Giants 1st round), Tyler Shough (New Orleans Saints 2nd round), Jalen Milroe (Seattle Seahawks 3rd round) and Garbriel all got a nod over Sanders.

What was up?

Before getting into what was the cause, let’s point out what it wasn’t. There have been, and will be, issues concerning the NFL and Black quarterbacks, but this isn’t one. This is something else.

The Travis Hunter connection

I did not hear any

NFL pundit or mock draft expert say that Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter made Sanders a better player. Usually, it’s the quarterback that gets this praise. When you have the best receiver on offense, and overwhelming confidence in your defense because you have the best defensive back, your job is easier. Some teams were concerned that, minus Hunter, Sanders will be pedestrian. I listed this possible reason first because it has been overlooked.

Daddy Deion

Upon conclusion of the 2024-25 NFL season, Deion Sanders stated that the only NFL team he would be interested in serving as head coach would be a team his son(s) played for. Imagine if you are a head coach or general manager and you heard that pronouncement. “I’m not going to draft the son of the guy that has let it be known he wants my job.”

If you drafted Shedeur Sanders, you also drafted Deion Sanders. They are a package deal. The elder Sanders was his son’s

offensive coordinator in high school – with obvious influence over the entire program. They then became head coach and quarterback at Jackson State and Colorado, respectively.

It’s unknown how Shedeur Sanders will react to coaching on the NFL level, and with the specter of his father hanging overhead, some teams said “thanks, but no thanks.”

An attitude adjustment

No team or coach has criticized Shedeur Sanders publicly about his attitude

and abrasiveness during pre-draft interviews, private workouts, or personal front-office meetings.

There are many anonymous reports that Sanders was a first-class youknow-what.

“He’s so entitled. Worse formal interview of my life,” an NFL exec reportedly said.

As Mike Florio of Peacock’s “Pro Football Talk” says, “there is anonymous opinion and there is anonymous fact.”

I think it is factual that some NFL folks felt disrespected after interviewing Sanders.

Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders speaks during a press conference at the NFL football scouting combine Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, in Indianapolis.

Talent talks loudest

Shedeur Sanders passed for 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns, last season, with just 10 interceptions. He also completed over 74% of his passes.

But he held the ball too long and took 52 sacks. He was the most sacked QB in college football for two consecutive seasons. Colorado had a porous offensive line, but not the worst in college football. Sanders was also not a dynamic rusher of the football in college, which is key to NFL success in

today’s game.

Had Sanders graded higher, he would have been selected higher. I think he should have been drafted in the second or third round. His fall to the fifth round has more to do with other factors than his ability.

The Reid Roundup

St. Louis Cardinals centerfielder Victor Scott II has released his second rap album and made a studio appearance on MLB Network’s “MLB Central last week. He was hitting .264 with a home run and 10 RBIs following the Milwaukee series and continued playing sparkling defense…Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker is another story. His .204 batting average is abysmal, and he has just two home runs and 7 RBI… St. Louis native Devin Williams was replaced as New York Yankees closer after melting down against Toronto on April 25…A proposed trade: Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley to Yankees for Williams (1 year $8.6 million contract) and a Yankees starting pitching prospect…The Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks are rumored to want Helsley.

Earl Austin Jr.

Alvin A. Reid

In the Girls 100 Meters Aaliyah Agee of Lee’s Summit North finishes at 13.17, Zumwalt West’s

City High School at 12.97 in

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Photo courtesy of the AP

KAI celebrates opening of STLCC Nursing and Health Science Center

KAI served as the architect and MEP/FP engineer on the newly christened Nursing and Health Sciences Center at St. Louis Community College (STLCC) at Florissant Valley in Ferguson.

The $62.9 million facility will address the immediate job training demands of St. Louis’ area hospitals and healthcare systems, and KAI CEO Michael B. Kennedy said the effort is part of his firm’s mission to improve the community.

“STLCC’s vision for the future and thoughtful consideration of the workforce needs of our community is evident in this facility. KAI is grateful to be their partner in now two buildings meant to address and meet those needs,” said Kennedy.

“The Center is a beacon of hope for the future of healthcare in St. Louis. For the residents of North County who see the progress and investment being made in their community,

Metro Transit is hosting four Community Connect events in May where transit customers and the public have the opportunity to share feedback and get the latest transit news and updates direct from Metro team members. There are three in-person events scheduled around the region (one in

this symbol of growth is exciting for them, too.”

After breaking ground, the Center welcomed its first students in January 2025, and an official ribbon cutting celebrating the building’s opening was held on February 27.

The four-story Center is designed to be “the front door to the campus” with its large windows, exterior wood elements and prominent location adjacent to I-270.

It includes indoor and outdoor student gathering spaces and state-of-the-art learning facilities come together to create a building that is both modern and welcoming.

The Center will house STLCC’s first-ever bachelor’s degree program in respiratory care, increase student capacity for the nursing program and bring several new programs to the Florissant Valley campus such as dental hygiene, radiologic technology and paramedic technology.

Other programs will

The $62.9 million Nursing and Health Sciences Center at St. Louis Community College (STLCC) at Florissant Valley in Ferguson is designed to be “the front door to the campus.” KAI served as the architect and MEP/FP engineer for the building which welcomed its first students in January 2025.

include behavioral health support, deaf communication studies, patient care technician, and medical assistant. An on-site dental hygiene clinic will offer free and low-cost services

to the community.

Other features of the building’s design include hallway windows that provide views into labs for accessible tours and program visibility;

gathering and study spaces such as lounges, study rooms and multipurpose rooms; and science labs for anatomy and physiology courses, completing a selfsustaining health sciences

Metro wants to connect with the community

the City of St. Louis, one in St. Louis County, and one in St. Clair County) and one virtual event.

In-person and virtual attendees can ask questions, learn about the upcoming June Service Change, and share their experiences and feedback to help improve transit services.

2-4 p.m. Friday, May 2 Virtual Zoom Open House Register: bsdstl.org/ CommunityConnect-May2 1-3 p.m. Monday, May 5 Mary Brown Center 606 S. 15th Street East St. Louis, IL 62207

Transit Connections: 5th & Missouri Station, #4 19th & Central MetroBus 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 6 Downtown YMCA at the MX 605 Locust StreetSt. Louis, MO 63101

Transit Connections: 8th & Pine Station, Convention Center Shuttle (board at Civic Center Transit Center)

4-6 p.m. Thursday, May 8 Sunset Hills Community Center 3915 S. Lindbergh Boulevard St. Louis, MO 63127

Transit Connection: #49 Lindbergh MetroBus To request an

hub. “This state-of-theart building will enable us to provide an even richer environment for the next generation of front-line healthcare heroes in the St. Louis region,” said Florissant Valley Campus President and Chief Academic Officer Elizabeth Gassel Perkins, Ed.D. “Students who study and learn in this facility will be well prepared to excel as they enter the workforce.

Of course, we are most excited that this new building will provide an opportunity for the expansion of programs to the North St. Louis County area.”

KAI also designed the new Nursing and Health Sciences Center on the Forest Park campus, which opened in 2019. The facility was the campus’s first new building in over 20 years. The four-level, 96,000-squarefoot learning center sits along Oakland Avenue.

accommodation for any Community Connect event (e.g., an ASL interpreter), please contact ADA Services at (314) 982-1525 three days prior to the meeting you plan to attend. Visit MetroStLouis. org/community for more information about Metro Transit Community Connect.

A classic(al) hip hop celebration

Rap pioneers team up with SLSO for legendary musical experience

By Kenya Vaughn The St. Louis American

Whenever it is announced that a rap artist is performing with a symphony orchestra – whether its Wu Tang, Nas or St. Louis’ own Nelly – a line from Notorious B.I.G.’s breakthrough hit “Juicy” comes to mind.

“Remember Rappin’ Duke, ‘duh-ha, duh-ha,’” the rapper said over the Mtume sample that shares the name with the hip hop track. “You never thought that hip hop would take it this far.” In the thirty years since he delivered the classic line, hip hop has gone farther than Biggie could have probably imagined.

B.I.G.’s prophetic words will be reinforced next week when hip hop trailblazers DMC and the Sugar Hill Gang take the stage with The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra next Thursday (May 8) for A Celebration of Hip Hop. Darryl “DMC” McDaniels – half of the iconic rap duo Run-D.M.C. – always knew what his chosen genre was capable of.

“I have a saying, ‘Fifty years of hip hop and we are just getting started,’” DMC said. “Think about all the people who said hip hop will never work. It’s not real – it’s not even a genre. They said in the beginning that hip hop wouldn’t be around. It’s alive and it’s flourishing more than 50 years later.”

He believes that those who know hip hop should not be the least bit surprised about the intersection of rap and classical music that will happen with the Legends of Hip Hop performance with The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

He considers the opportunity to do so a full circle representation of the power of music.

“And that’s for those that created it, those that recorded it, those that share it, those who listen to it and to those who are able to perform it,” DMC said. You are getting a symphonic orchestra while these guys sing, rap and recite their rhymes the

See SLSO, C3

A remarkable dream

STL’s own

Robert Crenshaw to play The Fox for ‘Ain’t Too Proud’ national tour

By Zaria Mac The St. Louis American

A St. Louis son will be among the talented artists to help tell the story of Motown legends when “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations” arrives at The Fabulous Fox as part of its 2025-26 Broadway Season on May 9 –May 11.

St. Louis native and Central VPA High School alum Robert Crenshaw is a part of the national tour for the Tony Awardwinning and Grammy Award-nominated musical.

“It’s a show where you have to prepare to feel every single emotion,” said Crenshaw. “You’re gonna laugh, have a whole lot of joy within your heart and in your spirit because of the music and watching the amazing choreography.”

The musical was adapted by Dominique Morisseau from founding member Otis Williams’ book “The Temptations.” Like the book, “Ain’t Too Proud” chronicles the group’s origins from their early days in Detroit, their contributions to Motown founder Berry Gordy’s iconic record label and their ascension to superstardom. The dramatic musical captures the highs and lows of a

“I feel like my album is messy. She’s a messy queen.” - Cardi B teasing her second album at the Revolve Festival

Concert for a cause

Will Downing headlines event to benefit Black males, celebrate two great women

By Zaria Mac The St. Louis American

When the distinguished gentlemen of the Eta Boule chapter of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity bring Grammy Awardnominated veteran soul crooner Will Downing to the Sheldon stage in a couple of weeks, the performance will be a concert for a worthy cause.

While Downing is the draw. However, “To benefit young Black males,” is the tagline that appears as prominently as the headliner’s name on the promotional material for the May 17th show.

Central VPA and COCA alum Robert Crenshaw will take the stage at home next week when the national tour of ‘Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations’ plays The Fox next week as part of its current Broadway season.

Photo courtesy of Robert Crenshaw

group that helped change the course of American music.

Crenshaw plays Al Bryant, a founding member of the music group who also helped to develop the group’s name.

“I would say my favorite is playing Al Bryant because I get to sing and dance and Al, he comes on, he shows off and then he leaves.” After Al serves his purpose with moving the story along Crenshaw returns as Norman Whitfield – the Motown hitmaking songwriter who was the brains behind several songs forever linked to The Temptations.

“I take a moment to pause for a minute to truly embody each character before I walk out on stage,” Crenshaw

said. “Because even though I’m Robert Crenshaw – and I add my own flare to the characters – I still have to make sure I’m telling their story.”

He gives immense credit to Director and two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff and Tony Award winning choreographer Sergio Trujilo for passing on vital knowledge and history that helped him truly embody these characters.

“There are a few scenes that will catch people by surprise, open your eyes, and bring you to the edge of your seat,” Crenshaw said. “There are a lot of heartfelt moments and there’s a little bit of

See COCA, C3

“I [first] tried to get Will Downing about three years ago and each time it was a conflict,” said Vernon “Vito” Bracy, Chair of the Eta Boule Foundation Concert Committee. In 2025, Downing vowed to make it happen.

n For six years the Eta Boule Foundation has been mentoring young Black men, providing professional development and scholarship funding.

“I applaud him for doing that,” said Bracy, who is also one of the region’s leading promoters – CEO of Renaissance Voice Communications.

“Some artists just move on to the next and don’t care, but that man has a genuine spirit of trying to get things done. I can see that’s why he is so successful.”

He also apparently has a heart for lending his talent to benefit others. Proceeds from the 7th Annual Fathers and Mentors Concert will benefit the Eta Boule Foundation.

For six years the Eta Boule Foundation has been mentoring young Black men, providing professional development and scholarship funding in the sum of $50,000 that is dispersed to 20 deserving Missouri HBCU students.

“Our mission is to help young Black men succeed and achieve,” said Bracy, “We are about helping the next generation. If not us then who will.” They are also about meeting critical needs in the here and now.

Bracy is still inspired by the rallying efforts of his organization during the COVID pandemic.

“It was apparent that the community

Courtesy photo

Grammy Award-nominated singer Will Downing will headline the 7th Annual Eta Boule Foundation Concert on Saturday, May 17th.

Courtesy photo

Rap legends DMC and the Sugar Hill Gang will share the stage with The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra for A Celebration of Hip Hop on Thursday, May 8th at Stifel Theatre.

CONCERTS

Thur., May 6, 10 a.m. Pop!

Pop! Pop! Orchestra, The Sheldon, 3648 Washington Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63108. For more information, visit www.thesheldon.org.

Thurs., May 8, 7:30 p.m., DMC and The Sugar Hill Gang with SLSO: A Celebration of Hip Hop, Stifel Theatre, 1400 Market St. For more information, visit www. slso.org.

Fri., May 9, 7 p.m. Disney Princess: The Concert, Stifel Theatre, 1400 Market Street, St. Louis, MO 63103. Additional dates available. For more information, visit www.stifeltheatre. com.

Saturday, May 17, 7 p.m.

(6 p.m. doors) Eta Boule Foundation presents An Evening with Will Downing to benefit young Black Males, with special guest Darius Bradford, The Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Blvd. For tickets, call 314.534.1111 or visit www.metrotix.com.

Sun., May 18, 7 p.m., Calling All Lovers Tour starring Tamar Braxton and October London with special guest Ro James. Stifel Theatre, 1400 Market. For more information, visit www.stifeltheatre.com.

Sun., May 18, 3:30 p.m. Youth & Family Concert, Jazz St. Louis, 3536 Washington Ave. St. Louis, MO 63103. For more information https://my.jazzstl. org.

STL Sites & Sounds

SPECIAL EVENTS

Sat., May 3, 8 p.m. Can You Feel The Punk Tonight: A Punk Rock Celebration of The Music of Disney, The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63112. Matinee showtime available. For more information, visit www.ticketmaster.com.

Sun., May 18, 1 p.m. Annie Malone Children and Family Services Center presents the 115th Annual Annie Malone May Day Parade with 2025 Grand Marshal Josh Peters. For more information, visit www.anniemalone.org.

Thurs., May 22, 5:30 p.m. The St. Louis American Foundation presents The 14th Annual Salute to Young Leaders Networking & Awards Reception, The Four Seasons. For more information, visit www.stlamerican.com.

COMEDY

Fri., May 2, 9 p.m. Nate Jackson: Super Funny World Tour, The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63112. For more information, visit www.thepageant.com.

Sat., May 3, 7:30 p.m. Dulcé Sloan, City Winery, 3730 Foundry Way, St. Louis, MO 63110. For more information, visit https://citywinery.com.

Fri., May 9, 7 p.m. Special Event: Bruce Bruce, Helium Comedy Club, 1151 St. Louis Galleria Street, St. Louis, MO 63117. For more information, visit https://st-louis.heliumcomedy.com.

Fri., May 9, 7 p.m. The Comedy Factory Lavari Show, Grandel, 3610 Grandel Square, St. Louis, MO 63108. For more information, visit www.metrotix. com.

ST. LOUIS MUSIC SPOTLIGHT

Thur., May 1, 6 p.m. Twilight Thursdays with The Dirty Muggs, Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63112. Weekly event. For more information, visit https://mohistory.org.

Sat., May 3, 7:30 p.m. The Lionel Richie Experience featuring David Graham, Blue Strawberry, 364 N. Boyle Ave.

St. Louis, MO 63108. For more information, visit https://bluestrawberrystl.com.

Thur., May 15, 7:30 p.m. REVE, Blue Strawberry, 364 N. Boyle Ave, St. Louis, MO 63108. For more information, visit https://bluestrawberrystl. com.

THEATRE

Through May 4, 7:30 p.m. Little Miss Sunshine, Greenfinch Theatre and Dive, 2525 S. Jefferson Av. St. Louis, MO 63104. Matinee showtime available. For more information, visit https://greenfinchstl.com.

Fri., May 9, 7 p.m. Verve, Berges Theatre at COCA, 6880 Washington Ave

St. Louis, MO 63130. Additional dates available. For more information, www.cocastl.org.

Fri., May 9, 7:30 p.m. Breaking Up Is Hard To Do, St. John The Baptist Gymnasium, 4200 Delor St, St. Louis, MO 63116. Matinee showtime available. For more information, visit www.onthestage.tickets.

May 9 – May 11, The Fabulous Fox 2025-26 Broadway Season presents Ain’t Too Proud, The Fabulous Fox, 527 N. Grand. For tickets or additional information, visit www.fabulousfox.com

May 14 – June 1, The Black Rep presents August Wilson’s Radio Golf, Washington University’s Edison Theatre, 6465 Forsyth Blvd. For more information, call 314.534.3807 or visit www.theblackrep.org.

ART

Through Jul. 27, Roaring: Art, Fashion and the Automobile in France, 1918–1939, Saint Louis Art Museum, 1 Fine Arts Dr. St. Louis, MO 63110. For more information, visit www.slam.org.

Through Jul. 27, Veronica Ryan: Unruly Objects, Pulitzer Arts Foundation, 3716 Washington Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63108. For more information, visit https://pulitzerarts.org.

Through Aug. 10, Like Water, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, 3750 Washington Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108. For more information https://camstl. org/.

needed some help,” Bracy said. “We galvanized the members and in one week we raised $100,000 within our fraternity organization to give to the Urban League [of Metropolitan St. Louis] to feed the community.”

This act of giving will be framed around a good time.

“I think it will be a combination,” Bracy said when asked what type of show that audiences can expect from Downing. “A little bit of slow jams –and a little bit of upbeat. I’m sure he’ll have some of his oldies but goodies like ‘Crazy’ and all that good stuff.”

Guests will arrive to the sounds of DJ Quinn of 96.3 FM during the reception who will get the audience ready for opening act comedian Darius Bradford. Friend of the foundation and former KMOX news anchor, Carol Daniel – who currently helms the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis’ Save Our Sisters initiative – will serve as the evening’s host. The friendship between Bracy and Daniel dates back to early in his promoting days.

Bracy has produced and promoted concerts in four different cities. He

started during his college days at Lincoln University. Bracy graduated from promoting and producing spring concerts on campus in 1978 to becoming the first Black man to promote at Ballpark Village more than three decades later. His experience made him a perfect fit to fill the role as chair of Eta Boule Foundation’s Concert Committee.

“I was very fortunate growing up in Harlem, two blocks from the Apollo theatre and always had a mission of [promoting].”

In those early days before cell phones and Zoom meetings, he amassed a rolodex of top acts like Cameo, Keith Sweat and Kurtis Blow. It was Cameo – led by frontman Larry Blackmon – who performed in that very first spring concert giving him his start as a promoter. Decades later, he is still firmly connected. It’s how he has turned the annual fundraising event into one of the leading cultural experiences in the city.

This year the Eta Boule Foundation will be doing something a little different with respect to their annual gesture of celebrating those who help make the region a better place. For the first time in its history, the event will be honoring two leading Black women for their outstanding community service.

Adrian Bracy, wife of Chairman Vito Bracy, is the current executive director of The Steward Family Foundation. She was the first Black woman to serve as CFO for three different NFL teams. Michelle Tucker, President and CEO of the United Way of Greater St. Louis will also be recognized. The distinction from the Eta Boule Foundation comes on the heels of being named the 2025 Non-Profit Executive of the Year by the St. Louis American Foundation at this year’s Salute to Excellence in Business.

“The Eta Boule Foundation is made up of esteemed Black professional gentlemen and organizations and we believe in uplifting not only Black men but also the community as a whole” Bracy affirms. “Honoring women, in lieu of men this year, shows that very dedication to the entirety of St. Louis.”

An Evening with Will Downing, The Eta Boule Foundation Annual Fathers and Mentors Concert, will take place on Saturday, May 17th at the Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Blvd. Doors open at 6 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 314.534.1111 or visit www.metrotix.com.

SLSO

Continued from C1

same way that they did 50 years ago in the streets of New York City before we even had permission to go in a recording studio.”

He’s eager to “hook up with the St. Louis Symphony” because he feels that the arts succeed where politics and religion fail as far as being a unifying force.

composed with a symphony – a whole orchestra.”

Joining him on the stage will be a St. Louis hip hop legend who is known the world over for filling the shoes of the late, great Jason “Jam Master Jay” Mizell as DMC’s DJ after Mizell’s life was tragically cut short in 2002.

The anticipation of Charles “DJ Charlie Chan Soprano” Beason hitting the stage at Stifel with him next week compelled DMC to kick a freestyle.

from other DJs.

Chan is also proud that his native region has a critical role in hip hop’s origin story.

“People will get to talking about ‘New York is where it started,’” Chan said. “I hit them with, ‘Where was he first place it hit commercial radio airwaves?’”

Continued from C1

drama as well. It’s one that will keep you locked in for the entire 2.5 hours of a production.”

Since being a part of this production, Crenshaw’s respect for the music group has increased exponentially.

“[The production] gives me another level of appreciation for The Temptations and their music,” Crenshaw said. “Because of all the different things they had to face and all the adversity they had to overcome in the midst of being superstars.”

His work as part of the “Ain’t Too Proud” ensemble has compelled him to look at his own life from a different perspective.

“If I’m on this track to try to become a superstar [I] understand that there are a lot of other things that go into it, and I think this is one of those shows that can fully prepare me for that.”

Crenshaw’s entertainment career began very early at Ames Elementary – a visual and performing arts school nestled in the historic Old North neighborhood.

“I’ve always taken the arts very, very seriously,” Crenshaw said. “I was always in a show, a musical, always doing a talent show or emceeing. I just loved entertaining people” By third grade he joined COCA and began professional vocal training with Dr. Philip Woodmore. “If it wasn’t for him I probably wouldn’t be where I am today,” said Crenshaw.

He also credits Ron Himes, Founder and Producing Director of The St. Louis Black Repertory Company for his professional development into adulthood.

His time at The Black Rep was spent playing various characters in productions such as “Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope” and “Spell #7.” He partnered with Black Rep choreography veterans

Heather Beal and Vivian Watt to craft the moves for the company’s most recent staging of “Eubie.” The trio shared a 2024 St. Louis Theatre Circle Award for Outstanding Choreographer for the production.

Crenshaw then produced his own showcase “Living the Dream” where he sang, danced, and emceed all to raise money to move to New York.

After 10 months of auditioning with no luck, he finally landed a role in the musical “Forever Motown.” For that show, he sang background for former Temptations members like G.C. Cameron, Glenn Leonard, and fellow St. Louisan Theo Peoples. “It was really incredible to be a part of that Temptations environment already and then booking [Ain’t Too Proud to Beg] shortly after,” Crenshaw said. “It was just a full circle moment. It felt like it was meant to be.”

“Ain’t Too Proud” is

Crenshaw’s first national tour. And next week the show brings him to his hometown for a moment of reflection – and gratitude – for how far he has come since those early days at Ames Elementary and COCA.

“It’s been amazing to perform between seven and eight shows a week and being able to travel all across the U.S. and see so many different things,” Crenshaw said. “I’m learning different things every single day – whether it’s about my craft or about myself. I think that’s what’s made this journey and this dream so remarkable.”

The Fabulous Fox’s presentation of “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations” will take place from May 9 –11th at The Fox Theatre. For tickets, showtimes or additional information, visit www.fabulousfox. com.

From the moment RunD.M.C. used their Adidas to kick the door in on the mainstream music industry, they have personified using music as a platform for building bridges. They declared themselves “The King of Rock” through the title of their sophomore album. Their pop music collaboration with rock group Aerosmith for “Walk This Way,” helped catapult their third album “Raising Hell” to the distinction as the first multi-platinum selling hip hop record.

“I can rap over rock. I can rap over the blues. I can rap over funk. I can rap over jazz. We sampled everything,” DMC said. “The beauty about me being able to come and perform with a symphony, and I’ve seen others do it, is that we can get on that stage and perform songs we wrote, arranged and

“Charlie Chan, he talks with his hands,” DMC said. “I could do it with just me and him but we’ve got a symphonic band.”

Chan – who was mentored by Mizell – was DMC’s only choice for a DJ when he decided to hit the tour circuit as a solo act who performed from the Run-D.M.C. catalog.

“I said, ‘Yo, Chan, you wanna run around the world with me,’” DMC said. “He grew up listening to what I created. Now we can present it together.”

Chan feels blessed to have the opportunity to represent for St. Louis hip hop on such a grand scale.

“I take my city with me everywhere I go,” Chan said.

And everywhere he goes, his reputation precedes him, according to DMC – who says his skill set and his desire to be the total package set him apart

When WESL 1490 AM programming director “Gentleman” Jim Gates gave Edie B the greenlight to play “Rapper’s Delight,” by The Sugar Hill Gang in 1979, they changed the course of radio. Ironically, it is a song that most likely will be a part of the set list for SLSO collaboration.

“It’s a perfect marriage,” Chan said of the upcoming show. “It’s something you’ve heard as far as the songs. But something you never thought about as far as these songs being played with a symphony – and when you get there, it’s definitely going to blow your mind.”

A Celebration of Hip Hop with DMC, the Sugar Hill Gang and The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 8 at Stifel Theatre, 1400 Market Street. For tickets or more information, visit www.slso.org.

Courtesy photo

The Sugar Hill Gang will take the stage with The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra next Thursday (May 8) for A Celebration of Hip Hop.

Photo courtesy of Robert Crenshaw

“Ain’t Too Proud” is Robert Crenshaw’s first national tour. And next week the show brings him to his hometown for a moment of reflection – and gratitude – for how far he has come since those early days at Ames Elementary and COCA.

BENEFITS MANAGER

Great Rivers Greenway is hiring for a Benefits Manager. Go to https:// greatriversgreen way.org/careers/ and submit by May 20, 2025.

CITY OF ST. LOUIS BOARD OF PUBLIC SERVICE

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FOR NEW CONCOURSE AIRCRAFT PARKING APRON (APRON) AT ST. LOUIS LAMBERT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. Statements of Qualifications are due by 5:00 PM CT, May 14, 2025, through the Bid Express online portal at https://www. bidexpress.com/ businesses/20618/home. RFQ may be obtained from the BPS website, https:// www.stlouis-mo.gov/ government/departments/ public-service/ announcements/index.cfm, under Online Plan RoomPlan Room, or email the Board of Public Service at bryanth@stlouis-mo.gov.

The MBE/WBE participation goal is 25% and 5%

POLICE OFFICER

The City of Richmond Heights is accepting applications for the position of Police Officer

$70,001 - 72,522. To apply go to https://richmonheights. applicantpro.com/jobs/

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.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Notice is hereby given that the City of Wellston, Missouri’s Planning and Zoning Commission and the City Council will hold public hearings at 6203 Cote Brilliante Ave., on Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. to hear and consider citizen’s input on the following properties/matters: Wellston Industrial Park, which approximately 38.33 acres located at 1335 Ogden Ave., St. Louis, Mo. 63133, owned by The Land Clearance and Redevelopment Authority of the County of St. Louis, Application No. 04212025-2 by the City of Wellston, Mo. to rezone the property to R-C residential zoning: and Plymouth Industrial Park, which is approximately 15 acres located at 6440 Page Ave., St. Louis, Mo. 63133, owned by The Land Clearancefor Redevelopment Authority of the County of St. Louis, Application No. 04212025-1 by the City of Wellston, Mo. to rezone the property to R-C residential zoning. Further information can be obtained through the office of the City Clerk at 6203 Cote Brilliante Ave., 63133

AGENCY PLAN FY 2025

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2026 SAINT LOUIS ZOO CALENDAR RFP

The Saint Louis Zoo seeks bids from qualified firms to submit proposals. Bid documents are available as of 4/30/25 on the Saint Louis Zoo website: stlzoo.org/vendor

SOLICITING BIDS

Great Rivers Greenway is soliciting bids for Kiener Plaza Splash Pad repair. Go to https:// greatriversgreen way.org/bids/ and submit by May 22, 2025

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Hankins Construction Co. is requesting bids from MBE/WBE/ SDVE/DBE Subcontractors and Suppliers for our proposal on the Saint Louis County Clayton Courts Modifications. A diversity goal of 22.5% MBE and 11.5% WBE has been established for this project. To access the bid documents, or if you have any questions, please email/call Nicole at Office@HankinsMidwest.com /314-426-7030 Please submit bids to Bids@HankinsMidwest. com by 10:00 AM on 5/6/2025. Hankins Construction Co. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

PUBLIC NOTICE

The St. Louis Housing Authority (SLHA) is submitting to HUD the Annual Submission of the FY 2025 Agency Plan. The Plan outlines the goals and objectives to accomplish its vision over the next five years. SLHA has posted the “Draft” FY 2025 Agency Plan for public review on its website at https://www.slha.org/document-center/ and the Plan will be available for viewing at SLHA’s Central Office, 3520 Page Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63106.

Additionally, the Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP), a component of the Agency Plan, and a revised Utility Allowance Schedule and the Flat Rent Schedule are simultaneously being made available for public review and comment. The link to the webpage is: https://www.slha.org/document-center/

Also, the Capital Fund Program Five-Year Action Plan (FY 2025FY 2029) is simultaneously being made available for public review and comment.

Written comments may be submitted on the Plan. All written comments must be received by June 16, 2025. Please address comments to Deborah Fowler at defowler@slha.org. Comments and suggestions received will become part of the public record.

SLHA will hold a Public Hearing on Monday, June 16, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. at SLHA’s Central Office to discuss and accept comments on its Agency Plan, ACOP, Utility Allowance, Flat Rent Schedule and Capital Fund Program.

For additional information or questions, contact Deborah Fowler, Administrative Assistant, by email at defowler@slha.org or by telephone at (314) 286-4356 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Bids for Replace Roof General Headquarters Waggoner Building, Project No. R250301 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, June 5, 2025. Project information available at: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

Bids &

SEALED BIDS

Bids for New Premium Campsites at Watkins Woolen Mill State Park and State Historic Site, Project No. X222001, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, May 22, 2025. Project information available at: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

SEALED BIDS

Bids for High Voltage Electrical Services –Missouri State Fairgrounds / Statewide, Project No. IDIQMCA5003, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, May 15, 2025 Project information available at: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

BIDS

Bids for Outdoor Pavilion, Missouri Veterans Home, Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Project No. U2415-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 6/3/25. Project information available at: http:// oa.mo.gov/ facilities

LETTING NO. 8788

BIDS

Bids for St Louis Forensic Treatment Center NorthReplace Roof, Psychiatric Center Building, Project No. M250701 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, June 3, 2025. Project information available at: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

RECONSTRUCTION OF TAXILANE CHARLIE FROM S TO G - PROJECT 3

At St. Louis Lambert International Airport

Electronic bids submitted through the Bid Express Online Portal will be received by the Board of Public Service until 1:45 PM, CT, on May 13, 2025, then publicly opened and read. Proposals must be submitted electronically using “Bid Express Online Portal” at https://www.bidexpress. com/businesses/20618/home Plans, Specifications, and the Agreement may be examined and downloaded online through Bid Express.

A mandatory pre-bid conference for all contractors bidding on this project will be held April 22, 2025 at 10:00 A.M., via Zoom:

Meeting URL: https://cmtengr.zoom.us/j/87529462802?pwd=8PCxC7OZULq8SNvn6czNRhY4ds5uwi.1

Meeting ID: 875 2946 2802

Passcode: 861025

SEALED

SEALED

REQUEST FOR BIDS

Bids Due: May 13, 2025 at 11:00 AM CDT

Location: 8350 Delcrest Drive, St. Louis, MO 63124, United States of AmericaMap »

Pre-Bid RFIs Due: May 6, 2025 at 12:00 PM CDT

Expected Start: Jul 14, 2025

Project Size: 69,480 sq. ft.

Architect: Rosemann & Associates

Description: Holland Construction Services, Inc. has been selected to be the General Contractor for Crown Center Senior Living Phase II located at 8350 Delcrest Drive, St. Louis, MO 63124.

Project Summary:

• 4-story wood framed construction atop single story steel podium open air garage

• 68 total senior living units

• Project involves tie in to existing Phase I Building. Selective demolition is required

• Project includes rework of existing underground utilities and installation of underground detention

• Project includes Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) funding

• Project includes Section 3 workforce participation goals

• Project includes MBE (10%) and WBE (5%) workforce participation goals

• Project is NOT tax exempt. Proposals must include sales tax. Project is anticipated to break ground mid-summer 2025.

If your company intends on bidding this project, we ask that you please accept our invitation through Building Connected.

Please submit your proposal through Building Connected and complete the Bid Form for your scope-of-work. Please also send your proposal to bids@ hollandcs.com.

If you have any questions, please reach out to the Holland contact in your respective scope of work.

Thank you for your interest in this project!

I’ve also included two planrooms where Project Documents can be viewed – X-Rhones & SLDC.

https://www.sldcplanroom.com/projects/6321/details/crown-center-plazaphase-ii

https://www.x-rhodesplanroom.com/projects/6321/details/crown-center-plaza-phase-ii

SEALED BIDS

PreQualification for Specialist due on May 6, 2025, for South Fountains Restoration at Missouri State Capitol Building, Project No. O2204-01. Bids will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, June 3, 2025. Project information available at: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Install New Emergency Backup System, Project No. C2407-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, June 3, 2025. Project information available at: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

A Black Pope? Francis Made it a Possibility

The late Pope decried racism and appointed Black cardinals

By Rev. Dorothy S. Boulware Word In Black

He installed Washington, D.C.’s first Black cardinal, connected with America’s first Black president, and appointed three Black men who are in contention to succeed him.

He condemned racism as a “sin,” visited poor Black communities, and ministered to imprisoned Black men.

As accolades poured in from around the world on the death of Pope Francis and political leaders from around the world attended his funeral, prominent Black Americans pointed to the pontiff’s legacy of advocating for the marginalized.

Some also speculated that Francis redirected church leadership in such a way that the possibility exists for the election of the first Black pope.

powerful advocacy on behalf of migrants and refugees.”

The pontiff, leader of a church with 1.4 billion members worldwide, suffered a fatal hemorrhage and heart failure not long after recovering from double pneumonia — and mere hours after personally greeting worshippers in Vatican Square on Easter Sunday. He was 88.

Anthea Butler, a professor of religion at the University of Pennsylvania, said Francis’s 12-year tenure as pope was inclusive in a way that has altered the church long-term — and could open the door for a successor from outside of Europe.

In a statement, President Barack Obama said Francis “shook us out of our complacency and reminded us that we are all bound by moral obligations to God and one another.”

The pope was “a great leader and an example of faithful living,” The Right Rev. Paula Clark, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, said in a statement Monday. “He embraced and advocated for all people and was forthright in encouraging peace everywhere.”

Throughout his life and ministry, Francis “has been a witness for the Gospel and a champion for the poor and marginalized,” said the bishop, who is Black. “Especially in this season, I give thanks for his

Along with his “charismatic” reign and willingness to battle Catholic institutionalists, Butler says Francis “will be remembered for his reshaping of the College of Cardinals in a way that shifted the church’s axis of power outside of Europe.” Indeed, Axios reports that Francis appointed some 80% of the cardinals who will choose his successor.

Growing up in Argentina, the son of refugees from the rise of fascism in the 1940s, Francis was the first pope from the Southern hemisphere, circumstances that experts say helped him identify with outsiders and the marginalized.

Not long after ascending to the papacy, Francis — the first pope from the Global South, and the first elected outside of Europe — hosted President Barack Obama at the Vatican in 2014. Although the two disagreed on significant issues like abortion and same-sex marriage,

they bonded over social justice issues and struck up a rapport.

The year after Obama’s Vatican visit, Francis came to Washington, allowing Obama to become just the third president to host the leader of the Catholic Church at the White House.

At the same time, Francis quietly began rebuilding church leadership, giving particular attention to Africa in selecting the cardinals who would eventually vote to replace him. Since his death, two of the three Black cardinals considered serious contenders to succeed him are from Africa: Peter Turkson of Ghana and Robert Sarah of Guinea.

The third is Cardinal Wilton Gregory, archbishop emeritus of the Washington archdiocese.

You’re

Francis appointed him the first African American cardinal in 2020 and just the third in the history of the Catholic Church. Although Gregory is retired, he will still vote during the upcoming conclave to name Francis’ successor.

While the pope gave more attention to Black people than many of his successors, the church as an institution still has work to do when it comes to race, experts say.

Two years ago, the church formally repudiated the colonial-era “doctrine of discovery” — official declarations that justified European conquests of Africa and the Americas. Catholic churches were complicit in — and sometimes

Not Stuck — You’re Being Summoned

You’re Not Stuck — You’re Being Summoned

Chairman and CEO, Midwest BankCentre

ORVIN T. KIMBROUGH Chairman and CEO, Midwest BankCentre

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. – 2 Timothy 1:7 Ever felt stuck? Not just inconvenienced—but stuck in your spirit, your story, or your season? It’s the feeling of circling the same challenges with no progress. The quiet frustration of knowing there’s more in you, but not knowing how to access it. That “I should be further along by now” kind of weight. Yeah. I know that feeling well.

– 2 Timothy 1:7 Ever felt stuck? Not just inconvenienced—but stuck in your spirit, your story, or your season? It’s the feeling of circling the same challenges with no progress. The quiet frustration of knowing there’s more in you, but not knowing how to access it. That “I should be further along by now” kind of weight. Yeah. I know that feeling well. Maybe you’re stuck in a job where you’re overqualified but undervalued. Maybe you’re stuck in a mindset shaped by trauma, scarcity, or fear. Or maybe you’re caught in systems that weren’t designed for you to win.

Maybe you’re stuck in a job where you’re overqualified but undervalued. Maybe you’re stuck in a mindset shaped by trauma, scarcity, or fear. Or maybe you’re caught in systems that weren’t designed for you to win.

Here’s what I’ve learned: being stuck doesn’t mean you’ve failed. Sometimes, being stuck is a sign. It’s a divine interruption — not a dead end.

Here’s what I’ve learned: being stuck doesn’t mean you’ve failed. Sometimes, being stuck is a sign. It’s a divine interruption — not a dead end.

The Power of Perspective

The Power of Perspective

Back when I was in social work school, I was introduced to systems thinking. That idea changed my life. It taught me that no one exists in isolation.

Back when I was in social work school, I was introduced to systems thinking. That idea changed my life. It taught me that no one exists in isolation.

People don’t just “end up” where they are. Our behaviors, decisions, and outcomes are shaped by the systems around us — family, school, neighborhood, economy, and faith community. Some people have a built-in team to help them succeed. Others have to claw their way forward just to be seen.

benefited from — the African slave trade. The church did not stand unified against slavery during the Civil War, and Jim Crow-era segregation in the pews was common. Francis, however, issued several declarations and letters to bishops condemning the “sin” of racism, and spoke out after the murder of George Floyd in 2020. He addressed the issue again in 2023, declaring that instances of racism “continue to shame us, for they show that our supposed social progress is not as real or definitive as we think.” In a visit to Philadelphia in 2015, the pontiff ministered to inmates at Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility just outside the city.

That’s not just a verse to quote — it’s a reality to live from. Even when the systems around you try to put limits on your life… Even when your past whispers that you’ll never be enough… Even when fear tries to build a permanent home in your thinking… You still have power. You still have agency. You still have the Spirit.

That’s not just a verse to quote — it’s a reality to live from. Even when the systems around you try to put limits on your life… Even when your past whispers that you’ll never be enough… Even when fear tries to build a permanent home in your thinking… You still have power. You still have agency. You still have the Spirit.

Breakthrough Begins Within Transformation, I’ve learned, isn’t just about hustle. It’s about healing. It’s not just strategic — it’s spiritual. Most people think breakthrough comes from the outside. A new job. A new connection. A new opportunity. But lasting transformation always starts on the inside.

Breakthrough Begins Within Transformation, I’ve learned, isn’t just about hustle. It’s about healing. It’s not just strategic — it’s spiritual. Most people think breakthrough comes from the outside. A new job. A new connection. A new opportunity. But lasting transformation always starts on the inside.

Here’s the truth I’m living by: You are not stuck because you’re weak. You’re stuck because you’re being summoned — to grow, to rise, to become. You are not broken beyond repair. You are being rebuilt — with vision, with faith, with boldness. You are not forgotten. You are already loved. Already chosen. Already equipped. You don’t need to chase worthiness. You just need to step into it.

People don’t just “end up” where they are. Our behaviors, decisions, and outcomes are shaped by the systems around us — family, school, neighborhood, economy, and faith community. Some people have a built-in team to help them succeed. Others have to claw their way forward just to be seen.

I was one of the others.

I was one of the others.

But here’s the thing: understanding systems doesn’t give you permission to stay stuck. It gives you context — and with context comes clarity. And with clarity, you get to make a choice.

But here’s the thing: understanding systems doesn’t give you permission to stay stuck. It gives you context — and with context comes clarity. And with clarity, you get to make a choice.

You’re Not Broken —

You’re Being Built

You’re Not Broken —

You’re Being Built

I started to realize: I wasn’t broken — I was impacted. And impact doesn’t define you. What defines you is how you respond. What you choose. Who you trust.

I started to realize: I wasn’t broken — I was impacted. And impact doesn’t define you. What defines you is how you respond. What you choose. Who you trust.

This is where faith steps in. The Bible says God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.

This is where faith steps in. The Bible says God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.

That’s what I mean when I talk about a finer life. It’s not about perfection or prestige. It’s about alignment — with who God says you are. Alignment with what the Spirit is stirring in you. Alignment with the truth that even the scars you carry can still lead to resurrection.

Here’s the truth I’m living by: You are not stuck because you’re weak. You’re stuck because you’re being summoned — to grow, to rise, to become. You are not broken beyond repair. You are being rebuilt — with vision, with faith, with boldness. You are not forgotten. You are already loved. Already chosen. Already equipped. You don’t need to chase worthiness. You just need to step into it. That’s what I mean when I talk about a finer life. It’s not about perfection or prestige. It’s about alignment — with who God says you are. Alignment with what the Spirit is stirring in you. Alignment with the truth that even the scars you carry can still lead to resurrection.

Your Next Move

Your Next Move Living in alignment means having the courage to show up, even when it’s uncomfortable. The audacity to believe your story still matters. The faith to believe your future still holds promise.

Living in alignment means having the courage to show up, even when it’s uncomfortable. The audacity to believe your story still matters. The faith to believe your future still holds promise.

So let me ask you today: Where in your life are you stuck? And more importantly — what bold, Spirit-led step can you take to move forward?

Maybe it’s a tough conversation you’ve been avoiding. Maybe it’s releasing a past identity that no longer fits. Maybe it’s forgiving yourself and starting again. Whatever it is — take the step. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be bold.

So let me ask you today: Where in your life are you stuck? And more importantly — what bold, Spirit-led step can you take to move forward? Maybe it’s a tough conversation you’ve been avoiding. Maybe it’s releasing a past identity that no longer fits. Maybe it’s forgiving yourself and starting again. Whatever it is — take the step. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be bold.

Because the Spirit inside you is greater than the system around you. It’s your move.

Because the Spirit inside you is greater than the system around you. It’s your move.

Photo by Fabio Frustaci/Pool

Pope Francis making Wilton D. Gregory the first African American cardinal during a consistory ceremony at St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, November 28, 2020.