December 12th, 2024 edition

St. LouiS AmericAn

Rams settlement funds touch down in Transform Act

Faces BOA scrutiny

By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American

With thoughtful expectation of helping transform St. Louis’ infrastructure and its image, Mayor Tishaura O. Jones, President of the Board of Aldermen Megan Green, and Alderwoman Alisha Sonnier introduced the Transform STL Act on Wednesday at City Hall.

The bill, if approved by the Board of Aldermen, would target the Rams Settlement Funds into several categories including infrastructure, development, and families and children.

“From Delmar to Dutchtown to Downtown, every neighborhood deserves to benefit from these settlement funds,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity that will be used to transform the lives of many generations to come.”

The Transform Act would direct money from the Rams Settlement into the following funds:

Infrastructure ($100 million) - Citywide Water

says the proposed bill would direct Rams settlement money to various projects throughout the city, including infrastructure improvements, and support to children and families.

‘She was a force of nature’

Iconic

poet, writer Nikki Giovanni passes at 81

By Kenya Vaughn The St. Louis American

When a poet functions at the highest level of their calling, they have the power to shift the universe of a reader. A perfectly curated assortment of words can compel one to examine faith, grief, joy, life, loss, love, purpose and sorrow – sometimes all at once.

Nikki Giovanni used poetry for an even higher calling than that. At a time when hatred and systemic racism

permeated every aspect of American life, her work served as both a prompt for Black self-love and a declaration of Black power.

Giovanni passed away on Monday, December 9. She was 81. Although a family statement didn’t disclose her cause of death, in the Emmy Awardwinning documentary about her life

“Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project,” her ongoing battle with cancer was a point of discussion.

One of the world’s most famous

African American poets, Giovanni was also an author, commentator, activist and educator who emerged as a leading voice within the Black Arts Movement of the late 1960s. Her work includes poetry anthologies, poetry recordings, and nonfiction essays, and covers topics ranging from race and social issues to children’s literature. She framed the Black struggle in America as the ultimate demonstration

Arrey Obenson out as president and CEO

Reason for departure at International Institute St. Louis unknown

By Ashley Winters

Could happen before Christmas

By Sylvester Brown, Jr. St. Louis American

On the morning of Dec. 3, 2019, former Kansas City police detective Eric DeValkenaere responded to a police radio call to check out a driver who was speeding through city streets.

The officer said he saw Cameron Lamb, a 26-year-old Black man and father of three from Kansas City, backing his pickup truck into a garage. Reportedly, DeValkenaere, who was not in a police uniform, knocked down a makeshift fence and entered the property. Nine seconds later, DeValkenaere shot and killed Lamb, who was sitting in his pickup and had just placed a phone call.

Jackson County Judge, J. Dale Youngs, convicted DeValkenaere of second-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action. Declaring the shooting

Virginia Tech English Professor, Nikki Giovanni, leads the crowd in a cheer after closing remarks at a convocation to honor the victims of a shooting rampage at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., Tuesday, April 17, 2007.

See OBENSON, A7

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones introduced the Transform STL Act at City Hall on Wednesday. She was joined by Board of Aldermen President Megan Green (left) and 7th Ward Alderwoman Alisha Sonnier. Jones

Arrey Obenson

Photo coutersy of the AP

Jay-Z proclaims innocence after being named with Diddy in assault suit

Hip hop mogul Jay-Z had his name added to a lawsuit filed by a Houston attorney. In the suit, Tony Buzbee accuses him and Bad Boy Entertainment CEO, Sean “Diddy” Combs of sexual assault.

Jay-Z, the star rapper and entrepreneur whose real name is Shawn Carter, was accused in a lawsuit Sunday of assaulting a 13-year-old girl in 2000 along with Combs.

The anonymous accuser, identified only as “Jane Doe,” said the assault happened after she was driven to an MTV Video Music Awards after-party.

The federal lawsuit was originally filed in October in the Southern District of New York, listing Combs as a defendant. It was refiled Sunday to include Carter.

Carter issued a lengthy statement that vehemently denied the claims and accused Buzbee of blackmail and fraud.

“These allegations are so heinous in nature that I implore you to file a criminal complaint, not a civil one,”

Jay-Z said in the statement, released on the Roc Nation official X account.

“Whomever would commit such a crime against a minor should be locked away, would you not agree?”

According to TMZ.com, Jay-Z’s attorney Alex Spiro also filed documents asking the judge to require the plaintiff to reveal her identity.

Tyler Perry Studios president killed in plane crash

Film and television mogul Tyler Perry took to social media to reveal that Steve Mensch, who served as president of Tyler Perry Studios, was killed when a plane he was piloting in Florida went down. Perry announced the news on his Instagram account.

“I’ve been trying to understand this tragedy all day—what went wrong with that plane,” Perry said. “Steve Mensch was truly a kind soul and a great leader at the studio. We all adored him and are devastated that he’s gone. I’m praying for his family as we all try to make

sense of this heartbreak.

Jamie Foxx reveals details of 2023 health crisis in new standup special

Oscar winner and comedian Jamie Foxx revealed what led to his weekslong hospitalization in Atlanta last year during the taping of his Netflix special “Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was…”

Foxx was hospitalized in April 2023 after what started off as a “bad headache” turned into him being rushed to the hospital. The actor previously said that he was “gone for 20 days” and that he doesn’t remember anything.

He said the doctor told his sister that “a brain bleed that has led to a stroke” and that he needed to go “in his head right now” or they would

He also said he was told that the doctor took him to an operating room and that they couldn’t find where the bleed was coming from, but he was having a stroke. “That’s what it was Atlanta,” Foxx told the crowd.

“You finally got the story,” Foxx said it wasn’t until May 4, 2023 that he woke

up. He couldn’t believe that he had a stroke and thought his friend, Dave, was joking. The comedian thanked Atlanta over and over again for the city saving his life.

‘Not Like Us’ lawsuit reportedly gets first court hearing date

Last month Canadian rapper Drake initiated legal action against Universal Music Group and Spotify accusing them of artificially inflating the popularity of Kendrick Lamar’s Drake diss track, “Not Like Us.”

“UMG did not rely on chance, or even ordinary business practices,” the petition read. “It instead launched a campaign to manipulate and saturate the streaming services and airwaves.”

According to Hot97.com, a date has been set for the first court hearing.

“Drake is slated for a court date for his petition against Universal Music Group and Spotify after filing pre-action petitions against both companies,” personality Kurrco reported on his X account, which was posted on Hot97. com. “The date is scheduled for December 20.”

Sources: TMZ.com, NBC.com, x.com, WSBTV.com, Instagram.com, Hot97.com

McDonnell Foundation grant bolsters UMSL Engineering School

St. Louis American

Helping engineer future success of students has long been the mission of The University of Missouri–St. Louis and the James S. McDonnell Foundation has gifted UMSL a historic grant for its new School of Engineering.

The $8 million JSMF grant is one of the largest one-time philanthropic gifts in the history of the university.

“We understand that economic mobility and inclusive economic growth aren’t going to happen on autopilot,” JSMF President Dr. Jason Purnell said. “This investment is a down payment on the infrastructure necessary to make sure that people have opportunities to succeed, and that the region succeeds as a result.”

UMSL’s first cohort of engineering students will begin classes next fall, and the funding will provide financial support for faculty to teach and to engage with St. Louis industry, and bolster support staff and student success resources.

The gift will ensure that curriculum and learning opportunities align with industry needs so students gain the tools necessary for professional success according to Chancellor Kristin Sobolik.

We are so grateful for the generous support of the James S. McDonnell Foundation as we work together to strengthen the future of St. Louis,” Sobolik said.

“This is truly a historic

moment. UMSL shares the foundation’s vision for a thriving region where inclusive growth helps lead to shared prosperity and enhances the quality of life for all of its citizens. We believe ensuring our workforce has the skilled engineering talent it needs is critical to its long-term success and vitality.”

The grant funds immediate and endowed scholarships that will support students over the engineering school’s first five years and decades into the future.

UMSL’s pre-collegiate Bridge Program will receive a $1 million endowment to support STEM college readiness programs to prepare students for engineering degrees.

JSMF’s mission focuses on investing in organizations and initiatives working to improve economic mobility for St. Louisans facing the starkest disparities.

Since its founding, UMSL has served as an institution of opportunity for all St. Louisans by providing access to a tier-one, high-quality education. UMSL boasts one of the most diverse student populations in the state and has established itself as a national leader for academic quality and for social mobility, helping students from low-income backgrounds improve their socioeconomic status by earning a college degree.

UMSL has taken on a critical role in developing the region’s workforce with roughly 75% of its 117,000 alumni calling St. Louis home.

The launch of the UMSL School of Engineering aligns with Greater St. Louis Inc.’s 2030 Jobs Plan, a 10-year roadmap for boosting economic growth as well as increasing the number of quality, living-wage jobs. The school will operate alongside the UMSL/Washington University Joint Undergraduate

Engineering Program, building upon its 30-year track record of success with ABET-accredited Bachelor of Science degree programs in civil, electrical and mechanical engineering.

While the joint engineering program is designed to cater to the needs of nontraditional learners by offering courses in the evening, the new school is

expected to serve more full-time students with classes on the UMSL campus.

A 2021 market analysis showed significant shortcomings in the number of students earning degrees in civil, electrical and mechanical engineering at universities in the state, with thousands of jobs in those fields going unfilled each year.

UMSL received an initial capital investment of $15 million in Missouri’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget to support the planning, design and construction of labs, classrooms and student community spaces in the Science Complex that will be used to train more engineering students. Those renovations are underway, and the university is in the midst of a search for a new director who will oversee the operations of the new school.

But the university has been working to secure private financial support to offset costs associated with both the startup of the new school and increasing availability of scholarships for students wanting to pursue an engineering degree.

“We are grateful to the James S. McDonnell Foundation for their lead support in the launch of the UMSL School of Engineering and continue to be encouraged by the enthusiastic reaction from industry leaders and alumni throughout the state,” said Lisa Capone, UMSL’s vice chancellor for advancement.

“Private gifts will have a direct impact on the lives of our future engineering students while enhancing the future of the St. Louis region.”

Photo courtesy of UM-St. Louis

University of Missouri St. Louis students spend many hours in lab settings, and a grant from James S. McDonnell Foundation will help the university complete its new School of Engineering. The first cohort of students begins next fall.

Editorial/Commentary

Guest Editorial

Righting a historic wrong

By Marc Morial

“For decades, [U.S. government agencies and the NYPD] viewed Black activism as a threat to national security, resulting in the unchecked targeting of prominent leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Marcus Garvey. This lawsuit seeks accountability for the systemic negligence and intentional actions that deprived Malcolm X’s family and the world of his life and legacy.”

— Civil rights attorney Ben Crump

Six days before Malcolm X was gunned down at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City, an undercover NYPD detective told the department he’d seen “a dry run” of Malcolm X’s assassination, which he believed would happen on the upcoming Sunday.

The next day, two members of Malcolm X’s security team were arrested and detained in connection with a bogus plot to bomb the Statue of Liberty. Malcolm X’s daughters charged in a lawsuit filed this week that the arrests were coordinated by the NYPD and federal law enforcement agencies “to weaken Malcolm X’s security, which knowingly facilitated his assassination.”

ty and decency.

Accusations of conspiracy and corruption have surrounded Malcolm X’s assassination from the moment the bullets were fired. Earl Grant, a close associate, wrote of the immediate aftermath, “Here were New York City policemen, entering a room from which at least a dozen shots had been heard, and yet not one of them had his gun out! As a matter of absolute fact, some of them even had their hands in their pockets.”

Two of the men who were convicted of the murder, Muhammad A. Aziz and Khalil Islam, were exonerated last year after an investigation by the Manhattan district attorney’s office determined that the NYPD and FBI withheld key evidence that likely would have led to their acquittal.

In a letter written in 2011 and unveiled after his death in 2020, the undercover officer who drew the men into the plot wrote, “It was my assignment to draw the two men into a felonious federal crime, so that they could be arrested by the FBI and kept away from managing Malcolm X’s Audubon Ballroom door security on Feb. 21, 1965.”

The lawsuit pulls together years of systemic and institutional corruption within the NYPD, the FBI and the CIA. A swift settlement would allow these agencies to draw the curtain on an ugly period of rank injustice and usher in a new era of integri-

Mujahid Abdul Halim, who confessed to the murder at trial, has always insisted Aziz and Islam were innocent. He initially declined to name his co-conspirators but later identified them as Leon Davis, Benjamin Thomas and two men whose full names he did not know, “William X” and “Wilbur or Kinly.” The Manhattan D.A.’s investigation did not confirm the guilt of those men or outline a conspiracy among local and federal agencies. But the lawsuit claims the reason Malcolm X was denied entry into France 12 days before his assassination was that French authorities had learned of a CIA plot to murder him and feared he would be “liquidated” on French soil.

The CIA’s unofficial motto is the Biblical verse “And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” Until these agencies acknowledge the truth surrounding Malcolm X’s assassination, we cannot truly claim to be free.

Marc Morial is president/CEO of the National Urban League.

As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues

Death penalty is racial justice issue

By Jamila Hodge

Although imperfect, history can be a powerful guide as we strive to improve, whether individually or collectively.

Our nation’s history of lynching is one example of the many lessons that should galvanize us to make the lofty promise of “liberty and justice for all” more attainable.

Researchers have documented more than 4,400 lynchings of African Americans in the wake of slavery’s end. And those same researchers recognize that many more killings are lost to time and incomplete records.

capital punishment. Now time is running out to put his moral opposition — shared by an ever-growing percentage of Americans — into action. He can write a new historical chapter in which we no longer pretend that this system, so deeply flawed in so many ways, is not also racist to the core.

But this history — built on data is clear. And we shouldn’t be surprised. Our nation condoned extrajudicial executions of Black people for generations. Then the government systematized that violence and oppression into our modern death penalty system. The steady decline in the number of lynchings, beginning in the 1890s, intersects with the rise in executions into the 1930s and 40s.

Black people remain a primary target. Since 1976, 34% of the people we have executed were Black, nearly three times our share of the population.

Federal death row is even worse. Thirty-eight percent of the 40 people currently sentenced to die are Black. Several of them were sentenced by all-white juries, according to the Federal Capital Habeas Project.

Guest Columnist Jamila Hodge

This is one of many reasons — and I think the most important — for President Joe Biden to commute federal death row inmates before he leaves office. I worked for then-Vice President Biden in 2010 as an advisor for criminal justice and drug policy. This came in the middle of a dozen years I spent as a federal prosecutor. During that year, I got to spend enough time with Biden to see his heart, empathy, and compassion. He recognizes that human beings are capable of redemption and transformation.

When he ran for president in 2020, he was the first candidate to openly oppose

By Larry Smith

There is an issue uniting people on both the left and the right: President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son, Hunter.

The right to pardon is rooted in centuries of monarchic tradition, allowing a president to act with near-divine authority to forgive crimes and dispense mercy.

This ability, known as “constitutional executive unilateralism,” is unique in its scope, granting presidents the ability to override the courts and even the will of the people.

Yet, it is this very power — this almost divine ability to forgive — that has ignited an uproar.

Let’s begin with the Democrats. For some, their frustration with Biden’s decision is purely political — a calculation that is aimed at protecting their standing in purple districts. They worry about alienating moderate voters by appearing to be too partisan or too lenient. Other members of their party are seemingly genuine in their concern, pointing to the notion that this pardon exacerbates the perception of a two-tiered justice system in America.

As for Republicans, their outrage is as predictable as it is hollow. For years, they have prostrated themselves at the altar of Donald Trump, excusing and enabling his every aberrant, immoral, and illegal act. This unconditional loyalty has eroded the very foundation of moral accountability in American politics, creating a vacuum where no action — no matter how egregious — faces true condemnation.

Where was their anger when Donald Trump pardoned his political ally, not to mention his son-in-law’s father?

(Speaking of whom, Trump just named the elder Kushner to be Ambassador to France, a position that both Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin held.) Further, where was the outcry when Saudi Arabia gave Jared $2 billion, apparently for having a nice smile? This is the America for which roughly half the electorate voted. I’m in no mood to countenance trumped up outrage.

The bottom line for me is that President Biden has had to endure the death of two of his children. His first daughter, Naomi, died in the same 1972 automobile crash that killed Biden’s first wife, Neilia. His first son, Beau, died of brain cancer in 2015.

And if he doesn’t?

President-elect Trump was quite consistent throughout his campaign that featured an abundance of racist, sexist, or dehumanizing rhetoric, often weaved together. All of it underscored a clear affinity for violence and oppression.

And he has already demonstrated that these are more than words.

In the final months of his first term, Trump launched an execution spree that totaled 13 killings, the last six coming after he had lost the election. And Project 2025, the playbook assembled by a team of Trump’s advisors, calls for another execution spree that won’t end until all 40 people currently on federal death row — each of them a son to parents — are killed.

Trump represents authoritarianism — a relentless exercise to accrue and maintain power at the expense of the people.

There are plenty of Black people living today who lived under authoritarianism. They had to fight for their voting rights, withstand police violence and mass incarceration, navigate systems of economic oppression. If we don’t want to go back, we have to fight for our rights, inch by inch.

One of the first steps we can take is by urging President Biden to act. Yes, these are uncertain times. That doesn’t mean we have to give up the on the things we can control.

Mr. President, you can determine that there will be no more bloodshed in our names, over false promises of safety. You can march us one final step toward a more just world. What comes after January 20, you can’t control, but 40 souls hang in the balance until then.

To those Democrats, I can only offer incredulity. The idea that the American legal system is impartial has been a myth for as long as the system has existed. As a Black man, I can assure you that the existence of two Americas — one for the wealthy, the well-connected, and the white, and one for everyone else — is not a revelation. It is a lived reality.

Consider this: Barack Obama, had he been implicated in anything remotely resembling a government coup attempt, would undoubtedly not be a free man today. The justice system’s blindfold, so often touted as a symbol of fairness, is in reality a convenient way to avoid seeing the glaring inequities before us.

The outrage over this pardon stems less from principle and more from the performative angst of those unaccustomed to the stark realities of power.

Mental health professionals tell us that the death of a child is the greatest pain that a person can experience. I cannot imagine having to experience whether that is true.

I take Donald Trump at his word when he says that he intends to exact retribution on his seemingly endless list of “enemies,” to include President Biden and his family. If Hunter were to have been convicted by a Trump DOJ, he could have spent has much as 25 years behind bars. Given President Biden’s age, that would be tantamount to losing a third child.

Thus, I applaud Biden for his decision. I cannot imagine any parent would have acted differently given the exact same circumstances.

Larry Smith is a political columnist for the Indianapolis Recorder

EMERITUS

Columnist Marc Morial

The Footlocker staff at the St. Louis Galleria raised money to donate to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis (BGCSTL) Adams Park Club as part of the Kids Footlocker Foundation national partnership with Boys and Girls Clubs.

Kids Foot Locker backs STL Boys and Girls Clubs

The St. Louis Galleria Foot Locker recently stepped up to support the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis (BGCSTL) Adams Park Club.

For a second year, the Footlocker staff raised money throughout the year and presented the check for $6149.00, surpassing last year’s amount.

The check presentation was held in November and Foot Locker team members also participated in activities with APC Club members. Footlocker is a national partner of the Boys & Girls Club of America (BGCA).

The Kids Foot Locker’s In My Shoes Social Contest encourages Boys and Girls Club Members to pursue their passions in the safe and supported environment of their local Clubs. Through prize grants to support the work

being done in Clubs each day, Kids Foot Locker is joining our Club staff in helping kids find the passions that will help give them a great future.

During the “Back to School” period, Kids Foot Locker offers shoppers the opportunity to support Boys & Girls Clubs by donating $1, $3, $5 or $10 in Kids Foot Locker stores nationwide and on kidsfootlocker.com

Funds raised through this annual Adda-Buck Back2School cause marketing campaign provide select local Clubs with much-needed tools to encourage kids to be active and live healthier lifestyles.

Since first partnering in 2014, Kids Foot Locker and Boys & Girls Clubs of America have shared program sponsorship, engaged Kids Foot Locker employees in a national marketing campaign, inspired local Club volunteerism, and increased partnership messaging and awareness.

A deserved day for Shirley Chisholm

By Julianne Malveaux

Shirley Chisholm Day was celebrated in New York on Nov. 30, 2024.

It is past time for New York, the nation and world to honor this Black woman, the first to be elected to Congress in 1969, just five years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act.

Chisholm was the first Black woman to run for president in 1972. Imagine the racism and sexism she encountered. She ran in just 12 primaries, as election officials worked to prevent her ballot access. Yet she amassed 152 delegates, around 10% of the total.

As a member of Congress, Chisholm authored about 50 pieces of legislation, many focusing on race and gender equality, children, poverty and ending the war in Vietnam. Her boldness was an inspiration for women like former New Jersey Secretary of State Regina Thomas and retiring Rep. Barbara Lee, who cast the lone vote against the war in Afghanistan.

Chisholm was not only a legislator, representing Brooklyn, she was also an educator and activist. She earned a master’s degree in early childhood education from Columbia University.

Committed to women’s equal participation in politics, she was, in 1971, a co-founder of the National Women’s Political Caucus. In 1977, she became the first Black woman, and only the second woman, to serve on the House Rules Committee.

Her contributions are numerous, her impact legendary.

She was awarded a posthumous Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2015, and she remains an icon for many, especially for Black women.

The sister who described herself as “unbought and unbossed” deserves more recognition than the Nov. 30 festivities. I don’t know why New York chose to lift Chisholm up. Perhaps it is because she embodied the audacity we need in these times. When asked how she wanted to be remembered, she said, “I want to be remembered as a woman who dared to be a catalyst.”

Those are audacious words from an audacious woman. And there are so many more than we need to remember, such as Dr. LaFrances Rogers Rose, a scholar who made her transition on Nov. 10, 2024. She founded the International Congress of Black Women, was a champion for Black women scholars and selflessly encouraged others.

Another example is LaTosha Brown, founder of Black Voters Matter. Or Barbara Arnwine, founder of the Transformative Justice Coalition, or Melanie Campbell, convener of the Black Women’s Roundtable. So many sisters making a difference, a difference needed now more than ever.

Exceptional audacity is needed during these times. Too many are choosing caution, apprehensive about what the incoming president might do to our rights, our health and our environment.

Too many government workers, many who are Black women, are tiptoeing because Trump has threatened to “streamline” the federal workforce. We need more people like Chisholm, who dared to speak up and speak out.

I’m so glad that New York City chose to honor Shirley Anita Chisholm with a day of her own. While she certainly deserves the day to herself, I think of it as Black Women’s Audacity Day in honor of all those who, like Chisholm, are catalysts for change.

Julianne Malveaux, a former college president, is an economist, author and commentator based in Washington, D.C.

St. Louis American

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Julianne Malveaux

Marcellus “Khaliifah”

“unconstitutional,” Youngs ruled that the officer had no legal right to enter Lamb’s property.

An appeals court upheld that verdict, and the Missouri Supreme Court refused to review the case. Additionally, a federal judge ruled in a civil case that DeValkenaere violated Lamb’s constitutional rights. Lamb was unarmed.

There is speculation that DeValkenaere will be pardoned before or shortly after Christmas. Why?

Because current Gov. Mike Parson has said he “doesn’t like” the fact that DeValkenaere is serving a six-year sentence.

Gov.-elect Mike Kehoe has vowed to free DeValkenaere if Parson doesn’t do it first.

“I’m very sensitive to Eric’s case,” Kehoe told reporters during his election-night victory speech. He added that he thinks DeValkenaere was wrongly convicted and referred to the detective and his

Nikki

Continued from A1

Continued from A1 of faith – and endurance.

Long before it was a catch phrase, Giovanni was a founding mother of “Black Girl Magic.” Her verses unapologetically opposed Eurocentric standards of beauty, intelligence and forms of expression, particularly when it came to Black women. From her first book of poems, 1968’s Black Poetry Black Talk, Giovanni devoted her words to signifying the worth of her people. She provided a eulogy of sorts for herself in the follow up collection, Black Feeling, Black Talk/Black Judgement. Released the

wife as “friends.” “I met Sarah and Eric before he was imprisoned, and I would say wrongly. I believe we need to have Eric’s back. And I’ve been very vocal about saying ‘should I succeed in running for governor, Eric DeValkenaere will be home with his family,” Kehoe said.

A Kansas City Star editorial last month took issue with Kehoe’s family loyalties.

“Does the trauma experienced by Lamb’s three small children matter at all? Those kids lost their father — unjustly, we might add,” the editorial read. “Shall we ignore the pain of his mother, Laurie Bey, whose child was killed in a senseless shooting that never should have happened?

“Never mind any of that; DeValkenaere has friends in high places and apparently those connections are all you need to escape consequences for illegal acts committed under the color (not rule) of law.”

The St. Louis American reached out to nine Black

same year as her debut, the collection featured the poem “Nikki-Rosa.” An excerpt reads:

“and I really hope no white person ever has cause to write about me because they never understand Black love is Black wealth and they’ll probably talk about my hard childhood and never understand that all the while I was quite happy”

“To know Nikki was to be forever changed by her,” Laura Belmonte, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences at Virginia Tech, said in a statement about Giovanni’s passing. Giovanni spent 35

state officials for a comment on the situation.

One Black house member said she wasn’t familiar with the case and another, State Rep. Marlene Terry (District 66), gave a brief response:

“No man is above the law no matter the title, and if convicted by a jury then they should be made to serve the allotted time,” Terry said.

Laurie Bey, Lamb’s mother, shared her frustrations about DeValkenaere’s high-profile friends with KC’s KCTV5 News last month.

“He was not privileged. We’re not privileged,” Bey said. “I’ve worked hard every day of my son’s life you know and no matter what, this would not be the outcome.”

Lamb’s father, Aquil Bey, reacted similarly after hearing of Kehoe’s desire to pardon the officer who killed his son. He’s told the media he believes the courts ruled accordingly and said he doesn’t think DeValkenaere should be let out of prison simply because he’s friends with the governor and the gov-

years as a professor in the Department of English at Virginia Tech.

“One minute, she would say something that would make you laugh so hard you would cry. The next minute, she would say something that would haunt you for the months and make you reevaluate the world as you knew it,” Belmonte said.

She retired from the University in 2022, she returned to the campus to present the annual Giovanni-Steger Poetry Prize Award.

“She was a force of nature and our college, Virginia Tech, and the world itself are better for her impact on all of them.”

She was also a poet, writer, commentator, activist. One of the world’s

ernor-elect who has the power to pardon him.

“We used to say it’s a slap in the face what they are doing,” the father said, “but they put a double punch in the gut with this situation.”

There’s little doubt of DeValkenaere’s guilt. The Star’s editorial contesting Kehoe’s wish to pardon the former officer noted that the detective “had no business on Lamb’s property.” During the trial, the so-called “evidence” - a gun found near the murder scene- was debunked by prosecutors who theorized that it was planted by another police officer after Lamb was shot and killed.

Challenging what she called a “poisonous false narrative,” Missouri Independent commentator, Barbara Shelly, attacked those trying to portray DeValkenaere as a “hero cop who saved another officer’s life, only to be targeted by a ‘woke’ Jackson County prosecutor.”

She sarcastically added that that prosecutor, Jean Peters Baker, “somehow managed to convince a

most well-known African American poets, her work includes poetry anthologies, poetry recordings, and nonfiction essays, and covers topics ranging from race and social issues to children’s literature.

Yolande Cornelia “Nikki” Giovanni Jr. was born in Knoxville, Tennessee on June 7, 1943 to Yolande Cornelia Sr. and Jones “Gus” Giovanni. Soon after her birth, the family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where her parents worked at Glenview School. In 1958, Giovanni returned to Knoxville to live with her grandparents and attend Austin High School. In 1960, she began her studies at her grandfather’s alma mater, Fisk University in Nashville.

grand jury, a circuit judge, three Missouri appeals judges, the entire Missouri Supreme Court and a federal judge to participate in an epic injustice.”

Arguing that a pardon will only “condone reckless policing in Missouri,” Shelly went on to write that she anticipates “an announcement (about a pardon) from either Parson or Kehoe…late sometime Friday afternoon, perhaps when the weather is bad, or when people are preoccupied with last-minute holiday details.”

In a letter to Gov. Mike Parson, the Jackson County prosecutor wrote that a pardon for “the only Kansas City police officer ever convicted of killing a Black man would invite a backlash dangerous to the city and police.”

Kansas City media outlets have consistently condemned talks of pardoning DeValkenaere but it’s hard to gauge just how much outrage is emanating from Black political or activist circles.

Surely, Gov. Parson who, in Sept., refused to grant clemency for

She completed her studies, after a hiatus, in 1967. The release of her debut poetry collection the following year launched a writing career that would continue for the rest of her life. She authored more than 30 books An upcoming collection of poems is slated for 2025.

Along with being a 2004 Grammy Award nominee for her poetry album The Nikki Giovanni Poetry Collection and a National Book Award finalist for her 1973 offering Gemini, she has won countless awards. They include a Langston Hughes Medal, 30-plus honorary degrees, seven NAACP Image Awards and the 2022 Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize. And “Going to

Williams-despite serious doubts about his guiltshould be called out for his hypocrisy regarding pardoning a convicted white police officer. Yet, it seems there’s been no public chastisement by the NAACP, the Innocence Project or Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty who viciously criticized Gov. Parson inaction regarding Williams before he was executed. Perhaps outcries for equal justice will rise as a pardon looms. But, as the Missouri Independent stressed, one outcome is certain:

“Lamb’s death and the fallout from DeValkenaere’s conviction solidified the deep mistrust of police that runs deep in Kansas City… (his) freedom will come at the expense of constructive relationship-building and enlightened policing in Kansas City. “That will be the ongoing story.”

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

Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project,” won the Grand Jury Prize in the Sundance U.S. Documentary Competition in 2023. Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson’s documentary portrait also won a 2024 Emmy Award for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking for the film.

“We will forever feel blessed to have shared a legacy and love with our dear cousin,” said Allison Ragan, Giovanni’s cousin, in a statement on behalf of her family. Giovanni is survived by Fowler, her son, Thomas Giovanni, her granddaughter, Kai Giovanni, and other family members.

Obenson

Continued from A1 organization for more than 105 years. We should all be confident that this entire team can continue welcoming new neighbors with the highest degree of professionalism and care,” Hamilton informed staff.

He also encouraged the staff “to refrain from sharing any office gossip or rumors.”

Last week on Instagram, Obenson celebrated “our team’s remarkable achievements” during the final staff meeting of 2024.

“Over the past four years, our International Institute team has experienced unprecedented growth, expanding from 69 to 176 members and increasing our budget from $8.5 million to $26 million,” Obenson wrote.

“We’ve had a profound impact on our community, serving over 4,600 individuals this year alone. The

Rams

Continued from A1

Infrastructure Fund - $40 million; Citywide Mobility Infrastructure Fund - $60 million Development ($100 million) -Citywide Housing Fund - $70 million; Citywide Neighborhood Development Fund - $30 million People ($77.2 million)Citywide Workforce Fund - $20 million. There will also be a new endowment fund containing two accounts, held and invested by the city Treasurer’s Office. Account 1: Affordable Child Care - $37.2

entire leadership team and I are incredibly grateful for each of you and your dedicated work. The work we do every day is essential to the success of refugees and immigrants. You are all part of this team for a reason.”

According to its website, “The International Institute of St. Louis provides opportunities for immigrants and refugees to thrive in order to create a welcoming, prosperous, and healthy region for all.”

The Institute offers economic and cultural integration services, including English classes, employment, orientation, and citizenship preparation. It also hosts events and presentations to build inclusive and mutually respectful relationships between foreign-born newcomers and all community members.

Following the retirement of Anna E. Crosslin, who served 42 years with the organization, Obenson was selected to replace her.

A Cameroon native,

million; Account 2: Affordable Postsecondary Opportunities - $20 million

“This structure gives City departments the dedicated capital needed to secure matching grants and low-interest loan programs,” said Green. “As departments make spending decisions, these funds will continue to grow in interest-bearing accounts—maximizing the settlement’s reach and amplifying its impact.”

Sonnier of the 7th Ward work has focused over the past 16 months on building community consensus “around how we can strategically and perpetually address some of the issues that impact city residents every day,

A Cameroon native, Obenson began residing in the U.S. more than 20 years ago. Before joining the International Institute, he served with the Junior Chamber International, a leadership development organization, for 17 years.

Obenson began residing in the U.S. more than 20 years ago. Before joining the International Institute, he served with the Junior Chamber International, a leadership development organization, for 17 years.

grow businesses in the St. Louis region.

Obenson told Brown, “The welcoming celebratory atmosphere was by design.”

“This event is a culmination of the efforts we’ve been making in the last two and half years with the resettlement of Afghans.”

St. Louis has become a hub for Afghan refugees, with more than 1,500 resettling here after the Taliban took over Afghanistan August 2021.

to provide grants for their business endeavors.”

Hamilton said the work on behalf of Afghan residents and all served by the International Institute would continue under his interim leadership.

“This incredible team plays a vital role in our community. Many of us see our work as more than a job. I am proud to work with all of you and to continue serving refugees and immigrants in St. Louis,” Hamilton stated in his email to staff.

“I want to reassure you that the leadership and I are committed to ensuring that you all understand how valued you are and feel safe and supported here at work.”

In October, Sylvester Brown of the St. Louis American reported that the Institute, in partnership with the Afghan Chamber of Commerce, awarded three Afghan immigrants $15,000 Entrepreneurship Grants.

including how we can attract and retain our city’s workers.”

“We know that our residents want to see our streets and water systems maintained, our children and families supported, and our neighborhoods and small businesses thrive. This legislation helps to ensure that each corner of the city is reached and that all, not some, have an opportunity to be part of St. Louis’ transformation.”

According to the Mayor’s office, each fund will have an associated board, with “most” containing citizen members. All will hold public board meetings.

To avoid overdrawing funds, each fund’s designated board must recom-

The program, part of the larger Afghan Support Program launched in 2022, provided the grants to help Afghan immigrants start or

mend appropriations from the Board of Estimate and Apportionment.

While the bill preferred by Jones and Green has been introduced, some alderpersons favor a plan backed by Greater St. Louis Inc. GSL Interim CEO Dustin Allison said on behalf of the organization “We have made very clear our support for using a portion of the Rams settlement fund to make long overdue and critically needed investments in disinvested neighborhoods in North and Southeast St. Louis and Downtown.”

“We will review the bill that was filed through the lens of ensuring that those two priorities are

The Afghan Outreach Initiative — a partnership between the International Institute of St. Louis and attorney and philanthropist Jerry Schlichter — has helped nearly double the local Afghan population to about 4,000 people, according to Moji Sidiqi, director for multicultural affairs and Afghan outreach for the International Institute.

Obenson said “I am astonished by the adaptability and resilience of the refugees and is proud

met so that these funds are focused on catalyzing the long-term, sustainable, and equitable growth St. Louis and its residents need.”

GSL supports a bill co-sponsored by Alderpersons Laura Keys (11th Ward), Tom Oldenburg (2nd Ward), and Cara Spencer (8th Ward).

According to GSL, it calls for investment of approximately $130 million of funds from the Rams settlement into disinvested neighborhoods that meet the criteria outlined in the Economic Justice Action Plan developed by Mayor Jones and $100 million into Downtown infrastructure.

The bill would invest the $232.5 million in four

He wrote that “it is important that we allow [Obenson] to retain privacy.

“I encourage you to continue completing our work to the best of our abilities. Finally, I want to say how thankful I am for all of you.”

areas:

• $107.5 million for infrastructure projects – $55 to disinvested neighborhoods and $52.5 to Downtown • $85 million for the rehabilitation of high-impact areas and buildings –$35 million in North City, $20 million in Southeast St. Louis, and $30 million Downtown • $25 million for housing improvement –$10 million Downtown and $15 in disinvested neighborhoods • $15 million to support small businesses and commercial corridors – $10 million of which would go to Downtown and $5 million to disinvested neighborhoods

‘Taking Care of You’

‘Rosa Powered’ app supports student mental health

Will be offered to schools

By Ashley Winters

The St. Louis American

Rosa Powered, a new app that gives schools access to professional crisis intervention resources and provides students with daily mental health support, will soon be available to area school districts.

The app, powered by Behavioral Health Response (BMR), is now being offered to St. Louis metro area schools with plans for implementation for the 2025-2026 academic year.

BHR offers round-the-clock support through a telephone crisis hotline, face-to-face assessments, and collaborative partnerships with community mental health centers.

In Missouri, where 105,000 youth experienced at least one major depressive episode in the past year, only 53.3% of youth received mental health services.

“The launch of Rosa Powered represents a major step forward in how we support student mental health,” said Robert Hughes, BHR chief business development officer.

“By combining Rosa’s innovative monitoring capabilities with BHR’s professional crisis response services, we’re creating a comprehensive safety net that can identify, respond to, and

Make time for yourself during the holiday

By Dr. Graham A. Colditz Siteman Cancer Center

We have entered a special time of the year — the winter holidays.

It’s a concentrated few weeks that give many of us the chance to spend extra time with friends, family and colleagues, celebrating the past year while looking toward the possibilities of the next. And though the season’s colder weather and shorter days may make us feel like hibernating, we often find ourselves surprisingly busy. Kids are out of school. Work may have end-of-year deadlines, and there are preparations for holiday gatherings and family visits.

n Taking time for ourselves is still an important goal, no matter how busy we are.

It’s a season to look forward to — and one that can also make it harder to look after our own health and well-being. But taking time for ourselves is still an important goal, no matter how busy we are. It’s not only good for our longterm health, it can also give us the physical and mental energy to enjoy all the holidays have to offer. Try these four tips to help your holiday health:

Focus on sleep. It’s easy to cut back on healthy sleep when we feel a time crunch, but we really shouldn’t. Sleep is important for both our daily and long-term health, so we should do what we can to get the seven or more hours a night that most adults need. Of course, getting a healthy amount of sleep can be difficult no matter the time of year. So, don’t stress about it, but do what you can to find sleep success. Try to give yourself the time to sleep; don’t overschedule your nights or early mornings, which can easily happen during the holidays. Putting away electronics and avoiding large meals near

See COLDITZ, A11

AIDS still rages in Black communities

St. Louis among highest rates in nation

By Jennifer Porter Gore Word In Black

St. Louis still has one of the highest rates of AIDS prevalence in the nation, according to KFF, a nonprofit health policy organization.

St. Louis and Memphis tied in sixth place among the top 10 areas still ravaged by AIDS. The ranking in order of cases is Miami, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, Detroit, Memphis/St. Louis, Jackson, Miss., New Orleans, Detroit, and Baton Rouge, La.

When the HIV/AIDS virus emerged as a deadly public health threat 40 years ago there were many assumptions about it: gay sex was the primary means of infection; straight men and women were at far lower risk of acquiring the virus; and AIDS was, mostly, a crisis for white people. How times have changed.

While scientific and medical break-

throughs now enable people infected with the virus to live normal, fulfilling lives, we’ve also learned that heterosexuals are at significant risk of acquiring or transmitting the virus, too. Perhaps most importantly, we now know how HIV/AIDS and race are inextricably linked.

“Today, there are more than 1.2 million people living with HIV in the U.S., 40% of whom (489,200) are Black,” according to a 2024 fact sheet by KFF.

“Although they represent only 12% of the U.S. population, Black people account for a much larger share of HIV diagnoses (39%), people living with HIV (40%), and deaths among people with HIV (43%) than any other racial/ethnic group in the U.S.”

Each December, during AIDS Awareness Month, global nongovernmental organizations, international agencies and public health nonprofits celebrate the See AIDS, A11

Dr. Marcus Howard, founder of GreaterHealth Pharmacy and Wellness in the Delmar Devine is also founder of ROSA, a mental health agency which developed the app Rosa Powered.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Getty photo courtesy of Word In Black In the 40 years since the HIV/AIDS virus became a public health threat, Black people have suffered disproportionately high new infection rates,

to whites. But there are

among Black

Graham A. Colditz

progress made in fighting HIV/AIDS — and to highlight the fact that millions are still suffering, including a large number of Black Americans.

With that in mind, here are six facts about HIV/ AIDS in the Black community

1. Disparities persist

Research shows HIV/ AIDS continues to have a disproportionate impact on people of color in the U.S. in general — and among Black Americans in particular. In 2022, according to KFF, the rate of new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 among Black adults and adolescents was about 8 times that of white people and twice that of Latinos. The infection rate for Black men was the highest of any race/ethnicity and gender, some 23 percentage points higher than the second highest group, Latino men.

2. Higher death rates

HIV/AIDS death rates are highest among Black people compared to people of other race/ ethnicities. In 2022, according to KFF, Black people accounted for more than 4 in 10 deaths among people with an HIV diag-

App

Continued from A10

help prevent mental health crises in our schools.”

As a web-based software, ROSA enables students to complete clinically grounded mental well-being check-ins. ROSA aggregates this data and then sends it to teachers and counselors, who can now fully see which students have indicated they need immediate support.

St. Louis native Marcus Howard, founder of GreaterHealth Pharmacy & Wellness, the first Black-owned pharmacy in Missouri, leads ROSA, which he founded in Chapel Hill, N.C., in 2022.

“ROSA is a counseling friend for students and a powerful data tool for schools,” said Howard, a University of North Carolina graduate.

“The name, ROSA, aims to broaden outreach in underrepresented communities. The cultural relevance of educational materials is key in how Black or Latinx students connect to the material,” Howard said in a 2022 GrepBeat. com article.

“It’s fitting the name “Rosa” is a familiar one in the Latinx community and might also bring to mind Rosa Parks, the prominent civil rights leader.”

Colditz

Continued from A10

bedtime can also help, as can keeping to a regular sleep and wake-up time.

Go for a walk, or other activity. Along with sleep, this is another one that’s easy to skip when our days get busy. But making time to go for a walk or take a gym class has amazing benefits — providing a boost to energy and mood, and

‘Taking Care of You’

nosis, and had the highest age-adjusted HIV death rate per 100,000 compared to white persons. While the number of deaths among Black individuals with an HIV diagnosis fell 13% between 2010 and 2018, it pushed up by 15% between 2018 and 2022.

3. Black women, young people at significant Risk

At nearly 2 in 10 infections, Black women had the highest HIV infection rate among all U.S. women. KFF reports that while new HIV diagnoses continue to occur

disproportionately among Black women, “data show a 39% decrease in new diagnoses for Black women between 2010 and 2022.” More recently, from 2018 to 2022, new HIV diagnoses among Black women were essentially flat, decreasing by just 1%.

Meanwhile, among young people ages 13 to 24, Black people represented half of all HIV diagnoses, according to KFF. In 2022 more than half of gay and bisexual teens and young adults with HIV were Black in 2022, yet just 1 in 10

Black school-age youths report ever having been tested for HIV/AIDS.

4. Southern spotlight Among all persons newly diagnosed with HIV, slightly more than half live in the South, compared with 21% in the West; and 13% in both the Northeast and the Midwest, according to HIV.gov, a federal information clearinghouse. At the same time, the South accounts for both the majority of Black people newly diagnosed with HIV and the majority of Black people living with

The effort marks the first time area schools will have access to technology that combines mental health support with BHR’s proven crisis response services.

The program integrates with BHR’s established crisis response infrastructure, providing immediate access to professional support that includes virtual consultation, and in-person interventions as needed.

Rosa Powered provides schools with a sophisticated early warning system that monitors student well-being through regular check-ins and assessments.

even helping with better sleep. It’s not always easy to get started, especially in the winter, but those first few minutes of an activity are often the hardest; once past those, the rest usually comes easier. And, if you’re heading outside, be sure to be prepared for the weather, and go with a friend.

Choose healthy foods — mostly. The holidays are a time to celebrate, and that can mean enjoying food without worrying about how healthy it is.

The app uses a clear yellow/red alert system to identify students who may need additional support.

Unlike other mental health apps, when concerns are identified, BHR’s professional crisis response team can provide immediate intervention that ranges from in-app support to in-person assistance. The assessment questions may include ‘How are you feeling today?’ or a more serious question can be ‘Do you want to hurt yourself?’

“Based on the series of responses, we have a better understanding men-

It’s good, though, to not totally do away with our healthy eating habits this season. Still try to take an overall healthy approach to eating that focuses on fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and is low in red and processed meat. At special meals and other gatherings, choose what you enjoy but try to balance less-healthy, higher-calorie foods with healthier choices.

Relieve stress in healthy ways. As great as the holidays can be,

tally of what the student is facing,” said Hughes.

He says the app will help staff get students immediate help when they need it, but also, they can gauge specifically the type of help based on the severity.

“All too often the child may not be comfortable with communicating how they feel, or they may not know how to articulate their emotions,” Hughes said.

School administrators receive comprehensive dashboard access to identify trends while maintaining student privacy. Teachers

they can also, as we know, be stressful. And that makes it important to have healthy ways to deal with moments of stress. Walking and similar activities are really good for this. So, too, are stretching, yoga and breathing exercises. Taking some time alone can be helpful, finding a quiet place to read or stream that movie you’ve been wanting to see. Spending time with friends can also provide support. While alcohol may be part of many holiday celebrations, choose

AIDS infections face several challenges that contribute to the epidemic, including “stigma and discrimination, higher rates of poverty lack of access to health care, higher rates of some sexually transmitted infections, and lower awareness of HIV status.”

But lingering medical mistrust and lack of education about treatments also play roles: A national survey of Black Americans conducted in 2002–2003 found that 48% of Black people strongly or slightly believed that “HIV is a manmade virus,” while 53% believe that HIV/ AIDS can be cured but the remedy “is being withheld from the poor.”

6. Signs of hope

HIV at the end of 2022, according to KFF.

RELATED: 3

Organizations Working to Stop the Spread of HIV in the Black

Community

Moreover, while HIV diagnoses among Black people are concentrated in a handful of states, 7 of 10 of those states are in the south, KFF reports: Florida, Georgia, Texas, North Carolina, Louisiana, Virginia and Maryland.

5. Barriers to treatment KFF reports that Black people dealing with HIV/

Robert Hughes, Behavioral Health Response chief business development officer, recently shared details of BHR’s new services “that will be impactful as we go forth in the way of servitude.” BHR is powering the new app ‘Rosa Powered,’ Hughes calls “a major step forward in how we support student mental health.”

While the big picture is grim, KFF notes a few recent positive data points, including declining new HIV diagnoses among Black people overall, especially among women. Researchers also notice a “leveling off” of new diagnoses among Black gay and bisexual men. Still, given the epidemic’s “continued and disproportionate impact on Black people,” the report notes, stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS in Black communities “is key to addressing HIV in the United States.”

in Missouri, which is already facing a critical shortage of teachers. More than 70% of respondents reported seriously considering leaving the profession, and over 80% of the respondents say they know a teacher who left the field last year, excluding retirement.

The survey also shows that student behavior and mental health issues create difficult teaching and learning conditions.

Trauma, poverty, lack of accountability, and unmet basic needs are cited as root causes.

Missouri lags behind most states in children’s health. According to the Kids Count annual report, Missouri ranks 41st in the nation for youth mental health care access.

and staff undergo specialized training to effectively integrate the system into their existing student support framework.

Recent data underscores the urgency for enhanced mental health support in Missouri schools. Some 63% of teachers in this year’s Missouri State Teachers Association Survey cited student behavior as one of the reasons they consider leaving the profession, with the mental health crisis students are facing as a primary concern.

The survey foretells a dismal future for students

healthier options for dealing with the stress of the season. And if you or anyone you know is in a mental health crisis, call 988 — the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

These can feel like simple things, and in many ways they are. But during such a busy season, it can be good to focus on some of the basics. And the benefits of keeping up with even small, healthy steps are real — in our daily lives and the years ahead.

“The integration of Rosa with BHR’s crisis response capabilities will give our schools a powerful tool for supporting student mental health,” said Dr. Felicia Spratt, LPC, Ed.D., vice president of justice and crisis operations.

“This program helps identify struggling students earlier and ensures professional help is immediately available when needed.”

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

That’s a great gift. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year.

Dr. Graham A. Colditz, associate director of prevention and control at Siteman Cancer Center at BarnesJewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, is an internationally recognized leader in cancer prevention and the creator of the free prevention tool YourDiseaseRisk.com

Photo courtesy of BHR Instagram

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

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

CLASSROOM SPOTLIGHT

Students Luca Lane and Salem Valente Heine, in Ms. Nikki Binion’s 3rd grade class at Jackson Park Elementary School attempt to create a bride figure that is at least 8 inches long and 2 feet tall, and able to support the weight of a full water

SCIENCE CORNER

Scientists in this field study the conservation and management of wildlife and fish. They evaluate the environment and habits of these animals, allowing the scientists to understand disease, habitat, and behavior. For example, studying the eating habits of a type of fish will help the scientists determine if the area has enough food supply to support their population. These biologists help control population when it is overgrown and help to replenish endangered species. They help keep water clean and safe. Studying how fish respond to diseases not only helps that species of fish, but that information is also helpful to learning how humans could possibly respond to treatments for diseases.

SCIENCE INVESTIGATION

African-American Fish and Wildlife Ecologist Mamie Parker

To have a career in this field, you will need a bachelor’s or a master’s degree. This field offers many types of job choices. You can work on boats to collect information for research. You can work in fields or streams. You can work in a lab, and you can be a teacher or professor for this field.

Learning Standards: I can read nonfiction text for main idea and supporting details. I can make text-totext and text-to-world connections.

Ice Fishing Anyone?

In this experiment, you will create a setting for ice fishing.

Materials Needed:

• Small Paper Cups or an Ice Cube Tray

• Glass or Bowl of Water • String (yarn or kite string works great) • Small Stick (this will be your fishing pole) • Salt

Procedure:

q Fill the cups or tray with water and place in the freezer.

w When the water is frozen, remove the ice from the cup or tray.

e Put the ice in the glass or bowl that has been filled with water. The cube will bob up and down in the water before it floats to the top.

r Place one end of the string from the fishing pole on top of the ice cube and

Solve these fish-related word problems.

q There are 26 aquariums at the pet store. Each aquarium holds an average of 20 fish. Approximately, how many fish are there in all? ______

w A class of 24 students took a fishing field trip. There was a three fish maximum catch limit. ½ of the students caught the maximum, ¼ caught two fish, and ¼ caught one fish. How many fish did they catch in all?

e Tyra bought a can of fish food. It said it would feed one fish for about one month. Tyra has four

Check out these facts about fish:

This special Newspaper In Education initiative is made possible, and delivered to classrooms through the St. Louis American Foundation and its NIE Corporate Partners:

sprinkle salt on the ice where the string is touching. The water will melt and refreeze.

t After about 10 seconds, carefully lift the ice cube out of the water with the fishing pole. You caught a fish (ice)!

y Analyze—water freezes at 32° F. Salt lowers the water’s freezing temperature. The more salt you add, the more it affects the refreezing temperature. How did this process affect this experiment?

Extension:

Try sugar, pepper, sand, flour, or other items. See what works, and what doesn’t, and try to figure out why!

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

fish. Approximately how long will this can of fish food last? ______

r Fish tanks need gravel or sand in the bottom. A rule of thumb is to include one pound per gallon of tank to create a 1 inch base, and two pounds per gallon to create a 2 inch base. Alexander has a 33 gallon tank. He wants to create a 1 ½ inch base. How much gravel should he add? ______

Learning Standards: I can use addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to solve a problem.

Anableps is a type of fish with four eyes. It can see above and below water at the same time.

Mamie Parker was born in Arkansas, the youngest of 11 children. Her mother named her Mamie after First Lady Mamie Eisenhower, as a tribute to all of the work Ike Eisenhower did for the Civil Rights movement. Parker loved the outdoors and all types of animals. Having a large family, they depended on the success of their fishing efforts in order to have enough protein to feed the family. Parker enjoyed this time with her mother, who always encouraged her to learn all that she could. Mrs. Parker said, “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance!”

Parker was one of the first to attend the integrated high school in Wilmot, Arkansas. She was inspired by Marvin Gaye’s song, “Mercy Me,” which spoke of pollution and the need for change. Parker enrolled in the University of Arkansas to major in biology. While there, she was recruited to move to Wisconsin as an intern. She earned a degree in biology from the University of Arkansas and an ecology degree from the University of Wisconsin. Later, she would attend Harvard to study leadership training.

Her career took her from Wisconsin to Minnesota, to Columbia, Missouri. While in Columbia, she helped local farmers learn how to maximize the use of their land to help wildlife and fish thrive. Parker is also known for helping the Atlantic salmon population which was endangered. After many years in the business, Parker was offered a job in Washington D.C. as the first African-American woman to be the Assistant Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS). She remembers a fellow employee telling her that the only AfricanAmerican women who had been in the building were the janitors who cleaned it. Parker felt pride in her position and wanted to inspire other women to pursue careers in the STEM fields.

Parker has authored the book, “The Future of Fisheries.” She has received many awards, such as The Presidential Rank Award and the Ira Gabrielson Award. Parker also has been featured on NPR (National Public Radio) and is a motivational speaker.

Learning Standards: I can read a biography about a person who has made contributions in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. I can make text-to-text and text-to-self connections.

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

Activities —

Pick a Plot: Use the newspaper to cut out words that are places, people, and actions. Place each word in a bag labeled place, people, or action. After everyone has added their words, draw a word from each bag. Use your words to create a story.

Figures of speech: Authors use figures of speech to be creative and descriptive. Can you find examples of similes, metaphors, alliteration, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, or idioms in the newspaper?

Create a poster with your examples.

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can write for a specific purpose and audience. I can identify figurative language.

bottle.

Photo by Nikki Binion

Did you reach your financial goal in 2024?

A key to reaching your 2025 financial goals is making a budget and knowing your ‘wants’ from your ‘needs.’ ‘Needs’ include utility bills, rent or mortgage payments, and groceries. ‘Wants’ include expenses like dining out and entertainment.

Sponsored by JPMorganChase

Eleven months ago, many people set financial goals for the New Year.

Maybe you planned to buy a new home, finance a new vehicle or start a new business. Whether you made New Year’s resolutions, pasted images on a vision board or crunched numbers on an official balance sheet, you had every intention of achieving those goals in 2024.

As the year draws to a close, it’s time to look back on what worked

-- or where you may have gone wrong financially. Those lessons learned can help you set new goals and better manage your finances in 2025. JPMorganChase offers six dos and don’ts about financial planning and management that can help you achieve a fresh start in 2025 and get closer to reaching your goals.

1. DO create a budget One common financial mistake is not having a budget at all. Remaining in the dark about your spending can

limit your ability to save for important goals like a car, a home or your retirement. If you don’t know what you’re spending, there’s a good chance you may be spending too much.

2. DON’T leave your budget up to chance Using guesswork when trying to allocate your monthly budget can lead to overestimating or underestimating how much to allot toward each budgeting cate-

GOALS, B2

Cryptocurrency and Black America

Penn

State prof says education key to investment

NNPA Newswire

Professor Tonya M. Evans, a highly respected scholar of fintech law at Penn State Dickinson Law and a prominent figure in digital asset strategy, says cryptocurrency can payoff for Black investors – but they must know the risks.

Evans, owner of Advantage Evans, LLC, and a board member of Digital Currency Group, is “deeply invested” in guiding Black investors through the complex world of cryptocurrency.

She was recently interviewed for a Forbes article, “Can the Crypto Industry Survive Trump’s Agenda 47 and Project 2025?”

She highlighted the friction between the government’s regulatory initiatives, prioritizing national sovereignty, and the decentralized ideals at the heart of digital currencies like Bitcoin.

Evans encouraged Black investors to pursue a clear understanding of cryptocurrency, noting that education is key.

“There are several trusted resources available to help investors learn more about crypto risks and rewards,” she advised.

“Thorough research and skepticism toward ‘get rich quick’ schemes are vital for protection against scams.”

Penn State Professor Tonya M. Evans, a legal expert on cryptocurrency, says “crypto offers immense possibilities for building wealth,” but it also carries risks. She advises Black investors to adopt strategies for minimizing losses amid volatility.

protection, says Evans, and it remains

SIU-E TRIO receiving graduate degrees

Three employees of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s TRIO Upward Bound (UB) Programs will graduate with master’s degrees from SIUE on Friday, Dec. 13.

Christopher L. Cooper

Graduating are Christopher L. Cooper Sr., Upward Program director; Jasmeen Finn, UB counselor/data specialist; and Jurre Loveless, UB counselor.

“This degree offers the skills to manage public programs, lead teams and navigate the complexities of government agencies, non-profits and other public service organizations,” said Cooper, who will receive a master’s in public administration (MPA).

Finn is also receiving an MPA degree. “I decided to study public administration, because I have always been passionate about making a substantial difference in people’s lives,” she said.

Loveless earned a master’s in project management. “I plan to use my degree to continue to create meaningful change in my community and beyond,” she said.

Ladue educator Danette Baker honored Danette Baker

Danette Baker, an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) specialist at Old Bonhomme Elementary in the Ladue School District, was honored during the 43rd Annual Apple for the Teacher Ceremony, hosted by the Alpha Zeta Chapter of Iota Phi Lambda, Inc. on Nov. 23. Since its inception in 1982 the ceremony has celebrated educators who inspire and uplift students across the St. Louis metropolitan region. Leah Crawford, Ladue Schools instructional coach, and Dr. Patricia Wilson, Ladue Fifth Grade Center principal, received the honor last year.

McFee selected as STL Art Museum board chair

Monica McFee has been selected by the docents of the Saint Louis Art Museum as the 2024-2025 board chair.

Monica McFee

McFee, who joined SLAM as a member of the 2014 docent training class, also serves on the board of the National Society of Arts & Letters STL and is a past president of Women and The Kemper Museum at Washington University St. Louis She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from WashU and is an award-winning marketing and public relations professional.

Jurre Loveless

Photo courtesy of ProfTonyaEvans.com

Photo courtesy of JPMorganChase

Jasmeen Finn

Goals

Continued from B1

gory. This may set you up for failure. Taking a month to assess and identify your spending patterns may help to establish a baseline as you’re setting your budget.

3. DO track your spending Get to know your spending by creating a monthly budget tracker. You can then review your spending and track it in a monthly budget worksheet. Over time, you can adjust which budgeting categories to cut back spending on. Expenses can fluctuate month to month, so be prepared to shift gears whenever necessary.

4. DON’T put wants and needs in the same category A common error beginner budgeters can make is mistaking “wants” for “needs.” Needs are essential items like utility bills, rent or mortgage payments, and groceries. These are things you need to live. Wants, on the other hand, are non-essential expenses like dining out or entertainment. It may still be possible to find

Investment

Continued from B1

ing losses amid volatility, advising the establishment of backup plans to protect investments.

For Black families, staying informed about new regulations is essential, as crypto’s largely unregulated market can make it challenging to avoid financial pitfalls.

“Cryptocurrency was marketed as a tool for

room in your budget to accommodate a few luxuries, but being honest with yourself about what’s truly necessary may help you avoid this budgeting mishap.

5. DO keep it simple The idea of listing every single expenditure for a month might seem daunting, but you don’t

financial freedom for Black Americans—a way to bypass banks, build wealth, and close the racial wealth gap,” Evans noted. However, after the 2022 market crash, that promise faded for many. While Bitcoin remains a significant player, a lack of solid consumer safeguards leaves Black investors vulnerable to yet another risk cycle.

Political dynamics further complicate this landscape. With the influence of crypto-backed super

have to go that far. It can be helpful to create a budget that works for you, which includes making it manageable enough to take on in the first place. If you’re just starting out, create just a handful of budgeting categories to help keep things simple.

6. DON’T skip the emergency fund

PACs in the 2024 election, millions have been funneled to maintain light regulations. Evans observed that crypto’s sway in Washington benefits those who can bear financial risk, underscoring the uneven playing field that often excludes marginalized communities.

As Donald Trump prepares to re-enter the presidency, he does so after pivoting from denouncing cryptocurrency as a “scam” to launching his own platform, World

Life is unpredictable and having an emergency fund to pay for unplanned expenses may help you during that time. Without it, you may have to dip into long-term savings or use a credit card if the unexpected arises. Creating an emergency fund doesn’t have to be intimidating. When you’re making your

Liberty Financial (WLFI.)

Critics argue that Trump’s venture into crypto could be less about financial innovation and more about political and personal gain, especially as he positions WLFI as a groundbreaking platform despite the involvement of controversial figures. Evans, who says her mission is to empower Black communities to build wealth in the digital economy, emphasized the importance of consumer education and vigilance,

budget, include a monthly line item for emergency fund contributions. This can help build up your reserves over time. Many bank accounts even let you automate these emergency fund deposits.

The bottom line

Give yourself grace if you fell short of your

advising Black investors to approach crypto with a balance of optimism and caution.

With a GOP-led administration and a conservative Supreme Court, the regulatory landscape may shift, and Black investors must stay informed to safeguard their financial futures.

Through her weekly podcast, Tech Intersect, Evans provides the Black community with knowledge on the crypto industry.

financial goals this year. As you prepare for 2025, remember that budgeting can be a powerful tool to help you build better financial habits. Start tracking your spending now to set up your budget for next year and be aware of common budgeting mistakes. It’s never too early – or too late – to get back on the road to financial freedom.

For informational/ educational purposes only: Views and strategies described may not be appropriate for everyone and are not intended as specific advice/recommendation for any individual. Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but JPMorgan Chase & Co. or its affiliates and/or subsidiaries do not warrant its completeness or accuracy. JPMorgan Chase & Co. and its affiliates are not responsible for, and do not provide or endorse third party products, services, or other content.

Deposit products provided by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Opportunity Lender. © 2024 JPMorgan Chase & Co.

“[I’m] committed to ensuring that Black families are prepared to navigate this evolving landscape, building generational wealth with knowledge and care,” she said. “Crypto offers immense possibilities for building wealth, but without clear protections, it also carries real risks. Our power lies in knowledge—by understanding the landscape, we can make informed choices that truly serve us, now and in the future.”

n “I’ve been holding this speech in for 15 years.’’

– Dave Parker on his long wait for Baseball Hall of Fame enshrinement

InSIdE SportS

With Earl Austin Jr.

DeSmet, Lutheran North lasso state football titles

Girls’ hoops get going

The St. Louis area has another pair of state football champions, following last week’s respective Illinois conquests by East St. Louis and Belleville Althoff.

The DeSmet Spartans won the Missouri Class 6 state championship while the Lutheran North Crusaders won the Class 4 state title, respectively, on Friday at the University of MissouriColumbia.

Lutheran North began the day with a 46-7 victory over Festus to win its seventh state championship.

Sophomore quarterback Jonathan Moore completed 17 of his 23 passes for 342 yards and five touchdowns. Senior receiver Trey Bass had 10 receptions for 190 yards and four touchdowns. Junior running back Martez Stephenson had four receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 63 yards and a score.

DeSmet defeated a strong Nixa team from the Southwest part of the state 35-20 to win its third state championship.

Running back Jayden

McCaster had a big performance for the Spartans with 200 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Senior quarterback Dillon Duff rushed for two touchdowns and threw for another score. He is headed to Kansas State.

Prep hoops hit hardwood

High school basketball season is underway around

the St. Louis metro area and here are some of the premier players to watch in the area.

Nevaeh Caffey (Incarnate Word): A 5’10” senior guard who led the Red Knights to the Class 6 state championship. She has signed with Indiana.

Peyton Hill (Incarnate Word): A 5’10” senior Eastern Michigan recruit

who averaged 10 points a game for the Class 6 state champions.

Amaya Manuel (Lift for Life): A 5’7” sophomore guard who led the Hawks to the Class 4 state championship.

Dasia Scott (Principia): A 6’2” sophomore forward who led the St. Louis area in scoring and rebounding as a freshman.

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

Evelyn Shane (Ursuline): A 5’11” junior forward who averaged 19 points to lead Ursuline to a berth in the Class 4 state quarterfinals.

Jordan Speiser (Lutheran-St. Charles): A 6’2” senior Kansas State recruit who has led the Cougars to back to back Final Four appearances in the state tournament.

Jordyn Haywood (MICDS): A 6’1” freshman guard who is one of the top young prospects in the nation. She’s already received numerous Division I scholarship offers.

BreAunna Ward (John Burroughs): A 5’10” senior Evansville recruit who was a key player for the Bombers Class 5 state championship team.

Earl’s World

Former CBC football standout Karate Brenson has a stellar season with Tennessee State. The junior wide receiver was selected to the All Big South/OVC Second Team after helping the Blue Tigers to a 9-4 record and conference championship. Brenson finished the season with 71 receptions for 1,006 yards and seven touchdowns, including 11 catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns in Tennessee State’s loss to Montana in the playoffs. The Blue Tigers are coached by former NFL great Eddie George Former Vianney football star Kyren Williams of the Los Angeles Rams surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the second consecutive season. Williams rushed for 87 yards in the Rams 44-43 victory over the Buffalo Bills last Sunday. In 13 games, Williams has rushed for 1,013 yards while scoring 14 touchdowns for the Rams.

Gates gets a momentous win against rival Kansas

Missouri men’s basketball coach Dennis Gates is not on the proverbial “hot seat,” but he needed a signature win against a blueblood basketball program to boost his team’s confidence and his job security. He got both in resounding fashion on Sunday when the Tigers whipped the Kansas Jayhawks 76-67. While KU mounted a late charge, the game was a blowout.

The fans in attendance, about half as many as on Sunday, were restless.

The Tigers that shut down KU were the same team that played the second half against the visiting Bears. They turned the deficit into a 98-93 win by hitting over 80% of their shots in the second half. It set the stage for Sunday.

The Tigers were better in all facets of the game, which concluded with thousands of fans rushing the court.

A public address announcer asked Missouri fans not to rush on to the court following the game, to the chagrin of Gates. He told reporters after the game, “I was about to take the [microphone] in game and say, ‘rush the damn court.’ For real.” Gates came on like gangbusters his first season, but the following two were dismal. The crowds dwindled and his team failed to win an SEC Conference game last year. Five days earlier, Missouri fell behind Cal in the SEC-ACC Shootout by 16 points at halftime.

Leading up to the KU game, the usually mild-mannered Gates did not downplay the importance of the rivalry, which KU has dominated.

“This is not just a normal game,” he said.

“What we talked about was building memories 20 years from now. I want these dudes to be able to do the same 20 years from now and inspire the people that come behind them. Ultimately, they deserve the moment.”

Tamar Bates, who hails from Kansas City, Kansas, tallied a gamehigh 29 points. Most of his points, including a flurry of backbreaking three-pointers, came in the first half. Missouri would build a 24-point lead to the delight of the crowd.

“This is what we came here for,” said Bates.

“Me and Mark

(Mitchell) (a Wichita native who transferred to Missouri) found our way back closer to home. For kids in the next generation and that’s coming next year, we just got to show them you don’t got to go far to play big-time basketball and win big-time basketball games. You can come play for [Dennis Gates.]”

The Tigers moved to 8-1 with the win and find

themselves ranked in the AP Poll for the first time in two seasons.

KU coach Bill Self said after the game he appreciated Gates asking him if he wanted Missouri to call a timeout to allow the Jayhawks to leave the court before fans descended. Self accepted the gratitude, and the party was on for Missouri fans.

Gates is golden, for now, in Columbia. He got

a big win against a bigtime team. Where the season goes now is anyone’s guess, But, as Kenny Loggins sings, Gates and the Tigers had “their one shining moment,” against KU on Sunday. Gates reveled in it, deservedly so.

The Reid Roundup It’s a shame that Dick

Allen passed away before finally being elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. He and Dave Parker, who is lining with Parkinson’s disease, were selected by Hall of Fame’s Classic Era Baseball Committee. “Just long overdue. Long overdue,” said Richard Allen, Jr…The Classic Era Committee members include former St. Louis Cardinals Ozzie Smith and Lee Smith, and Baltimore Orioles great Eddie Murray Lewis Hamilton finished fourth in the F1 Abu Dhabi Gran Prix on Sunday in his final race with the Mercedes team. Hamilton, who has won six driver’s championships, will

and

guides Penn

squad is an 8.5-point favorite over Indiana in a first-round match. Penn State is favored by 7.5 points over visiting SMU…I guessed correctly that Juan Soto would sign with the New York Mets, not the Yankees.

Earl Austin Jr.

Alvin A. Reid

Tyran Frazier of Hazelwood East looks to pass the ball while being guarded by Chris Artist and Trace Sadler of Sikeston during the Hazelwood East Jamboree.

Photo by Earl Austin Jr. / St. Louis American

Missouri Tigers head coach Dennis Gates talks with an official during the first half against the Kansas Jayhawks at Mizzou Arena.

Photo by Jay Biggerstaff / Imagn Images

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Department of Labor Job Corps Program leadership joined St. Louis Housing Authority in launching a Customer Assistance and Resident Engagement Center (CARE.)

“[We are] proud to partner with HUD in identifying residents ready to take the next step toward financial independence and self-sufficiency,” said Latasha K. Barnes, St. Louis Housing Authority executive director.

“The HUD C.A.R.E. Program demonstrates a strong commitment to empowering public housing residents by helping them earn income and achieve financial independence. The 10 residents currently in the pipeline will be hired into the pro-

HUD taking CARE into St. Louis metro area

gram and will have secure financial futures and serve as beacons of hope.”

HUD Great Plains Regional Administrator Ulysses Clayborn said the center “increases HUD’s ability to provide effective customer service to those in need and provides young, low- and moderate-income individuals with access to careers in governmental service.”

John E. Hall, Job Corps national director called the St. Louis CARE Center “a testament to our shared commitment to providing good jobs and helping those who need it most.”

“Our partnership with HUD continues to open doors for Job Corps graduates, offering them meaningful careers while ensuring that HUD’s customer service teams reflect the lived experiences of the individuals they serve,” he said.

Latasha K. Barnes, St. Louis Housing Authority executive director, said the new HUD CARE center will help residents gain financial independence and self-sufficiency.

ship “is crucial in empowering young adults from the local community by

Bank of America helps ‘Nourish’ community

giving them a clear path to exiting poverty through meaningful career opportunities.”

“The center aligns perfectly with many of our Career Technical Training offerings.”

According to HUD, St. Louis is now home to the fourth CARE center in the nation, and will provide a single, national entry point for all HUD customer calls. This will improve organizational data with increased analytics on call volume, subject matter, and location which will allow HUD to respond quickly to emerging trends. The center will advance career opportunities for people hired into the program through job training and professional development.

Operation Food Search (OFS) received a $25,000 donation from Bank of America to support its Nourishing Healthy Starts program, which provides pregnant people and their families with weekly fresh produce and grocery boxes, cooking classes, safety net enrollment assistance, and connections to community and medical resources.

These benefits prevent

many of the health effects and high costs caused by food insecurity during pregnancy, such as chronic conditions and complications for mothers and long stays in neonatal intensive care units for infants.

A long-term community partner, the bank has donated more than $600,000 to OFS over the past 24 years. Bank of America employees volunteer their time at OFS, reinforcing

their dedication to the organization’s mission to provide food today and create a hunger-free tomorrow in the St. Louis region.

“Operation Food Search is an essential resource, helping improve the lives of individuals and families in our region by ensuring access to nutritious, affordable food,” said Marilyn Bush, president, Bank of America St. Louis.

STAYING HEALTHY IS

Protect yourself and your loved ones by getting vaccinated for

Scan or call for more

“Partnerships like these are an important part of our commitment to a healthier and equitable community.”

90% of babies born to mothers who participated in the 2021 Nourishing Healthy Starts pilot program were delivered at a healthy birth weight. OFS launched a continuing research study in August 2023 to build on the positive momentum of the program.

The rate of food insecurity across the U.S. has increased to 13.5%, but in the area OFS serves in Missouri and Illinois, that percentage is often significantly higher. The food insecurity rate among children in the areas OFS serves is 24%, which means 1 in 4 children is at risk of hunger.

“We appreciate Bank of America’s ongoing support of OFS as our

team works to build a healthy and more vibrant community by addressing food insecurity,” said OFS President and CEO Kristen Wild.

“Their generous gift will make an immediate impact on the families we serve.”

For more information on supporting Operation Food Search or to get involved, visit https://www. operationfoodsearch.org/ how-to-help/

Timothy J. Chambers, St. Louis Job Corps Center director, said the partner-

Photo courtesy of Housing Authority

Living It

Tchaikovsky in the key of Duke

“I was terrified, honestly.”

- Aaron Pierre, voice of Mufasa in the “Lion King” sequel, on following the legendary James Earl Jones

St. Louis Dance Theatre, Jazz St. Louis partner for new spin on ‘Nutcracker Suite’

By Kenya Vaughn

The St. Louis American

Dance companies presenting renditions of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” ballet have become as synonymous with the Christmas season as decorated trees and Santa Claus.

Audiences who come to see the collaboration between Saint Louis Dance Theatre and Jazz St. Louis next weekend as they present “The Nutcracker Suite” are in store for an added layer of creative expression. The Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn 1960 interpretation of the 1892 classical music masterpiece – a work of genius in its own right – will be set to dance.

“When we first arrived at the decision to collaborate and do this, I was like ‘I’m not telling the story of a rat king and a nutcracker doll, so what is going

Saint Louis Dance Theatre company members performed a special sneak preview of their upcoming Jazz St. Louis co- production of Ellington and Strayhorn’s ‘The Nutcracker Suite’ on Friday, December 6th at COCA. The show will be presented December 20-December 21 at the Skip Viragh Center for the Arts.

to be our story,’” said Saint Louis Dance Theatre Artistic Director Kirven DouthitBoyd in his research, Douthit-Boyd found that “The Nutcracker Suite” was actually the idea of jazz giant Duke Ellington’s longtime collaborator William Strayhorn.

n “I hope that people see this production and know that love can look however you prefer.”

- Demetrius Lee, Dancer

“I literally thought, ‘What would be Billy’s wildest dream?’” said DouthitBoyd, who choreographed the production. He decided it would be for Strayhorn – who was openly gay at a time when same-sex relationships were deemed a crime in several states – to come into a

theater and see a love story between two Black men. “When I first arrived at this idea, I was like, ‘How is this going to go over [with Jazz St. Louis],’” DouthitBoyd said. “Victor was like, ‘Go for it. I know that about Billy. I know that about people in the world.’” Demetrius Lee dances the role of Strayhorn. “I hope that people see this production and know that love can look however you prefer,” Lee said.

The music of “Nutcracker Suite” comes with creative liberties – which can also be said for Tchaikovsky’s work. The plot for his ballet is an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ 1844 short story The Nutcracker. Dumas’ story which is a retelling of the 1816 short story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” by E.T.A. Hoffman. Douthit-Boyd does the same with his telling of Strayhorn’s story. Though Strayhorn never lived here,

Juanita Morris to retire in style

Fashions R

Boutique owner will bid farewell with runway show

By Zaria Mac The St. Louis American

With forty-two years in the garment retail business, Juanita Morris plans to cap off her retirement party with one of her famed fashion shows. Her boutique, Fashions R, started with just over $100 in her basement and has grown to become one of the largest boutiques in the St. Louis area.

On Sunday, Dec. 15, at 2 p.m. at the Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel, Morris will bring Fashions R Boutique to the catwalk one last time.

Her motto is “Make you look like a million without making you look like a million others.” She sells a little bit of everything from suits, purses, jewelry, and even ministerial. Morris uses her personal style to curate the inventory, and has amassed a wide range of clientele throughout St. Louis.

“Clothes don’t make you, but they do make a difference,” Morris said. “I’ve seen how clothing has the power to transform.”

Fashions R Boutique founder and owner Juanita Morris will celebrate her upcoming retirement with a special catwalk experience on Sunday, Dec. 15, at the Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel.

Morris’ route to fashion and success came with many twists and turns. She entered the business after being laid off and having to rely on unemployment benefits. She loved to shop, and got the idea from a friend to turn her casual pastime into a career.

40 years of Ujamaa

Better Family Life’s 40th Kwanzaa Holiday Expo returns this weekend (Sat., Dec. 14, 10 a.m. and Sun., December 15 at 12 noon). It takes place at the Better Family Life Cultural, Educational and Business Center.

Better Family Life Kwanzaa Holiday Expo celebrates milestone this weekend

By Zaria Mac The St.

Louis American

For four decades, Better Family Life has allowed visitors to their annual Kwanzaa Holiday Expo to see a principle of the Afrocentric holiday in action. The event that has grown into a Black St. Louis cultural staple was born out of the fourth principle of the Nguzo Saba – Ujamaa – which reflects cooperative economics.

“It is an opportunity to bring people together in a festive environment that is culturally stimulating, that is visually engaging” said Deborah Ahmed, co-founder and Executive Director of Better Family Life. “It is a celebration of self and beauty of who we are, our greatness, and what we can do when we work together.”

With $135 and a borrowed credit card for a plane ticket, she went to a trade show just outside of Chicago and bought her first pieces. She grew her

See

n “For some, the Kwanzaa Holiday Expo introduces them to Kwanzaa, for others it reinforces what Kwanzaa is all about.”

- Deborah Ahmed

The expo returns to the Better Family Life Cultural, Educational and Business Center this weekend (Sat., Dec. 14, 10 a.m. and Sun., December 15 at 12 noon). Aside from shopping opportunities, the expo will feature Kwanzaa educational opportunities and performances from the Spirit of Angela African Dance Company and Gentlemen of Vision. For their milestone year, Better Family Life will celebrate with a commemorative tote bag promoting the anniversary and a new work readiness program entitled Sankofa Rising. This program is dedicated to those interested in working in the arts industry. Participants will take part in skill-based training in fields like sewing and costume design, museum visitor service, and digital storytelling. For those that qualify, the program can result in a paid internship with prominent institutions within the St. Louis arts community.

The “for us, by us” event is a an opportunity to fellowship in the name of the Kwanzaa holiday, which is nearing its 60th anniversary. The annual celebration takes place from December 26 to January 1. First celebrated in 1966, the holiday was created by activist Maulana Karenga based on African harvest festival traditions from various parts of West, East and Southeast Africa. Karenga has delivered lectures as part of Better Family Life’s Kwanzaa Holiday Expo programming.

“For some, the Kwanzaa Holiday Expo introduces them to Kwanzaa, for others it reinforces what Kwanzaa is all about,”

Photo by Taylor Marrie/The St. Louis American

Photo by Taylor Marrie/St. Louis American

HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS

Nov. 30 – Dec. 23, Saint Louis Ballet presents Gen Horiuchi’s The Nutcracker. Touhill Performing Arts Center. For more information, visit www. touhill.org.

Fri., Dec. 13, 7:30 p.m. IN

UNISON Christmas featuring Take 6, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, 718 N Grand Blvd, St. Louis MO, 63103. For more information, visit https://shop. slso.org

Sat., Dec. 14 – Sun., Dec. 15, Better Family Life 40th Anniversary Kwanzaa Expo, Better Family Life, 5415 Page Blvd. For more information, visit betterfamilylife.org.

Fri., Dec. 20, 7p.m., The Final Jam: Holiday Party, The Kre8 Place, 3546 S Grand Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63118. For more information, visit www. kre8spaces.com

Dec. 20 – Dec. 21, Jazz St. Louis and Saint Louis Dance Theatre present Ellington and Strayhorn’s Nutcracker, Skip Viragh Center for the Arts, 425 S. Lindbergh, 63131. For more information, visit www. saintlouisdancetheatre.org

Sun., Dec. 29, 7:30 p.m., An Eric Roberson Holiday Tour, City Winery STL, 3730 Foundry Way, Suite 158. For more information, visit citywinery. com.

Through Dec. 29, Commerce Bank presents Wild Lights at The St. Louis Zoo. For more information, visit stlzoo.org/ wildlights.

Tues., Dec. 31, 8 p.m., New Year’s Comedy Jam starring Cedric The Entertainer, Deon Cole, D.L. Hughley,

STL Sites & Sounds

Earthquake and Michael Blackson, Chaifetz Arena.

Through Dec. 31, Gateway Arch Park Foundation presents Winterfest, Kiener Plaza. For tickets or additional information, visit archpark.org.

CONCERTS

Thurs., Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m., Justin Timberlake The Forget Tomorrow World Tour, Enterprise Center. Visit www. tickemaster.com for more information.

Sat., Dec. 21, Black Promoters Collective presents Kash Doll: The Last Doll, The Hawthorn, 2231 Washington Ave. For tickets, visit BPCTickets.com

Fri., Dec. 27, 8 p.m. Juvenile & The 400 Degreez Band, The Factory STL, 17049 N. Outer Forty Rd., Chesterfield MO 63005. For more information, visit factorystl.com

SPECIAL EVENTS

Fri., Dec. 13, 7 p.m., FLC Celebrity Fashion Show, 10701 Lambert Int. Blvd St. Louis, MO 63145. For more information, visit www.eventbrite.com

Sat., Dec. 14, 6 p.m., DELUX Power 100, Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch. For more information, visit deluxpower100.org.

Mon., Dec. 16, 7 p.m. Murph & Slo Birthday Celebration, Crest Bowl, 650 N. Florissant Rd. For more information, call (314) 837-0494.

COMEDY

Sun., Dec. 15, 11:30 a.m.

Poetry Comedy Brunch with Live Performances by Akeem Ali, 3407 California Ave. St. Louis, MO 63118. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com

Sun., Dec. 15, 7 p.m. Class Klowns featuring Jovan Bibbs, Willie Lynch Jr. and Smokey Suarez, St. Charles Funny Bone, 1520 S. Fifth Street, Suite 108, 63303. For more information, visit www.stlouisfunnybone. com.

Thurs., Dec. 12, 8:30 p.m.

The Brewery Comedy Tour at Rockwell, Rockwell Beer Company, 1320 South Vandeventer Ave. St. Louis, MO 63110. For more information, visit www.eventbrite.com

ST. LOUIS MUSIC

SPOTLIGHT

Sat., Dec. 14, 8:30 p.m. Let There Be Light Live, Atomic by Jamo, 4140 Manchester Ave. St. Louis MO 63110. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.

Fri., Dec. 27, 7:30 p.m. City Winery St. Louis and PureSoul present A Tribute to Miles Davis: 65 Years of Kind of Blue Live featuring Danny Campbell, Phillip Graves, Jahmal Nichols and more, City Winery STL, 3730 Foundry Way, Suite 158. For more information, visit citywinery. com.

Sat., Dec. 28, 7 p.m. Jamo

Presents: Sir Eddie C and Friends III, Atomic by Jamo 4140 Manchester Ave. St. Louis MO 63110. For more information, visit

www.ticketweb.com THEATRE

Sat., December 14 – 15, 2 p.m.

Spotlight Community Theatre: Holiday Showcase, Radiant Light Church, 11533 Gamel Cemetery Rd. Festus, MO 63028. For more information, visit https://spotlightjeffco.org

Mon., Dec. 16, 6:30 p.m. New Era Production’s 2024 Christmas Showcase, 1 Jamwa J. Eagan Drive Florissant, MO 63033. For more information, visit www.eventbrite.com

Sat., Dec. 21 6 p.m. The MOment: Commercial Hip Hop Dance Concert and Showcase, The Grandel, 3610 Grandel Square, St. Louis, MO 63103. For more information, visit www.metrotix.com ART

Through Feb. 16, 2025, Saint Louis Art Museum presents Narrative Wisdom and African Arts, Saint Louis Art Museum, One Fine Arts Drive, St. Louis MO 63110. For more information, visit www.slam.org.

Through Feb. 9, 2025, Great Rivers Biennial featuring Saj Issa, Basil Kincaid and Ronald Young, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, 3750 Washington Blvd., St. Louis MO 63108. For more information visit www.cam-stl.org.

Through Apr. 13, 2025, Saint Louis Art Museum presents Federal Art Project 1935-1945, Saint Louis Art Museum, One Fine Arts Drive, St. Louis MO 63110. For more information, visit www.slam.org.

brand with fashion shows.

In the beginning these shows would take place in her basement. Then she took her shows on the road throughout the Midwest and as far south as Huntsville, Ala.

While touring, Fashions R Boutique became known as “the church lady store.”

This persona is what saved her property during the initial wave of property and business damage during the first wave of unrest in response to the killing of Michael Brown Jr. in Ferguson.

CYBER SALE

As tension grew, so did the destruction. Previously located in Dellwood, Morris’ building was destroyed by flames. She had been at that location for nine years and had outgrown it but did not have an immediate urge to move. However, in one night the entire building was leveled. Following the destruction, she did an interview with famed media personality Anderson Cooper. Though saddened by the fire and anxious to speak on live television, she declared “I started with nothing and I will rise again. I’m not giving up.”

Morris went back to where it all began. Once again, she started selling clothing out of her home. This time it was her family room instead of the basement.

“I would pray, and hear the Lord say, ‘I will bless you wherever you go,’ and ‘Your struggle is over,’” Morris said.

She would experience moments of divine intervention, like being adopted by Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity. Four busloads of members from around the nation gathered to host a prayer for Morris. They also donated $20,000 to kickstart her reopening.

n “Clothes don’t make you, but they do make a difference. I’ve seen how clothing has the power to transform.” - Juanita Morris

She also received persistent calls from three college students, whom she never met, insisting on creating a GoFundMe account on her behalf. After three days, Morris agreed.

Within hours her account went live. From their effort these students were able to raise over $25,000 for her.

“I asked, ‘How much do I owe you,’” Morris said. “They all replied, ‘Free of charge.’”

The help from a higher power didn’t end there. It also led her to her current location on New Halls Ferry in Florissant. After receiving the donations, and the assistance of insurance money, she found a temporary location that she could only hold for a year. This restart was a success, but she still could not find a permanent location to suit her needs. Two weeks before her lease was set to expire, she was visiting her bank. Across the street, a “for sale” sign caught Morris’ eye. It was the old medical supply building that she passed many times.

“Before I even went into the business, I passed this building and said, ‘I sure would love to have that building,’” Morris said.

“But I threw it out of my

mind because I never thought I could afford to get it.”

After she left the bank, she promptly contacted the owner. Morris considers the fact that she was able to buy the building, despite three additional other bidders as evidence of the favor – and grace – over her life.

“When the Lord tells you something, you can stand on it,” Morris said. “It might not happen today or tomorrow but you stand on it. It might take 25 years for it to happen but it will happen.”

Talking about becoming a successful business owner and rebuilding after the fire always gets Morris excited. She can see how present God was in her journey from being laid off with few options to establishing herself as a St. Louis fashion favorite.

She trusts that walking in faith will continue to sustain her through any struggle – and as she prepares to retire and sell her business.

Fashions R Retirement Dinner Party and Fashion Show will take place at 2 p.m. on Sunday, December 15 at The Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel. For more information, call

Photo by Taylor Marrie/St. Louis American

Religion Faith lessons learned from the life of Secretariat

By Lyndia Grant Washington Informer

What is a lesson to learn from the life of a horse who was born and died many years ago?

Secretariat was called “Super Horse” on the cover of TIME and was Sports Illustrated “Sportsman of the Year” in 1973.

When visiting my family in North Carolina we always put on some of our favorite movies. I had seen “Secretariat” long ago but didn’t remember it. As I kept watching, it came back to me. In fact, I watched it twice last weekend.

Secretariat won the 1973 Kentucky Derby, becoming the first horse to win in under two minutes.

Next, Secretariat won the Preakness, and his time has never been matched.

He won the Triple Crown by dominating the Belmont Stakes in record speed two weeks later. No horse was within 30 lengths of him at the finish line.

The horse’s story is inspirational. When you’re feeling down, this movie will cheer you up!

It brought me to tears this past weekend. To watch that horse come from behind over and over again was amazing!

Secretariat is buried at Claiborne Farm in Paris,

Kentucky, in a modest horse cemetery. Alvin A. Reid of the St. Louis American shares this story. “In October 1981, I visited Claiborne during a KU football trip.

Secretariat was in a pasture a few hundred yards from us. I got chills just being that close. I’ll never forget it,” he said.

When any of us are born, we may be one of God’s chosen ones. When Secretariat was born, he walked never wobbled, which is odd for a horse –even a thoroughbred.

How many of us were born in a similar manner, fully equipped for this journey; able to get the job done regardless of circumstances?

Let’s look at some “what ifs” for Secretariat.

What if his female owner Penny Chenery (Mrs. Penny as she was known) had not seen the dream of a winning horse in her vision?

Her father was dying, losing his horse farm. Though she was married and had four children, what if she had not taken over the horse farm before her father passed away?

What if she had not kept the Black man who cared dearly for the horse?

According to a 1997 Western Horsemen article, “For more than two years, Eddie Sweat was Secretariat’s constant com-

panion.”

“Rarely more than a few feet from the chestnut phenom, the experienced groom did achieve a

degree of fame during the mid-1970s, not only for his frequent presence in the winner’s circle, but his clear and fervent dedica-

tion to the colt he called ‘Big Red.’ “Eddie slept on a cot outside Secretariat’s stall on race days and watched his every workout before fulfilling the daily routine of bathing and cooling out, blanketing, wrapping, and feeding. According to witnesses, he spoke to Secretariat constantly, often in a steady stream of Geechee or Gullah, a Southern Creole language spoken by his family.

Like the Scripture says in Romans 8:28, “And I know that all things work together for the good to them who love God and who are the called, according to His purpose!” Amen! Run your own race. Here are a few tips from the story of Secretariat:

• Don’t Underestimate Your Potential: Though Secretariat was not considered a top contender by most, his owner, Penny Chenery, recognized his exceptional talent and refused to give up on him, even when faced with skepticism from others. She stood alone!

• Overcoming Adversity: Despite facing early setbacks and doubts, Secretariat’s incredible speed and heart allowed him to push through and achieve greatness on the racetrack.

• The Power of Belief: Penny Chenery’s unwavering faith in Secretariat played a crucial role in his success, demonstrating the impact of a positive mindset. A popular quote associated with Secretariat, often attributed to Penny Chenery, is “Never know until you run,” signifying the importance of giving your best effort and not limiting yourself based on perceived limitations. How this translates to everyday life:

• Embrace Challenges: When faced with a difficult situation, remember Secretariat’s determination to push through and achieve the seemingly impossible.

• Believe in Yourself: Just like Penny Chenery trusted Secretariat, have faith in your own abilities and potential.

• Give Your Best Effort: Always strive to put in your maximum effort, regardless of the obstacles.

Lyndia Grant is a speaker/writer living in the Washington D.C. area. She also hosts the radio show, “Think on These Things.”

Photo courtesy of We Love Secretariat Facebook

Eddie Sweat, Secretariat’s handler and groomer, was with the horse everyday for more than two years. The inspirational relationship and the horse’s unprecedented success translates into a story of Biblical proportion.

DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

JR77870 Clinical Research Coordinator I (Clinic) - Oncology

We are seeking a dedicated Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC) to join our team and support the management of oncology clinical trials. The CRC will be responsible for screening and enrolling patients, coordinating study requirements, and ensuring compliance with protocol guidelines. Key duties include overseeing patient study visits, gathering clinical data, addressing protocol issues, and collaborating with treating teams, investigators, and sponsors. This role requires exceptional attention to detail, communication skills, and a commitment to patient safety and ethical integrity. Join us to make a meaningful impact in oncology research!

JR84192 Senior Grants Specialist (Hybrid) - Center for Genome Sciences

The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences & Systems Biology is home to an interdisciplinary, multi-departmental, multi-generational team of faculty investigators from multiple schools across Washington University. The Senior Grant Specialist, working both in office and remotely, will manage pre-award activities, perform post-award activities, and provide research administration duties including personnel, payroll, budgeting, and operations management for faculty and post-doctoral Principal Investigators (PIs). This position reports to the Center’s Director Research/Business Administration. Required Qualifications include a Bachelor’s degree (or combination of education and/or experience may substitute) and 3 years of relevant experience.

JR84401 - Ultrasound Sonographer OB/GYN

The Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine/Ultrasound is hiring full time Ultrasound Sonographers to work Monday-Friday (no call, no weekends/evenings/holidays) from 7:45 am-4:15 pm. This Ultrasound Team consists of 16 sonographers, 1 Genetic Counselor and 3 front desk team members. We have 8 locations within MO/ IL. This Sonographer will work primarily on the Wash U Campus, but will need to be flexible to cover other locations as business needs present. We have a positive, team-oriented work environment where everyone works together to provide quality patient care and the team feels supported by one another. We are looking for someone who is friendly with patients, reliable, flexible and a team player

Salary range for this position is 32.73-50.74 hourly based on direct OB/GYN, MFM scanning experience. Wash U offers amazing benefits, professional development, time off for work/life balance and wellness resources. As a Sonographer on our team, you will have a unique learning experience scanning both inpatient and outpatient high risk patients, multiples and working side by side with our physicians, residents, fellows and Fetal Care team.

JR84777 -Vascular Lab Tech (Sign-on Bonus) – Surgery

As a Vascular Lab Technologist on our Surgery team the ideal candidate will play a vital role in providing high-quality non-invasive vascular studies and assisting physicians in diagnosing vascular diseases. They will perform high-quality non-invasive vascular studies, assist physicians with diagnostic procedures, and operate state-ofthe-art equipment in BJH inpatient and multi-site clinic outpatient settings. As part of an IAC-accredited lab, will collaborate with a motivated sonography team and support the diagnosis of vascular diseases, ensuring exceptional patient care.

This full-time position is 5 days per week, with 5 regular 8-hour shifts. The typical shift hours are either 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM or 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. In addition to regular working hours, call coverage is an essential component of this role, ensuring that necessary studies are conducted during on-call periods. Please note that the department is closed on weekends, and studies are performed on an as-needed basis during on-call hours. Registered Vascular Technologist or Registered Vascular Specialist is the minimum requirement to apply. Bonus of $20,000, paid out over 2-years (quarterly payments).

For a full description of these positions and other career opportunities, please visit https://jobs.wustl.edu/ to apply. Click search jobs and enter the job ID number. We seek people from diverse backgrounds to join us in a supportive environment that encourages boldness, inclusion and creativity. EO/AA/VET/Disability Employer

Forest Park Forever has an opening for a Development Manager. This position is responsible for cultivating and maintaining relationships with individual donors to secure financial support to advance the mission and objectives of Forest Park Forever. Full position details and the online application can be found at: www.forestparkforever. org/jobs.

SOFTWARE ENGINEER I

Ai Software LLC dba Capacity has a Software Engineer I position in St. Louis, MO. Develop AI (Artificial Intelligence) applications utilizing Python, OCR, & NLP to automate document extraction, question answering, & matching processes. Telecommuting is permissible. Email resume to hr@capacity.com & reference Job Code SWE1224

Electronic bids submitted through the Bid Express Online Portal will be received by the Board of Public Service until 1:45 PM, CT, on January 7, 2024, then publicly opened and read. Proposals must be submitted electronically using the “Bid Express Online Portal” at https://www.bidexpress.com/businesses/20618/home. The bidder must pay $40 to submit a bid through the Bid Express service. Monthly subscriptions are available.

Plans and Specifications can also be examined using the Bid Express Online Portal and downloaded for free.

A mandatory pre-bid conference for all contractors bidding on this project will be held on December 17, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. The pre-bid conference will be held in Room 325 City Hall, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103. NOTE: Contractors that attended the pre-bid meeting for SP-121 (Letting 8780) or SP-122 (Letting 8781) are eligible to bid without attending this meeting.

Bidders shall comply with all applicable City, State, and Federal laws (including MBE/WBE policies).

All bidders must consider Federal Executive Order 11246, “Notice of Requirement for Affirmative Action to Ensure Equal Employment Opportunity,” the “Equal Opportunity Clause,” and the “Standard Federal Equal Employment Specifications” set forth within and referenced at www.stl-bps.org (Announcements).

must submit an application via one email with a clearly marked subject heading of “RFP – RYAN WHITE EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE – PRESCRIPTION EYEGLASSES” and only on a standard (8 x 11-inch letter sized) page size in both Microsoft Word and PDF formats. The Department of Health reserves the right to reject any and all responses with or without cause.

Ahmed said. “For some it introduces them to Blackowned businesses, for others it reinforces their desire and need to support Black-owned businesses”.

As an organization, Better Family Life was still in its infancy when it began presenting the event. In fact, the principle the expo celebrates was at the core of the organization’s establishment. Malik and Deborah Ahmad founded Better Family Life in 1983 using the Nguzo Saba as its founding principle after witnessing the debilitating conditions of Black communities in St. Louis.

“We established Better Family Life on a cultural foundation that would lead towards our advancement, our enhancement, our growth, and overall ability to take control of our existence,” Ahmed said.

Better Family Life has grown from meetings in the basement to providing avenues for success. The

organization is divided into five departments: youth family and clinical services, charity engagement, cultural arts, housing and financial literacy, and workforce. Under these departments

n “This

- Deborah Ahmed

are over thirty different programs providing knowledge and history like with the Art and Empowerment Mural, the largest Black history mural in the State of Missouri, or neighborhood support through food drives and substance abuse programs, as well as community

building through special events like the Kwanzaa Holiday Expo.

Ahmed feels that commitment to supporting Black-owned businesses and building a Black economy are critical in order to improve Black communities and the people that live in them. “We cannot talk about community building if we don’t have a Black economic base,” Ahmed said.

“This holiday expo is just the opportunity to build that base and generate support for the Black-owned businesses that we don’t know are out there.”

The Better Family Life 40th Anniversary Kwanzaa Holiday Expo will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, December 14 and at 12 noon on Sunday, December 15 at Better Family Life Cultural, Educational and Business Center, 5415 Page Blvd. For more information, visit betterfamilylife.org or call 314-367-3440.

the work is set in St. Louis and pays homage to the Gaslight Square District during its heyday as a hub for creativity – particularly jazz. As a body of music “The Nutcracker Suite,” reimagines Tchaikovsky’s composition in jazz form with sprinkles of global music and multi-genre influences.

“The Nutcracker Suite” is a Christmas classic in its own right, one that Jazz St. Louis has performed for many years as a concert. “I really want them to see the power of people coming together – the strength of collaboration,” Goines said of this production. “Not only in music, but as a part of life.”

Creating collaborative experiences that merge jazz with dance is nothing new for Goines or DouthitBoyd. They worked together for “Such Sweet Thunder,” a collaboration with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. Jazz St. Louis and Saint Louis Dance Theatre (then known as The Big Muddy Dance Company) also teamed up for a presentation of the Ellington original “Black, Brown and Beige.”

In his thirty years at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Goines has merged the two art forms with the likes of Twyla Tharpe and the late Judith Jamison – who was a teacher and mentor of Douthit-Boyd. “Having witnessed the power of those collaborations, I know what that power means and what that power needs to be here to bring the communities closer together and closing – if not eliminating – the divide.”

Another moment in the work that pays homage to the cultural contributions of our region in this featuring the presence of Josephine Baker. “Some of you might remember her as ‘Little Freda’ from Mill Creek,” a company member portraying an announc-

er said during a sneak preview of the performance held Friday at COCA.

“Now she is making global change.”

Nyna Moore is charged with the task of bringing Baker to life in “The Nutcracker Suite.” “I did my own research on her beforehand and I was like, ‘these are some big shoes to fill,’” Moore said. “How can I bring myself into this and also bring some of her silliness?”

Moore said that by embodying Baker, she learned the power of making decisions for the sake of an optimal performance – including audience engagement. She also learned a thing or two about authenticity during her journey of bringing Baker to the stage.

“[It was always about] Her being herself –unapologetically who she is – and standing on what she believed in no matter what,” Moore said. “And taking the agency that was not given to her. She also owned her femininity. That is something that was so

empowering for me, and I think I will take that with me wherever this journey may lead me.”

While it details a romance that would have been deemed taboo, the story follows the upbeat swing of Ellington and Strayhorn’s “The Nutcracker Suite.”

“This production demonstrates the importance of representation,” Douthit-Boyd said. “There is some young person that is lost who might see this and say, ‘there I am.’ This feels deeply rooted in a purpose. Queer joy is a thing – and we don’t see it enough.

Jazz St. Louis and Saint Louis Dance Theatre will present Ellington and Strayhorn’s “The Nutcracker Suite” December 20-December 21 at the Skip Viragh Center for the Arts, 425 S. Lindbergh, 63131. For more information, visit www.saintlouisdancetheatre.org or jazzstl.org.

Photo by Taylor Marrie/The St. Louis American Audiences who come to see the collaboration between Saint Louis Dance Theatre and Jazz St. Louis next weekend as they present “The Nutcracker Suite” are in store for an added layer of creative expression. The Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn 1960 interpretation of the 1892 classical music masterpiece – a work of genius in its own right – will be set to dance.

New Year, New Career!

Financial planning is a career path that is often overlooked by minority students. This is reflected in the low number of African American Certified Financial Planners, which is just 1.9% of the nation’s total.

Latinos represent 2.6% and Asians 3.8%, according to the CFP Board.

Financial planning career pathways for students of color

StatePoint

College students have the opportunity to explore many exciting career options. An avenue many have not considered, especially students of color, is financial planning.

This in-demand field offers impressive starting salaries, the potential for growth and career satisfaction. What’s more, oneof-a-kind opportunities exist to assist students of color embarking on this journey.

Here’s what to know about becoming a Certified Financial Planner professional:

Getting started: If you embark on a financial planning career, earning the

right credentials is critical to fast-tracking your success. CFP certification has been the standard for financial planners for the last half-century.

Earning this certification prepares you for industry challenges and demonstrates to your clients and employers your expertise and commitment to ethical practice. It also offers valuable networking opportunities with peers and mentors.

Getting certified: The CFP certification process is challenging but rewarding. The process involves completing coursework, accumulating experience, meeting the ethics requirement and passing the CFP exam. The coursework requirement

typically takes 12-18 months. Once you have that certification in hand, you’ll have gained the knowledge and acumen needed to hit the ground running.

Finding support: To better meet the needs of a diverse client base, CFP Board has launched initiatives to recruit and support people of color in financial planning. This includes administering third-party scholarship programs that help cover education and exam costs for CFP certification, which are awarded based on merit and financial need to individuals from underrepresented groups.

In addition, CFP Board’s Virtual

Diversity Career Fairs connect top employers in financial planning with qualified candidates, including CFP professionals and students. These fairs offer networking opportunities, job opportunities and one-on-one interactions to cultivate the next generation of diverse professionals.

With demand for personal financial advisors expected to grow, and the industry focused on supporting professionals of color, it’s worth exploring this rewarding career path.

To learn more about CFP certification, scholarships and career opportunities, and to find more tools and resources, visit www.cfp.net.

Six tips for making a career change – from someone who did it

By Keisha TK Dutes

National Public Radio

Most people spend a third of their lives — or 90,000 hours — at work

When all those hours include stress due to wage gaps, societal pressures, commuting (or endless Zoom calls), it can be a lot. And if it feels like you should be doing something different with your life, that’s worth examining. Cue the BIG career change. (Pretend you hear trumpets as you read this.)

After many years as a healthcare professional, I switched careers and became a podcast producer and host. And what’s wild, now that I’ve done it once? I anticipate another big career switch down the road in my lifetime.

But it doesn’t start off so easy. It takes an immense mindset shift, planning, and decision making that will affect you and the people around you.

I’ve gathered some of the tools that helped me over the years and invited my friend and career strategist Cynthia Pong to unpack these tips too.

Identify what you really need to change

Be clear about what the problem is. You may not need a full-on change to get you into the space that you want.

Pong says, “Try to be as specific as possible. Is it the people you work with? Is it the schedule that you have to work? Is it your supervisor?” Take incremental steps to pinpoint the issue. If it’s your boss or co-workers, think about switching departments. If it’s the whole place, leave the people behind and do similar work elsewhere.

n There’s a misconception that when you start a new career, you’re starting from square one. And that’s not actually the case.

When we’re unhappy or in crisis, it’s hard to think of the options we may have

to pivot away from our current specialty or try a different department. If you’ve exhausted all options, it’s time to shore up your resume. Consider lesstraditional ways to get experience Take classes, volunteer, and get yourself familiar with your field of choice. On the weekends I hosted a radio

show. At night, I took free online courses on audio engineering and other topics. I even sent myself on a learning vacation for a two-day class on live sound, just to see what I liked and make sure I wanted to follow this path.

Bring past experience, knowledge with you

There’s a misconception that when you start a new career, you’re starting from square one. And that’s not actually

Photo courtesy of Behind the Book / Word In Black

Photo by Drazen Zigic / courtesy of StatePoint

Keisha TK Dutes

By Laura Onyeneho Houston Defender Network

I’m sure we’ve all heard the classic advice from our parents or relatives at one point in our lives, “Go to college, get a degree, and you’ll land a good job.” But for many graduates today, that promise doesn’t always pan out.

A recent study by Degreechoices sheds light on the uncomfortable truth—some degrees just aren’t cutting it when it comes to landing a meaningful job. If you’ve ever wondered why so many college graduates are stuck in jobs that don’t require a degree, you’re not alone.

Degrees in criminal justice, performing arts, and art history have some of the highest rates of underemployment, meaning people are working jobs that don’t even need a college degree. criminal justice, for example, tops the list with a shocking 71.5% underemployment rate.

That means more than seven out of 10 people who majored in criminal justice are employed in jobs where they aren’t using their degrees. It’s a tough pill to swallow, especially when you’ve spent years (and thousands of dollars) preparing for a career in that field.

Take criminal justice majors, for instance. Many go into college thinking they’ll land jobs in law enforcement, social work, or even the legal system. But the reality is, after graduating, a large percentage end up working

A major dilemma

Some

degrees

don’t open doors to great jobs

Before selecting a major while in college, students should consider which degrees can lead to underemployment or unemployment following graduation. Seven out of 10 people who majored in criminal justice are employed in jobs where they aren’t using their degrees, according to Degreechoices.

jobs with little or nothing to do with their field.

Sure, the potential to earn $70,000 a year by mid-career is there, but early on, criminal justice graduates are making around $41,000. With college debt and living expenses, that’s not much of a return on investment. Then there’s performing arts and art history. I get it—these fields are full of passion and creativity. But unfortunately, passion

doesn’t always pay the bills. Graduates in these areas face underemployment rates of 65.9% and 62.3%, respectively. It’s not that these degrees are worthless, but the job market is tough, and competition is fierce. Earlycareer wages hover around $38,000 to $41,000, which is tough to live on, especially if you have student loans.

Note these facts:

• Underemployment

means to work in a job that typically doesn’t require a college degree.

• As of May 2024, about 40% of recent college graduates were underemployed.

• The majors with the highest levels of underemployment are criminal justice (71.5%), performing arts (65.9%), and art history (62.3%).

• Graduates who majored in nursing, engineering, and education

enjoy the lowest underemployment rates overall.

• Liberal arts majors, another common path, face similar struggles.

While the broad education teaches critical thinking, public speaking, and problem-solving, it lacks a direct career path with earning power (At that time, my focus was to study law). That can be a blessing for students who want flexibility, but it also means that many graduates end up drifting into jobs that don’t require a degree.

With an underemployment rate of 56.7%, Liberal Arts graduates often earn a median of $38,000 early on. And if you choose to enter into local journalism as a focus, trust me, you’re not going to be wealthy, but your skill sets will help you get there in other ways.

Just because a certain degree might not lead directly to a high-paying job doesn’t mean all hope is lost. The key is being strategic. If you’re passionate about liberal arts, that’s great! But it’s important also to have a plan for how you’ll pivot

or adapt to changes in the job market.

You may start with a degree in art history but later explore roles in business, education, or technology where your skills can still be applied. Or, if you’re an artist at heart, perhaps you look into fields like marketing, where creativity is necessary. It’s about finding new ways to apply your skills and being flexible enough to explore other industries. The job market is constantly evolving, and one of the smartest things a college graduate can do is be open to change. Just because you earned a degree in one field doesn’t mean you’re stuck in that lane forever. Many people with those degrees have found fulfilling careers in different areas.

Employers are starting to care less about your degree and more about the skills you bring. That’s why gaining additional certifications, learning new skills, or gaining real-world experience can help make you more marketable, no matter your major.

Photo courtesy of RDNE Stock project/Pexels

Flexible labor market leads to career switch boom

St. Louis American

The shortage of skilled workers and an increasingly flexible labor market are causing job offers which target career changers to boom, according to a recent analysis by The Stepstone Group.

The number of corresponding job advertisements on the online portal Stepstone.de more than quadrupled (329%) between 2019 and 2023, while the trend is continuing this year.

By the middle of 2024, there were already more than twice as many job ads on average (136%) targeting jobseekers with a non-specialist background than in 2019 as a whole. This meets with a high level of interest from people looking for a new professional challenge: “career changer” continues to be one of the top search terms on Stepstone.de.

“Changing your career is a hot topic. The reasons: The labor market is becoming more flexible, job profiles are changing faster, and faster and demographic change will massively intensify the change in the workforce in the near future,” says Tobias Zimmermann, labor market expert at The Stepstone Group.

“For companies that are creative and flexible, career switchers can be a real advantage.”

According to a recent Stepstone survey, almost 60% of HR managers

Six tips

Continued from D1 the case. Would it surprise you if a bartender became a therapist? That old trope exists for a reason; they’re great listeners if you keep paying them.

“You’ve developed a lot of skills and some of those are specific to that kind of work,” Pong says. “But a lot of them are totally transferable.”

Reflect on what experiences and skills you’re bringing with you to this new field — and allow that to bolster your confidence.

Learn the salary structure of your new career

Once you’ve come to terms with your financial picture, you should start doing research on the new job you’ll be transitioning into. What can you realistically expect to earn? Are

find it a “major challenge” to find suitable candidates for vacancies.

“The mindset of employees today is different: they are no longer tied to one profession for 40 years. Today, people can have several careers in their working life. In the future, changing careers will become more and more normal for all of us,” says Zimmerman.

“This is exactly what is needed in times when

salaries in your new career ever going to be on par with those of your former career? Maybe they’ll be higher! You want to have a clear picture so you know what you’re stepping into.

Look at your bank accounts and bills, start a separate account and begin squirreling away cash there, and talk to a financial professional — I did and it started with me putting away $25 a week. For your new career goals, visit pay scale websites and talk to people already in the field so you know what to expect and how to prepare.

Tap into support networks

Your friends are your focus group. If they’re questioning your choice, it may be worth hearing them out and listening to their concerns before making any drastic changes. But ultimately the decision is yours.

work requirements are changing dynamically. The curiosity and openness to keep learning and trying out new things that’s exactly what we need in times of great labor shortage.”

According to a Stepstone analysis, almost three quarters (73%) of employees think about a new challenge at least once a month. A job in a new industry is the clear goal for over a

Once you’ve made a change, don’t be afraid to ask for help. You need encouraging people around you who want to help you succeed. And don’t forget the importance of getting out there and being around people in your new field.

No

‘Shoulda-WouldaCoulda’ talk

Many of us get overwhelmed by the prospect of starting over and we end up staying in the same place, regretful and resentful while it seems like everyone around us moves forward.

Process your feelings. No matter how long the road looks, the sooner you start, the sooner you get to the finish line.

Keisha TK Dukes, a former healthcare professional, is a freelance podcast executive Producer and was previously program director for Bondfire Radio in New York.

quarter (29%). More than eight out of ten respondents (84%) are interested in a change of industry if the job offer is suitable.

Employers rely on internal mobility

There are also opportunities for those who want to reorient themselves within their own company.

A recent Stepstone survey of HR managers shows that almost one sixth of

companies (16%) rely on promoting internal mobility and one fifth (20%) on programs for further training and qualification of employees.

“Intelligent companies utilize the great in-house potential that their experienced employees bring to the table. Those who have proven themselves in the company can be trained for the jobs that are currently in demand through targeted continuing educa-

Employment ads promoting a career switch more than quadrupled in the last five years, “career changer” is a top search term, and more than eight out of 10 jobseekers would be prepared to switch to another industry, according to a release from The Stepstone Group.

tion,” says Zimmermann.

“At the same time, employees who are striving for something new are given the opportunity to develop further within their own company.

Nevertheless, there will be more gaps in the future that can be effectively filled by career switchers.

Information for this article was provided by The Stepstone Group

Eliot School has new lease on life

By Lacretia Wimbley St. Louis Public Radio

St. Louis’ Community Development Administration formally presented a large $4.8 million check on Tuesday to Jubilee Community Development Corp. for the transformation of a vacant elementary school in the city’s Fairground neighborhood.

Representatives from Jubilee, the city’s development arm, Jubilee Community Church, the mayor’s office and local residents stood outside the 51,380-squarefoot building Tuesday afternoon bundled up in winter gear.

n Construction is expected to begin next summer on Eliot Elementary School in north St. Louis, which was built in 1898 and has been empty since 2004.

The occasion marked a celebration for construction that’s expected to begin next summer on Eliot Elementary School in north St. Louis, which was built in 1898 and has been empty since 2004. With the funding, the building will be transformed into a state-ofthe-art facility called the Jubilee Wellness Center. It will address critical issues like addiction, homelessness and mental health.

For months, volunteers from the community and Jubilee have worked to remove dumpsters full of debris from the building. Tom Nagel, a spokesman for the Community Development Administration, on Tuesday handed off the big white check addressed to the Jubilee development group as a song by gospel group Shekinah Glory played over a speaker.

“We have the honor to work with so many community groups, enabling them with federal funding, so the City of St. Louis government can’t do it alone,” Nagel said. “We need dedicated people like you in the neighborhood and your offices all working together. This brings us so much inspiration for what can be done for the city of St. Louis.”

Will become Jubilee Wellness Center

The Jubilee Community Development Corp. acquired the building in July 2022, according to city records. Andy Krumsieg, Jubilee Community Church’s administrative pastor, stood inside the vacant school and noted how the building would soon look different.

“The building is solid as a rock,” Krumsieg said. “There’s a gymnasium here that’s going to be restored, and the whole lower level (of the building). There’s a whole lot of light that comes into the lower level … it’s a beautiful thing. Then there’s a floor above and a third floor as well.”

He said there will be 50 first aid recovery beds on the third floor, 25 respite beds on the second floor, program space on the entire first floor and medically assisted treatment on the

lower level.

The soon-to-be Jubilee Wellness Center will provide 75 to 100 beds for addiction recovery and transitional housing, the medically assisted treatment clinic, fellowship spaces, training rooms and other services. Krumsieg highlighted Jubilee’s track record of providing various holistic recovery programs, which it hopes to expand upon in partnership with the Assisted Recovery Centers of America after the new center opens.

He said as a pastor, he’s had to face tough questions about the role of churches in the community and whether or not they’re doing enough.

“Everybody’s welcome in our churches, right? But not really,” Krumsieg said Tuesday. “And so we’ve got to really be with people. This is all about community,

and the community is hurting.”

The project costs $24 million and is a collaborative effort to honor the building’s historic architecture and address the shortage of detox and recovery beds in St. Louis, development leaders said. The city’s development administration is also funding the Jubilee CDC’s conversion of the vacant Economy Inn Motel on North Grand Boulevard into a supportive housing center called Gethsemane Home with a grant of $1.15 million.

Renderings for Eliot’s transformation will be completed in spring 2025. Permits will then be acquired, and construction is expected to begin next summer, Krumsieg said.

Officials estimate it will take 12 to 15 months to complete the project.

Shuttered in 2004, the Eliot Elementary School Building in the city’s Fairground Park will be transformed into the Jubilee Wellness Center to address addiction, homelessness and mental health.

Photo by Brian Munoz / St. Louis Public Radio

Francis Gatare, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board; Yemi Akande-Bartsch, Ph.D., president & CEO, FOCUS St. Louis and A. Bola Akande, city administrator of Brentwood, Missouri.

Rwanda’s genocide teaches us about our lives today

Dr. Yemi S. Akande-Bartsch

For The St. Louis American

Rwanda: “Should We Have Stayed at Home and Thought of Here?”

A verse from Elizabeth Bishop’s poem resonates deeply whenever I find myself at a crossroads:

“Should we have stayed at home and thought of here…Oh, must we dream our dreams and have them, too?”

This poignant question echoed in my mind as I planned a recent trip to Africa with my sister, A. Bola Akande, City Administrator, City of Brentwood, Missouri and my daughter, Alexandra, a journey that had long occupied my imagination. Rwanda, in particular, called to me—a nation rising from the shadow of one of history’s darkest chapters. I sought to understand how humanity can be reshaped and how, against all odds, communities heal.

I approached this trip with a mixture of anticipation and uncertainty, guided by accounts of Rwanda as a land of education, beauty, resilience, and forgiveness. What I experienced surpassed my expectations and revealed invaluable lessons in leadership, community-building, and reconciliation.

One of the most impactful encounters during my visit was with Dr. Jean Damascene Bizimana, Rwanda’s Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement. His ministry embodies an integrated vision: preserving history, promoting national unity, and instilling a culture of civic responsibility.

Dr. Bizimana highlighted the ministry’s core mission—educating youth. With 65% of Rwanda’s population under 30, engaging young people is not just a priority; it’s a necessity. “We must educate them because we know our history, and it is a disturbed history,” he shared.

Central to this mission is the preservation of genocide memorials, four of which are UNESCO-listed. These serve not only as places of remembrance but also as vital educational tools. Schools are encouraged to visit these sites, fostering awareness and dialogue among the next generation.

Cultural values play a crucial role in this work, woven into programs designed to rebuild trust and promote unity. October, designated as Unity and Resilience Month, features dialogues across 30 districts where communities confront trauma and build shared values. Partnerships with NGOs specializing in trauma healing amplify these efforts, creating pathways for collective resilience. Unity and Resilience Month, a period dedicated to reinforcing national unity and resilience in light of the country’s history and future aspirations. This observance commemorates significant events, notably the launch of the military campaign on October 1, 1990, which ultimately led to the overthrow of the genocidal regime and the cessation of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

The month serves as an opportunity for Rwandans to reflect on the progress made in unity and reconciliation, to address any lingering divisions, and to collectively work towards a harmonious society. Activities during this period include community dialogues, educational programs, and initiatives aimed at promoting social cohesion and healing. The overarching goal is to sustain and deepen unity as the foundation for national transformation, ensuring that the lessons from the past guide the nation towards a peaceful and prosperous future Despite remarkable progress, challenges persist. Genocide ideology lingers, often perpetuated through social media. Dr. Bizimana emphasized the importance of combating these narratives and nurturing hope for future generations.

Left to right: Innocent Ndayisaba, guide; Freddy Mutanguha, CEO Aegis Trust and director of the Kigali Genocide Museum; A. Bola Akande, city administrator of Brentwood, Missouri and Yemi AkandeBartsch, Ph.D., President & CEO, FOCUS St. Louis.

Statue of a Mother and son near the Kigali International Airport.

The ministry’s Vision 2050 underscores this commitment, aiming for sustainable development and economic self-sufficiency anchored in human capital development.

Meeting Francis Gatare, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board, illuminated Rwanda’s journey of transformation.

“Everything you see was built since 1994,” he began, acknowledging the country’s painful legacy. Yet, from this devastation arose a renewed sense of purpose and identity.

Rwanda’s development has been guided by a series of long-term visions, starting with Vision 2020, which laid the groundwork for good governance, economic transformation, and food security. These pillars addressed critical needs: rebuilding institutions, ensuring healthcare access, and promoting education.

One of the most striking achievements is the nation’s increase in life expectancy—from 49 years in 1994 to 69 years today. This progress reflects a robust healthcare system supported by over 60,000 volunteer health workers and community-led initiatives that foster accountability and collective action.

Education has been equally transformative, with free schooling and school-feeding programs ensuring children have the resources to succeed.

Regional integration has further expanded Rwanda’s opportunities, opening borders and markets while harnessing digital technologies to connect communities.

Mr. Gatare spoke candidly about the philosophical underpinnings of Rwanda’s rebirth. “Are we inherently evil? No. Kindness and civility have always been

part of us,” he said. “What we suffered was bad leadership and division. Now, we are on a mission to restore self-respect, education, and peaceful harmony.”

This mission is rooted in community participation. From village-level cleanup days to performance contracts that measure progress, Rwanda’s governance model fosters transparency and shared responsibility. Importantly, the Rwanda Development Board prioritizes inclusive growth, aiming to raise incomes across the population and leave no one behind.

Throughout my journey, the theme of forgiveness emerged repeatedly, spoken about not as an abstract concept but as a lived reality. From Freddy Mutanguha, the CEO of Aegis Trust and Director of the Kigali Genocide Museum, who introduced himself as “a survivor,” to staff members who bore similar scars, the resilience of the Rwandan people was palpable.

Perhaps one of the most profound and heartbreaking stories shared during the tour of the Kigali Genocide Memorial was that of mothers urging their children to be strong, telling them to stop wailing as they were being killed. In the stadium where many had sought refuge, the only sounds that echoed through the air were those of the killers. This tragic scene serves as a stark reminder of the inhumanity that took place. The final room of the memorial, dedicated to the children who lost their lives, was deeply moving. It detailed the heartbreaking stories of how these innocent young ones died, and in some cases, it shared who they were with-in their final moments. These stories, though painful, are integral to the collec-

tive memory of Rwanda’s past, offering a profound sense of both sorrow and resilience. The museum not only honors the victims but also serves as a powerful testament to the strength of those who have survived and the commitment to ensuring such atrocities are never repeated.

Forgiveness here is not forgetting—it is an act of defiance against hatred. It is the cornerstone of rebuilding trust, community, and identity. Rwanda’s focus on “home-grown solutions” draws upon traditional values and cultural practices, offering a model of healing that is uniquely its own.

As I reflected on these experiences, I found parallels to challenges in our own communities. Rwanda’s emphasis on preserving history, fostering unity, and empowering youth holds valuable lessons for leaders worldwide. Strong institutions, community-led initiatives, and an unwavering commitment to shared values can bridge divides and create sustainable progress.

I left Rwanda deeply moved by its transformation and inspired to integrate these lessons into my own leadership journey. The question posed by Bishop’s poem lingers: Must we dream our dreams and have them, too? For me, the answer lies in the courage to step beyond the familiar and embrace the possibilities of change and connection.

Rwanda’s story is one of hope—a reminder that even in the aftermath of unimaginable tragedy, humanity can rebuild, guided by vision, resilience, and a commitment to shared purpose.

Dr. Yemi S. Akande-Bartsch is President and CEO of FOCUS St. Louis.

Photo courtesy of Yemi Akande-Bartsch

Photo courtesy of Yemi Akande-Bartsch

Photo courtesy of Yemi Akande-Bartsch