October 30th, 2014 Edition

Stenger faces Stream on Nov. 4 ballot

County Executive, County Assessor, Recorder of Deeds to be decided

By Chris

In the November 4 election, one of the most closely watched races statewide will be between Democrat Steve Stenger and Republican Rick Stream battling for the St. Louis County Executive seat.

Stream’s supporters say the current budget chairman for the Missouri House of Representatives has the financial background to be a solid administrator, while his opponents say his voting record is extreme even for a conservative. Stream was also a former budget manager for the

Municipal court ‘Fright Night’

By Rebecca Rivas Of The St.

Louis

In what they called “St. Ann Fright Night,” more than 70 protestors gathered in front of the City of St. Ann’s municipal court building Tuesday, October 28 to project a video of police abuses and pass out bags of popcorn with racial-profiling statistics stapled to the bags. “We are calling this St. Ann Fright Night because sometimes reality is scarier than any horror movie,” said activist Elizabeth Vega,

By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American

VonDerrit D. Myers Jr. was shot eight times, mostly on the back of the legs, with one fatal shot to the side of the head, according to an independent autopsy report.

Myers’ family hired pathologist Dr. Cyril H. Wecht to conduct a study of the gun wounds from October 8, when Myers was shot and killed by an off-duty St. Louis Metropolitan Police officer. Six bullets struck Myers on the rear part of his body and the other two were “not directly frontal,” Wecht said. One shot hit him on the right side of the face, between the eyebrow and the ear. Another shot struck him on the side of his left thigh.

Wecht said he did not know the order in which

Hundreds mourn VonDerrit Myers Jr.

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

“Love is stronger than death, even though we can’t stop death from happening,” said Cameron Ming, reading from a statement he had written about his friend VonDerrit Myers Jr. Sunday afternoon a community came together to say goodbye to Myers – who was killed by an off-duty St. Louis Metropolitan Police officer near Shaw and Klemm on October 8. He was only 18. Tears flowed freely and hearts were especially heavy at the Prince of Peace Church. But Myers’ ascension was given most of the focus as family, friends and members of the faith community tried their best to deflect from the tragic circumstances of his death as they laid him to rest.

“VonDerrit is now done with the troubles of the world,” soloist Bill Smith sang with a pitiful moan. “He’s gone on to be with God.” Beyonce’s “Heaven” accompanied a slide show that captured images from throughout

American

Photo by Wiley Price

King Of The St. Louis American

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

projected onto

Gospel singer James Fortune jailed for assault

Grammy-nominated Gospel

singer James Fortune was arrested Friday according to Houston’s Fox 26.

Fortune, 35, was charged with aggravated assault of a family member and released on $20,000 bond. He gave a statement to Jawn Murray at AlwaysAList. com this weekend.

Fortune apologized to his fans.

“I am truly sorry for the negative attention this situation has brought my wife, family, friends and business partners. Because it is a pending legal matter, I cannot comment on what has been reported. However, I understand the seriousness

of this matter and ask that you respect the privacy of my family as we address this together [...] I would also like to thank my fans for their outpouring of love and support.”

This weekend was not Fortune’s first run-in with the law. In 2012, he was accused in a civil lawsuit of abusing his 4 year old stepson in 2001 by putting him in scalding hot water. His stepson is now 17 years old.

Fortune also hosts “James Fortune Show,” where he interviews gospel artists and other guests, while also discussing news and entertainment.

Warrant issued for Columbus Short

Embattled actor Columbus Short was scheduled to appear in an LA County court room on Monday to face felony battery charges after sucker punching a fellow guest at an engagement party at a West Hollywood bar back in March. As a result of missing court Columbus’ bond has been revoked and his bail doubled.

THE STUFF THAT HAS PEOPLE TALKING

Short’s lawyer claims the actor was bumped off his flight from Atlanta to LA and is now seeking alternative transportation to avoid being arrested at LAX upon arrival.

No charge for Keyshia’s condo smack down

Last month Keyshia Cole was arrested and booked for assault after attacking a female she found at Cash Money CEO Birdman’s West Hollywood condo. Cole is not expected to face charges in the attack.

According to TMZ.com, the L.A. City Attorney’s office decided not to prosecute Cole and instead will hold an informal hearing where the R&B singer will receive a stern warning. She may be required to take anger management classes. Comedian fesses up to phony Tyrese casting couch story

Spanky Hayes telling lies

Last week comedian Spanky Hayes grabbed media attention by claiming he once lost a film role to Tyrese Gibson because he wasn’t willing to submit to the Hollywood casting couch. Hayes now admits he made it all up.

In a new interview posted on YouTube Hayes claims he and a fellow comedian were intoxicated and decided to make-up outlandish stories and claims he was shocked when the 8-month-old video went viral.

Though he admits the story was made up, Hayes never apologizes to Tyrese and continues to question Tyrese’ sexuality throughout the interview.

Was Draya caught on tape?

Several outlets claim

Basketball Wives star Draya Michelle is about to become the most recent reality starlet to be exposed via explicit video.

Sources told TMZ a sex tape starring Michelle and her ex-boyfriend David Miranda has been “stolen” and is being shopped around to the highest bidder.

Miranda is ‘suing’the person shopping the tape and

blames Michelle for the footage falling into the wrong hands. The tapes were made between Jan. 2011 and Sept. 2013.

Did Mathew Knowles’ advances interrupt LaTavia’s destiny?

LaTavia Roberson has publicly stated she was kicked out of Destiny’s Child over her objections to being personally managed by Mathew Knowles A newly revealed blind item claims her refusing his sexual overtures was what really got her kicked out of the group.

Celebrity gossip site Crazy Days And Nights has a segment that posts blind items and reveals selected tidbits later in the year. A recent post reads as follows: “Mr. X Blind Items

Revealed: Which former member of that ‘90s R&B group has privately told friends that she was kicked out after she refused to accept the sexual advances of their manager, who also happened to be the father of the group’s main member? Latavia Roberson/Destiny’s Child”

Sources: TMZ.com, Youtube. com, The Grio, Crazy Days and Nights, MyFoxHouston. com

James Fortune

Columbus Short

Rescuers of democracy

Black youth in Ferguson demand to be treated as citizens

By Stefan Bradley For The

St. Louis American

America should send young black citizens a thank you note for rescuing democracy. As I watched young people in Hong Kong fight for their version of democracy, I knew that for as long as there are black youth in this country, democracy will live. When Michael Brown Jr. died at the hands of Ferguson Officer Darren Wilson, many were aghast at yet another police killing of an unarmed black male. The ensuing demonstrations and law enforcement reaction to the protesters had given me cause to question the security of democracy in America.

Scholars in the future will focus on two issues: the value of black life in this nation and who exactly gets to be an American citizen. In this and many periodicals, journalist and others have discussed the suspension of certain rights for mostly black people as they peacefully expressed their anger and determination to find justice for the killer of Mike Brown. In the process, people all over the world have observed just how fragile our version of democracy can be.

Historians writing about the Ferguson Crisis will have to mention two events that

brought the black freedom campaign to light. The first is the use of technology (like Twitter and Instagram) to get beyond the images that conventional media portrayed. The second is the arrest of two journalists from the Washington Post and the Huffington Post The images of black people being violated shocked the world, but what rattled the nation was the idea that even professional journalists could be affected by the overzealous policing that was prevalent during the early days of the demonstration.

This, of course, has historical roots. Fifty years ago, the FBI launched civil rights investigations in Mississippi regarding the murders of black activist James Cheney and white activists Andrew Goodman and Mickey Schwerner. Black men had been dying at the hands of white racists for centuries in Mississippi, but when courageous white men lost their lives advancing democracy, mainstream America finally took note.

In Ferguson, black locals mobilized immediately after the death of Brown, but it took the violation of journalists’ rights to draw national attention. When Ferguson police mobilized armored personnel carriers and armed themselves

Ferguson protest leaders Ashley Yates and Tef Poe spoke at Ferguson October’s Mass Meeting held Sunday, October 12 at the Chaifetz Arena.

Photo by Wiley Price

neighborhoods, not because I am inclined to demonstrate in the streets but because my students had been peppersprayed, tear-gassed and pelted with rubber bullets. I had to go to see about them.

What I found was a large group of mostly young black people saving democracy. Many of those who rescued our democracy have typically been portrayed as thugs and criminals. When the police told them that they could not be on the street, or that they could be on the street but had to keep moving, these young people made a noise loud enough for the world to hear. They knew, as did the activists of the 1960s, that “the whole world is watching,” which was a popular chant then.

These young democrats showed the nation what citizens should do if they believe their constitutional rights are violated.

with military-grade weapons, they seemed to have prepared for war. As I drove my combat veteran (of both the Korean and Vietnam conflicts) father down W. Florissant Avenue, he pointed at the helicopters and the heavy police presence and declared that Ferguson had been occupied.

The residents, of course, were quite aware of that when they could not move beyond police barricades to get to their jobs or the grocery store.

County police, Missouri Highway Patrol, and eventually the National Guard could mobilize against U.S. citizens. I explained that, unfortunately,

n Many of those who rescued our democracy have typically been portrayed as thugs and criminals.

When I spoke with interviewers from Turkey, Germany, Spain, England, and elsewhere, they had troubles understanding how the Ferguson and St.

not everyone viewed poor and young black Americans as citizens.

I spent nights on W. Florissant and in the nearby

Few may realize it, but these youthful activists have already won some victories for democracy. In recognition of the thousands of activists and observers who have come to the region for Resistance Weekend, it should be noted that local black youth have caused municipal governments and countless Americans to reconsider how law enforcement should be allowed to police citizens. They have focused world and national attention on some of the inexplicable fine and warrant systems upon which city and county courts rely. And, they have inserted community policing into the dialogue surrounding long-term resolutions.

Mostly, as poet Langston Hughes did so many years ago, black youth have reminded their fellow citizens that they, too, are America.

Stefan M. Bradley is the director of African American Studies at Saint Louis University and author of “Harlem vs. Columbia University: Black Student Power in the Late 1960s.”

Columnist Stefan Bradley

Editorial /CommEntary

Everyone must vote on November 4

The St. Louis region is at a propitious moment, with deeply rooted divisions and inequalities in open view for literally the world to see. We owe this moment to the mismanaged, possibly corrupt investigation and prosecution of a fatal police shooting. Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson shot and killed an unarmed black teen, Michael Brown Jr., on August 8, just days after the August primary election. St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch clearly is waiting for the outcome of the November 4 general election before he announces that a grand jury has reached a decision on whether to indict Wilson. McCulloch’s delay was forced, as everyone paying attention has concluded, by a sustained protest movement in Ferguson that continues to demand justice in this case and needed reform of police policies and practices.

As our community, led by mostly young protestors, is showing historic and unprecedented courage and determination in the streets, it is essential that we show similar force and strength at the ballot box on Tuesday, November 4. It is necessary that we vote in large numbers to send a message to the Democratic Party in St. Louis County and the state of Missouri that they need to renegotiate the relationship between our community and the party, which includes how party leaders balance our concerns with the sometimes conflicting priorities of other interest groups within the party.

The Democratic Party has come to this pass in the county because its candidate for the county’s highest office, Steve Stenger, is a tight political ally of St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch, who is also on the November 4 ballot with nominal opposition. That means the Ferguson protest movement’s most brazen perceived enemy, McCulloch, is the strongest supporter for the Democratic candidate for the county’s highest seat, Stenger. Both of these flawed candidates soundly defeated black opponents in the Democratic primary. They partnered on Stenger’s vicious negative campaign against Charlie Dooley, who is the incumbent black County Executive. In Stenger’s campaign ads, McCulloch – a prosecutor empowered to charge Dooley with a crime – accused Dooley of “corruption.” When challenged about accusing a public official of a crime without issuing criminal charges, McCulloch told The American he did not think Dooley was a criminal, insisting that “corruption”

also defined actions that were unethical, but not criminal. That’s the sort of manipulation of fact and language regarding the public image of a black man that makes McCulloch such a tragically inadequate prosecutor of the Darren Wilson case.

Because of his unequivocal alliance with McCulloch – and his past advocacy for labor unions over minority inclusion advocates – we can not endorse Steve Stenger for County Executive. Stenger’s incredibly low profile with black voters gives an unprecedented opportunity for a Republican, and Rick Stream has responded to the opportunity by networking with disenfranchised black Democratic elected officials, now grouped in a new coalition. We have given extensive airing to the views of the Fannie Lou Hamer Democratic Coalition. They argue that Stream is willing to work with them on issues of concern to their constituents in North County. They believe the need to send Democrats a strong message and set the stage for future negotiations makes it palatable to look past Stream’s extremely conservative voting record in the Missouri House of Representatives. Though his political ideology arguably can do less damage if he is County Executive than if he stays in the Legislature, Stream has been a prominent leader in a party that is moving in the wrong direction. In the end, we can not endorse Rick Stream either.

This might lead us to the place some protest activists have reached. Some young protestors claim it was a white police officer, and not poor black voter turnout, that killed Michael Brown, and they refuse to see any connection between voting and forcing the changes they demand. While we clearly understand their sentiment, particularly when faced with a choice between Stenger and Stream at the top of a ballot, we disagree and insist that the power of our vote remains critical to our ability to reshape this county, state and nation. The problem has been that our community has not been sufficiently organized politically to give us better choices on November 4, but this election also marks the beginning of the 2016 election cycle, and now is the time to show our full voting strength. We can have better days ahead for our community, and the ballot box can help us get ahead. We urge everyone to go to the polls and have their voices heard in the November 4 general election.

Carpenter for St. Louis Recorder of Deeds

St. Louis Recorder of Deeds is a ministerial office that would not be important now were it not for a political drama being played out between Mayor Francis Slay, longtime Recorder of Deeds Sharon Quigley Carpenter, and former 15th Ward Alderwoman Jennifer Florida. Quick back story: Carpenter resigned after admitting to fourthgeneration nepotism in hiring a summer intern; she claimed to understand the statute to forbid up to thirdgeneration, but not-fourth generation consanguinity. Slay appointed Florida to succeed Carpenter, who stayed in the Democratic primary for the office; it was too late for Florida to file in the primary. Despite the nepotism bust and forced resignation, Carpenter – a Slay family friend for the entirety of the mayor’s life – was endorsed by the mayor and won every single ward in the city in a contested primary. Now Florida opposes Carpenter in the general election, running as an Independent on the November 4 ballot in the city. Slay has shifted his political support, as he hinted he would when he appointed Florida, from the Democratic nominee (Carpenter) to his handpicked successor. For political professionals and junkies, this is quite a floor show. Slay turned his back on who was the longest-standing citywide elected official, a fellow Democrat who was once a lock-step ally with Slay’s father, the late Francis R. Slay, when Slay Sr. and Carpenter basically controlled South Side politics. To tighten the family drama, Carpenter succeeded Slay Sr. as Recorder of Deeds and used to babysit for Slay Jr. when he was in diapers.

a charge of fourth-generation nepotism in a city government that would shut down instantly if every relative of an elected official walked off the job. Slay is trying to push and pull voters away from this consensus Democrat from his own political family in a race that will only decide who gets to hold an elected office that everyone understands to be largely an administrative function. Recorder of Deeds is not a stepping stone office like President of the Board of Alderman (Slay’s previous post), Treasurer or Circuit Clerk – no one has ever moved on from Recorder of Deeds to a citywide position on the city’s powerful fiscal body, the Board of Estimate & Apportionment. Further, Slay publicly endorses the elimination of the position as an elected office and even managed to get his enablers at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch to announce they will never again endorse a candidate for a so-called county office in the city unless that candidate campaigns on the removal of the office as an elected position. To quote another citywide elected white Democrat who has been watching this show from the front row: “Have white people gone crazy?”

Vote no on all four amendments

Voters in Missouri will be asked to consider four constitutional amendments to the state constitution on the Tuesday, November 4 ballot. We encourage voters to reject all of these proposed changes.

Amendment 2, “Prosecution of Sexual Crimes Against Children,” would make it permissible to allow relevant evidence of prior criminal acts to be admissible in prosecutions for crimes of a sexual nature involving a victim under 18 years of age. Allowing such evidence is inherently prejudicial, as it can cause a jury to convict based on a defendant’s past crimes – or mere allegations – without regard to the defendant’s actual guilt in the case at hand.

VOTE NO ON AMENDMENT 2.

Amendment 3, “Teacher Tenure,” would require teachers to be evaluated by a state-approved evaluation system, tie their professional survival, compensation and promotion to that performance data, limit teacher contracts to three years, and prohibit teachers from organizing or collectively bargaining regarding the evaluation system. Amendment 3 removes local control of school districts and places it substantially in the hands of the state. It also significantly limits the bargaining power of teacher unions, one place where the core Democratic constituencies of labor and blacks do come together, and removes due process for teachers. It would do all this without any clear promise that our students would actually receive better instruction from better teachers. VOTE NO ON

AMENDMENT 3.

Amendment 6, “Early Voting,” would “permit voting in person or by mail for a period of six business days prior to and including the Wednesday before the election day in general elections, but only if the legislature and the governor appropriate and disburse funds to pay for the increased costs of such voting.” Amendment 6 is a sham early-voting measure that would prevent Missouri from enacting substantive early voting in the future. By constitutionally dictating the form early voting must take, Amendment 6 actually would impose new restrictions on the legislature’s power in regard to early voting and prevent it from extending the early voting period or allowing early voting on weekends. VOTE NO ON AMENDMENT 6.

Amendment 10, “Withhold Overrides,” would “require the governor to pay the public debt, prohibit the governor from relying on revenue from legislation not yet passed when proposing a budget, and provide a legislative check on the governor’s decisions to restrict funding for education and other state services.” Amendment 10 would severely weaken the Missouri Constitution’s strong balancedbudget requirement by limiting the governor’s power to restrict spending when state revenue collections are insufficient to cover expenditures budgeted by the legislature. VOTE NO ON AMENDMENT 10.

Jake Zimmerman for St. Louis County Assessor

Let’s say this right out, to be very clear: THE ST. LOUIS AMERICAN ENDORSES JAKE ZIMMERMAN FOR ST. LOUIS COUNTY ASSESSOR. The tax man bears a large burden of routine public scrutiny, since the people who vote in primary and general elections are the types who scrutinize their tax assessments and will reliably vote their informed self-interest. Zimmerman certainly deserves reelection on his public record. His tenure as tax assessor in the county has been largely uneventful, which is what you want in a tax man. He runs his office with competence, transparency, an eye for the public welfare and a respect for staff as well as staff diversity. Politically, he is a positive force to be marveled at. In a 21st century when St. Louis County Democrats have finally seen an insurgent black Democrat caucus stand up for the interests of its community and wrestle for power within the party, Zimmerman is almost unique

Letters to the Editor

So much for the credibility

Proposing a positive move forward in the aftermath of the shooting of Michael Brown Jr., two weeks ago the St. Louis Police Chief and the Circuit Attorney announced the creation of a special independent and diverse unit to specifically investigate police shootings known as the Force Investigative Unit (FIU).

A week following this announcement, the FIU received its first case: the shooting death of VonDerrit Myers Jr., which both the Police Chief and Circuit Attorney said would be thoroughly investigated by the FIU. While the incident is presumably still under investigation by the FIU, the St. Louis Police Department voluntarily provided to the predominantly white police officers association a forensics report purportedly evidencing that Myers fired shots at the police officer. So much for the FIU’s credibility.

Eric E. Vickers

among non-black elected Democrats in St. Louis County in that he enjoys more or less unanimous support from his African-American party mates. He is appreciated for his loyalty and fairness and respected for his intellect almost universally in a political culture so divisive that those divisions have been scrutinized in national media for going on three months. His intelligence is especially impressive. In many years of talking to politicians and candidates in close quarters, we have rarely encountered someone as well-informed and insightful as Jake. He speaks in publishable paragraphs, with fairness and reason, and his voice is essential to a positive future for St. Louis County. Our only regret in endorsing Jake Zimmerman, Democrat, on the November 4 ballot in St. Louis County is that his name and office are not higher on the ticket. Again, we heartily endorse JAKE

ZIMMERMAN FOR ST. LOUIS COUNTY ASSESSOR

was made easier in the August election for felons accused of non-violent crimes to get guns now.

It is very telling that now in Missouri our deaths by gun outnumber motor vehicle deaths, yet guns remain the only consumer product not regulated at the federal level for health and safety, due to the wishes of the gun industry and compliant lawmakers. Cars are heavily regulated by driving tests and licenses, seat belt laws and airbags, etc. If we want to continue this love affair with guns without regulating them for more safe product usage and ownership, then we just better get used to the deaths that result from their lack of regulation.

Erin O’Reilly Via email

Cops are not angels

So now we see the mayor whipping votes for an Independent running against a Democrat from his own political family who won every ward in a contested primary – because she is tainted by

As for The American, we tend to endorse consensus Democrats unless – like Steve Stenger, Democratic candidate for St. Louis County Executive on the November 4 ballot – they show our community that we have good reason to oppose their candidacy. Sharon Quigley Carpenter is not that kind of Democrat. Moreover, we are sure she has learned her lesson and will never again hire for a summer position any family relative up to and including (the part of the statute she misunderstood previously) the fourth generation. We endorse SHARON QUIGLEY CARPENTER FOR ST. LOUIS RECORDER OF DEEDS.

Easy to get guns

It frustrates me that the deaths of Michael Brown Jr. and VonDerrit Myers Jr. are either blamed on police brutality or errant teenagers, but the role our “love of guns” in America is ignored. When someone can so easily obtain a product that is considered valuable and desirable it will result in greater usage of that product. We make it so easy to get guns in Missouri, and it

If even one law enforcement official commits even one racially motivated act, and that official is not disciplined proportionally to their offense, that one act tarnishes the whole. Basically, because we know one member of the group is racist, and the rest of the group has not rebuked said racism, we can imply the whole group is racist. You can call it profiling if you want. Personally I prefer to simply state that we know for a fact law enforcement officials, while perhaps holding varying opinions concerning the abuse of civilian rights, are not angels. And the reality some are outright devils is not implied, but altogether evident.

Kenneth Henry Deome Salinas, CA

Sharon Quigley Carpenter

Jake Zimmerman

Reduce unfair employment barriers

By State Sen. Jamilah Nasheed For The St. Louis American

“How did you learn about this company or this position?” “What is your employment history?”

“Have you ever been convicted of a crime?” These are routine questions you will find on a typical job application.

Recently, however, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission endorsed removing one of these common questions from all job applications: a person’s criminal conviction history. Commonly known as “ban the box,” this initiative seeks to remove questions on job applications pertaining to an individual’s prior convictions. The initiative also suggests delaying background checks until later in the hiring process.

Twelve states representing nearly every region of our country have adopted “ban the box” legislation. Nationwide, more than 60 cities and counties have taken this crucial step toward removing this unfair barrier to employees.

It is time that we in Missouri do the same.

I am calling upon the Show-Me State to embrace this much-needed reform in order to provide a fair chance for all job applicants; rejecting the stigma that solitary check-marked box often brings. For too long, society has held back individuals who have fully paid their debt to society. Preventing citizens from becoming productive members of society in this manner erodes the individual dignity to which all people are entitled, as well as hinders societal progress in general.

We often talk about recidivism rates when referring to our correctional system. Recidivism is a significant problem, not only from a state budget standpoint but from a cultural one as well. Entire segments of the population are being pushed to the fringes of society because of past mistakes for which they’ve already paid the price.

These men and women can’t get a decent job. They can’t find affordable housing. They’re pushed back out into the world with fewer chances than when they entered the correctional system. As a result, many feel no choice but to return to a life of crime. Lacking suitable avenues, society subjugates these individuals, labeling them permanently for one mistake, perpetuating the cycle of repeat offenders.

For too long, we’ve only looked at the punitive side of the criminal justice system, completely ignoring how these institutions are supposed to be places of rehabilitation. Offenders are expected to be properly punished for their crimes. But an expectation also exists that the correctional system will prepare these individuals to once again become contributing members of society. And many are. I’ve talked to countless ex-offenders who want nothing more than the simple opportunity of obtaining a decent job, making a living, and starting a new life. They’re not asking for handouts or special treatment. They just want the opportunity to rejoin society and put the past behind them. It is imperative that we help these individuals in their quest to fully reenter society.

Removing the question of prior convictions from employment applications is a way to reduce recidivism rates for ex-offenders. It grants them a fair chance at employment and the many opportunities it brings. For this reason, I will be bringing legislation forward this forthcoming legislative session to ban the box.

My legislation will in no way prevent employers from properly vetting job applicants. Background checks could still be conducted later in the hiring process. Banning the box would simply give those with a criminal past a fighting shot at a job. For many, that real chance to obtain a decent job could be the difference between life in prison and life as a rehabilitated citizen who gives back to their community.

I am asking the Show-Me state to show me if we have what it takes to move Missouri forward, working together for a brighter, better future for all of our citizens.

Alice Dowd wore a prideful sign when she marched with 3,000 peaceful protestors in downtown St. Louis on Saturday, October 11 during Ferguson October’s Weekend of Resistance.

Alice, proud

State Sen. Jamilah Nasheed joined residents of Canield Green Apartments after the roadside memorial to Michael Brown was burned down.

Photo by Wiley Price

that the officer gave early on.

the wounds were inflicted. However, he said the head wound would have rendered him unconscious immediately.

Wecht also investigated the deaths of John F. Kennedy, Elvis Presley and JonBenet Ramsey.

One of the family’s lawyers, Jermaine Wooten, said the report’s findings – showing almost all shots from behind – contradict the story of the police officer, who has not been identified. Police representatives have said that Myers was facing the officer the entire time.

However, Myers had to have been facing away from the officer for the first shots, Wooten said, because he could not have endured the two shots to the side and remained standing. The head wound rendered him unconscious, and the shot to his left thigh shattered his femur, dropping him immediately.

Wooten said the report supports the accounts given by eyewitnesses – that Myers

BALLOT

Continued from A1

Continued from A1 against diversity and inclusion measures on the council. He’s also closely aligned with St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch, the Ferguson protest movement’s most resented and distrusted target.

St. Louis County Assessor Jake Zimmerman, a Democrat who previously served in the state House of Representatives, seeks reelection against a little-know Republican named Andrew Ostrowski. Zimmerman has been endorsed by both the St. Louis PostDispatch, which said he “is working for the best interests of the citizens of St. Louis County,” and the black Democrats organized as the

allegedly turned to run. He did not face the officer and fire a weapon, as the officer alleges, Wooten said. As he ran, the officer allegedly shot him in the back, Wooten said. According to Wooten, eyewitnesses have said that Myers was unarmed when the officer, a 32-year-old white male with six years on the force, fired 17 shots at him. Witnesses also have said the officer was not dressed in a police uniform as police officials claimed, according to Wooten.

The lawyers met with the police department’s medical examiner Dr. Michael Graham, who said Myers’ DNA does not appear on the gun that he was allegedly carrying.

“If he had been carrying the gun, it would have had his DNA,” Wooten said.

The medical examiner’s full report won’t be complete for another couple months, he said. At Wecht’s press conference, police investigators served him with a subpoena to turn over his autopsy report to a grand jury reviewing the case.

The officer’s attorney, Brian Millikan, said Wecht’s autopsy findings support the statement

Fannie Lou Hamer coalition, who say he “has been nothing but fair to everyone who lives and works in the county.”

State Senate races

Three state Senate races will be on the ballot. Democratic State Rep. Jill Schupp of Creve Coeur will run against Republican Jay Ashcroft to succeed state Sen. John Lamping, a Republican of Ladue.

Most notably, Schupp has a track record of strongly advocating for expanding Medicaid, while Ashcroft has not taken a stance on the federal healthcare plan. The son of well-known conservative father — former U.S. Attorney General and Missouri Governor John Ashcroft – Jay has said he favors tax cuts over tax credits for special interests.

“It doesn’t change anything for us at all,” Millikan said. “Myers had a gun that night, and there’s forensic evidence that he did use it.

Millikan said that Myers was facing the officer the entire time. However, at one point during the gunfight, Millikan said, Myers was lying on his side facing the officer, but somehow the backs of his legs were exposed to the policeman’s position.

“It’s hard to explain it over the phone,” Millikan said. “He was lying on his side. His description will be in the police report.”

The officer is currently on administrative leave.

According to police, the officer was working a second job as a GCI Security officer for the Flora Street neighborhood when he saw three young African-American men on Shaw Boulevard –three blocks from the street the officer was hired to patrol.

The officer became suspicious when the males allegedly ran from the area, police officials said. Police said the officer followed the young men through several

State Sen. Joe Keaveny, an attorney, will run for re-election in the city’s 4th Senate District, which also includes parts of St. Louis County. Keaveny recently helped build bipartisan support for a bill to fund early childhood education statewide, House Bill 1689. Keaveny has a silent challenger, Republican Courtney Blunt, a committeewoman for the city’s 13th Ward, who has hardly campaigned.

Maria Chappelle-Nadal, who has represented District 14 in the Missouri State Senate since 2010, will run unopposed in her re-election. Her visibility has risen dramatically as a result of her frontline advocacy of Ferguson protestors.

Recorder of Deeds

In St. Louis City, two

streets, got out of his car and then followed Myers through a gangway. The two got into a “physical altercation,” according to police, and then Myers allegedly ran up a hill and then turned and fired three rounds toward the officer.

“Fearing for his safety,” the officer returned fire, according

candidates are vying for the office of Recorder of Deeds, which is in charge of recording all property transactions and issuing marriage licenses as well as birth and death records.

Jennifer Florida is the current Recorder of Deeds, and Sharon Carpenter stepped down from the post in July because of a violation of the state’s nepotism law when she hired a fourth-generation nephew as a summer intern.

The penalty for nepotism is forfeiting the office, and Mayor Francis Slay appointed Florida after Carpenter’s resignation, though Carpenter is now running to reclaim her seat.

Florida has a huge fundraising advantage in the race, St. Louis Public Radio reported. As of Oct. 15, she had $34,000 to spend in the race, while Carpenter only had $4,000. However, shortly after

to police.

Wanted man

Protestors projected the image of a “Wanted” poster of Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson on the façade of Andy Wurm Tire & Wheel in Ferguson, among other buildings in St. Louis city and county, during a night of roving protests on Wednesday, October 22.

The officers who shot them are both white. Myers’ death incited several protests during the Ferguson October weekend of civil disobedience actions to bring awareness to police brutality.

The incident happened just before the two-month anniversary of the shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown, an unarmed black teen who was killed by a white police officer in Ferguson on August 9. Both Brown and Myers were black.

the October filing deadline, Florida received an additional $25,000 from wealthy financier Rex Sinquefield. Carpenter, who held the office for three decades, is running as the Democratic nominee and Florida as an independent.

Amendments

Missouri voters have four constitutional amendments on the November ballot –ranging from early voting to the admissibility of prior sex crimes, teacher tenure and the governor’s power over the state budget.

Amendment 2, “Prosecution of Sexual Crimes Against Children,” would make it permissible to allow relevant evidence of prior criminal acts to be admissible in prosecutions for crimes of

Follow this reporter on Twitter @rebeccarivas.

a sexual nature involving a victim under 18 years of age.

Amendment 3, “Teacher Tenure,” would require teachers to be evaluated by a state-approved evaluation system, limit teacher contracts to three years, and prohibit teachers from organizing or collectively bargaining regarding the evaluation system.

Amendment 6, “Early Voting,” would allow for early voting – only during “regular business hours” – from Wednesday through Friday two weeks before Election Day, then from Monday through Wednesday one week before Election Day.

Amendment 10, “Withhold Overrides,” would limit the governor’s budgetary authority, specifically his ability to withhold money temporarily from the budget each year.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

Human Rights Student Essay Contest deadline Nov. 15

The police shooting of Mike Brown and other incidents of racial profiling and police abuse have escalated fears and concerns for young people about their safety and security.

The St. Louis Coalition for Human Rights hopes to provide an opportunity for students to express themselves on the issue.

The 18th annual human rights essay contest theme is “Are Police Department Policies and Procedure in Violation of Citizens’ Human Rights?” The essay contest deadline has been extended to November 15. Every year the essay theme connects contemporary issues with articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Article 3 of the UDHR guarantees all the right to life, liberty and personal security. The goal is to take a global framework and apply it to a current issue so that students’ understanding of human rights is broadened in a practical way.

Cash prizes are awarded to the top three essay winners in the high school and middle school categories. In the middle school division, 1st Prize is $100, 2nd Prize is $50 and 3rd Prize is $25; high school division is $150 for 1st Prize, $100 for 2nd Prize and $50 for 3rd Prize. First prizewinners are required to read their winning essays at the Human Rights Celebration at the Missouri History Museum on December 10, 2014. Essay entries must be no more than 500 words and preferably typed. The essay

Federal benefits extended to same-sex marriages

n “Married persons in Missouri will no longer face governmentsanction discrimination based on sexual orientation.”

– Tony Rothert, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri

When the U.S. Supreme Court struck down section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act last year, the federal government recognized marriages of same-sex couples for most purposes. However, the Social Security Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs were unable to provide certain benefits to married same-sex couples residing in Missouri because of Missouri’s refusal to recognize their marriages. The benefits included social security benefits for surviving spouses and VA home loans for married couples. The Social Security Administration and Department of Veterans Affairs will now recognize the marriages of all Missourians for all purposes of federal law, regardless of their sexual orientation. The change is a result of a court decision earlier this month requiring Missouri to recognize the marriages of same-sex couples lawfully entered into in other jurisdictions.

“Married persons in Missouri will no longer face government-sanction discrimination based on sexual orientation,” said Tony Rothert, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri.

“However, we still have work to do to bring full marriage equality to Missouri and to put safeguards into law to protect lesbians, gay men, and transgender individuals from discrimination in the workplace, housing and public accommodations.”

Library groundbreaking

Over 100 people, including students from Riverview Gardens High School and several elected officials, attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Lewis & Clark Branch on October 23. The new facility will feature three different computing areas with a total of 60 PCs for public use, as well as a 100-seat capacity meeting room, and three quiet study rooms. Comfortable seating, an enhanced children’s area and a business center are also part of the new branch. Library Director Kristen Sorth called it “the branch that the community built.”

Supreme Court upholds ‘unconstitutional poll tax’

By Gloria J. Browne-Marshall Supreme Court Correspondent

In an emergency action, the Texas NAACP and other civil rights groups asked the U.S. Supreme Court to stop Texas from enforcing Senate Bill 14. But the conservative-led court sided with the state and upheld the strictest voter photo identification law in America. Senate Bill 14 requires a person to present one of a limited number of governmentissued photo identification documents. There were challenges to S.B. 14 from the beginning. Lawsuits followed this legislation from its inception. Gov. Rick Perry (R-Texas), a possible presidential contender in 2016, signed Senate Bill 14 on May 27, 2011, a few months prior to announcing his first presidential bid. Under S.B. 14, the

only acceptable forms of identification are driver’s license, non-driver ID, and concealed handgun license, all of which can only be obtained through the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). Or one may use a passport, citizenship certificate or military identification card containing photo. This ID must be presented at the polling place in order to vote.

Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Texas), along with AfricanAmerican and Latino voters, sued Perry. They argued S.B. 14 violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965 as well as the first amendment, fourteenth amendment, and fifteenth

amendment. Their first amendment claim is based on voting as an act of expression or free speech. The Veasey plaintiffs proved over 400,000 poor people, African-Americans, Hispanics, and those with disabilities will be prevented from voting due to their inability to obtain the required photo identification. The plaintiffs stated DPS offices providing required identification have limited hours that conflict with most work schedules and are located in remote locations far from public transportation. At trial, Veasey plaintiffs argued that the law was intentionally enacted to undermine the votes of poor and minority communities. Federal Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos agreed. After a nine day trial, with witnesses testifying about the law’s many burdens, based on an extensive factual record, Ramos ruled that S.B. 14 violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965 because it was enacted with a racially discriminatory purpose. However, Texas won on appeal, which prompted civil rights groups to go to the Supreme Court hoping to convince the court to block S.B. 14. They failed. In a 6-3 decision, the court ignored the lengthy record of evidence of intentional discrimination presented at trial. Finding for Texas, the court chose to allow the strict voter photo identification law in place to take effect during mid-term Federal elections.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg disagreed. Her dissent relied heavily on the trial evidence against Texas that it was an increase in the Latino population that led to S.B. 14. “The Texas Legislature and Gov. Perry had an evident incentive to “gain partisan advantage by suppressing” the “votes of AfricanAmericans and Latinos,” she said. Justices Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor joined Ginsberg’s dissent. The Supreme Court has upheld photo ID laws in the past. It allowed Ohio to reduce early voting as well as restrictions on registration in North Carolina. However, in Wisconsin, students can use ID cards from a four-year college and recognized Indian Tribes can use federal IDs. No state requires the limited types of identification found in Texas. There, eligible voters must travel over three hours to reach a Department of Public Safety office, Ramos found. Texas claims S.B. 14 is needed to address voter fraud. However, between “2002 and 2011 there were only two in-person voter fraud cases prosecuted to conviction in Texas,” Ginsberg wrote in her dissent. “The District Court further found that Senate Bill 14 operates as an unconstitutional poll tax,” she wrote. Poll taxes, or payments required to vote, are prohibited under the 24th Amendment. Initially, S.B. 14 was found to be in violation of the Voting Rights Act. But last year the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act provision, finding preclearance of voting laws used to protect minority voters was unconstitutional. That ruling allowed Texas, and other states, to freely change their voting laws. Following the Shelby decision, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder promised swift enforcement “using every legal tool that remains available to us – against any jurisdiction that seeks to take advantage of the Supreme Court’s ruling by hindering eligible citizens’ full and free exercise of the franchise,” Holder said, in 2013. His office fought to stop S.B. 14. Under Chief Justice John Roberts, the Supreme Court has handed-down the civil rights community historic defeats in voting rights, affirmative action, criminal justice and public education. Next month, the court will hear a fair housing case involving racial discrimination.

Gloria J. Browne-Marshall, is the Supreme Court correspondent for AfricanAmerican News & Information Consortium, of which The American is a member.

Gloria J. BrowneMarshall

‘Invigorated partnership’

Wells Fargo partners with district and foundation to help city schools

By Bridjes O’Neil

Of The St. Louis American

Jane Donahue, president of the St. Louis Public Schools Foundation, and SLPS Superintendent Kelvin Adams introduced plans for an “invigorated partnership” between the foundation and district recently at the Wells Fargo Advisors Learning Center.

“I’m thrilled to be here on the first phase of a collective journey to build a wide web of support for the students, teachers, administrators and families of the SLPS,” Donahue said at the “Shared Vision for Student Success” event. The foundation and district work to ensure that all SLPS students receive equitable educational opportunities. Founded in 1998, the foundation is the only funding organization with the unique and specific mission of supporting SLPS by mobilizing community resources and expertise.

During his remarks, Adams celebrated gains the district made within the past year toward regaining its full accreditation status. The provisionally accredited district earned 60.5 points on its Annual Performance Review, up 75 percent from last year, according to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

“The needle is moving in the right direction,” Adams said. “But I think we all want it to move faster.”

SLPS Foundation Board Chair Valerie Bell introduced event host Atul Kamra, senior managing director at Wells Fargo Advisors, as the “pioneering architect” of the partnership between SLPS and Wells Fargo Advisors.

“We appreciate the whole team and are fortunate to have Wells Fargo leader Al Caiazzo on our board,” Bell said. Caiazzo is managing director at Wells Fargo Advisors. Wells Fargo Advisors forged a partnership with SLPS and the foundation in 2012 to ensure that students at SLPS attain their educational goals. Wells Fargo Advisors team members took a three-prong approach by organizing a Student Academy and Teacher/ Principal Academy as well as an Engagement and Metrics

n Roughly 175 to 200 Wells Fargo Advisors staff serve as tutors or mentors at SLPS’ Dunbar Elementary, Carr Lane VPA and Vashon High.

Committee.

At the student level, Kamra said roughly 175 to 200 Wells Fargo Advisors team members serve as tutors or mentors for students at SLPS’ Dunbar Elementary, Carr Lane VPA and Vashon High School every week. The goals are to ensure

that all students at Dunbar read at grade level; that students at Carr Lane are ready for high school; and that 100 percent of Vashon seniors graduate and move on to college, he said.

Over the next three years, Donahue said, the foundation will work closely with the

district to improve student outcomes in four key areas: Kindergarten readiness, postsecondary planning, student health and school leadership. It is a part of the district’s recently implemented Transformational Plan.

Adams said the district first began expanding its early childhood education program in 2008 and that the number of three- to four-year-olds the district served has doubled from an estimated 1,200 to 2,300. Adams said he hopes to maintain this higher level of

service.

He linked access to early childhood educational opportunities with future student performance, citing data of current fourth graders who attended SLPS preschool. He said these students outperformed those who did not attend SLPS preschool in both communication arts and math.

By 2016, the district will increase its number of school leaders by developing a principal recruitment and training program. And over the next three years, the district will seek to place college and career coaches in at least 10 of its high schools. The goal is to increase SLPS’ college enrollment rate by three to five percent.

Additionally, the foundation will seek funding to implement evidence-based supplemental programs in academic tutoring and ACT preparation as well as improve student access to health and wellness.

“We know we need to evolve in order to trigger accelerated success for students,” Donahue said. Shawn Williams is a 2008 graduate of Vashon High School and a corps Member at Teach for America – St. Louis. He teaches fourth grade at Pierre Laclede Elementary School. Williams was among several community and school leaders within the audience that stood and shared their vision for SLPS. His vision, Williams said, is for students “to want greatness for themselves. For them, to develop into world-class leaders who change the face of this nation.”

Follow this reporter on Twitter: @BridjesONeil. E-mail this reporter: boneil@ stlamerican.com.

Jane Donahue, president of the St. Louis Public Schools Foundation, and SLPS Superintendent Kelvin Adams introduced plans for an “invigorated partnership” between the foundation and district recently at the Wells Fargo Advisors Learning Center.

Photo by Wiley Price

Parent says vote no on Amendment 3

By Kathleen Logan Smith

For The St. Louis American

When entering the voting booth on Tuesday, November 4, I will dutifully vote for my chosen candidates and I will also vote to keep control of Missouri’s schools within our local districts.

Kathleen Logan Smith

Amendment 3 would strip control of our local schools from parents, teachers and districts and transfer that power to bureaucrats and politicians in Jefferson City. It would require more standardized testing (to the benefit of private testing companies). Many children take too many standardized tests right now. Local school principals would have little say on evaluating teachers. Rather than performance in the classroom, teachers and school district

n This measure also mandates that a teacher’s contract not be longer than three years.

evaluations would be based on how well students do on standardized tests. Competent business leaders know that if you incentivize a behavior or skill, you will encourage what you incentivize. If testing is incentivized, learning and critical thinking will suffer. Teachers would have little incentive to encourage children’s development and may just teach to the test. This measure also mandates that a teacher’s contract not be longer than three years. Our schools need to retain and encourage our good teaching and provide a stable environment for children.

Rather than providing accountability, this amendment would divert scarce resources

from our local school to new, external, bureaucratic mandates. If implemented this measure would require schools to spend taxpayer money on mandates rather than in the local classroom.

I don’t take it lightly when faced with decisions on amending Missouri’s Constitution, and after reading and researching Amendment 3 I will vote no. Taxpayer dollars would be better spent on proper training of principals and mentors for educators, full-service community schools and early childhood education.

I encourage other parents and voters to read Amendment 3 and find out what it would do and what it would cost.

Recently my daughter and I have been visiting potential high schools in the St. Louis Public Schools. I choose to support our local, public schools and encourage American readers to do the same.

Vote no on Amendment 3.

Kathleen Logan Smith is a parent in the City of St. Louis.

American wins international award for Community Leadership

Inland Press Association recently honored The St. Louis American with its first place award for Community Leadership, for the newspaper and the St. Louis American Foundation’s efforts regarding the annual Salute to Excellence scholarship and recognition program. In 2014 alone, the St. Louis American Foundation, along with its educational institution partners, fostered more than $400,000 in local scholarships and community grants. Since its inception, the foundation has helped to provide more

than $3.5 million locally.

The Community Leadership award was part of Inland’s 2014 Newsroom Contest, which recognizes the best news staffs at newspapers across America, Canada and Bermuda. “With the tragedy in Ferguson, Missouri, this has been both an historic and sad year for the community served by The St. Louis American,” judges commented. “The hard work by The St. Louis American – year after year – to lift up young people through its annual scholarship fundraiser and recognition

program is the most important work by a newspaper in its community. Every media company in America should copy the program, and The St. Louis American deserves credit for celebrating success.”

One judge stated, “As an honored professor said this year about the students in the program: ‘Well taught, well learned.’”

Inland Press Association is comprised of approximately 1,200 member newspapers come from all 50 states, Canada and Bermuda.

Protest vote for Rick Stream A Democratic vote for Steve Stenger

By Umar Lee

For The St. Louis American

As of as a couple of weeks ago, my mind was fully made up to cast my vote for Mike Brown as the next St. Louis County Executive. The reason for this vote was quite simple: a vote for Steve Stenger is a vote for Bob McCulloch, Rick Stream is a Republican and I’ve never voted for a Republican. But within the last week or so the family of Mike Brown has requested that his name not be written in, and I respect that request and honor the family. Politics to me is not about perfection, sainthood or ideology. Politics is about power, coalition-building and leveraging. One cannot deliver if they have no chance of winning.

I registered to vote on my 18th birthday in 1992 and have never voted for a Republican. In the past when I’ve been upset with the Democratic candidate, I either left the line empty or put in a write-in candidate.

Stenger wants North County to vote for him just because he’s a Democrat. With this attitude Stenger becomes the poster child for the attitude of the Democratic Party that the black vote can be taken for granted. “Hey, I’m not going to do anything for you, but at least I’m not a Republican.”

Stenger ran on a campaign of insurgency against Charlie Dooley, the first AfricanAmerican County Executive. The Stenger campaign was backed by many of the white reactionary elements you see supporting Darren Wilson today. I am as pro-labor as anyone, but the unions backing Stenger have refused to fully integrate. Stenger has also had ample opportunity to distance himself from Bob McCulloch, and he has refused to do so.

Rick Stream is nobody to write home about. He has a history of Islamophobia, palling around with right-wing nuts and being in bed with the “birther” movement. Thankfully, as St. Louis County Executive he really won’t have influence on these issues.

With the endorsement of state Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal and the Fannie Lou Hammer Democratic Coalition, I trust their judgment that Rick Stream is a man the community can work with. I have been told he wants to reach out to North County and invest in the betterment of the community. I am willing to take their word for that with their being no good option.

I will cast my ballot for Rick Stream as a protest vote. If he fails to deliver as promised, we can come at him four years from now with an inclusive Democratic candidate.

By Leslie T. Broadnax

For The St. Louis American

Nov. 4 is quickly approaching, and the game of politics resembles a game of checkers rather than chess. Some Democratic elected officials have endorsed the Republican County Executive candidate, others have chosen to keep quiet, and the County Executive race itself is taking sucker punches outside of the ring. The prizefighters are the Prosecuting Attorney, City of Ferguson, militarized police and the future of black America and, more specifically, the St. Louis metro area.

The responsibility of any elected official is to represent the common interests and values of his or her constituents. All too often egos, personal agendas and silly games of revenge lend to a tone of poor leadership.

Let’s be clear, a Democratic vote for a Republican candidate, a write-in campaign for a deceased person, or abstaining from voting sends one message: a message of misguided efforts, short-sighted responses and knee-jerk reactions. Furthermore, it does nothing to advance the “movement”!

In fact, it hinders the process of the protracted struggle and gains of the democratic process and stifles the long-term prospects for a better St. Louis County. It hastens the increasing gap between the haves and havenots and furthers an agenda that squeezes the life out of hard-working families. It isn’t about the title of Administrator or County Executive , Democrat or Republican, but more about the mindset and beliefs that ultimately dictate the type of leader one will be.

I believe access to health care, Medicaid expansion, raising the minimum wage, inclusion, diversity and progressive women’s issues are important. More important is the mindset of the leader with these shared beliefs charged with governing these issues.

Any vote rooted in retaliation, rather than a well thought out, long-term plan, is dangerous and has the potential to leave a Democratic county impotent and lifeless. The only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. An attempt to swallow it whole will only result in choking.

On November 4, I will be casting my vote for Steve Stenger for County Executive. A vote rooted in the idea of what’s important to my family, my community and my constituents means continued progress towards economic development, education improvement and better senior services for St. Louis County.

Follow attorney and Democratic activist Leslie T. Broadnax on Twitter at @ LeslieBroadnax.

St. Louis kicks off the holidays

Annual favorites abound to enjoy the season in STL

Every year St. Louis ushers in the magic of the holiday season with a flurry of diverse activities, coming alive with a unique and captivating spirit embodied by festive displays, spectacular celebrations and an abundance of opportunities to create holiday memories. It all starts with the two biggest events in St. Louis to help ring in the season.

Ameren Missouri Festival of Lights

Officially open this joyous season with Ameren Missouri’s Festival of Lights on Saturday, November 22. Bring the whole family to the newly renovated Union Station, and get in the holiday spirit with live entertainment, children’s activities and a variety of mascots. Be sure to stick around for the lighting of The Salvation Army’s Tree of Lights in Aloe Plaza. After Mayor Francis Slay lights the tree, sit back and enjoy a fireworks display at dusk. Then keep your eyes peeled for a special appearance by Santa Claus, who will be arriving by train at Union Station. http:// christmasinstlouis.org/ festival-of-lights

Ameren Missouri Thanksgiving Day Parade

Begin your Thanksgiving Day downtown at the annual Ameren Missouri Thanksgiving Day parade. Be awed as fantasyfilled floats, marching bands, animals and giant helium balloons make their way down Market

Street. The parade starts at 8:45 am and wraps up with a very special appearance by Santa to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas. http:// christmasinstlouis.org/parade/ parade

That’s the Spirit!

The holiday season in St. Louis offers something for everyone including lights, music, shopping and live entertainment. Taking in the city’s local light displays is a great way to jump-start your holiday spirit. A few top favorites: Winter Wonderland in Tilles Park, Santa’s Magical Kingdom at Jellystone Park in Eureka, The Way of Lights at Our Lady of the Snows Shrine, Wild Lights at the Saint Louis Zoo, Anheuser-Busch’s Brewery Lights and the Garden Glow at the Missouri Botanical Garden. While you’re at the Garden, check out the Gardenland Express, Deck the Halls Wreath Exhibit, Christmas Carols in the Garden, Chanukah Festival of Lights, and Kwanzaa Festival of the First Fruits.

The decorations lavished on the local St. Louis area malls are sure to get you in a festive mood. Shop `til you drop in a wonderland of specialty shops, antique stores, boutiques and big name department stores. Don’t forget your four-legged family members either. Get a special little something for them at Purina Farms’ Petacular Bazaar, December 13-14. You’ll be sure to find unique gifts for everyone on your list at any of the hundreds of stores in St. Louis.

What’s the holiday season without festive music? There are plenty of opportunities this year to experience the sounds

of the holidays in St. Louis.

As a pre-holiday warmup, why not take in “Motown the Musical,” running from November 18-30 at the Fox Theatre in Grand Center. The holiday beat then picks up on those soulful sounds December 4 with Brian Owens, A Motown Christmas at the Sheldon Concert Hall & Art Galleries in Grand Center. The music also rolls with a “Mannheim Steamroller Christmas” at the Fox December 9-10 while you can enjoy a mix of winter and holiday music with Winter Wonderland at the Sheldon Concert Hall December 16-17. The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra will also perform various holiday concerts throughout the season. And you definitely don’t want to miss the Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s “The Christmas Attic” on December 26 at Scottrade Center. No holiday season would be complete without the tradition of Christmas plays. On December 2, the Moscow Ballet is performing “The Nutcracker” at the Peabody. You can also see the St. Louis Ballet perform this holiday favorite at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on December 18-23. The Fox hosts the iconic play “A Christmas Carol” on December 12-14 followed by “A Christmas Story –The Musical” on December 16 – January 4. Experience all of the sights, sounds and joyous times of the season in St. Louis this year. Your next great holiday memory is just waiting to be made.

Umar Lee

Leslie T. Broadnax

Begin your Thanksgiving Day downtown at the annual Ameren Missouri Thanksgiving Day parade.

Repentance, resistance, revolution

‘Our act of holy disobedience took on a deeper meaning’

By Rev. Osagyefo Sekou For The St. Louis American

“Officer, you are part of a sinful system that is responsible for the death of Mike Brown. I have come to take your confession.”

These words, uttered by multi-denominational clergy from near and far as they stood in a deluge of rain at the Ferguson Police Department, challenged police to acknowledge systemic wrongdoing, seek forgiveness and set the necessary preconditions for healing.

Ferguson police officers are overwhelmingly white civil servants, in stark contrast to the community they are charged with serving. One of their number shot and killed Michael Brown Jr., then left his lifeless body in the street for over four hours.

They are a department who – by their own numbers – are more than twice as likely to pull over blacks than whites in traffic stops, despite a far lower rate of contraband found on those black drivers. Ferguson numbers among the St. Louis County municipalities that derive nearly half their revenue from fines for petty infringements of the law. Ferguson police issue an average of three arrest warrants for every Ferguson household, despite comparatively low crimes rates. Led by St. Louis County Police, they viciously – and frequently illegally – repressed peaceful protest in the wake of Brown’s killing.

The call for police repentance was not about extracting an apology from individual officers for bad behavior, but rather an acknowledgment of complicity in an evil system of policing.

Having been properly and profanely chastised the night before, the Moral Monday clergy gathered at Wellspring Church that morning of October 13. Our first act was one of repentance. The church, particularly the black church, had betrayed black youth. We had to repent, and repent we did.

Night after night, youth took to the street, but Sunday after Sunday they were not in our pews. Most felt alienated and abandoned by the rise of prosperity gospel and political quietude. Since the death of Michael Brown, many clergy called for peace (couched in the politics of respectability) while repeatedly demeaning protestors. Pastors could be seen in the streets siding with police, urging the protestors to go home and negotiating terms that were not theirs to negotiate.

White clergy confessed their privilege. They committed to being present with Ferguson protestors and to renew their commitment in their own communities, where black and brown youth are subject to arbitrary policing with virtual impunity.

Our act of holy disobedience took on a deeper meaning. Adorned in existential sackcloth and ashes, the interfaith congregation of clergy confessed their sins of omission, silence and alienation. After turning from our wicked ways of silence and collusion, we headed out of the church and took South Florissant Avenue. We marched to the local citadel of police repression and state violence, as the massed voices were powerfully raised in freedom songs and the chants of the courageous youth protestors.

At the Ferguson Police Department, we created a memorial as an act of resistance. Before the line of baton-bearing police the Rev.

of those slain with taxpayer dollars. Clergy approached the garrison of police to take their confessions.

A few of the officers wept and several became visibly angry. Having our confessional

Movement leader Rev. Osagyefo Sekou spoke up for youth protestors at Chaifetz Arena during Ferguson October’s “The Mass Meeting: An Interfaith Service” on Sunday, October 12.

Photo by Wiley Price

pleas fall on deaf ears, we advanced towards the entrance of the police station, where we were met with batons against our throats and riots shields against our faces. But we prayed as an act of resistance.

As rain saturated our religious garb, we moved once again to call on Chief Jackson to repent and resign. We were met with yet another line of riotous policeman, shields up, visors down, long batons being thrust forward. But we, like the youth before us, would not bow down – only to pray. Forty three clergy, seminarians and members of the community were arrested that day, with 17 receiving additional charges of assault on a law enforcement officer.

As we await the grand jury ruling – struggling to maintain even a little faith, even for the most faithful amongst us – the work of repentance, resistance and revolution must continue.

Revolution is grounded in the sacred text of American democracy, the U.S. Constitution. Having repented for our absence and resisted with holy disobedience, clergy are finally taking their place

beside the youth in the face of police terror. With the Bible in one hand and the Constitution in the other, the revolution must speak of the death of Mike Brown and speak against a brutal and unjust system of policing and endemic and systematic economic deprivation. It is not simply about individual victims or individual police. It is rather a broad vision of a new heaven and new earth, a new nation. This revolution will come into being with persistence, courage and nonviolent civil disobedience as demonstrated on Moral Monday. So let us all repent, resist and make way for great American revolution led by black youth.

Charles Burton, a local pastor and activist, laid down on the soaked ground. His body was traced with chalk and candles lit as an altar for the Mike Browns of America. Pastors and Rabbis read the names

Rev. Osagyefo Uhuru Sekou is an author, documentary filmmaker, public intellectual, organizer, pastor and theologian.

By Ferguson protestors and allies

For The St. Louis American

The unlawful slaughter of black bodies by the hands of power has continued day after day, year after year, century after century, life by precious life, since before the first chain was slipped around black wrists.

Black youth, brimming with untapped potential, but seen as worthless and unimportant. Black activists, stalwart in pursuit of liberation, but perceived as perpetual threats to order and comfort. Black men, truly and earnestly clinging to our dignity, written off as the ravenous, insatiable black savage. Black women, always unflinchingly running toward our freedom, dismissed as bitter and angry after long denial and suffering.

Not one group of us has been spared from the bullet or the beating, too many armed only with our blackness, left to live this American horror story. The story has come alive once again in Ferguson.

Ours were the bodies, the strange fruit that swung from the poplar trees. Ours were the bodies, the motionless forms stretched out in the street for 4.5 hours. Ours were the bodies, left to be seen to rot as warnings against being too uppity, too confident, too bold, too free.

Ours were the bodies, served up as notice to remain humbly and quietly in our place, never to awaken America’s fear of blackness. It was Emmett’s body in Mississippi. Little Aiyana’s body in Michigan. Amadou’s body in New York City.

We are living an American horror story

‘We are despised for our struggle for freedom’

gas station. Jonathan’s body on a North Carolina road. Renisha’s body on a Detroit front porch. John in an Ohio Wal-Mart. Ezell on a Los Angeles sidewalk. Eric’s body on a New York corner. Mike’s body on a Ferguson street. It was names and bodies that we will never know in cities and towns across this land. In every main street and dark corner of this nation,

n Black people are unsafe to breathe, walk, speak, lead, move, grow, learn and be.

black people are unsafe to breathe, walk, speak, lead, move, grow, learn and be without the distinct possibility that our blackness will be seen as enough weapon to justify the taking of our lives. Our education doesn’t save us, for Mike was on his way

to college. Our respectability doesn’t spare us, for men and women were lynched in three-piece suits and Sunday dresses. Our innocence doesn’t protect us, for little Aiyana was only seven years old when the officer’s bullet struck her down.

We are living an American horror story. From every corner of life we have assembled, time and time again, to demand we turn the page. Time and again we were met with militarized forces that unlawfully tamped down on peaceful action and peaceful people.

That we must keep emphasizing the civil nature of our disobedience and highly organized struggle is but another moment in the myth of the so-called black savage our

country seems determined to pin on us. We are despised for our struggle for freedom, despite learning it from those patriots at the Boston Harbor who cried, “Give me liberty, or give me death” and those black freedom fighters whose likeness and admonitions are now emblazoned in our nation’s capital.

Reprinted with permission from Thisisthemovement.org.

Travyon in a Sanford gated community. Jordan in a Florida

Ferguson protestors took the mirrored casket made in honor of Michael Brown Jr. to St. Louis County Police headquarters on Wednesday, October 22.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

Dissident black Dems endorse Zimmerman

The Fannie Lou Hamer Democratic Coalition of St. Louis County showed that it is much more than a reprisal effort against Steve Stenger and Bob McCulloch this week when it endorsed a Democratic candidate on the November 4 ballot in the county, Jake Zimmerman, the incumbent County Assessor.

“We are pleased that Jake Zimmerman, County Assessor, has reached out to the Fannie Lou Hamer Democratic Coalition for our endorsement in his re-election, and we are just as pleased to offer that endorsement,” said County Councilwoman Hazel Erby, founder of the coalition.

“Jake is inclusive, fair and he recognizes that our coalition represents a large and important part of St. Louis County that will influence the future of this metropolitan region. The Fannie Lou Hamer Democratic Coalition of St. Louis County wholeheartedly offers its endorsement to Jake Zimmerman in his re-election for County Assessor, and we look forward to working sideby-side with him to improve our community for years to come.”

“I’m honored to be endorsed by the Fannie Lou Hamer Democratic Coalition,” Jake Zimmerman stated. “I know you share my vision: that taxpayers have the right to be treated fairly and with dignity regardless of where they live or how much their property is worth.” Zimmerman added a personal note: “Hazel and I have been not just political colleagues but friends now for almost a decade. I look forward to more years of working together to serve the people of St. Louis County.” Zimmerman also had credibility in the bank with other members of the coalition. He has always maintained a good working relationship

with everyone he has dealt with, regardless of race or socioeconomic standing. During his time as state representative, he worked with coalition member state Representative Sharon Pace

“Jake did a great job legislating for all people,” Pace stated. “Since he was elected as County Assessor for St. Louis County, he has been nothing but fair to everyone who lives and works in the county. He has proven that it doesn’t matter who you are or how much your property is worth; everybody needs to pay their fair share.”

“All African Americans ever wanted was a fair share, nothing more and nothing less – whether it is with minority participation, appointments to boards and commissions, or economic development in nonaffluent areas such as North County, we’ve only asked for our fair share,” Erby stated.

“Jake was one of the few white elected officials in St. Louis County that did not abandon Charlie Dooley during the brutal and racially divisive August primary. To African Americans, loyalty means something. So when we were asked to endorse Jake Zimmerman for County Assessor, it was almost a no-brainer.”

Stream passes smell test

Dooley was devastated by Steve Stenger in the August primary just days before the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown Jr. and the subsequent unrest. So at the top of the ballot on Tuesday, November 4, black voters are stuck with a choice between Stenger, a Democrat who displayed on countless occasions in the past that he thinks he doesn’t need the African-American vote to

win, and Republican Rick Stream nominee, who said too many times to mention that he wouldn’t have a shot at all without a highly unusual show of black voter support for a Republican candidate running for a countywide seat.

It’s difficult to imagine any significant drift – or outright headlong flight – of black voters to Stream without the formation of the Fannie Lou Hamer Democratic Coalition of St. Louis County. This African-American insurgency against the Democratic Party in St. Louis County (and – to the unease of many statewide candidates already eyeing 2016 – in Missouri) was founded by an extremely unlikely rebel, St. Louis County Councilwoman Hazel Erby.

The mild, negotiable, indeed (if the EYE might say) grandmotherly Erby was motivated against Stenger by her direct personal political experience. She serves alongside Stenger, an attorney and accountant from South County, on the County Council and saw Stenger gut a minority inclusion bill that Erby had crafted – albeit belatedly – for county contracting. Stenger added provisions that almost completely favor labor unions and the contracting status quo in the county, which showed Erby that Stenger would not hesitate to back labor against black interests.

The fact that labor and blacks are so often opposed on minority inclusion issues is an enduring dilemma of the

Missouri Democratic Party – one that gives a perennial opening for Republicans to attract black voters, if only they could field candidates for whom black people could vote while holding their nose. Despite an extremely conservative voting record as a Republican leader in the far right-leaning Missouri House of Representatives, Rick Stream passes that smell test for the Fannie Lou group. Stream passes, if for no other reason, than because Stenger is a political co-creation of the single most toxic white Democrat in the state of Missouri for African Americans, St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch. Along with the minority inclusion betrayal, the Stenger-

McCulloch personal-political alliance is the other thing Erby and her fellow black Democrats have seen at very close distance. This steadfast alliance helped spark the formation of the Fannie Lou Hamer Democratic Coalition, as surely as the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown sparked what will soon by three months of sustained protest.

The two events are intimately connected.

McCulloch’s manipulative handling of the prosecution added to the community’s rage over the police handling of the shooting. Stenger made his judgment call and stayed close to his sponsor’s side, never wavering in his support of the embattled McCulloch or making any significant effort to connect with the black community in its grief and rage.

Stenger calculated that black voters would not unify significantly against him and defect to his Republican opponent in sufficient numbers to beat him, and the Fannie Lou crowd are mobilizing to prove him wrong and show other Missouri Democrats they can’t be as dismissive of African-American concerns as McCulloch and Stenger in the future and survive in elected office.

“The coalition is Democratic and we have not abandoned our Democratic roots. We merely decided to choose a better candidate for County Executive in Republican Rick Stream,” Erby stated.

“Jake Zimmerman seems to be one of the few white politicians left that understands that you need the support of EVERYONE, not just the few that can get you elected, in order to move the county forward. We only wish that Steve Stenger could have thought of it that way.”

The Fannie Lou Hamer Democratic Coalition of St. Louis

County endorsed incumbent County Assessor Jake Zimmerman, right, in the November 4 election.

Healthy Kids Kids

Drink Water!

Nutrition Challenge:

Drink at least eight glasses of water every day. This helps prevent overeating, it improves digestion and it’s even good for your skin!

Do It For A Cause!

Exercise Challenge:

This time of year there are many different charity walks and fundraisers. Find out how you and your family can get involved. Perhaps you can take “pledges” to raise money for an organization like the American Heart Association or the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Many of these are 5K which stands for 5 kilometers; this is just a

Try this Get in the habit of filling a glass full of water every time you feel thirsty. Don’t drink anything else until you’ve finished the water! This will greatly increase the amount of water you drink and

little over 3 miles. You should always start slowly and build up your strength, speed and endurance. You could begin by walking a mile every day, then try walking three blocks and running one. Keep this up

reduce the amount of sugary drinks you consume throughout the day.

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

until you can switch that to running three and walking one block. Eventually you’ll be able to run the full mile. But of course, if running’s not your thing, you can always walk the 5K instead. Just make sure you walk briskly (quickly) to increase your heart rate while raising money for charity.

Learning Standards: HPE 1,

Healthy Snacks

Dr. Steven Player

Director, Center for Diversity and Cultural Competence

Where do you work? BarnesJewish Hospital.

Where did you go to school? I graduated from Clayton High School and received a Doctor of Pharmacy from Xavier University of Louisiana and Master of Business Administration from Webster University.

What do you do at your job? Each day I have the pleasure of ensuring the best care is provided to all our patients, and that our patients, guests and team members are treated in a compassionate, respectful and exceptional manner. I lead a team that interprets for over 90 different languages. I create and lead programs for high school and college students interested in health professions, and I help ensure kids stay healthy by providing flu shots around the St. Louis area.

Why did you choose this career? I always wanted a career in the health professions. I wanted to improve the health of those in need, and to make a positive impact on and in my community. I wanted a career that both my family and I could be proud of, and that would allow me to practice my passions — math, science, and mentoring.

If someone is hurt, sick, or in danger, calling 911 can get help on its way. 911 is designed to bring aid from emergency services personnel (firefighters, police officers and paramedics). As a class, discuss when you should (and should not) call 911.

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 3, NH 1, NH 7

Yummy snack!

What is your favorite part of the job you have? I am incredibly passionate about the work that we do at BJH and am proud of the impact that we are having through programs such as the BESt Pharmacy Summer Institute, BJH Community Flu Campaign, BJH-Xavier Pharmacy Initiative, and the work of the Center for Diversity & Cultural Competence.

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

Investigate

General admission is always free. slsc.org/nie5

Harry’s Big Adventure: My Bug

Harry’s Big Adventure: My Bug World! presented by Terminix® is a multisensory experience that immerses you into the world of bugs. Harry the Chinese Praying Mantis and his bug friends will lead you through freestanding and interactive habitats in a hands-on, fun way!

Harry’s Big Adventure: My Bug World! presented by Terminix® is a multisensory experience that immerses you into the world of bugs. Harry the Chinese Praying Mantis and his bug friends will lead you through freestanding and interactive habitats in a hands-on, fun way!

slsc.org/hbanie2

slsc.org/hbanie1

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

Bermuda Elementary School 5th Grade Teacher Sherron Daugherty helps students Kevin Hoskin, Shanyiah Williams, and Justin Coleman work on biographies of scientists using the newspaper for STEM lessons. The school is in the Ferguson-Florissant school district

nie@stlamerican.com.

SCIENCE CORNER

CLASSROOM SPOTLIGHT SCIENCE STARS

AFRICAN AMERICAN RESEARCH VETERINARIAN AND EDUCATOR: Roger D. Estep

ZOOLOGY!

Zoology is the study of the behavior, classification, and distribution of animals. A zoologist is a person who studies zoology. Zoologists must earn a bachelor’s degree for a job. They study biology, physics, chemistry, English, algebra, calculus and statistics. Zoologists most often work in government agencies, non-profit organizations, universities, museums and zoos. Zoologists study animals in their natural habitat. They also conduct research and

educate others to help conserve animals. Zoologists also study specimens under a microscope, write reports and journal articles, identify and classify animals, study specimens under a microscope, and estimate wildlife population.

Learning Standards: I can read nonfiction articles to determine main idea and supporting details.

SCIENCE EXPERIMENT

Background Information:

In this experiment, you will learn what musical instruments are used to create birdsongs and birdcalls in classical music.

Materials Needed:

• Computer with Internet

Access • Pen and/or Pencil

• Lab Notebook

Procedure:

Create Bird Sounds!

q Use the internet to learn which types of birds are most often imitated in classical music. Choose two of those listed to research further.

w Use the internet to learn which musical composers are famous for using bird calls and bird songs in their music. Choose a composer that is famous for imitating a bird that you chose in step one.

MATH CONNECTION

Use your critical thinking and math skills to solve these word problems.

Joseph lives on a farm with his grandparents. There are a total of 48 animals outside—both dogs and chickens. Joseph counts 134 legs. How many dogs and chickens are there? __________ dogs ___________ chickens

A zookeeper was asked how many camels and ostriches were in the zoo. The zookeeper responded that there were 60 eyes and 86 feet between the camels and ostriches. How many of each were there? ________________ camels _______________ ostriches

The elephants at the local zoo are fed 1/3 a barrel of corn each day. The buffalo are fed 7/9 as much corn as the elephants. How many barrels of corn are the buffalo fed each day? Simplify your answer and write it as a proper fraction or

DID YOU KNOW?

Fleas can jump up to 200 times their height.

Visit www.learnbirdsongs.com and listen to recordings of your selected bird songs and calls. Describe those in your journal—write about the rhythm, pitch, tempo, etc. How do your selected birds compare to other birds?

r Next, visit http://www.npr.org/templates/ story/story.php?storyId=33945288 and listen to classical music compositions that feature bird songs and calls. In your note book, describe what instruments are used. Which instruments are most commonly used?

t Compare the actual bird call to the composition. How accurate is it? What would you change and why?

Learning Standards: I can follow sequential directions. I can complete an experiment, conduct research, and analyze results.

For More Experiment Ideas, Visit: http://www. education.com/science-fair/zoology/.

Problems with Animals!

as a whole or mixed number.

The dolphins at the aquarium are fed 5/8 of a bucket of fish each day. The sea otters are fed 1/3 as much fish as the dolphins. How many buckets of fish are the sea otters fed each day? Simplify your answer and write it as a proper fraction or as a whole or mixed number. _________________

Learning Standards: I can use addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to solve mathematic word problems.

Roger D. Estep was born on March 2, 1930, in Clarksville, Maryland. In 1951, he received his bachelor’s degree from Maryland State College. He went on to earn his Master of Science degree from Pennsylvania State University and his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from Tuskegee Institute in 1962. Estep was an instructor of Poultry Husbandry at Pennsylvania State College, then a member of Howard University College of Medicine. At Howard, Estep also served as Research Veterinarian and Instructor of Physiology, then Director for the Division of Research Services for the National Institutes of Health before becoming University Vice President for Development and Vice President for University Relations. He organized Howard’s first $100 million fund raising campaign. Dr. Estep also served as president of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science and served as president of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science. He is also a member of the Council on Accreditation of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Care and the Intergovernmental Ad Hoc Committee of the National Academy of Science and has worked with the National Institute of Health.

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

http://www.aclam.org

Use the newspaper to complete these activities to sharpen your critical thinking skills.

Activity One

Figurative

Language: Newspapers are an excellent source of figurative language—especially the sports section! Find an example of figurative language in your newspaper—is it a simile, metaphor, onomatopoeia, personification, idiom, slang, or hyperbole?

Activity Two — Natural Habitats: Habitats provide water, food, and shelter. Woodlands, prairies, marshes, oceans, and deserts are examples of habitats. Use the newspaper to find examples of three habitats. What plants and animals live in that habitat? What are some current threats to that habitat?

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can identify figurative language and habitats.

Cats have 32 muscles in each ear. Elephants can smell water up to three miles away.

MAP CORNER

This special Newspaper In Education initiative is made possible, and delivered to

Photo by Wiley Price/St. Louis American

You can determine the turtle’s gender by the sound it makes; males will grunt and females will hiss.

Renowned zoologist Jane Goodall working with a chimpanzee. Photo courtesy The Jane Goodall Institute Canada.

Saving New Life

Slay administration postpones decision on downtown homeless shelter

By Jamala Rogers

Of The St. Louis American

A jam-packed hearing room at St. Louis City Hall

assembled to hear the decision of the Board of Public Service regarding the future of New Life Evangelistic Center (NLEC) on Tuesday, October 21. The influence of the mayor was interjected early in the proceedings in the form of a letter signed by Chief of Staff Jeff Rainford.

In a carefully crafted and politically sappy letter, the mayor asked if the decision by the board could be delayed so as to give all parties a chance to negotiate a fair deal for all. The board then moved to postpone the decision as recommended by the mayor. All board members agreed except for Richard Gray. Gray, who abstained, currently serves as director of Public Safety. The hearing summarily ended.

The vote and adjournment was met with a few hisses and boos (this writer included). One supporter snapped, “They’re waiting until the elections are over!” This is the sentiment of many around the indictment announcement in the shooting death of Mike Brown by Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson.

Rev. Larry Rice’s statement to supporters gathered in City Hall Rotunda applauded the postponement saying at least the homeless would get another night off the streets. Should people who are already vulnerable be put at the whim of future negotiations?

All the resources and

energies in defense of New Life for the last year stem from a petition by a group of downtown neighbors of the center who filed a petition to challenge its hotel permit. The petition alleges the center, located in a prime real estate area, is “being operated in such manner as to constitute a detriment to its neighborhood.”

The petition cites loitering; littering; drinking in public; lewd and indecent conduct at and around the shelter by residents. And did I say “prime

n In a carefully crafted and politically sappy letter, the mayor asked if the decision by the board could be delayed so as to give all parties a chance to negotiate a fair deal for all.

real estate”? New Life’s institutional neighbors are Central Library and Confluence Charter School.

One of the big pushers of the petition to deny New Life’s permit is Brad Waldrop. Waldrop’s family began acquiring property around

the center in 2006 and has not been shy about the desire to purchase the New Life Evangelistic Center. According to court documents by the center’s attorneys, Waldrop has implemented a personal campaign to show that the shelter is a detriment to the

neighborhood, including organizing 50-100 calls annually to police to report city violations by persons in the vicinity.

Founded in 1972 by Rev. Larry and Penny Rice, NLEC has grown both in scope of services as well as geography.

Although headquartered at 1411 Locust Street since 1972, there are other centers in Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas and Kansas. The centers provide shelter, food, clothing, social services and job training for the working poor and homeless.

In the world I envision,

homelessness will not exist.

But if it did exist and if I were to become homeless, I would certainly want the safety net and compassion that New Life provides for the community. It is important that we don’t make invisible the men, women and children who need its services. They deserve to be treated with dignity and civility. Let’s make sure New Life retains its license to serve the underserved while working to eliminate the need for all homeless shelters.

The Rev. Larry Rice, founder of New Life Evangelistic Center, prays with the family of Michael Brown Jr.

Jamala Rogers

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

As project manager, Ramona TumblinRucker oversees three projects within the Washington University/ BJC Medical Center

Campus Renewal

Project: the East Parking Garage, Duncan/ Taylor Sewer Expansion and campus bridge connector projects.

Business

Renewal with inclusion

BJC HealthCare to receive 2014 Corporate Diversity of the Year Award

By Bridjes O’Neil

St. Louis American

The

Of

n “I hope my presence within the corporate arena at BJC is something younger people see and know they can work toward that.”

– Ramona Tumblin-Rucker

As project manager, Ramona Tumblin-Rucker oversees three projects within the Washington University/BJC Medical Center Campus Renewal Project: the East Parking Garage, Duncan/Taylor Sewer Expansion and campus bridge connector projects. Her responsibilities include ensuring that projects are delivered on time and within budget. The 10-year Campus Renewal Project will renew the medical center campus on Kingshighway Boulevard,

encompassing BJC HealthCare’s Barnes-Jewish Hospital and St. Louis Children’s Hospital, along with Washington University School

of Medicine. The Campus Renewal Project is estimated to cost $1 billion, according to a 2013 media report.

“BJC is a leader as far as diversity efforts are concerned,” TumblinRucker said. “Number one, they’ve hired Marks and Associates.” Diversity consultant Marks and Associates, led by president and CEO Sandra Marks, joined the Campus Renewal Project in September 2012.

When the bully is on the payroll

Healthy Workplace campaign targets bullying on the job

By Stefanie Williams

For The St. Louis American

October is designated as National

Bullying Prevention Awareness Month to raise awareness of bullying, as it was historically viewed as a school problem. Bullying doesn’t end on the playground. As a human resources professional and a victim of workplace bullying myself, I can tell you that workplace bullying is more common than you may think. In so many ways, the workplace bullying resembled several abusive relationships I went through: constantly looking over my shoulders, feeling trapped in

n Individuals are less likely to engage in antisocial behavior when it is understood that the organization does not tolerate such behavior.

a hostile work environment with nowhere to turn. Sitting on the side of my bed feeling sick to my stomach on Sundays dreading to go to work on Monday.

The bullies would play manipulative mind games in which I was the target. I was often isolated from coworkers who feared they would be retaliated against for associating with me. One day the bully saw an opportunity, became

confrontational and insulted me with profanity. No longer could I be left alone in the office with the bully. Instead my coworkers had to babysit and escort me around the office. At the end of the day, I rushed to pack up my belongings and ran to catch my train, as my bully would often keep me after work for meetings. Workplace bullying is repeated, unreasonable actions of individuals (or a group) directed towards

an employee (or a group of employees), which are intended to intimidate, degrade, humiliate, control, dominate or undermine the employee(s). Workplace bullying involves an abuse or misuse of power.

Bullying also involves repeated attacks against the target creating an on-going pattern of behavior.

Workplace bullying can be

Cecilia Nadal has been named a Purpose Prize Fellow by Encore. org, a national nonprofit that recognizes and invests in outstanding social innovators over the age of 60. Nadal is executive director of Gitana Productions, Inc., which produces internationally focused concerts, plays and festivals to increase cross-cultural awareness and collaboration through the arts. Two of the 38 fellows will receive $100,000 and four will receive $25,000 from the organization.

Reynolda Brown has been appointed the new director of admissions, advisement and retention for Harris-Stowe State University. Brown Brown served as the director of admissions for Bethune-Cookman University, where he provided guidance and direction to a staff of 14 admissions professionals. He also was assistant director of admissions for both Michigan State University and the University of Michigan-Dearborn.

Congresswoman

Maxine Waters was honored as 2014 “Legislator of the Year” by the Southern California Chapter of the National Association of Minority Contractors. The distinction is bestowed upon an individual who continually promotes the mission and goals of the National Association of Minority Contractors Southern California Chapter (NAMCSC) through legislation, advocacy and contributions to the growth of minority communities during the past year.

Dr. John A. Wright Sr. has been appointed to the Missouri Charter Public Schools Commission by Gov. Jay Nixon. Wright served as an administrator in St. Louis area schools from 1962 to 2008, including serving as interim superintendent for St. Louis Public Schools and for the Normandy School District, and as assistant superintendent for the FergusonFlorissant School District. He currently is an adjunct faculty member of Fontbonne University.

Debora Lake received the national Spirit of Alliance Award by the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities. She is ECH Every Child’s Hope Life Skills Coordinator. The Spirit of the Alliance Award is a national award that recognizes an individual’s direct service to clients; commitment to his or her organization; and dedicated service to children, families, and communities.

On the move? Congratulations! Send your

Reynolda Brown

Maxine Waters

John A. Wright Sr.

Debora Lake

Cecilia Nadal

Stephanie Williams

Photo by Wiley Price

Weigh 2015 Medicare Part D, Advantage Plan Choices Carefully

By Jason Alderman

If you’re currently enrolled in Medicare, what you do or don’t do over the next few weeks could determine whether you can secure the best, most affordable coverage next year. Here’s why:

Medicare Part D prescription plans frequently change premiums, drug formularies, deductibles and copayment amounts for specific drugs from year to year. Medicare Advantage plans often make similar changes; plus doctors, hospitals and pharmacies may drop out of their preferred provider networks.

Thus, by simply choosing the same options for 2015 without investigating alternatives, you could wind up paying hundreds or thousands of dollars more for similar healthcare services.

Medicare’s annual election period (a.k.a. open enrollment) to make coverage changes for 2015 runs from October 15, 2014, to December 7, 2014. For most people, this is the best – and sometimes only –opportunity to make coverage changes. (Exceptions are made for people who qualify for a special enrollment period – see “Medicare & You” at www. medicare.gov for details.)

If you already have traditional Medicare Parts A and B, you needn’t make any changes; however, if you also have Part D, you must either reenroll in your current plan or choose another.

During open enrollment you can:

• Switch from Medicare Parts A, B and D to Medicare Advantage or vice versa.

• Switch from one Advantage plan to another.

• Switch from an Advantage plan offering drug coverage to one that doesn’t or vice versa.

• Join a Part D plan, switch from one plan to another or drop coverage altogether.

Current Advantage plan enrollees can also use the Medicare Advantage disenrollment period (January 1, 2015, to February 14, 2015) to switch back to Medicare Parts A, B and D. However they cannot:

• Switch from original Medicare to Medicare Advantage.

• Switch from one Advantage plan to another.

• Switch from one Part D plan to another.

When choosing next year’s Part D plan:

• Carefully review your plan’s “Annual Notice of Change” for substantive changes to premiums, deductibles, copayments, covered drugs, participating pharmacies, etc.

• Notice whether they’ve changed copayments/ coinsurance for your medications or possibly dropped some altogether. Ask your doctor whether comparable, covered drugs will work; otherwise you could pay much more next year.

• Even if your plan hasn’t changed substantially, it’s still wise to use the Medicare Plan Finder at www.medicare.gov to compare all available plans. You’ll be prompted to enter your medications and dosages. The calculator then ranks plans by “star rating” and overall cost.

• Note: The lowest premium may not be your best bet –sometimes plans with higher monthly premiums have a lower overall cost due to their more favorable deductible, copayment and coinsurance amounts.

Medicare Advantage plans are HMO- or PPOtype alternatives to Medicare Parts A and B. Most cover drugs and some include extra benefits like vision and dental coverage at additional cost. They usually have lower deductibles and copayments but require you to use the plan’s provider network. A few tips:

• If your Advantage plan includes drug coverage, you don’t need Part D.

• Carefully review the “Annual Notice of Change” from your plan for any substantive changes.

• Even if your plan hasn’t changed substantially, you can use the same Medicare Plan Finder as above to review available plans. As with Part D plans, an Advantage plan with a lower premium might have a higher overall cost, due to various restrictions.

Bottom line: Reviewing your Medicare options each year is complicated and time-consuming. But if you don’t and your plans change significantly, it could cost you a bundle next year.

Jason Alderman directs Visa’s financial education programs. To Follow Jason Alderman on Twitter: www. twitter.com/PracticalMoney.

Monsanto cracks top 10 of World’s Best Multinational Workplaces

For the third consecutive year, Monsanto Company has been named to the list of the World’s Best Multinational Workplaces by Great Place to Work. This year, Monsanto ranked No. 8 in the world’s largest annual study of workplace excellence that identifies the top 25 best multinational companies in terms of workplace culture. Monsanto moved up four places (from No. 12 in 2013) to No. 8 on the 2014 list. Monsanto is the only St. Louis-based company and the only agriculture company recognized again this year. Monsanto has more than 22,000 employees around the world.

Reinvest North County Fund awards $29,500

The Reinvest North County Fund awarded a total of $29,500 to 911 Hair Salon; Best Insurance/Always Love and Care; Fashions R Boutique; Freedom Customized Care; Nail Trap; New Chong Wah Inc.; Rehoboth Pharmacy; STL Feel Beauty; Velvet Freeze; and Yolo! Boutique.

The St. Louis Regional Business Council (RBC) organized the fund as an immediate business response when the civil unrest began in Ferguson. In partnership with North County Inc., the fund previously invested $130,000 to support numerous businesses and four school districts: Ferguson-Florissant School District, Normandy Schools Collaborative Riverview Gardens School District and the Jennings School District. Further donations are encouraged. Checks can be made payable to the Reinvest North County Fund at the 501(c)3 nonprofit North County Regional Development Association (NCI), 350B Village Square Drive, Hazelwood, MO 63042. Visit www.NorthStLouisCounty.com.

Kwame is construction manager on Webster U electrical substation

Kwame Building Group, Inc. is the construction manager on a new customer electrical substation and underground electrical infrastructure at Webster University. The substation will provide electrical capacity for future campus expansions and remove the campus from the neighboring electrical load, increasing electrical capacity for future community development. The project will be completed in July 2016.

Community Service Mini Grants deadline

The 2015 Youth Community Mini Grant funding cycle is near. If you have never received a mini grant, you must attend a meeting at noon November 5 at the St. Louis Mental Health Board, 333 S. 18th Street inside Union Station Annex.

The goal of the Mini Grant program is to engage youth in community service projects that address a particular need or issue. The grant requires that youth be fully involved in planning and implementing the project.

The deadline for applications is January 23, 2015. For more eligibility information, call 314 535-6964, ext. 11 or visit www. stlmhb.com.

n “For some reason, we are brainwashed to think, if you’re not a thug or an idiot, you’re not black enough. If you go to school, make good grades, speak intelligent and don’t break the law, you’re not a good black person.”

– Charles Barkley

Sports

PreP Football Notebook

With Earl Austin Jr.

Clashes of the semifinalists

District playoffs continue this weekend

Earl Austin Jr.

Maybe the St. Louis Rams should name former wrestling superstar Joseph “Animal” Laurinaitis as coach, coordinator or even team captain. At least then fans and media could use the term “Legion of Gloom” to describe the lackluster product on the field. I hate to be pessimistic, but the outlook for the Rams’ remainder of the season is as bleak as Donald Sterling’s chances to spit a verse on the next BET Cypher. As we reach the halfway point of the season, Rams fans’ postseason dreams

Kirkwood two weeks ago.

District 3 Lindbergh at Kirkwood Lafayette at Eureka

Note: Lafayette and Eureka met in the season opener with Eureka winning 17-15 after stopping the Lancers on a two-point conversion in the final minutes. District 4

Springs South at Francis Howell Fort Zumwalt West at Jefferson City Note: Undefeated Francis Howell will take on an improving Blue Springs South team that played a rugged schedule of Kansas City area

have been replaced with the harsh, but familiar reality of yet another top five pick in the draft. As Kevin Gates would say, when it comes to picking at the top of the draft, Rams execs don’t get tired.

Ishmael H. Sistrunk

The Rams’ defense was supposed to be a team strength. Last season, the team gave up 22.8 points per game, ranking 13th in the league. With breakout performances by Robert Quinn and the entire defensive line, the Rams looked ready to wreak havoc across the league. So far this

1

at Jackson Rockwood Summit at Vianney

District 2 McCluer North at Webster Groves Pattonville vs Ladue (TBA)

Note: Both semifinal game feature teams with outstanding records this season. Combined record is 29-8.

B5

For any person expecting the St. Louis Rams to carry any momentum from defeating the Super Bowl champions last weekend, well, bless your heart, as my Grandmother Helen McCarter would say. And bless the hearts, eyes, ears and anything else I forgot to mention for any person who watched the Rams lose 34-7 against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Rams lost in every phase of the game. As usual, the Rams’ opening drive looked like a work of art. Austin Davis had time to throw the football. The offensive line was giving Davis plenty of time to throw the ball. The chains were moving forward, and the offense looked fluid and poised to control the clock and the game. But, that seemed too much like right. That made too much sense. The St. Louis Rams are not doing enough to help themselves to remain competitive on a weekly basis. Offensive Coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is always a prime suspect, and he should be. The Rams have shown an ability to get a lead early, but can never sustain anything.

We still had to listen to all this coach spin about how Tavon Austin knows the playbook; he has the playbook down, yada yada yada. There is an eight-letter word that comes to mind.

n But you expect teams to bite on that goofy fake end-around reverse?

The Rams used the eight spot in the draft last year in 2013 for a multi-purpose threat just for Tavon Austin to run between the center and guard? He had four touches for 19 yards. But you expect teams to bite on that goofy fake end-around reverse? The same dummy play the Rams have run in every game since 2012. Thirty-nine straight games and counting the Rams have run that play.

I don ‘t lay blame on the players, no – I blame the people who signed them. I blame Coach Jeff Fisher. He should do those Brown and Crouppen work compensation ads instead of Judge Joe Brown, in my opinion.

Center Scott Wells is hurt and has not lived up to that generous contract he received, but the Rams just had to keep him. Right tackle Joe Barksdale looks asleep on the line of scrimmage, almost as if he doesn’t know when the ball will be snapped.

The St. Louis Rams chances of turning the team’s fortunes around took a serious blow with the loss of breakout wide receiver Brian Quick (83) for the remainder of the season.

n The Rams have a whopping six sacks through seven games.

season, the team has allowed 30 points per game. That’s good enough to rank 31st of our 32 teams. In a race to the bottom, we’re still not at the top. The Rams have a whopping six sacks through seven games. Five of those came in the past two weeks. The only team Gregg Williams and Co. held to less than 25 points this season was the Tampa Bay Buccanneers, whose awful offense would struggle to put up 25 points on a JV team. The lack of legitimate pressure the See CLUTCH, B5

Soldan’s Arnold Adams (23) gives Normandy’s Kalin Harris (23) the stiff arm during Saturday’s first round district play for the Missouri Class 3 State Championship District at Gateway STEM High School.

Photo by Wiley Price

With Mike Claiborne

‘What if?’ – a Requiem for Oscar Taveras Claib’s Call

It seems like when death strikes sports, the needed dose of reality sets in for everyone. We hold our pro athletes in high regard for so many reasons. We even think some are indestructible. So when the news of the death of the Cardinals’ Oscar Taveras was released, it was time for everyone to take a deep breath and understand a few things. One of which is that athletes are human. We accept their mental and physical mistakes on the field as part of the game. We know they are not always perfect, and yet we try to remain patient. We, however, are not prepared for the inevitable. Yes, death has no favorites nor wristwatch nor calendar. It just happens, and that is the tough part as you never see it coming. While this is a time of mourning for Cardinal fans, reflection is paramount here. Oscar Taveras was a 22-year-old Cardinal prospect who many felt would have a good Major League career. Taveras had been in the Cardinals organization since he was 16, so the monitoring of his ascension to the majors was constant by the organization as well as their fans. He was the Cardinals’ top prospect on everyone’s evaluation sheet. After six longs years, he finally arrived to the big leagues with great anticipation

that was elevated after he hit a home run in first Major League at bat. Yes, Oscar had arrived, or at least we thought. The next 79 games he

played in were a challenge, as you could see the talent in him but there were maturity barriers that, like with many 22-year-old aspiring pros,

would present frustration at times. “Growing pains” is what I think they call it. And while Taveras was not an embarrassment where one would ask, “Why is he here in the big leagues?” the talent was there. It just needed time and attention.

Taveras’ journey at times may have been frustrating to him and his followers, but it never seemed to alter his attitude. This young man was full of confidence and happiness, as his daily smile would always indicate. While the challenge of learning the English language would limit his media access, he was always accommodating when called upon. Oscar Taveras was a good kid. Many hoped for the best that would include a long career in a Cardinal uniform, especially since he came so highly touted.

There were some things that we should bear in mind

here. While it is a reality in the world we live in, 22-yearold kids die every day in one manner or another. The word “tragic” is used so often in describing Taveras’ death, but I have yet to see a young person’s early departure that wasn’t. Parents having to bury their children is one the most difficult tasks there is. Not as much to show for as one hoped after nine months of pain and 22 years of love.

Any parent who reads this should know the feeling – that next time you spend with your loved ones could very well be the last. That is why it is so important that they know you love them and that you impart your wisdom, no matter how much or how little you think it will have an impact.

To say I knew Oscar Taveras well would be inaccurate. He was part of a ball club that we root for.

More importantly is the fact

The word “tragic” is used so often in describing Oscar Taveras’ death, but I have yet to see a young person’s early departure that wasn’t.

that his parents no longer have him, and that is what all of us can relate to, no matter what we do for a living. Taveras will be missed and certainly thought of from time to time, as we will always wonder, “What if?”

Like Darryl Kile and Josh Hancock, who died while members of the Cardinals, Taveras will always be a part of the team as the team will now begin the search to replace his position. Replacing his talent will be a different story, as his promise had tremendous upside. If nothing else comes from the passing of Oscar Taveras, parents now have another reminder of how important it is to remind your kids how much you love them and for them to always be careful when they leave the house, as there are, sometime tragically, no guarantees.

Mike Claiborne

Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

By Maurice Scott Jr.

The East St. Louis Flyers 2014 regular season didn’t quite go as planned. Coach Darren Sunkett’s football team finished 5-4, with surprising results. There was another loss to Edwardsville, and the recent loss to Belleville West and the loss of the bell that annually goes to the winner of that game. With those losses the group of Sunketthaters and the members in the “street patrol” were burning the midnight oil plotting on a scheme to get him fired at season’s end. The truth is, most of the talk about Coach Sunkett comes from people that attended school(s) that have never had success in the football playoffs.

Now, it’s playoff time, where the Flyers, led by the No. 1 player in the country in

East St. Louis heads to Peoria

#1-rated Terry Beckner Jr. leads Flyers

defensive end Terry Beckner, Jr., will attempt to shut the haters up.

The Flyers will travel to Peoria this Saturday to take on Richwoods High in the first round of the Illinois Class 6A playoffs. Kick-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.

Richwoods, which finished the season at 7-2, is longtime independent Catholic high school. They have a total of 29 State playoff appearances, including the last 12 years, with an overall record of 40-26 with two state titles and two runner-up trophies. However, the Flyers are making their 35th playoff appearance, including the past 15 years in succession. Overall, East St. Louis posted an 80-27 record with seven state Championships and three runner-up trophies. Last season, the Flyers felt like they let one slip away in a semifinal lost to Oak Lawn Richards. The Flyers dropped a 7-6 heartbreaker which left them one game short of playing for a possible eighth state championship. Even though

1 p.m.

Note: Both games are rematches with St. Charles West and Jennings winning the first meeting.

District 4 Priory at Westminster, Saturday at 1 p.m. Union at Borgia

Class 3

District 2 McCluer South-Berkeley at John Burroughs DuBourg vs. Soldan

District 5 Centralia at Orchard Farm Christian-O’Fallon at Macon

Class 2

District 2

CLUTCH

Continued from B3

d-line and lackluster linebacker play have led the team to languish as the laughingstock of the league. Enough Ls for you? I hope not, because more are sure to come.

Of course the defense isn’t the only culprit. Bless Austin Davis’ heart for trying to make the most of out a crummy situation, but the Rams’ passing game leaves much to be desired. Davis appears to be much more competent than his third-string preseason status suggested, but he still holds the football far too long. Part of the reason may be the eternal wait for a wide receiver to get open. Third-year wideout Brian Quick was finally putting it together to become a solid NFL

receiver. Now a torn rotator cuff and separated shoulder has put him out for the season. Without Quick, the Rams lose any real shot at turning the season around. He and tight end Jared Cook have been the only two receivers to make plays on a weekly basis. While their receiving numbers are comparable (25 rec., 375 yards vs 27 rec., 331 yards respectively), Quick caught 64% of the balls thrown his way versus just 56% for Cook. Cool is like the Michael Beasley of the Rams, he came in with plenty of natural skill and hype, but makes just as many boneheaded plays as he does beneficial ones. The rest of the receiving corps just isn’t producing as it should. Some diehard fans may be tempted to blame the good ol’ injury bug for the Rams’ woes. I just can’t do it. Sam Bradford’s ACL injury

they had some tough losses this year, I’m going down with Coach Sunkett and his boys to the end.

The Flyers are led of course by the 6’5 All American Terry Beckner Jr. The 298pound senior defensive star was recently named the No. 1 ranked player in the country in the ESPN high school football rankings. He has all of the major college programs recruiting him. But right now, Beckner, Jr. is looking forward to the task at hand.

“We have lost some games that a mistake here or there hurt us,” said the soft-spoken Beckner. “We as a team will rally around our coaches and start our journey. We are 0-0 as of now, so our goal of a state championship is still within reach.”

Beckner enters the post season with 97 tackles. He will pose a serious matchup problem on Saturday against Richwoods with his size and athleticism. But he and his teammates will take nothing for granted this Saturday.

“They are big and strong

Cuba at Cardinal Ritter Carnahan at Herculaneum

Shout Outs

Some standout performances from the first weekend of district play.

Dre Kelly of St. Charles West rushed for 153 yards on only seven carries and scored three touchdowns in the Warriors’ 39-14 victory over Riverview Gardens in Class 4, District 3.

Tyler Melvin of Clayton rushed for 256 yards on 28 carries and four touchdowns to lead the Greyhounds past St. Dominic 34-14 in Class 4, District 3.

Jacoby Jones of McCluer North had five quarterback sacks in the Stars’ 47-28 victory over Chaminade in

shouldn’t be a surprise. Neither should Jake Long’s. Offensive lineman Roger Saffold is helped off the field seemingly every game. The absences of Trumaine Johnson and Chris Long have certainly affected the defense, but the team was supposed to have enough depth to absorb those injuries.

If I was coaching the Rams, I’d be tempted to channel the ghost of the Greatest Show on Turf and ask WWMMD (What Would Mike Martz Do)? Martz always found a way to get the most talented players on the field and get the ball into their hands. Call me crazy, but I think the Rams should trot out all four of the team’s tailbacks at once. They seem to be the most talented group, so why not put Zac Stacy Tre Mason, Trey Watts and Bennie Cunningham all on the field together? Mix

gambled on his front seven and we see how that’s working out, sitting at 2-5. Outside of all I mentioned, what a fun team to watch. For more Rams Roundup please subscribe to youtube. com/stlamericanvideo.

upfront,” he said. “Looking at them on film, they have size and are well coached. We feel Coach Sunkett put in a great game plan for us. If we go out and execute what our coach has planned for us on Saturday, we will be fine.”

When asked about getting all the attention of being the overall No. 1 recruit in the country, Beckner deflected the individual honor and concentrated on team goals.

“It’s not about me being the No. 1 recruit in the country,” he said. “It’s about us winning a state championship like we set out to do. We want to keep the tradition going. Sure, I think about the recruiting. But my family and I will decide when that time comes. For now, I’m just staying focused on winning a state championship with my teammates.”

The Flyers also have super sophomores in All-American wide receiver Jeff Thomas and smooth quarterback Reyondus Estes who has thrown for over 1,400 yards in his first year at the varsity level.

Simms, the son of

Tre’vour

Class 5, District 2.

Nathan Cummings of Festus rushed for 282 yards on 20 carries and three touchdowns in the Tigers’ 38-29 victory over North County in Class 4, District 1.

Fontez Davis of Edwardsville had nine receptions for 192 yards and two touchdowns in the Tigers’ 22-8 victory over Belleville East.

Domonique Holman of Gateway Tech rushed for 197 yards on 25 carries and one touchdown in the Jaguars’ 25-14 victory over St. Mary’s. Isaiah Hennessey of St. Pius rushed for 126 yards and caught six passes for 156 yards and two touchdown in the Lancers’ 44-35 victory over Dexter.

in some wishbone, wildcat, double running back slots and more. Davis could handoff or throw screen passes all day like Bradford. It could work, couldn’t it?

Absolutely not. Hopefully the Rams will find some type of way to patch up the ginormous hole in its defense and put points on the board without the team’s only big play receiver. The only non-playoff contending team remaining on the Rams’ schedule is the Oakland Raiders. That means unless there’s a drastic turnaround, things could get a lot worse before they get any better.

Follow Ishmael and In the Clutch on Twitter @ IshmaelSistrunk and on Google+

former Lincoln Tigerette girls basketball star Toni “Big Bird” Wallace, is another top player in the class of 2016 along with Beckner. Kenny Knight will anchor the offensive line for Estes and running back Nate Strong.

The Knights will attempt to play ball control football,

and keep the high stepping Flyers’ offense of the field. Defensively, the Flyers must tackle well against a powerful Richwoods running attack that had more than 300 yards rushing last week. Good luck to Coach Sunkett and our boys on Saturday.

Glass

Maurice Scott

BJC

Continued from B1

Tumblin-Rucker said Marks and Associates has played an intricate role in securing diverse talent for the project.

On November 14, BJC will receive the 2014 Corporate Diversity of the Year Award at the St. Louis American Foundation’s 15th Annual Salute to Excellence in Business Awards & Networking Luncheon. The event will be held at the Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis, with a networking reception at 11 a.m. and luncheon program at noon.

BJC has increased representation of diverse candidates at senior management and board leadership levels of the organization. Through August 2014, 41 minority business enterprise and 19 women business enterprise contractors – representing design, engineering and construction – have been working on the Campus Renewal Project. As of August 2014, 25 percent of procurement has been with MBE and WBE firms. BJC has not set specific participation goals for the Campus Renewal Project.

ABNA Engineering is among a number of M/WBEs working on Tumblin-Rucker’s East Parking Garage Project. The 3,000-car garage will serve

BULLY

Continued from B1 instigated by both coworkers and supervisors. According to the Workplace Bullying Institute, a majority of bullies (72 percent) are bosses. Ironically bullies derive most of their support from human resources. Roughly 27 percent of human resource professionals are bullied. Examples of workplace bullying:

• Shouting or swearing at an employee verbally abusing

employees, staff and students for the College of Pharmacy as well as Washington University/ BJC Medical Center and is expected to be completed August 2015, she said.

Castle Contracting, a WBE firm, is working on the Duncan/Taylor Sewer Expansion. The underground expansion and improvement project will separate the storm and waste sewer line down Duncan Avenue. It will also

them.

• One employee being singled out for unjustified criticism.

• An employee being excluded from company activities or having their work or contribution purposefully ignored.

• Language or actions that embarrass or humiliate an employee

• Excessive monitoring or micro-managing.

• Threats made when no one else is around to witness.

If you are aware of bullying in the workplace and don’t take action, then you are accepting a share of the responsibility for

improve water flow from the East Parking Garage Project and other projects into a separate storm and sanitary system, she said.

The campus bridge connector project will link multiple parking garages, including the St. Louis Children’s employee parking garage, new East Parking garage, Duncan/Taylor Parking garage and the MetroLink Parking Garage.

Tumblin-Rucker has 25 years of experience in construction, engineering and project management. She said she has a proven track record in successfully managing complex, multi-phase, multimillion dollar construction projects.

“As society becomes more technical,” she said, “we must become a more educated society.”

She received a bachelor’s

n Unfortunately, workplace bullying does not fall within the protected classes for discrimination.

any future abuses. This means that witnesses of bullying behavior should be encouraged to report any such incidences. Individuals are less likely to engage in antisocial behavior when it is understood that the organization does not tolerate such behavior and that the bully is likely to be punished. Bullies don’t run good organizations; staff turnover and sick leave will be high,

As project manager, Ramona Tumblin-Rucker’s responsibilities include ensuring that projects are delivered on time and within budget.

product of the INROADS Program.

“It was the INROADS Program that introduced me to engineering and the possibility that a woman, particularly a woman of color, could attempt to be an engineer in a maledominated industry,” she said.

Tumblin-Rucker said she is honored to work at BJC in the position of project manager and hopes to inspire minority youth to pursue careers interest in STEM-related careers.

“I hope my presence on the project and within the corporate arena at BJC is something younger people see and know that they can work toward that position as well,” she said. BJC HealthCare is one of the largest nonprofit health care organizations in the United States, with 2013 net revenues of $4 billion. BJC operates 12 hospitals and employs 26,583 staff, including 3,900 physicians.

degree in petroleum engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology, as well as master degrees in management from Oklahoma City University and project management from DeVry University. She is currently working on her doctorate in management at Webster University.

She is a longtime member of the National Association of Black Engineers and is a

procedures that apply to all employees. The Healthy Workplace Bill gives employers the incentives to do the right thing by avoiding expensive litigation.

The bill:

while morale and productivity will be low. Stress, depression and physical health problems result in time away from work that is costly in terms of lost productivity.

Unfortunately, workplace bullying does not fall within the protected classes for discrimination. There is a Healthy Workplace campaign to get employers to prevent bullying with policies and

• provides an avenue for legal redress for health-harming cruelty at work

• allows you to sue the bully as an individual

• holds the employer accountable

• seeks restoration of loss wages and benefits

• compels employers to prevent and correct future instances.

The bill will not require you

The 15th Annual Salute to Excellence in Business Awards & Networking Luncheon will be held Friday, November 14, 2014 at the Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis, networking reception at 11 a.m., luncheon program at noon. Tickets are $100 for VIP/Preferred seating, $75 for general admission. Call 314-533-8000 or visit www. stlamerican.com for more information or to purchase tickets.

to be a member of a protected status group. About 40 percent of employees never report bullying to employers. Often times complaints lead to retaliation and revengeful hurting. It is imperative that the employee keep a detailed log of every bullying event. If you have never been bullied on the job you might not understand, but if you have been bullied on the job please share your story. Politicians need to know it! Stefanie Williams is human resources manager at an area firm.

Photo by Wiley Price

365 in St. Louis

African-American exhibits no longer reserved for February Black art

By Nancy Fowler Of St. Louis Public Radio

Black-owned galleries display AfricanAmerican art all year long. Many others tend bring out such work only during February, Black History Month. But that’s changing.

Recent shows bucking the trend include an exhibit that opened Friday at the Philip Slein Gallery in the Central West End. AfricanAmerican-themed work from private St. Louis homes comprises “Other Ways, Other Times: Influences of African-American Tradition from St. Louis Collections.”

Adrienne Davis contributed four pieces. She feels it’s important for St. Louis to view to these works, especially now. Davis noted that media have long been an essential part of moving the black struggle forward, from the publication of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” in 1852 to images of police brutality televised during the 1950s and ‘60s.

Dancing diversity

Famed black ballet company returns to St. Louis

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

“We live in a world today that is so focused on diversity and inclusion. In the corporate world millions and millions of dollars are spent on programs,” said Laveen Naidu, Executive Director of Dance Theatre of Harlem. “We now have the words and terminology to wrap around it –but the genius of DTH is that’s what Arthur Mitchell started out to do.”

When legendary dancer and choreographer Arthur Mitchell founded the Dance Theatre of Harlem 45 years ago, integration was the seemingly unattainable goal.

But through his company of classically trained ballet performers of color, Mitchell strived for something more.

“He wanted to find a way to communicate and uplift people – and resonate – so that the repertoire reflects the community in the language of classical ballet artists who look like the people when you walk down the street,” Naidu said. “And for that I think that Dance Theatre of Harlem is such an extraordinary example of diversity and inclusion.”

After essentially dissolving in 2004, the company returned by popular demand following its 40th anniversary in 2009. Next weekend, Dance St. Louis will be presenting the iconic company for the first time in more than 10 years at the Touhill

Performance Center. “I’m glad we again have an opportunity to share this unique voice with audiences around the US and around the world,” Naidu said. “I don’t get to travel with the company much, but in the cities that I’ve been to it has been an absolute joy to watch audiences react to this company. It’s been an extraordinary, heartwarming and powerful experience.”

People just jump to their feet at the end of the performance. They are visibly moved and each of them has found something in the performance and the repertoire that has touched them and made them

See DANCE, C4

Cinema, color and conversation

Although having a good time was definitely on the aagenda, the main intention for the first “An Evening with Cedric The Entertainer and Friends” gala starring Jill Scott was much more than notes and jokes.

SLIFF presents ‘Race in America: The Black Experience’ festival programming

By American Staff

Having an African/African-American side bar is nothing new to Cinema St. Louis’ presentation of their acclaimed annual St. Louis International Film Festival. Last year “Mandela,” featuring an acclaimed performance by Idris Elba served as one of the anchor films of the festival. And the festival has included everything from local filmmakers – including David Conley’s “Tapestry of Shadows,” to black film pioneer Oscar Mischeaux. The festival also showcased the early film efforts of a St. Louis native Josephine Baker long before she became an

international icon. But with unrest that still ensues in the wake of the August 9 killing of unarmed teen Michael Brown, the community is in need of a more targeted approach to the dialogue of race. With its “Race in America: The Black Experience,” Cinema St. Louis hopes to use SLIFF as a catalyst for continuing the sometimes uncomfortable conversations about race that ultimately lead to healing and understanding. “Because of the events in Ferguson this

In partnership with the Henry Hampton Collection at Washington University Libraries, SLIFF inaugurates a four-program series of presentations by minority documentarians. The first is entitled ‘Through a Lens Darkly.’

Kehinde Wiley, After Titian’s (Tiziano Vecellio) Penitent Mary Magdalene, 2009, Courtesy of Susan and David Sherman

Photos by Rachel Neville

Dance St. Louis will present The Dance Theatre of Harlem November 7-8 at the Touhill Performing Arts Center.

Soul and laughter set tone for Cedric’s inaugural fundraiser

How to place a calendar listing

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

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

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

halloween

Thur., Oct. 30, 6 p.m., Community Halloween Runway Show. Enjoy an evening of Halloween with a Christian based modeling agency like never before. A portion of the proceeds will help Ferguson Middle school raise money towards their 2014-2015 field trips. The trunk or treat is free of charge and open to the public. Third Degree Glass Factory, 5200 Delmar Blvd., 63108. For more information, email esgst.louis@yahoo.com or visit www. esgwalkortreat. eventbrite.com.

Fri., Oct. 31, 7 p.m., Mystic Salon presents All Hallows’ Eve Masquerade Ball. Come out for a glittering masquerade ball to celebrate the changing of the season with a night of mystery, music, dancing, ire, magic, delicious food, festive cocktails and fantastic entertainment. Enjoy appetizers, gourmet food, luscious desserts as well as an open bar. Wear your most mysterious cocktail masquerade attire. Must be 21 to attend and tickets must be purchased prior to event. Third Degree Glass Factory, 5200 Delmar Blvd., 63108. For more information, call (314) 3674527.

Fri., Oct. 31, 8 p.m., Fright Night Halloween Party at Ballpark Village. Downtown’s favorite entertainment district joins forces with Johnnie Brock’s Dungeon for its irst annual Halloween bash, including: DJ Mike Justis at Fox Sports Midwest Live, Halloween costume contest with $5,000 in prizes, free outdoor party on Busch II Inield with live band and midnight showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. 601 Clark St., 63102. For more information, visit www. stlballparkvillage.com.

Through Oct. 31, The Butterfly House presents

Owls and Orchids. We will expand our collection of Owl Butterflies from 100 to over 1,000 creatures – more than ten times the normal number. The conservatory will be decorated with over 100 colorful, blooming orchids. Faust Park, 15193 Olive Blvd., 63017. For more information, call (636) 530-0076 or visit www.butterflyhouse.org.

Fri., Oct. 31, 9 p.m., II Restaurant and Bar presents Halloween with Dirty Muggs. There will be a costume contest and prizes. 10466 W. Florissant Ave., 63136. For more information, call (314) 868-6780.

Oct. 31 & Nov. 1, 8 p.m., Three Sixty’s Haunted Heights Halloween Party. Complete with incredible, themed-drinks and unbelievable prizes! Come in your Halloween costume and you can enter for a chance to win cash and other fun prizes. The drawing will take place at midnight and you must be present to win. One S. Broadway, 63102. For more information, call (314) 2418439.

Sun., Nov. 2, 2 p.m., The Great Candy Exchange. Area children, families and school groups are invited to turn in their unopened, Halloween candy in exchange for chances to win prizes that encourage healthy habits and active play. All collected candy will be sent to our troops overseas. The fun filled event will feature live shows, face painting, bounce houses and more. Kids are encouraged to come in their Halloween costumes, as there will be a costume contest. Vetta Soccerdome, 220 East Ave., 63119. For more information, call (314) 241-7391 or visit www.ddhtslt.org.

concerts

Sat., Nov. 1, 7 p.m., Lumiere Place and Casino presents Avant. 999 N. Second St.,

Calendar

II Restaurant and Bar presents Halloween with Dirty Muggs. For more information, see HALLOWEEN HAPS.

63160. For more information, call (314) 881-7777 or visit www.lumiereplace.com.

Fri., Nov. 7, 7:30 p.m., Pop’s Nightclub presents Bone Thugs N Harmony. 401 Monsanto Ave., East St. Louis, IL. 62201. For more information, call (618) 2746720 or visit www.stubhub. com.

Sat., Nov. 8, 2 p.m., Scott Joplin & W. C. Handy Birthday Party. Celebrate ragtime & early blues with The Ragged Blade Band in Old North St. Louis. Handy was born in November, and no one’s sure when Joplin was born, but we all say November. Old North St. Louis Restoration Group, 2800 N. 14th St., 63106. For more information, call (314) 2415031.

Sat., Nov. 8, 8 p.m., The Ready Room presents Ty Dolla $ign. 4195 Manchester Ave., 63110. For more information, visit www. thereadyroom.com.

Sun., Nov. 9, 8 p.m. (7 p.m. doors), Kwame Foundation presents The Affordable Concert Series with Vivian Green and Kindred The Family Soul. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar. For more information, visit www. thepageant.com

Nov. 10 – 11, The Sheldon Concert Hall presents Wine, Women, and Song. Featuring St. Louis Women’s HOPE Chorale; harpist Megan Stout; horns Roger Kaza and Thomas Jöstlein. 3648 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, call (314) 533-9900 or visit www. grandcenter.org.

Wed., Nov. 12, 8 p.m., Unleashed Imagination Studios and Xclusive Management Group present The By Any Means Necessary feat. Kevin Gates, Chevy Woods, and Repatallion. Fubar, 3108 Locust St., 63101. For more information, call (314) 2899050 or visit www.fubarstl. com.

Fri., Nov. 14, 8 p.m., The Ambassador and 210’s Entertainment present Willie Clayton and Sir Charles Jones Live. The Ambassador, 9800 Halls Ferry Rd., 63136. For more information, call (314) 869-9090.

Sun., Nov. 16, Community Women Against Hardship presents the all women jazz ensemble JaZz in P!nk for their 2014 Circle of Support Gala, Sheldon Concert Hall For tickets contact Metro-tix, Community Women Against Hardship’s website www. cwah.org (PayPal) or call 314289-7523.

Tues., Nov. 18, 7:30 p.m., Jazz at the Bistro presents SIUE Concert Jazz Band and SIUE Alumni Jazz Band. The St. Louis area is home to many great university jazz programs. The SIUE jazz department, now under the leadership of guitarist Rick Haydon, consistently produces swingin’ musicians. This big band showcase will feature your favorite charts from Basie, Ellington, and beyond. 3536 Washington Blvd., 63101. For more information, visit www. grandcenter.org.

Wed., Nov. 19, 8 p.m., The Ready Room presents Shaggy. 4195 Manchester Ave., 63110. For more information, visit www.

thereadyroom.com.

Nov. 28 – 29, Broadway Oyster Bar presents Javier Mendoza. 736 S. Broadway, 63102. For more information, visit www.javiermendoza.com.

Thur., Dec. 18, 7:30 p.m., A Gospel Christmas with Oleta Adams. Oleta Adams joins the STL Symphony and IN UNISON Chorus led by director Kevin McBeth for a night of soul-stirring Gospel music to celebrate the most joyous of seasons. Powell Symphony Hall, 718 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, call (314) 534-1700 or visit www. stlsymphony.org.

local gigs

Fri., Nov. 7, 8 p.m., PureHeart Management, KlassHouse Music and Pennyworth Enterprises present: The Last Men Standing: Bring Back the R&B. Rollyn K. Moore and Justin M Hoskin feat. The Band of Brothers. Voce, 212 S. Tucker, 63102. For more information, call (314) 4433172.

Wednesdays, 6-10 p.m., Lexus Len’s “Winedown Wednesdays,” Live Band featuring: Cheryl Brown, Jeremiah Allen, Jeff Taylor, Gerald Warren & Amos Brewer, The Loft, 3112 Olive.

Nov. 18 – 19, Sheldon Concert Hall presents Brian Owens: A Tribute to Nat King Cole. 3648 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www. sheldonconcerthall.org.

special events

Thur., Oct. 30, 6 p.m., 2nd Annual Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation Gala: Sequins, Suits & Sneakers. Witness generosity in action as we highlight the exceptional programs offered by the Center, and spotlight some of the children beneiting from those programs and sporting new sneakers thanks to proceeds from last year’s gala. Hilton St. Louis Ball Park, One S. Broadway, 63102. For more information, call (314) 749-5606 or visit www. jjkfoundation.org.

Sat., Nov. 1, 1 p.m., SMKE,

KC Sole, & Liquid Assets presents Show Me Kicks Expo 2014. St. Louis Union Station, 1820 Market St., 63103. For more information, call (314) 458-1840 or (314) 384-6689.

Thur., Nov. 6, 6:30 p.m., AmeriCorps St. Louis hosts Share the Warmth. Each winter, AmeriCorps St. Louis partners with Winter Outreach and the City of St. Louis to provide emergency shelter for homeless guests when the temperature drops below 20 degrees. Please join us to help us kick off our winter shelter. We will have live music, a chili cook off and an auction with some great prizes. To participate in the chili cook off just bring a crock-pot full of your best chili. Others can come and try some of the best chili St. Louis’ service minded individuals have to offer. AmeriCorps St. Louis UAC, 1315 Ann Ave., 63104. For more information, call (314) 772-9002.

Fri., Nov. 7, 5:30 p.m., National Coalition of 100 Black Women – Metropolitan St. Louis Chapter presents 6th Annual Wine Sip for Scholarship. Please join us as we support women and their education. The proceeds from this event will be used to provide free programming to the St. Louis community and scholarships for women who return to college to complete their education. Norwood Hills Country Club, One Norwood Hills Country Club Dr., 63121. For more information, visit www.ncbwstl.org.

Sat., Nov. 8, 6 p.m., ALIVE Magazine presents Well Crafted. A carefully curated experience for the reined St. Louisan. Enjoy interactive programming throughout the space including discussions and speakers on the topics of food, active living, craft goods, and style. Bourbon tasting from Knob Creek will be paired with appetizers from award winning restaurant, Element. A shopping experience with a selection of curated vendors focusing on well-crafted goods and services will be open in The Machine Hall for attendees to peruse throughout the event. The Power Plant Building, 1419 Carroll St., 63104. Nov. 7 – Nov. 8, Dance St. Louis welcomes world renowned troupe Dance Theatre of Harlem, Touhill Performing Arts Center Tickets are available at the Dance St. Louis box office at 3547 Olive St. in the Centene

Center for Arts and Education in Grand Center, by calling 314-534-6622, or by visiting dancestlouis.org.

Sat., Nov. 8, 7 p.m., STL Village hosts USO Canteen Party. Celebrate Veteran’s Day 2014. Swing the night away dancing to the sounds of Second Generation Swing and a seventeen-piece big band. Enjoy light refreshments, cash bar, 50/50 rafle and live music. Advance tickets only online, by phone at 314802-0275 or by mail to: STL Village, 6633 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis 63130 (include $25 per ticket and names/phone for attendees). Mahler Ballroom, 4915 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www.stlvillage.org.

Mon., Nov. 10, 5:30 p.m., Four Seasons Hotel hosts 2014 St. Louis Veterans Day Gala. This event is to honor veterans from all branches and components, past and present, and celebrate their selless service to our nation. The evening will consist of a social hour, silent auction, dinner and formal program. Appropriate attire: Dinner Dress/Mess Dress encouraged for military, tuxedo/suit and tie for men, evening gown/cocktail dress for women. Proceeds will be donated to Soldiers Memorial, St. Louis Honor Flight and the CG Enlisted Memorial. 999 N. Second St., 63160. For more information, visit www. stlveteransdaygala.org.

comedy

Thurs., Oct. 30 – Nov. 2, The Pageant welcomes Dave Chappelle, The Pageant, 6161 Delmar. For more information, visit www.thepageant.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Fri., Nov. 7, 8 p.m., Chaifetz Arena presents The After Dark Tour feat. Mike Epps & DeRay Davis. One S. Compton Ave., 63103. For more information, visit www. thechaifetzarena.com.

Through Dec. 13, Satori presents STL Up Late. This is an interactive late night talk show featuring the most talented & engaging guests that St. Louis has to offer. STL Up Late takes all of the best elements of your favorite televised late night talk shows, like live music & famous personalities, and adds interactive audience games, sketch comedy, and a spontaneity that you can’t ind on FCC regulated TV shows. 3003 Locust St., 63103. For more information, visit www. stluplate.com.

theatre

Sat., Nov. 1, 6 p.m., Beyond Limits and Team Bully Response Squad present Love & Happiness. In this theatrical production, the audience gets to know and inevitably love the McCoy Family. While Mr. & Mrs. McCoy celebrate 40 years of matrimony, the weekend also unfolds with excitement and drama as their three daughters pursue quests to ind their own love and happiness. Proceeds from this performance assist with advancing anti-bullying/ anti-violence in schools. East St. Louis Senior High School Auditorium, 4901 State St., East St. Louis, IL. 62205. For more information, call (866) 558-2411 or email thetbrs@ yahoo.com.

Through Nov. 2, The Fox presents Dirty Dancing the Musical. 527 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. For more information, call (314) 534-1678 or visit www.fabulousfox.com.

Nov. 6 – 23, Boo Cat Club presents Stairs to the Roof. A rarely produced gem by Tennessee Wiliams that is at once a comedy and a love story with a touch of early science iction. 812 N. Union Blvd., 63108. For ticket information, visit http://www. brownpapertickets.com/ event/760846.

Through Nov. 18, The Missouri History Museum presents Esther. For free black women like Esther, the world changed enormously with the Louisiana Purchase. Hear her story. 5700 Lindell Blvd., Forest Park 63112. For more information, visit www. mohistory.org.

arts

Through Nov. 22, Philip Slein Gallery presents Other Ways, Other Times: Inluence of African-American Tradition from St. Louis Collections. An exhibition highlighting the inluences of African-American tradition culled from numerous private collections. The exhibition features works by Radcliffe Bailey, Jean Michel Basquiat, Dawoud Bey, Ellen Gallagher, Glenn Ligon, Kara Walker, Kehinde Wiley, and others. 4735 McPherson Ave., 63108. For more information, call (314) 361-2617.

Sat., Nov. 8, 7 p.m., FriendsbyChoice presents Choice Art 2014: 5th Anniversary Celebration. Mark your calendars for auction to benefit Planned Parenthood. Come celebrate with a juried art selection, hors d’ oeuvres, signature drinks, and a fantastic opportunity to meet new and like-minded people. Contemporary Art Museum, 3750 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www. choiceart.org.

Fri., Nov. 14, 8 p.m., Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis presents Art:314. Don’t miss this silent auction and party in support of CAM’s Open Studios STL program and Front Room exhibition series. Bid on work by a variety of St. Louis artists—at a range of prices—and enjoy dancing and an open bar throughout the evening. 3450 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www. grandcenter.org.

Sat., Nov. 15, 6 p.m., Divinemoira Studio presents

Delmar (near Union) 63108

Sat., Nov. 8, 9:30 a.m., Truth and Lies: Love, Sex & Relationships. This HIV/ STD Forum is a collaborative event between Washington University, Project Ark, The Spot, Harris Stowe State University and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Omicron Eta Omega Chapter. This will be a day illed with education, awareness and conversation concerning HIV/Aids and STDs. It is open to high school as well as college students. There will also be workshops available for parents/adults. Onsite HIV testing will also be available. Harris Stowe State University – Clay Early Childhood Center, 10 N. Compton Ave., 63103. For more information, call (314) 535-7275 or visit www.akaomicronetaomega.org.

Into the Light Juried Exhibit and Beneit Gala. A celebration of art in its multitude of forms. Guests will engage in an interactive environment exploring light and dark while enjoying a fun atmosphere of visual art, live music, food and beverage. Following suit with Divinemoira Studio’s philosophy of giving to organizations that contribute positively to communities, the “Into the Light” Juried Exhibit and Beneit Gala will donate a portion of the evening’s proceeds to will beneit arts education for City Garden Montessori School, St. Louis Language Immersion School (SLLIS), and St. Roch School, to further arts education for children. 2500 Ohio Ave., 63104. For more information, visit www.divinemoira.com.

lectures

Wed., Nov. 5, 7 p.m., Black & Green Wednesday FORUM: Justice in Ferguson/America featuring Yaphett El-Amin, Jerryl Christmas, Zaki Baruti, Don Fitz and Crystal Washington, Legacy Books and Café, 5249

Mon., Nov. 10, 7 p.m., Fontbonne University hosts Rev. Bryan N. Massingale. Rev. Massingale will speak on the topic of “Unconscious Racial Bias and the Challenge of Solidarity: Catholic Social Teaching Post-Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and… After the lecture he will sign his new book, Racial Justice and the Catholic Church. The Reverend’s approach to social ethics focuses upon the impact of religious faith as both an instrument of social injustice and a catalyst for social transformation. Doerr Chapel, Ryan Hall, 6800 Wydown Blvd., 63105. For more information, call (314) 7193554 or visit www.fontbonne. edu/infocenter.

Through Jan. 4, 2015, The St. Louis Science Center presents The International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes. Step in to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Victorian London and work sideby-side with his legendary detective. You will become Holmes’ eyes and ears as he tackles a baffling new case in a world steeped in innovation and experimentation. Along the way you’ll see a dazzling array of original manuscripts, publications, period artifacts,

film and television props and costumes. You’ll learn to use investigative tools and techniques from Holmes himself, and test yourself with interactive crime-solving opportunities. Come Solve the Mystery. 5050 Oakland Ave., 63110. For more information, call (314) 289-4400 or visit www.slsc.org/watson.

health

Wed., Nov. 12, 8:30 a.m., Variety the Children’s Charity of St. Louis presents Champions for Children Summit 2014. This two-part event brings together passionate people of all stripes — families, agencies, subject experts and donors — to discuss how we can continue to build a better world for children with disabilities. Leading speakers in the fields of childhood disabilities and nonprofit management highlight the morning session, followed by a luncheon program. The Chase Park Plaza Hotel, 212 N. Kingshighway Blvd., 63108. For more information, call (314) 720-7707.

spiritual

Nov. 3 – 11, The Church of God in Christ 107th Holy Convocation. Event highlights include COGIC Health Fair, 5th Annual Job Fair, “Christmas in November,” and Annual Presiding Bishop’s We Care Banquet. The America’s Center, 701 Convention Plaza, 63101. For more information, call (314) 342-5036 or visit www.cogic.org.

Sat., Nov. 15, 8 a.m., St. Joseph’s Academy Mission Week Garage Sale. All proceeds will beneit the mission work of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in Peru and Uganda. Household items, formal dresses, toys, games, books, furniture and more will be available for purchase. Please come and support the CSJ Missions. 2307 South Lindbergh Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63131.

Kwame Foundation presents The Affordable Concert Series with Vivian Green, left, and Kindred The Family Soul. See CONCERTS for details

think differently about ideas that they may have come to the theatre with – and that’s our job.”

Moving beyond a mindset

“People tend to say ballet is only for ‘those people,” Naidu said. “I’m not quite sure of what we mean by ‘those people’ but that’s what we think.”

But through Dance Theatre of Harlem, a new paradigm for classical ballet has been forged and forever changes the lives of those who have the opportunity to witness the company.

“It’s a classically based company. All of the work is done in pointe shoes and it uses that extremely rigorous, unforgiving classical training,” Naidu said. “But I think what is amazing about DTH is that classical training and the technique is simply a voice – a medium of communication that takes your entire life to begin to master. But it’s also a vehicle to communicate in ways that are very unique and to touch other human beings –to tell stories; to move people’s mindset.”

Part of that moving of the mindset is there are people of color doing this extraordinary art form. If I’m a person of color in the audience, I’m might say ‘hey, that person looks like me. That person may come from a similar background as I do. That person can relate to my story and my experience in this world.”

As the former director of Dance Theatre of Harlem’s education program, Naidu was especially excited to point out that the company will take part in a three-week residency in schools and organizations throughout the St. Louis area – including COCA and the Juvenile Detention Center.

“We are as concerned with what happens on the stage as

we are off the stage – working with local communities and young people,” Naidu said. Naidu is a native of South Africa who came to study dance at Dance Theatre of Harlem and rose through the ranks to ultimately lead the organization. He knows all too well the lasting ramifications that the power of seeing oneself on stage can have.

“Perhaps they will say ‘If they can do that, that ‘crazy’ idea I had in my head; whether it’s becoming a dancer, becoming the president,

becoming a chemical engineer or an app developer, then maybe that’s possible too.’”

Ballet remixed

The thing that seems to bring Naidu the most joy as he anticipates his company’s visit to St. Louis are the ballets themselves – and how, even in the midst of the traditional form of ballet, audiences will see a reflection of themselves somewhere within the dances.

“One of the ballets is ‘New

Bach’ created by our resident choreographer Robert Garland and it is a purely neo-classical ballet, but it’s infused with Robert’s kind of unique –urban – dance vocabulary,” Naidu said. “There are sections in the ballet where the dancers are doing an adapted Harlem Shake (a popular urban dance). It’s like ‘I didn’t know ballet could like this.’ But then you have the audience saying ‘I recognize this. That’s me’.”

With every performance, Dance Theatre of Harlem hopes to breaks down perceptions.

“When you have a repertoire that performs at such a high level but includes all of these cultural references, then it becomes very meaningful,” Naidu said.

He knows from experience how the significance of intrinsically connecting with the dancers often extends itself well beyond the art form.

“I hope that audiences in St. Louis are inspired,” Naidu said. “That they themselves see themselves in unexpected ways and that they see other people in unexpected ways. I hope

that this experience gives every audience member a chance to reflect on who they are in this world and who the people that they are sitting next to are in this world – and the people that they see on the street. I also hope it empowers them to say ‘hey, I can break boundaries too – Why not?’”

Dance St. Louis will present The Dance Theatre of Harlem November 7-8 at the Touhill Performing Arts Center. For more information, visit www.dancestlouis.org or call (314)534-6622.

Photos by Rachel Neville

to be in it but there’s just not enough room,” Barrett noted.

“The pictures of the fire hoses and dogs and Emmett Till’s open casket really not only transformed a lot of thoughtful people in U.S. but also all over world,” Davis said.

Massive Response

“Other Ways” was originally envisioned as a small exhibit. A collaboration among Slein, gallery owner Jim Schmidt and World Chess Hall of Fame director Susan Barrett, the show is an extension to the HOF’s current “Living Like Kings” display.

“Living” explores the intersection of chess with hiphop culture; the Slein exhibit examines historical and other traditions of African-American culture.

The idea was up and rolling in June. Then, on Aug. 9, Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson shot and killed unarmed teenager Michael Brown.

“St. Louis was not the same anymore,” Barrett said. Suddenly, what began as a request to only a handful of collectors generated a massive response. “Word got around and people starting calling saying, ‘I want to do this, too,’” Barrett said.

Sixty works of art are now part of the diverse “Other Ways” exhibit. “It got so big that some collectors wanted

Philip Slein wants people to know that the show is not about the events of Ferguson or the more recent police shooting in the Shaw neighborhood of South St. Louis. But the shootings and subsequent cries for justice have affected the exhibit.

“It’s taken on a much

n “St. Louis was not the same anymore.”

Susan Barret, World Chess Hall of Fame director

more powerful significance,” Slein said.

The show includes a 60-print piece by Ellen Gallagher. It also displays a Kara Walker painting that may surprise exhibit-goers. Walker is known for her black cutpaper silhouettes that speak to race, gender, sexuality violence and identity. But her painting in the “Other Ways” show makes a much softer statement, according to Jim Schmidt

“It’s a small piece, a watercolor. It’s very sweet and touching,” Schmidt said.

‘Hands Up, Don’t Shoot’ and more

Another current local exhibition, “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” directly responds

summer and the continuing protests that Michael Brown’s death has prompted, SLIFF is offering a large number of programs organized under the title,” the Cinema St. Louis website said. “To maximize accessibility and promote dialogue, many of these programs are offered for free, including “Doc Shorts: Black Lives Matter,” “Elegy for Connie,” “Island of St. Matthews,” “Nas: Time Is Illmatic,” “Sounder,” “Tap or Die,” and “Tribute to the Nicholas Brothers.”

Among the highlights of the programming are two free screenings of “I’m Not Racist … Am I?” On the fest’s final weekend, they will also offer a pair of related free presentations: “Through a Lens Darkly” and “Digital Diaspora Family Reunion Roadshow.”

Black

Lives Matter

Through a series of short

to Michael Brown’s death.

Adrienne Davis noted how quickly the founder of the Alliance of Black Gallery Owners organized the show via social media. It opened last week in 14 venues.

“Freida Wheaton put together an amazing project,” Davis said.

While the work in “Hands Up” has a social-justice focus, Davis pointed out that’s not the case with every piece of African-American work.

“Not all black art takes up these issues,” Davis said. “But overwhelmingly, it does. And it’s so important right now.”

The “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” exhibitions continue through Dec. 20.

On Friday, Oct. 31, the St. Louis Art Museum opens an exhibit by artist Nick Cave Cave’s “Soundsuits” — wearable sculptures made of found objects — and his videos and other work speak to the African diaspora.

This spring, an April 24 symposium at Washington University will examine the impact of painting, photography and film on our understanding and chronicling of the civil rights movement.

‘Other Ways, Other Times: Influences of AfricanAmerican Tradition from St. Louis Collections will run through Nov. 22 at Philip Slein Gallery, 4735 McPherson Ave., 63108. For more information, visit http://www. philipsleingallery.com/futureexhibitions1/

films, “Black Lives Matter” is a look at blackness from a variety of lenses and perspectives.

Fighter by Nature (Jonathan Keenan, U.S., 2014, 28 min.): The story of a Hall of Fame boxer turned coach who balances mentoring the next generation of boxers with raising his family.

Kehinde Wiley: An Economy of Grace (Jeff Dupre, U.S., 2013, 44 min.): Famous for his vibrant reinterpretations of classical portraits featuring AfricanAmerican men, painter Kehinde Wiley embarks on a new project. This film is on the shortlist for nomination at the 2015 Oscars®.

We Are Somebody (Reid Bangert, U.S., 2014, 7 min.): Youth from some of Kansas City’s most economically depressed neighborhoods tell their stories and their dreams of a better future.

Yellow Fever (Ng’endo Mukii, Kenya, 2012, 7 min.): Using animation and live action, this short looks at how the globalization of beauty

ideals affects African women’s self-image.

Through a Lens Darkly

In partnership with the Henry Hampton Collection at Washington University Libraries, SLIFF inaugurates a four-program series of presentations by minority documentarians; the series will continue in 2015.

“Through a Lens Darkly” is the first documentary to explore the role of photography in shaping the identity, aspirations, and social emergence of African Americans from slavery to the present. The film probes the recesses of American history by discovering images that have been suppressed, forgotten, and lost.

Bringing to light hidden and unknown photos shot by both professional and vernacular African-American photographers, the film opens a window into the lives, experiences, and perspectives of black families -- a perspective that is absent from the traditional historical canon.

Inspired by Deborah Willis’s

book “Reflections in Black,” the film features the works of Carrie Mae Weems, Lorna Simpson, Anthony Barboza, Hank Willis Thomas, Coco Fusco, Clarissa Sligh, and many others.

The New York Times’ A.O. Scott writes: “Mr. Harris’s film is a family memoir, a tribute to unsung artists and a lyrical, at times heartbroken, meditation on imagery and identity.” SLIFF also presents Harris’ related project, the Digital Diaspora Family Reunion Roadshow.

Cinema St. Louis presentation of The 23rd Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival (SLIFF) will be held Nov. 13-23 at various venues. For more information on the films that fall within the “Race in America: The Black Experience,” highlight the section within the category listings on www.cinemastlouis. org or visit http://www. cinemastlouis.org/filmcategories/race-america-blackexperience. For a full schedule of films and festival related activities for the festival, visit www.cinemastlouis.org.

Celebrations

Nuptials

Anniversary

Happy 30th wedding anniversary to my parents, Roland and Allicia Hines on November 3. May the love and happiness continue to grow. Love you guys! Dri

Reunions

Beaumont Class of 1968 will meet on Nov. 22, from 2- 5 p.m. at St Louis County Library, 7606 Natural Bridge, to organize and plan the 47th Class Reunion. For more information email bhsco1968@att. net or call (314) 869-8312.

Beaumont High School Class of 1970 is looking for team

members to plan its’ 45th year reunion. Lets’ avoid the rush, plans are underway to celebrate starting with you. Interested? Please email Beatrice Palmer (Vanzant-Smith) at bvanzantsmith@yahoo.com or bsmithrealtor@att.net.

Beaumont High School Class of 1984 can stay updated via our Facebook page “Beaumont Class of 1984” for class information. The class meets the last Friday of every month. Contact Rochelle Williams at rochellewilliams001@yahoo. com.

Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri District 3 would like to invite you to an Alumni Event. We are looking for anyone who worked in or was a member of

Girl Scouts in St. Louis City. If you would like to participate, please contact Essie Harrison at essie.harrison@att.net or call (314) 400-4602 with your name, address, phone number, and email address.

Soldan Class of 1975 (40th ) reunion planning committee will be hosting a fun illed evening of activities, and music. Friday, October 24th, 5pm-til, Legacy Cafe & Books, 5249 Delmar/Union, Contact AnnieSue Preston 314 606- 5618 or email SOLDANCLASS1975@ gmail.com for additional information.

Sumner High School Class of 1965 is planning a 50th year reunion for June 12-14. 2015. Please join us via Facebook:

Birthdays

Des’Tini LaGrone

November 2 Happy 19th Birthday to our Dynamic Des’Tini! Keep striving for excellence at Hampton University.

Preston (Pete) Stevens celebrates his birthday on October 28. Happy 3rd Birthday! From: “Granma and Granpa”

Class of ‘65 Sumner High School St. Louis, MO.

St. Louis Community College needs your help identifying the 1.5 million STLCC alumni. Alumni are encouraged to visit the website: www. stlcc.edu/foundation/, to become members or update information. For more information, contact Ashley Budde, coordinator of alumni relations, at abudde6@stlcc. edu, or 314-539-5145.

Sumner High School Class of 1965 is planning its 50th Reunion on the second and fourth Mondays at 7 p.m. at the Lower Level of Ronald L. Jones Funeral Chapel. For updates and/or to leave your contact info--visit our Facebook group

Engaged

Ms. Myra M. Turner and Mr. Steven Hamilton Sr. would like to announce the engagement of their daughter, Stephine Hamilton to Corey Collins. A summer wedding is planned.

Sumner Class of ‘65.

Sumner High Class of 1975 has started planning its 40th reunion. Please provide contact information to sumnerclassof75@gmail.com or C. Jackson 314-477-6785 for more information.

Upward Bound (Webster University ) Class of ‘66 thru ‘70 of Kinloch, Beaumont, Vashon, Summer, Central, Soldan, Northwest, McKinney and Laboure, we are the process of planning a reunion around June/ July 2015. Please respond by contacting via email or Facebook Lawrence (Larry) Lewis: lewis3936@gm.com or Kenneth W. McClendon irisingridarlene@aol.com.

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

Reunion notices are free of charge and based on space availability. We prefer that notices be emailed to us!

However, notices may also be sent by mail to:

Kate Daniel, 2315 Pine St., St. Louis, MO 63103

Deadline is 10 a.m. on Friday. If you’d like your class to be featured in a reunion profile, email or mail photos to us. Our email address is: reunions@ stlamerican.com

Dr. Charlene L. Jones and Mr. Michael W. Jones proudly, happily and enthusiastically announce the wedding of their son, Michael Newton Jones to Erica Randle

Why Jews should care about Ferguson

‘All communities of faith have an obligation to speak up’

By Stosh Cotler For The St. Louis American

There is a warzone in America’s heartland. Most of us are far from the armored police vehicles rolling down the streets of Ferguson, Missouri. But the battle there is being fought all over this country, and just because it is not the Jewish community under immediate attack doesn’t mean that we, as people of faith, don’t have a moral responsibility to stand with the residents of Ferguson. Indeed, all communities of faith have an obligation to speak up when we see injustices perpetrated against our fellow citizens. The police action in Ferguson is not about protecting small business owners from petty theft. It’s not about quelling chaos or keeping order. It’s about racism. It’s about the fact that, as a country, we have never truly grappled with the lasting effects of slavery and the multiple iterations of Jim Crow.

As Ta-Nehisi Coates eloquently explains in his recent article in The Atlantic, “What came before this was a long bloody war— enslavement—against black families, black communities and black bodies. What came after was a terrorist regime which ruled an entire swath of this country by fire and

rope. That regime was not overthrown until an era well within the living memory of many Americans.”

Simply put, there is an undeniable connection between the deep, unhealed scars of slavery and the fact that no one called an ambulance as Michael Brown lay dying in the street. It is the blasphemous and offensive philosophy that says some wounds matter more than others, and some wounds are best left ignored.

Many Americans, especially those of us in the Jewish community, are descended from immigrants who came to these shores generations after the Civil War. That does not absolve us of our responsibility to wrestle with this horrible history. In fact, as Jews—many of whom are white—we are bound to face these issues head on.

that meaningful understanding, repentance and transformative justice require hard work and effort. That the cycle repeats every year means we are never done learning from our past.

As night falls on August 26, Jews across America enter the month of Elul, a period of profound reflection and repentance leading up to the High Holidays. On Yom Kippur we ask for forgiveness from God, but for the next month we will ask for forgiveness from each other. That the Jewish calendar has a month dedicated to this type of searching is recognition

We ask for forgiveness because Jews believe we are all accountable to one another, and our fates are bound up with those around us. Yet it is not just the act of asking for forgiveness that matters. It is the process of intense searching that precedes it where we experience the most learning and growth. It’s through that confrontation with our history where we become aware of how our actions or inactions affect the lives of others. Only by confronting our history are we able to move forward in a way that does not ignore the injustices of the past, and therefore creates a pathway for justice in the future. It is not only America’s Jewish community that is at a moment of profound searching. All who watched on TV as hundreds marched in Ferguson amid tear gas and flash bombs must be at minimum compelled to search our conscience and

wrestle with the question of how we got here. How did we get to the point where the police can fire six bullets into an unarmed teenager and leave his body in the street?

For those of us who are not targets of systemic racism, for those of us who do not get stopped and frisked and have never had to stare down the barrel of an officer’s gun because of our white privilege, the police action in Ferguson might seem like a rare and violent overreaction to a community’s protests against police brutality. But if we look just a little bit outside ourselves and beyond our own community, we may begin to understand Ferguson as the latest abuse in a centuries-long history of the U.S. government and its citizens terrorizing African Americans.

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, who marched with Dr. King in Selma, reminds us that, “Morally speaking, there is no limit to the concern one must feel for the suffering of human beings… In a free society, some are guilty, but all are responsible.”

Stosh Cotler is CEO of Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice.

The Message Jesus was a ‘bad’

For someone who grew up when and how I did, the question of Jesus continues to mystify many of my so-called and some real friends, when it comes to my recognized newest superhero.

If you allow yourself to view Christianity as some kind of sanitized version of European colonialism, then it is no wonder that many regard this version of religion as a cop-out when compared to more ancient religions of the world, particularly those with African origin. However, when you do due diligence and study, it becomes clear how the religion of Christ has been manipulated down through the ages for political and economic purposes.

Man still kills in the name of his or her God, whatever that name might be. Religious conflict is still the single biggest reason people die at the hands of their fellow man.

Jesus was and forever will be a bad man. He was a revolutionary. He was probably a socialist, given his predisposition to feed the hungry and take care of the poor. He was definitely anti-establishment. I don’t know anyone more against the status quo than Christ. He was outspoken, shameless, selfless, compassionate, passionate, an equal opportunity employer selfconfident and self-aware.

Can you name a more committed individual to his beliefs? This guy was a blessing to anyone who would listen, a teacher,

man

a provider, a source of strength and an obedient son respectful of His elders. God, or Godliness aside, this man I’ve come to admire so much for what He stood for, and certainly what He said He came to die for. Me. Who wouldn’t want to lead men on a path of resistance to eliminate their persecution for what they believe in? Who wouldn’t want to change the hearts and minds of people to be more accepting of mankind’s differences in order to accept their similarities within the human race?

But more than anything else, who among us wouldn’t want to change the face of the world by bringing it a concept of love so strong that even death cannot weaken it, but by death strengthen it for all time?

The more I see Jesus, the more I see in human terms why those who can continue to undermine, distort and dilute the reality of the man. To Him, neither wealth, nor class, nor birthright distinguished one. The measure of any man comes in terms of love, prayer, faith, service and acceptance of God as God.

But if you don’t know Him for yourself firsthand, I’m afraid you’ll fall prey to the version given you by those who have their best interest at heart and not yours. That includes priests and pastors, kings and presidents, CEOs, capitalists and communists –anyone who would keep you down so they might stay up.

Rabbi Susan Talve of Central Reform Congregation at Ferguson October’s Mass Meeting held Sunday, October 12 at the Chaifetz Arena. Photo by Wiley Price

Guest Columnist Stosh Cotler

James A. Washington

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PARTYLINE

Cedric’s gala a good look. Cedric The Entertainer continues to use his celebrity to make things better for our community – and Saturday night’s “An Evening with Cedric and Friends” Gala Saturday night at the Peabody Opera House was no different. I’m so impressed with the worthy cause tied to the event that I’m going to save any disgracefulness for the absolute tail end of what I have to say. The event – which starred Cedric and Jill Scott – served as the kickoff campaign for fundraising activities for the Rosetta Boyce Kyles Women’s Pavilion at SSM St. Mary’s.

For those of you who don’t know, Cedric’s mother is a cancer survivor and so the hospital and the family have teamed up to help other women receive the same exceptional care that Ms. Kyles experienced during her treatment. That.is.what’s.up! Event co-chair David Steward feels the same way is I do – because he told Cedric (in front of the whole audience) that he would continue his support next year too. I’m glad he did, because I can’t wait to see what Cedric pulls out of his hat on October 17, 2015.

As an event, the gala was cute – and included video presentations from a few of Cedric’s A-list friends. My hands-down favorite was the one and only Lionel Richie, who serenaded Ms. Kyles through the video screen and probably had every woman secretly caught up in his rapture. I know I was overwrought with every gaze those surgically tightened passionate eyes of his made towards the camera. Lionel Richie had me feeling like he and Ms. Rosetta had a special connection. In my head I decided that they’d been playing Bingo and Bid Whist together for 45 years, but Lionel had feelings for her the whole time – and he kept his affections to himself until Saturday when he expressed his love through “Three Times a Lady.”

Cedric’s set was cool, though I didn’t catch as much life as I was expecting. I did chuckle more than once – especially at the thought of sending a tweet to “@willieearl” and the image of a man of a certain age wearing a Cialis “sweetheart necklace.”

Words, wigs and music: volume one. Vocally she was in her usual pristine form and her band was absolutely throwing down! But, to my utter shock, The Cedric and Friends wigliner headliner Jill Scott quietly caused me turmoil towards the end of the evening. I don’t know if because she’s been showcasing some sickening curves of late that she decided to be a blonde bombshell, or if she was giving us an exclusive preview of the “Wig In My Life Like It’s Golden” tour. Either way that platinum-cropped monstrosity had me reevaluating my fandom. I secretly decided that she must want to oust Janice Combs’ (Diddy’s mama) as president of the “Rich Women Poor Weave” social club. In the scheme things it wasn’t any more terrible than your average bad wig, but I just didn’t expect it from her. Anyway, after the initial surprise I let it go and got into the groove – until I started feeling even more uncomfortable about her set list. I’m not a prude, but if the mission statement for the company funds are being raised for is “through exceptional healthcare we reveal the healing power of God,” then perhaps sing and talk about something other than … well … you know. Besides the wig and the nasty, she was pretty good. Actually better than good – especially when Cedric came back to the stage and he played operatic choir director for the finale that showed off her vocal prowess. I know plenty of folks are still feeling a kind of way because she didn’t show up for the after party. But Cedric was so gracious about mingling with the people who came through that they couldn’t have left there holding him responsible.

Ray J and the Marquee’s winning weekend. Brandy’s little brother was in the STL over the weekend and if as many people that showed up to the Marquee Friday night had bought his last album, perhaps Ray J wouldn’t have to reduce himself to a “Love and Hip LA” love triangle orchestrator. Oh well, I was really impressed with the turnout and thought “maybe Ray J has more celebrity juice than I give him credit for.” But then I stopped the Marquee on Saturday night and saw that the crowd was even bigger – and the only celebrity in the building was the glorious stack of wings with my name on them.

Boundless with a future style star. If anybody has fashion designer Shan Keith’s contact information, go ahead and shoot him a text or e-mail and let him know that I’ll have EVERY female garment he showcased Sunday night in a 2X at the bottom and a 3X at the top. He showcased his Boundless line at Plush and it was every single thing your heart could ever desire. I saw Jeanne Roberts Johnson (who in my opinion belongs in the “Best Dressed in STL” Hall of Fame) giving them the nod, so I know it wasn’t just me. That boy is something else when it comes to a needle and thread. Trust and believe you haven’t seen the last of him – the fact that he almost won “Project Runway: Under the Gunn,” should prove my point.

R&B singer and Love of Hip-Hop Hollywood reality starlet Teairra Mari of LA Flava ‘shoetique’ owner Cali and employees Dani and Tee during a special meet and greet

Ebony, Tiara and Tai came out to see what looks Shan Keith would be serving up with his fall Line Boundless Sunday night @ Plush

She-Dandy boutique owner Cassidy Dansberry and Erika @ the She-Dandy’s Sip & Sit party @ Envy

Kriston and Candice came through to see the glorious creations of Shan Keith’s Boundless fashion show Sunday night @ Plush

Ray J stopped by the world famous Sweetie Pie’s to show Tim Norman some love before Ray J hit the club as host Friday night @ The Marquee

Mark and Marlon Austin of Bespoke Couture were in the building to support St. Louis native and ‘Under The Gunn’ finalist Shan Keith at his Boundless fashion show Sunday @ Plush Arika Parr and Korey Johnson were hosts with the most as Prince and Apollonia @ Arika 2nd

Costumes and Cocktails Halloween party

Plush

Jeanne Roberts Johnson and Dwight Carter were just a couple of the stylish citizens that came to see

Photos by Lawrence Bryant

Photo by Christopher Hawkins