Together We Thrive - 2025

Together We Thrive

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Community

Farmers market gets help from a WashU program

Construction of a north St. Louis farmers market and pavilion is moving forward, thanks in part to a new Washington University program where students such as Erika Yanou, above, design structures for local organizations.

~ Page 5 ~

History

We must preserve the ‘Black Smithsonian’

The idea for the African American museum in Washington, D.C., gained steam in the 1980s. It includes a photo of former President Barack Obama taken by St. Louis American photographer Wiley Price. ~ Page 13 ~

Business

Venice gets 2.4M state grant for grocery store

The Metro East city of Venice received a $2.4 million state grant in May to help build a grocery store — the first step in a plan to revitalize it. Ed Hightower, below, will be the primary investor of the Venice grocery store.

‘I’m here to help people’

TinyHomeSTL teaches teens trades while building homes for tornado victims

By Chad Davis St. Louis Public Radio

For about three weeks, Torryn Gray has been spending his days learning the basics of homebuilding.

One of those days involved using a nail gun to attach the studs that will connect to the other walls. On another day, he helped build planter boxes for a garden. Soon, he’ll learn electrical skills.

Erion Johnson, left, helps youth volunteers use a nail gun while building the frame for a wall in a tiny home at the Wesley House Association on June 12 in St. Louis’ Penrose neighborhood. Johnson hopes to build 100 tiny homes for folks displaced by the May 16 tornado.

“I see this as an important way we can help out people,” 15-year-old Gray said. “Giving them houses and a place to sleep, a roof over the head, some kind of form of shelter.”

They’re part of TinyHomeSTL, for which about 40 teenagers are rolling up their sleeves, putting their work gloves on, and learning carpentry, roofing, and electrical skills while building.

The group has an ambitious goal: 100 homes.

“Me and other carpenters, we can build 100 houses in a See TINY HOMES, page 18

On any given day, Gray and others can be found on the Wesley House lot constructing homes for victims of the May tornado. Like many other volunteers leading groups across the city, they’re coming together to help rebuild north St. Louis. The difference here is they’re teenagers.

‘We are diverse by design’

By Chris King and Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American

Michael B. Kennedy Sr., who was honored as Lifetime Achiever during the 2024 Salute to Excellence in Business Networking and Awards Luncheon, shared that a “distaste” for business as usual regarding minority contractors led him to found KAI Enterprises in 1980.

“In the late 1970s, minority participation was being forced on publicly funded developments. In the design industry, majority-owned architectural firms were required to team with a minority-owned firm for 10% of the work. KAI Enterprises celebrating 45 years of service in contracting

See KAI, page 14

TinyHomeSTL’s

Photo Brian Munoz / St. Louis Public Radio

Photo courtesy of KAI

Michael B. Kennedy Sr. founded KAI Enterprises in 1980 and guided the firm as it grew to one of the largest minority-owned and led architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms in the country. The firm is celebrating its 45th anniversary in 2025.

Clayco helps lead St. Louis tornado recovery effort

In the wake of the devastating tornado that tore through north St. Louis on the afternoon of Friday, May 16th, Clayco quickly mobilized to assist with emergency relief and long-term recovery joining forces with contractors across the region to form what is now known as “STL Recovers”. With more than 10,000 structures impacted, 80% of them inhabited, the destruction left behind required urgent, coordinated action. Clayco has been at the forefront of that effort since day one.

Executive Vice President Rick Moeckel and Chief Talent Officer Katie Lane have been fully dedicated to tornado relief since the disaster struck, working with city leaders, nonprofits, fellow construction firms and local business leaders to prioritize debris removal and lay the groundwork for rebuilding. The initiative was launched by Clayco’s Executive Chairman Bob Clark, who recognized early the need for resources and leadership to lead the charge.

In the days that followed, groups came together to meet with the mayor at the Urban League to review the damage and then continued to meet at the city response headquarters to finalize the approach.

On Monday, May 18, two days after the storm, contractors were already

gathering each morning in the Urban League parking lot to receive assignments. What started with just 10 people and 10 pieces of equipment quickly grew. By Thursday and Friday of that week, more than 150 people were on the ground with 40 pieces of heavy equipment and 25 trucks, making real progress to clear the debris and stabilize damaged structures in some of the hardest-hit neighborhoods.

To date, Clayco employees have volunteered more than 1,500 hours to the effort

n To date, Clayco employees have volunteered more than 1,500 hours to the effort with plans to continue the focus on the recovery effort.

with plans to continue the focus on the recovery in partnership with the city into the foreseeable future. Clayco crews have been actively engaged in clearing debris, stabilizing homes, assessing rebuild needs, donating materials, engaging with impacted residents, participating

in city meetings and coordinating multiple volunteer efforts.

Clayco’s involvement goes beyond boots on the ground. The company has played a major role in logistics, planning, and workforce coordination, bringing together public and private partners to

ensure resources are directed where they’re needed most. That coordination, working alongside dozens of other local construction firms, helped double the city’s capacity for debris removal in the first month alone. Clayco and many other members of the business community have partnered together and contributed approximately $2 million of in-kind services thus far.

“The way the business community came together after the storm was nothing short of

Clayco team members joined con-

across

to assist with emergency

and long-term

incredible” said Rick Moeckel, Executive Vice President at Clayco. “We were competitors that Friday and partners by Saturday. Much progress has been made, but there is still so much to do. It’s going to take the entire community working together to finish what we’ve started, for St. Louis and for each other. Let’s keep it going.”

To get involved or support the ongoing recovery, visit: St. Louis Tornado Recovery

Photo courtesy of Clayco

Some

tractors

the region

relief

recovery after the devastating tornado tore through north St. Louis on May 16.

By Will Bauer St. Louis Public Radio

The Metro East city of Venice received a $2.4 million state grant in May to help build a grocery store — the first step in a plan to revitalize the Metro East town..

Providing the community with access to fresh produce and nutritious food options is a key step to rebuild the town, said Alderman Tyrone Echols.

“It will put fresh fruits, vegetables, meats and healthy options within walking distance for families — who have gone without them before too long,” Echols said at a press conference. “But this project is about more than access to groceries.”

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and officials from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity made the announcement in Venice, the same city where the governor signed the legislation in in 2023 that will fund the project into law.

“Every single Illinoisan, regardless of their ZIP code, deserves access to fresh, reliable and affordable grocery options,” Pritzker said.

Known as the Illinois Grocery Initiative, the program allocated $20 million to help seed grocery stores in food deserts in urban or rural parts of the state. The Metro East store’s funding comes during the second

A food desert oasis

Venice gets $2.4M state grant for grocery store to anchor redevelopment

wave of grants the state has awarded.

The closest grocery stores or supermarkets are at least four miles away from Venice residents in Granite City. Urban communities are considered to be a food desert if grocery stores are more than one mile away, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture..

Ed Hightower, the former Edwardsville public

schools superintendent and Big Ten basketball referee, will be the primary investor of the Venice grocery store. The city will own the store’s building, and it will lease the space to Hightower.

“The Venice grocery store project represents more than a few new infrastructures,” Hightower said. “It symbolizes economic revitalization, job creation and a

renewed commitment to the well-being of working families.”

The store will be built across the street from the public library and City Hall. Hightower said he hopes construction will start this fall and conclude next spring.

The grocery store is one of a host of projects planned in town.

A $26 million K-8 school building will

Ed Hightower is helping plan the Metro East municipality of Venice’s goals of adding a new grocery store, health care facility, affordable homes and an elementary school.

open later this fall, and city officials hope to break ground on 40 new affordable single-family homes later this summer, Hightower said.

Construction of a health clinic just south of the grocery store that will be operated by SIHF Healthcare is also planned to begin this fall.

The various economic development projects planned in the heart of

Venice all stem from the city’s lost population and wealth since the 1960s.

At the 1950 census, Venice reported a population of more than 6,000 residents. At the 2020 census, roughly 1,500 lived in the Metro East town. The city’s household median income stands at less than $35,000.

Madison County Board Chairman Chris Slusser, R-Wood River, has made the revitalization of Mississippi River communities along Illinois Route 3, like Venice, a priority. The first-term chairman noted that his hometown, Wood River, isn’t a wealthy community, but it has three grocery stores.

“I’m excited about this project, and I pray this is the first step in transforming this community,” Slusser said.

In the second phase, city officials hoped to build a child care center, a career and vocational center, a new bike trail and a funeral home funded by a private investor.

“This is the first step to getting Venice to where she used to be and to where she’s going to be,” said state Sen. Chris Belt, D-Swansea. “This is a very transformational day for Venice.”

Published with permission as part of a content sharing partnership with St. Louis Public Radio. To view the original story, visit www.stlpr.org.

Photo by Eric Lee / St. Louis Public Radio

Growing in north St. Louis

Farmers market gets help from a WashU program

By Chad Davis St. Louis Public Radio

(St.

Louis Public Radio)

– Construction of a north St. Louis farmers market and pavilion is moving forward, thanks in part to a new Washington University program where students design structures for local organizations.

Be Well Cafe and Market will open in the Hyde Park neighborhood later this summer after holding weekly pop-up events. The farmers market pavilion will be surrounded by several metal screens.

The creation of the screens is part of the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts’ Summer Public Design Workshop. A cohort of 10 students designed the concept after working with Fatimah Muhammad, executive director of Be Well Cafe and Market.

“The market will now be for artisans, the artists, the jewelry makers,” Muhammad said. “It’s still about being well and expanding that and adding to the grocery market and the café.”

The pavilion is the latest update for the market. Muhammad purchased the land from the Land Reutilization Authority, the city’s land bank, years ago. Last year, the St. Louis Development Corporation provided the cafe and market with about $354,500 in grant funding via its Economic Justice Accelerator program.

Workshop leaders chose

the farmers market from six projects. The school plans to continue the initiative over the next three years, said Matt Bernstine, Sam Fox School’s Office

for Socially Engaged Practice director. The program allows students to collaborate with one another while prioritizing a community

need, Sam Fox associate professor Chandler Ahrens said.

“They listen more closely and really try and understand what it is

[Muhammad] is saying, and then try to figure out how to translate that into design,” Ahrens said.

Several students will complete the construction drawings for the panels of the pavilion, project manager Gregory Cuddihee said.

“At that point, we will turn over the construction drawings for all of the panels to the subcontractor or the metal fabricator,” Cuddihee said.

“They will simply fabricate the rest of the panels from the drawings that the students have done.”

Sam Fox students will present the final prototype Friday that the cohort spent the past three weeks designing. Muhammad is working with architect Max Bemberg and will work with a contractor who will use the prototype to construct the other panels.

Muhammad said the input from students has helped her imagine a market that attracts younger people.

“I wanted the space to attract the younger folks that could be anywhere from 25 to 55,” Muhammad said.

“They’re bringing that kind of energy, they’re bringing those kinds of ideas.”

Published with permission as part of a content sharing partnership with St. Louis Public Radio. To view the original story, visit www.stlpr. org.

“It’s one thing to propose something, build it in a model or on the computer. It’s another to try and build it at full scale, to understand all the complexities of fabrication.”

Photo by Lylee Gibbs / St. Louis Public Radio

Rising senior Erika Yanou, 21, glues pieces of a model prototype together while she and fellow students from the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts work on constructing a pavilion for the Hyde Park Farmers Market on Tuesday at Washington University.

Together We Thrive

‘Whether it’s your voice in class or out in the community, use it!’

President of national diversity organization calls for a fight for DEI initiatives

By Sylvester Brown, Jr. St. Louis American

“The attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion have been weaponized, falsely equated with unlawful discrimination and demonized in the public narrative. We cannot retreat. We must organize. We need a renewed movement—what I see as a new civil rights movement—built on sustained, committed advocacy and civic action.” - Paulette Granberry Russell.

In an interview with the Chicago Defender in May, Paulette Granberry Russell, J.D., president of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE), articulated a vital need to organize and fight for free speech and the future of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in America.

The newspaper noted how the federal government has mounted an aggressive campaign to dismantle “progress” by falsely declaring DEI initiatives to be illegal and seeking to eliminate equal access to education for millions of Americans.

Under Granberry Russell’s leadership, NADOHE has become the leading voice for chief diversity officers across the country—fighting not

only to preserve hard-won progress but to advance it in the face of unprecedented challenges. In the conversation with the National Defender, she shared insights, warnings, and her unwavering belief in the power of higher education to shape a just and equitable future.

n Under Granberry Russell’s leadership, NADOHE has become the leading voice for chief diversity officers across the country—fighting not only to preserve hard-won progress but to advance it in the face of unprecedented challenges.

Granberry Russell, who was born in the 1950s and raised by parents who migrated north during the Great Migration said she had been lulled into a false belief that the country had made “real progress” … until now.

“So, this moment we’re in—it’s not one I ever expected to live through again, especially given my family’s history and the sacrifices of so many who

fought to dismantle lawful discrimination,” Granberry Russell explained, adding: “It’s not just about those of us who descended from enslaved people—it’s also about those who stood alongside us in that fight. We’re at a critical point in this country’s history.”

not lower standards—they strengthen institutions, workplaces, and communities by ensuring that the most talented, qualified individuals from all walks of life have access to opportunities and are equipped to contribute to society’s success.”

In January, when a midair collision between an Army helicopter and a jetliner killed 67 people aboard the two aircrafts, President Trump, without evidence, claimed diversity, equity and inclusion programs at the Federal Aviation Administration were to blame. Outraged, Granberry Russell responded with a stern press statement.

“The suggestion that diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives compromise the safety or the competence of professionals is not only factually baseless but also dangerous. It perpetuates misinformation and undermines efforts to create equitable opportunities for all individuals, regardless of background,” Granberry Russell said. “Diversity, equity, and inclusion do

J.D.

In February, NADOHE joined the American Association of University Professors and filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration over the president’s executive orders to DEI efforts in public and private sectors. The 42-page lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Maryland, argues that the president’s directives are “overly vague (and) an overstep of his legal authority and chill speech that the president opposes.” The lawsuit seeks an immediate pause in enforcing the executive orders while the case is ongoing and an ultimate judgment that the orders are unconstitutional.

That action, Granberry Russell insists, is the kind of response institutions of higher learning and corporations must take as

pressure mounts from the Trump Administration to capitulate and dismantle DEI programs.

“Too many are quietly retreating from their commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion,” Granberry Russell said. “What we once believed to be principled efforts often now seem performative.

“Advocacy groups have a responsibility to interrogate these issues and push for clarity,” Granberry Russell told the Chicago Defender. “We must help the public understand that DEI isn’t radical or discriminatory, as the Trump administration suggests. That language is designed to mislead and distract from the broader goal: building a more just democracy.”

Granberry Russell calls for another youth-led revolution like in the 1960s when student protests fueled by opposition to the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, and other counterculture issues were a significant force for social and political change.

“I say to you—get out there. Whether it’s your voice in the classroom or out in the community, use it,” she said. “As uncomfortable as student activism can feel at times, students have always been the rightful stewards of progress.

“There’s no one-sizefits-all approach, but when students advocate for living and learning experiences that help them thrive and graduate, it matters…if that means sitting in, then sit in. If it means marching, march. If it means showing up to a board of trustees meeting and making your case—do it! You have a responsibility to challenge those trying to dismantle generations of progress and civil rights.”

Reflecting on its interview with the NADOHE president, editors at the Chicago Tribune summarized: “The stakes have never been higher. Granberry Russell urges us not to retreat—but to rise. To organize. To amplify voices that have too often been silenced.

“If democracy is a promise, then higher education is its most faithful steward. As campuses across the country become battlegrounds for justice once again, the message is clear: This fight is not new—but it is ours. And in the words of those who marched before us, we must keep going. Not because it is easy, but because it is right.”

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

Paulette Granberry Russell,

By Kenya Vaughn St. Louis American

On location in STL Together We Thrive

Film Office Draws $12M in production spending, boosts local Jobs and hotels

St. Louis native Josalynn Smith is a certified cinephile. She always felt that there was something missing from the imagery and visual landscapes in the countless films she had immersed herself in.

“Growing up here and driving around the greater St. Louis area, I always thought there were so many things about the region that were really beautiful,” Smith said. “It’s something you don’t see a lot in film.”

Audiences have been able to witness that beauty thanks to Smith’s directorial debut “Ride or Die.”

The film, which was shot in St. Louis, premiered at the famed Tribeca Film Festival in New York in June and screened as part of the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase earlier this month.

“We wouldn’t have been able to film here without the Missouri Tax Credit,” said Smith. “That made this experience a possibility. And being able to film sort of where the story took place was such a good experience.”

Since Missouri’s Motion Media Tax Incentive passed in 2023, the St. Louis Film Office – a subset of Explore St. Louis – has continued to put the Gateway City in the spotlight as a prime destination for film and

television production. The organization has supported more than 50 registered productions with combined budgets topping $12 million – work that has directly fueled local jobs, hotels and production companies.

“The Motion Media Tax Incentive has given St. Louis a chance to prove itself on a national stage,” said Film Office manager Kelley Hiatt. “These projects don’t just tell great stories, they

create good-paying jobs, fill hotels and grow new creative businesses that keep talent here at home.”

These productions have delivered approximately 1,500 days of filming in the region, created an estimated $6 million in local wages and filled more than 2,500 hotel room nights across St. Louis City and County.

“So many of the people involved had never, ever been here before – from

the actors to the crew,” said Smith. “To be able to show them my city, there was beauty in that as well [as making the film].

According to the St. Louis Film Office, even local real estate is seeing an impact, with one feature production securing a short-term commercial office lease for $20,000.

This year, Sony Pictures acquired Soul on Fire – the first feature film to use the new Missouri

tax incentive – for a nationwide theatrical release this fall. The Film Office also convinced two feature films to choose St. Louis over Atlanta, one over Dallas and another over Los Angeles. Their ability to do so demonstrates the city’s growing appeal as a competitive, cost-effective production hub.

In addition to “Ride or Die,” Local productions over the past year have

included a mix of feature films, television and documentary work. Among them was ABC Network’s signature show “What Would You Do,” independent features Greg’s Going to Rehab, Fairlight, Rough Draft and two upcoming feature length films –which reflect combined budgets topping $5 million. There was also the moving documentary Queen of the Base was produced, a film that tells the story of a St. Charles resident who survived Taliban captivity, aided the U.S. military and escaped Afghanistan on the final plane out in August 2021. And Public television’s Papa Ray’s Vintage Vinyl Road Show is in production for Season 2.

The St. Louis Film Office expects to register at least 40 new projects in the coming year, with almost half already approved for the tax incentive. Productions are projected to add another 1,000 hotel room nights and more high-quality local jobs.

Hiatt said that beyond film crews, this wave of production has sparked local business growth supporting crew services and external funding resources.

“This gives St. Louis a stronger competitive edge for future large-scale projects.”

For more information on the St. Louis Film Office, visit explorestlouis. com/film.

Photo by Taylor Marrie / St. Louis American

Brianna Middleton (left) and Stella Everett (second from left) star in “Ride or Die,” the first feature film from St. Louis native Josalynn Smith (second from right). Smith was able to shoot the film in her hometown thanks to the Missouri Motion Media Tax Credit.

Together We Thrive

Lincoln nationally recognized for teacher prep program

St. Louis American

Lincoln University of Missouri’s School of Education has received national recognition from the International Literacy Association (ILA) for its elementary/intermediate classroom teacher preparation program, earning the organization’s highest level of distinction for preparing future literacy educators.

Effective from June 2025 through June 2030, the five-year ILA designation affirms that Lincoln University’s program meets the ILA Standards for the Preparation of Literacy Professionals (2017), which define the knowledge, skills, and dispositions essential for high-quality literacy instruction. Lincoln University’s program met all ILA standards and earned a unanimous recommendation for the designation from the ILA peer review team.

“This national recognition reflects our unwavering commitment to preparing exceptional educators who make a meaningful difference in the lives of students,” said Lincoln University President John B. Moseley.

“Our School of Education has demonstrated the highest standards of excellence in literacy instruction, and this honor validates the outstanding

‘Unwavering commitment to educators’

work of our faculty and the quality of preparation our teacher candidates receive.”

Supported by a Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) EPP Pursuance of ILA National Recognition Grant, the Lincoln initiative to receive recognition was led by Adria Waters, LU assistant professor of education

and field and clinical experiences coordinator.

The process involved a comprehensive self-study and peer review evaluation of the program’s curriculum, instruction, and outcomes, such as candidate proficiency in evidence-based literacy instruction, use of assessment data to inform teaching, and demonstrated readiness to support

diverse learners in elementary and intermediate classrooms.

Waters — one of eight DESE Early Literacy fellows supporting Missouri’s Read, Lead, Exceed initiative since 2022 — brought her statewide experience and expertise directly into Lincoln’s educator preparation work.

The Fellows initiative, coordinated by DESE’s

Office of Educator Preparation and continuing through 2030 under the Comprehensive Literacy State Development grant, fosters collaboration between P–12 educators and higher education programs to improve literacy outcomes across Missouri.

Lincoln’s engagement with this initiative helped shape the program’s alignment with evidence-based prac-

tices and statewide literacy priorities—key elements in the successful ILA application and review.

“This marks a major milestone for our School of Education and future teachers,” Waters said. “Graduating from a nationally recognized program affirms that they are thoroughly prepared to make

Photo courtesy of Lincoln U.

The Jefferson City, Mo. Campus of historic Lincoln University

STL County NAACP condemns CertifySTL pause

It’s ‘political scapegoating’

By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American

St. Louis County

NAACP President John Bowman says “political agendas” are at the base of the recent decision by St. Louis Development Corporation to pause its CertifySTL business certificate program.

“We recognize political scapegoating when we see it. As the largest and oldest civil rights organization, and as a community in the St. Louis region, we have seen these maneuvers in spades across decades,” Bowman said in a statement.

“Political agendas are strong-arming our friends and partners at SLDC, and the M/WBE (Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise) community is paying the price for it.”

In August 2024, CertifySTL became the St. Louis region’s Minority- and WomenOwned Business Enterprise (MWBE) Certification Program, following its transfer to St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) from Business Diversity Development (BDD) at St. Louis Lambert International Airport.

The MWBE Program was established to encourage businesses owned by minority groups to participate in City contracting opportunities and on development projects

incentivized by the City. SLDC oversees monitoring of MWBE utilization on such projects to ensure goals and objectives are achieved.

In a correspondence to current applicants, the SLDC said the threat of legal action from the Department of Justice forced it to put the CertifySTL program on hold.

“We recognize the impact this may have on your business and operations, and we sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding during this time.”

The SLDC has stated that compliance monitoring and enforcement of the city’s prevailing wage, resident utilization and apprentice utilization requirements have not changed.

“Developers and General Contractors are encouraged to engage with SLDC’s Compliance Office for further information about how this announcement may impact ongoing projects,” said the SLDC statement.

Bowman said political connections that string from St. Louis to Washington, D.C. are in

John Bowmam, St. Louis County NAACP president, said during its recent Freedom Fund Dinner that his chapter would not back down in its support for DEI programs in the region. Bowman said “political agendas” are the cause of the St. Louis Development Corp. pause of its CertifySTL program.

political move, not one that considers the impact these decisions are having on the lives of thousands of minority and women-owned small and large businesses in the St. Louis area,” said Bowman.

“SLDC, we stand with you and will work with you to ensure that the political pressures are lifted and these programs can continue in St. Louis.”

Neal Richardson, who was hired as SLDC president the administration of former Mayor Tishaura Jones, left the job following the election of Mayor Cara Spencer.

Spencer said during the campaign she sought to replace him. Former SLDC leader Otis Williams is now serving in the interim.

play.

“It’s not lost on us that a St. Louis developer has just escalated a high-profile, compelling lawsuit in response to an 18-monthlong federal investigation helped by SLDC alleging misuse of SLDC’s minority program,” said Bowman.

Developer Sid Chakraverty and two others were indicted last year on wire fraud charges for allegedly lying about the use of minority contractors to obtain city property tax breaks.

Among the attorneys representing him are

Washington, D.C., based lawyer Brad Bondi, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s brother.

Last week, attorneys for Chakraverty, co-developer Victor Alston, Chakraverty’s brother, and Shijing Cao appeared in court seeking dismissal of the case based on the contention that the city’s minority hiring law is unconstitutional.

“We see the pressure these politicos are putting on our local programs and longstanding relationships in the St. Louis region, and we won’t stand for it. We recognize this as a

“Community partners stand with the leaders of SLDC in advocating for what is fair and right for the thousands of minority and women-owned business owners they serve,” Bowman said.

The Count NAACP chapter is filing a “formal complaint” to NAACP National on behalf of the SLDC “and the region’s minority business owners, friends, partners, supporters, and program recipients,” according to Bowman.

“Change is inevitable, and we recognize that we are the agents of change,” said Bowman.

Photo by Lois Ingrum / NAACP

Together We Thrive

We must be more strategic when discussing

DEI, racism

By Tiffany Manuel Word In Black

Many of us who have fought for civil rights feel a life-or-death urgency to defend DEI and policies that advance health, racial equity, and democracy

And we know we must not give up on making the case for healing and repair

But in a country where many people have long refused to talk about race, let alone our nation’s racist past and present policies, we’ve got to be strategic.

If you’ve ever flown on an airplane, you know that takeoff is not instantaneous; the aircraft doesn’t just leap into the sky when the engines start. Instead, there is a process, a sequence of events that must unfold in order for a plane to achieve liftoff.

Helping people understand racial justice and the need for repair is like that, too.

I’ve studied decades of social science research and spent many years coaching leaders on how people think about race and what helps evolve their thinking. I’ve worked in communities where people are ready, even eager, to talk about the racist legacies of slavery and more recent policies like redlining — and to embrace solutions.

I’ve also been in places where I’ve said “equity” and community leaders have leaned over and whispered, “We can’t use that word here.”

You can’t use the same tactics in every place or with every group of peo-

ple. But we must keep talking about race and increasing people’s understanding of what justice entails if we’re ever going to get to a future in which all Americans can thrive.

Imagine you’re teaching literature to students with vastly different reading levels. For the class to succeed, you must assess each student’s starting point and tailor your teaching accordingly.

The same is true for our conversations about race — whether at work, our kids’ soccer games, or school board and city council meetings. In some rooms, diving directly into a discussion about race will cause backlash. In others, failing to name it explicitly will lose the room.

Race-based discrimination in America is built on a history that is often untaught and misunderstood. Learning about race is much like learning a new language or playing a musical instrument: It takes time, practice, and patience. Despite the urgency we feel to make change now, we must create opportunities for others to learn and allow time for their understanding to develop.

We also must avoid getting stuck on labels. The ways we describe racial inequities or responses to them — including “structural racism,” “DEI,” and other terms — can sometimes be barriers to effective conversations. Labels carry different cultural meanings

across the country, mak-

ing it challenging to find universally accepted terminology.

A good tactic is to acknowledge the different ways people talk about injustice. Let’s say we’re talking about unequal access to resources or opportunities in education, housing, employment, transportation, or another aspect of life. We can point out that some may call that “unfair,” some may call it “discriminatory,” and some might say it’s straight-up “racist.”

We may not all agree on what to call it, but we can ask people to agree not to take it into our shared future. We can urge them to move beyond arguing about what to call injustice and instead do something

Tiffany Manuel is president and CEO of TheCaseMade, which works with justice-focused philanthropies, community coalitions, governments and organizations. Regardless of the political climate, “we must keep talking about race and increasing people’s understanding of what justice entails,” she says.

about the systems we seek to change. We share powerful examples of ordinary people who have done extraordinary things to shift the trajectory of our nation, from abolition to the Civil Rights era to today.

The final stage of takeoff is when the plane leaves the ground. In the racial runway metaphor, this is when conversations about justice expand beyond policy reforms and into discussions of repair, redress, and the creation of an equitable future.

about it.

But how do we get people from one point on the spectrum of understanding to another? I’ve seen firsthand that there are four stages to getting people to think differently about race, similar to an airplane’s progress down the runway.

First, we get people to “pull away from the gate.” We do this by simply naming race. By talking about how no matter where we come from — our background, race, or economic status — we all deserve to live in communities with great schools. We all deserve a decent place to live and the ability to build a good life for ourselves and our families, no matter our job, race, age, or identity.

Then, over time, we can get people to “taxi down the runway” — or get a little further in their understanding of race in America. We do this by naming the gaps in opportunity that people of color experience and talking about what those gaps cost all of us. How, when we fail to create equitable systems that benefit everyone, we exacerbate social, economic, and racial inequalities, and we also sap the energy, prosperity, health, and well-being of all Americans.

Next, we get people to “accelerate down the runway”—get them excited for change. We do this by making the case for racial equity and equipping them with knowledge

This stage requires us to ask: What does justice actually look like? What does it mean to repair the harms of racial exclusion and economic exploitation? How do we move beyond incremental progress and toward a new reality where equity is not just an aspiration, but a lived experience for all? How do we advance the reparations that have been too long in coming?

Too often, conversations about racial justice stop short of tackling redress and repair. People may be willing to acknowledge injustice but unwilling to embrace the full breadth of what it takes to correct it. But if we have done the work to get people to this point, taking off is inevitable.

Tiffany Manuel is president and CEO of TheCaseMade and a board member of The Redress Movement, which helps communities redress racial segregation.

Photo courtesy of TheCaseMade Instagram

Together We Thrive

The HBCU solution we seek is in the mirror

Collective investment can reshape the HBCU ecosystem

Word In Black

Higher education is at a crossroads. While college is still seen as a ladder to economic mobility, for too many — especially Black students — it has become a trap of student loan debt without degrees. Nearly 17% of all college students take on loans but never graduate. Among borrowers, that number rises to 40%. Nowhere is this failure more visible — and more devastating — than at our nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

For generations, HBCUs have done more with less. Despite meager and oftentimes insufficient budgets and systemic underfunding, these institutions have produced 80% of Black judges, 50% of Black lawyers, and nearly half of all Black engineers and educators. They are the beating heart of many communities, economic engines, and vital contributors to national prosperity. As president and CEO of Student Freedom Initiative (SFI), I know from firsthand experience that the solution is not in a policy paper — it’s in the mirror. We already have the power, the talent, and the infrastructure to transform the future of HBCUs and their students. What’s needed is the will — and the collective action.

Our mission is simple: to empower students to succeed on their terms, unburdened by structural or financial constraints.

SFI works to bridge the resource gap at HBCUs

through innovative, student-centric solutions. Our flexible funding alternative to Parent PLUS loans eliminates credit checks, co-signers, origination fees, and requires no repayment if income falls below 300% of the federal poverty level. It features interest rates 2% lower than Parent PLUS loans, and repayments that are recycled for the benefit of future eligible students.

But we go further. We’re helping HBCUs expand capacity with affordable student housing, workforce development housing, workforce development programs that include stackable credentials to allow students to enter/leave the traditional post-secondary environments on a schedule that works for their unique lifestyle, and upgraded

cybersecurity infrastructure. Our mission is simple: to empower students to succeed on their terms, unburdened by structural or financial constraints.

We know what’s coming. History tells us: if we wait for someone else to save our institutions, we’ll be waiting forever. That’s why I’m calling on HBCU alumni, fraternity brothers and sisters, corporate leaders, entertainers, athletes, and anyone who values Black excellence to take ownership of this moment. Lasting change comes when philanthropy, private industry, and community organizations align with mission-driven leadership at HBCUs.

We already have the blueprint. At SFI, we’ve built an infrastructure that ensures impactful, transparent allocation of

resources. We understand not just the budgets and balance sheets of HBCUs, but the culture, the history, and the heartbeat behind each campus. With the right coalition, capital, and commitment, success isn’t just aspirational— it’s inevitable.

This isn’t about onetime donations. It’s about sustained investment, strategic collaboration, and reclaiming our agency. Lasting change comes when philanthropy, private industry, and community organizations align with mission-driven leadership at HBCUs.

Robert F. Smith’s historic 2019 gift to Morehouse College erased student debt and ignited a global dialogue on communal responsibility. Others followed — Reed Hastings, Oprah Winfrey,

Students interact with visitors at Harris Stowe State University’s Small Business Fair on February 15, 2025.

Michael Bloomberg, MacKenzie Scott, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Myles Garrett, and many more. But the true power lies not in celebrity alone. Each of us can be the catalyst for change. Each of us can be a philanthropist within our communities for those constituents that matter to us. What matters to SFI is our HBCU-anchored communities.

This isn’t about onetime donations. It’s about sustained investment, strategic collaboration, and reclaiming our agency. Now is the time to institutionalize that energy. To support SFI, UNCF, Thurgood Marshall College Fund, National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education, and other nonprofits on the front lines of HBCU advancement.

To ensure these schools are no longer forced to choose between renovating aging buildings, funding scholarships, or expanding academic programs.

We must enable HBCUs to say “yes” to the future: “yes” to mental health services, modern laboratories, broadband internet, and industry-aligned curricula. This is how we turn the tide — not just for institutions, but for the generations they empower.

The transformation of our HBCUs won’t be led by policymakers or pundits. It will be led by us — by CEOs and cultural icons, tech founders and Grammy winners, panhellenic council members, alumni, and advocates who choose to act. Collectively, we are more than enough to lead this transformation.

With thoughtful stewardship, our collective investment can reshape the HBCU ecosystem for generations to come. But only if we stop waiting for help to arrive from somewhere else.

The time is now. The solution we seek is in the mirror — and the mirror is waiting.

Keith B. Shoates is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Student Freedom Initiative, the organization founded following Robert F. Smith’s transformational gift to the 400-member Morehouse Class of 2019. SFI’s mission is to increase students’ access to education without crushing student debt. Learn more at studentfreedominitiative.org

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

By Cheryl McCourtie New York Amsterdam News

In the Civil Rights exhibit featuring the story of kidnapped, mutilated, and murdered Emmett Till at the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), I broke down and wept.

Tears of frustration, tears of hot rage. “We’ve already done this,” I hiccupped, referencing the many movements from Reconstruction to Civil Rights that Black people led to loosen racism’s noose and demand their freedom.

A friend rubbed my back as groups of high schoolers milled around. The teens were lost without their phones in the only area in the museum where technology is banned to ensure decorum and reverence for the murdered boy.

Disturbed by the exhibit and unsure of what to do with their hands, they lumbered through the rooms as they attempted to process the story of a young man who could have been their brother, their cousin, their friend — someone who could have been them.

The NMAAHC, part of the Smithsonian Institution, is now in the crosshairs of Donald Trump. The name of Trump’s executive order, which calls for “revitalizing key cultural institutions and reversing the spread of divisive ideology” is too vapid to repeat

Together We Thrive

We must preserve the ‘Black Smithsonian’

Vacant of real meaning other than signaling yet another attempt to erase the history and contributions of people of color, it has sent a flurry of panic throughout communities of conscience.

And it is what sent me on an Amtrak train from NYC to DC earlier this month to spend three days at the museum. I wanted to see the exhibits for myself before they are destroyed by people who are long on racial animus and short on facts.

Tampering with historical truths is just a symptom of the disease infecting the Oval Office. Trump’s efforts to erase Black people start when

we are in utero: According to the CDC, infant mortality rates per 100,000 are 10.9% for Blacks, against 4.5% of non-Hispanic whites. In New York, where I live, cuts in healthcare could result in 1.8 million of the current seven million Medicaid recipients losing their insurance. Some 1.5 million of the Medicaid-insured here are Blacks; much of critical prenatal care would evaporate under the cuts, possibly resulting in significantly more infant and mother mortality.

Slashing the Education Department will disproportionately affect Black and low-income

people, removing antidiscrimination protections and ending or limiting student loans. And don’t forget the attack on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) — the new n-word — from college through employment.

The aggression on nonwhites from the cradle to the grave has the intended effect: whiplash, anger, and confusion about which blow to fend off first. At the museum, I had several conversations with individuals about whether artifacts had been removed or any history altered in the narrative. Part of the power of racially biased actions is that they force people of color to make

St. Louis American photojournalist Wiley Price’s photograph, “Message for the Messenger,” is in the permanent collection of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The photograph captured AME bishops praying over Barack Obama during his July 2008 visit to St. Louis.

of the slave rebellions, thought to be more than 250 between the 1600s and the Civil War. This is the best kind of win, underscoring why institutions like this must continue to exist as they were so carefully envisioned and crafted.

I left the NMAAHC walking a little taller, feeling proud of what Blacks have done to claim our God-ordained, rightful place as U.S. citizens. The history of triumph against the odds is rich; Black people have truly made a way out of no way, as the saying goes.

assumptions, including when they are unwarranted. Destabilization is the point.

The idea for the museum is decades old but began gaining steam in the late eighties under the guidance of Civil Rights icon John Lewis. In 2003, President George W. Bush appointed a commission and Congress passed the bill that gave birth to the NMAAHC. But like every major hardwon accomplishment by African Americans, there is a backlash. Stay in your place.

The friend who accompanied me, an educator, said that until our visit she did not know the extent

I dedicate my own life to the memory of those whose blood paved the way for what we have today, from Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X, to that beautiful boy with the impish grin, Emmett Till, and those whose names we will never know.

I encourage every American to visit the treasure that is the NMAAHC. And if there are attempts to erase our history, African American history, American history, I encourage ordinary people to note the edits, and to project them on the walls of the very government buildings that were built with free African American labor. Cheryl McCourtie has worked as a nonprofit fundraiser for institutions including museum, public charities, and youth-development organizations.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

‘A vehicle for social change’

Mound City Bar Emerging Scholars program provides scholarships, mentors

By Wendy Todd St. Louis American

For more than a century, the Mound City Bar Association has been a legal pillar for Black lawyers in St. Louis. Now, through its nonprofit arm — the Mound City Bar Foundation — it’s investing in the future with the Emerging Scholars program, offering scholarships and mentorship to support the next generation of Black lawyers.

The Mound City Bar Association, first known as the St. Louis Negro Bar Association, was formed in 1922 to offer professional support to Black lawyers who were not allowed to join the St. Louis Bar Association. The organization, an affiliate partner and active participant of the National Bar Association, boasts over 200 members who are lawyers, judges, paralegals, and law students in the St. Louis region. It offers members opportunities to network and continue their professional development with periodic legal educational seminars.

“Mound City Bar brings together St. Louis attorneys who are committed to using the law as a vehicle for social change and improving our region,” said Keith Williamson, who serves as a member

of the foundation board, helped form the Emerging Scholars program.“Since its founding in 1922, our bar has supported its members as they have been in the forefront of the fights for civil rights and community progress.”

In 2005, the MCBA created the foundation to work in tandem with the association to raise funds, award scholarships to law students, and engage in other philanthropic efforts. Its Emerging Scholars program, which partners with St. Louis University and Washington University in St. Louis, offers a unique pathway for aspiring lawyers to access the education and resources they need to reach their goals.

“If you really want to promote the proper development of the legal system, and you want to help minority legal professionals, including lawyers and paralegals, etcetera, then what you do is you create a pipeline of talented individuals to the legal profession,” said Ken Goins, president of the Mound City Bar Foundation.

Sandra Moore, an MCBA member, and Williamson were instrumental in creating the framework for the Emerging Scholars program that is supporting 12 students and four others who graduated law school

in May. The program includes full tuition and other resources from the foundation, including a prep course for the bar exam and job placement.

“They can matriculate and move into the world of the practice of law without the encumbrance of law school debt,” Moore said. “And while in law school, they get the opportunity to work and serve alongside lawyers [who are] members of the association who also are committed to working in the St. Louis community. So, it is stellar. It is our star program that came

from our first-ever capital campaign.”

Participants in the program, which was born out of the foundation’s successful capital campaign in 2020, have expressed gratitude for the opportunity and shared its impact on their lives.

In a video viewed at the annual Scovel T. Richardson Scholarship Gala, David Duncan, an Emerging Scholars program awardee and student at the St. Louis University School of Law, thanked the foundation for making his

dream of “pursuing a legal education to make a better life for Black and brown people more accessible.”

Kayla Ellis, another awardee, who will be attending St. Louis University School of Law in the fall, also stated in the video, “This award not only eases my financial burden, but it reminds me that there’s a community behind me who believes in my potential.”

Participants are chosen not only based on an academic criterion, but also on their personal commitment to service. Goins said he wants to

know that students who participate in the program are not only committed to excellence in their profession but also have ties to the community they’ll hopefully serve.

“We’re looking at these kinds of objective standards and also at their personal statements – their histories,” Goins said. “These are some very talented, committed people with St. Louis connections for the most part.”

The application for the Emerging Scholars program will open in the spring of 2026.

Photos courtesy of Mound City Bar Foundation

Abrianna Steele, graduated from Saint Louis University School of Law, and Avrye King, graduated from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. Both were in the first cohort of the Emerging Scholars program.

Most of the time, the minority-owned firm did not have the experience to do the 10%,” Kennedy, retired hair and CEO of KAI, told The American

“The majority-owned firms would often give the minority-owned firm 10% of their fee, but they would explain to their clients that their fee would need to be 10% more than usual, because they were going to have to do the work for the minority firm. That approach was very distasteful for both the architect and his client.”

Kennedy decided to form his own business, and today, KAI, is one of the largest minority-owned architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms in the country.

Based in St. Louis, with regional offices in DallasFort Worth and Atlanta, KAI specializes in residential, commercial, education, healthcare, science and technology, aviation, infrastructure, civic and municipal, and community-focused sectors projects, according to the firm.

Over 60% of KAI’s work is rooted in underserved neighborhoods, aligning with its mission to deliver design and construction excellence with social impact.

“We are diverse by design and transforming communities is at our core,” said KAI CEO Michael B. Kennedy.

“But what sets us apart today is our ability to compete at the highest levels and bring creative, data-driven, and technically sound solutions to our clients. We’ve built a legacy over the past 45 years, and we’re only getting started.”

Kennedy said KAI’s “minority-owned and -led firm is foundational, but its growth and reputation have long been defined by technical expertise, innovative delivery, and its ability to lead complex, community-centered projects.”

The firm has received numerous accolades, including “Top Workplace” honors from multiple regional publications, the AGC’s national Diversity & Inclusion Excellence Award, and most recently a 2025 Dallas Business Journal ranking as one of the Top 5 Black-Owned Businesses in North Texas, highlighting the firm’s continued impact and leadership in the region.

In 1969, as part of the university’s Civil Rightsera reforms, Kennedy pursued a master’s degree in architecture at Washington University. It led to him becoming g Missouri’s first licensed African American architect. Kennedy and Associates, Inc. began in his home office.

Michael Kennedy, Jr., CEO, has worked on regional projects including the St. Louis Art Museum Expansion, City Justice Center, St. Louis MetroLink, Cervantes Convention Center Expansion & Renovation, and the new Center for Nursing and Health Sciences buildings at STLCC’s Forest Park and Flo Valley campuses. There’s more including the Museum of Westward Expansion at Gateway Arch National Park, Busch Stadium & Ballpark Village, Clyde C. Miller Career Academy, and the Downtown Gateway Transportation Center, as well as dozens of projects for St. Louis Lambert International Airport,

Together We Thrive

BJC HealthCare, and Washington University in St. Louis.

The original firm became KAI Design & Build in 2004, and in 2019 evolved into KAI Enterprises. It houses four specialized subsidiaries: KAI Design, KAI Engineering, KAI Build, and KAI 360 Construction Services.

In 2024, KAI celebrated 25 years of service in Texas, where it has more than 70 employees based in Dallas-Fort Worth. KAI was established there through remote project work and partnerships.

At the helm of KAI’s Texas operations is President Darren L. James, FAIA, NOMA, NCARB— ”an influential voice in the DFW Metroplex and across the architecture industry,” according to Kennedy.

The Dallas location’s projects include:

• Dallas College Cedar Valley Campus Student Engagement Center

• The Black Academy of Arts and Letters at

Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center

• Aquatic and Recreation Center at McCowan Park (DeSoto, TX)

• DFW Airport Central Terminal Area Expansion and Terminal F Program Management

• Dallas ISD South Oak Cliff High School and H.S. Thompson Elementary

• Fort Worth ISD Young Men’s Leadership Academy

• Reby Cary Youth Library (Fort Worth)

• San Antonio ISD Sam Houston High School and Robert L.M. Hillard Health Center (San Antonio)

KAI is also the Architect of Record for the future National Juneteenth Museum in Fort Worth and to be part of the project team for the new Dallas Police Academy on the University of North Texas Dallas campus.

“Our mission every day is to improve the lives of community res-

idents during and after our projects; this passion drives everything we do, no matter the size or scope of our role,” said James.

“Working together with community partners, we have realized that mission for the past 25 years, and we are grateful to continue serving communities and to keep pursuing our goal of meaningful transformation for many years to come.”

KAI also mmarked a milestone in 2024 with the opening of an office in Atlanta, just east of Downtown Atlanta in the historic Studioplex complex.

A part of the Atlanta business community since 2012, KAI has increased services in engineering, construction management, architecture, interior design, and general contracting to meet growing regional demand.

“Our new Atlanta office marks a momentous milestone for KAI,” said Kennedy, Jr.

“With over two decades of dedicated service in

Georgia, this strategic move represents a significant step in our commitment to expanding our presence in the region.

By positioning ourselves in the heart of Atlanta, we’re better equipped to accommodate our growth and continue delivering on our promise of excellence, especially as we take on increasingly complex and community-impacting projects.

This new location not only reflects our dedication to our clients but also underscores our investment in the vibrant Atlanta community and reinforces our long-term commitment to the region.”

Recent and ongoing projects that reflect KAI’s transformative impact in Atlanta and across Georgia include:

• City of Atlanta Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation & Aquatic Center

• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Expansion & Renovation

• Atlanta-Fulton County Tom Lowe Water Treatment Plant

• Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System East Roswell Branch Library

• Atlanta Housing Authority Roosevelt Hall and Auburn Point

• Moody Air Force Base Medical Campus Modernization

“As KAI celebrates this milestone anniversary, the firm looks ahead with bold vision and renewed purpose,” said Kennedy Jr. “With a legacy rooted in resilience and a future driven by technical strength and transformative impact, KAI is poised to lead the next generation of design and construction, shaping stronger, smarter, and more inclusive communities for the next 45 years and beyond.”

Michael B. Kennedy Jr., KAI Enterprises CEO, says the firm has built a legacy over the past 45 years, and we’re only getting started.” KAI has regional offices in Dallas and Atlanta.

Photo courtesy of KAI

Together We Thrive

Configuring economic vitality

St. Louis to host VEX Robotics World Championship

By Chad Davis St. Louis Public Radio

St. Louis will be the next home of an international robotics competition that local leaders say will bring more than $30 million to the St. Louis area.

The VEX Robotics World Championship will be held at the America’s Center Convention Complex in 2026 and 2027. The weeklong competition hosted by the Robotics Education and Competition Foundation brings students from around the world to compete in STEM challenges.

The competition has been held in Dallas for the past few years. VEX leaders said this year’s competition included 2,400 teams from more than 60 countries. St. Louis will be an ideal location for the competition, Robotics Education and Competition Foundation CEO Dan Mantz said.

“[St. Louis officials] absolutely wanted this

event in their city, and we felt that they were going to be great partners, and that they were going to come and support the event, support the guests from all over the world,” Mantz said in a prerecorded video at a press event Friday.

Explore St. Louis leaders expect the event to generate more than 50,000 hotel room nights during the competition.

The conference follows a series of upgrades to the America’s Center Convention Complex, including a more than $250 million expansion project underway that includes a new exhibit hall and Washington Avenue Entrance and a 40-bed culinary garden where the center is growing produce to feed attendees of the convention.

The event will also fuel St. Louis’ economic engine, Explore St. Louis Chief Commercial Officer Ed Skapinok said.

“Events like the

VEX Robotics World Championships, they don’t just fill our hotels and restaurants, they help fuel the long term vitality

of our region,” Skapinok said. “The impact of largescale events like this that we bring to St. Louis have ripple effects across our economy, from hospitality and transportation to small business and cultural institutions.”

From foster care to the boardroom: A shot, a seat and a strategy for equity

By Orvin T. Kimbrough

I’m a foster kid who was given a shot. And I’ve spent every day since trying to make good on that opportunity — not just for myself, but for others like me who’ve never been handed the keys to the room, let alone the building.

Today, I have the privilege of serving as the CEO of the second-largest privately held bank in the St. Louis market. When I arrived, the bank was hovering around $1.8 billion in assets. Today, we’re knocking on the door of $3 billion. But numbers only tell part of the story. What really matters is how we grow — and who we grow with.

The margins of opportunity I got into college on the thinnest of margins. If the university hadn’t believed in giving nontraditional students a shot, I wouldn’t be here with multiple degrees to my name.

I was nontraditional in every sense of the word — Black, from the foster care system, working through learning gaps that stemmed from a shaky educational foundation. But I was hungry. I was ready. I just needed a chance.

That chance changed my life. It also taught me something that now defines my leadership philosophy: When people are overlooked by the system, it’s often because the system was designed to overlook them. You can’t outwork a door that’s locked shut. But when someone opens that door — when you’re given your shot — it’s on you to deliver.

Hiring with vision, not just optics

Every leadership role I’ve held has come with subtle — and not-so-subtle — reminders about what leadership “looks like.” In too many rooms, people weren’t used to seeing Black leadership the way I saw Black leadership.

But I didn’t wait for permission to change that.

I’ve always believed in opening the door a little wider, not just for those who look like me, but for anyone who is ready to rise. That said, I don’t politicize diversity. I strategize it. I hire intentionally based on the markets we serve. If we’re building relationships in North County or North St. Louis City — predominantly Black communities — we hire from those communities. If we’re working in rural or suburban regions that are majority white, we hire there too. That’s not politics, that’s common sense. That’s good business

The new Underground Railroad In the past, the Underground Railroad was a path to freedom from physical bondage. Today, entrepreneurship and leadership are our modern-day escape routes — from economic oppression, generational poverty and systems

n “I don’t politicize diversity. I strategize it. I hire intentionally based on the markets we serve.”

designed to stall progress. Whether you’re running a corner hustle or running a corporate division, Black entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship — rising through the ranks inside institutions — are powerful forms of resistance. When we take our seat at the table and keep that seat, we create space for others. We model what’s possible. We build wealth and power that future generations can expand on. But we also carry a responsibility — to show up, perform and open the door for the next one in line.

Don’t waste the room

Sometimes, you earn your way into a room by grinding it out. Other times, someone sponsors

you, sees your potential and ushers you in. Either way, once you’re in, the responsibility is the same: Perform. Deliver results. Be worthy of the seat because your performance isn’t just about you, it’s about all the people watching, wondering if someone like you belongs there. You don’t have to carry the burden of representation alone, but you do have to honor the moment. To waste the room is to waste the shot.

The diversity cliff

These days, I’m thinking a lot about the limitations placed on diverse small businesses. You hear stories that mirror the government benefits cliff: Grow too much, and suddenly you’re penalized. In the supplier diversity space, hitting a certain revenue threshold can mean losing access to certain programs and with it, the contracts that helped you grow in the first place.

Then there’s the issue of slow pay from larger government contracts — prime contractors who hire diverse firms but don’t pay on time. I know diverse entrepreneurs who’ve had to take out loans just to cover payroll while waiting to get paid. That’s not partnership. That’s exploitation. We have to create systems that build people up, not trap them in the middle. That means not just access, but equitable access. Not just opportunity, but opportunity with support.

What’s in our control

I’ve never let bitterness take root. I can’t afford to. I’m focused on doing the things that are in my control because there’s plenty we can control. We can build institutions that reflect the communities we serve. We can invest in entrepreneurs who’ve never been handed a trust fund but still dream big. We can sponsor talent that doesn’t check every traditional box but has the heart and hustle to grow into the role.

And we can keep showing up in rooms that weren’t built for us —

until they are.

Final word You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be ready. Ready to grow.

Ready to perform. Ready to build something better for those coming behind you. I may be an accidental banker, but I’m intentional

Team Uganda at Vex World Robotics Championship in Dallas in 2024.

Photo courtesy of Instagram

about the legacy I leave behind.

Orvin T. Kimbrough is chair and CEO, Midwest BankCentre.

Orvin T. Kimbrough

Together We Thrive

Lincoln

Continued from page 7 a meaningful impact on student literacy.”

Lincoln’s School of Education offers undergraduate teaching degrees (BSEd) across core subject areas and graduate-level degrees in counseling, administration, higher education, mental health leadership, and educational technology.

For more information, visit LincolnU.edu or contact Waters at WatersA@ lincolnu.edu.

LU Employment Academy a quick success

The Lincoln University Employment Academy, which launched in March, offers a two-semester certificate program that features both online learning and workforce development training for careers in direct care, cybersecurity, office administration, and accounting.

In their first semester, participating students will complete online coursework to learn basic skills in the field of their choosing. The second semester will provide students with either paid internships with local state agencies or further coursework at Lincoln University.

Notably, anyone who enrolls in the new program will be considered a fulltime Lincoln University student, meaning they are eligible to receive federal financial aid.

Additionally, all coursework completed through the Lincoln University Employment Academy counts as college credits and can be applied toward an undergraduate degree.

Darius Watson, assis-

Darius Watson,

tant provost for academic innovation, outreach and research, said in a Jefferson City New Tribune profile of the program by reporter Lizbeth Garcia, that he consulted with state agencies including the Department of

Social Services (DSS) and the Department of Mental Health (DMH) -- to develop areas that aligned with in-demand careers.

“First, we really tried to innovate with this program by making sure that we didn’t bake the cake

and then try and serve it to potential partners -- we wanted them in the kitchen,” Watson said. Watson said the Mental Health Department sought “a more physical component alongside theoretical frameworks already being

addressed in coursework.”

“Like one of the things, for instance, is just frankly being able to work with non-ambulatory patients and get them to the bathroom, and get them out of bed or get them exercise,” he said.

“And so we literally reconfigured this curriculum and worked it so that it was aligned with what (DMH) would expect or need for an entry-level internship or individual.”

The online first semester is important to many students in the program, or considering applying.

“These are nontraditional students -- so the biggest thing is, they’re working their education around their life, their kids, their spouses, their significant others, their full-time jobs -- some of them have two jobs (or) three jobs,” said Blaire Hines, director of Employment Academy.

“We’re trying to meet them where they are and not uproot them, or make life any more difficult than life already is for the average person, let alone someone who is raising a family, being an adult, and wanting to go and better themselves so that they can provide a stronger financial grounding for their family.”

Lincoln University of Missouri is a historically Black, 1890 land-grant, public university that provides excellent educational opportunities to a diverse population within a nurturing, studentcentered environment. Lincoln is known for its innovative undergraduate and graduate programs in agriculture, business administration, criminal justice, elementary education, nursing, guidance and counseling, and natural science. Located in Jefferson City, Missouri, Lincoln University was founded in 1866 by the men of the 62nd and 65th United States Colored Infantries and their white officers for the benefit of freed African Americans.

Lincoln University assistant provost for academic innovation, outreach and research, said he consulted with state agencies including the Department of Social Services and the Department of Mental Health, to develop areas that aligned with in-demand careers as Lincoln developed curriculum for its Employment Academy.

Photo courtesy of Jefferson City News Tribune

Together We Thrive

Tiny Homes

Continued from page 1

couple of weeks,” said TinyHomeSTL founder Erion Johnson. “We’re teaching the youth how to rebuild St. Louis because we want St. Louis to be rebuilt the same way or stronger. We don’t have enough trades out here.”

And after weeks in the program, some teenagers said they’re already honing their skills.

“I learned how to use electricity,” 13-year-old Garrison Pounds said. “I already got the drift of it.”

They’ve built about 13 of the 10-by-12, 120-square-foot houses. They’re meant to be temporary and lack indoor plumbing. The group is adding electric wiring to the homes but needs a source of power — generators in the short term and maybe the electric grid later.

Johnson said the plan is to lease the houses for free for two years, and TinyHomeSTL will do maintenance on the houses every three months.

The program does two things simultaneously: helping people who lost their homes while teaching younger people valuable trades.

“The kids keep building these tiny scales of a home, when they get to that big scale of a home on a bigger jobsite, it’ll make sense to them,” Johnson said.

The program has already put a battery in some of the kids’ backs.

“I’m here to help people, maybe make a business when I get older,” 16-year-old Taran Henderson said.

TinyHomeSTL has

been building the homes for about five weeks, and that time hasn’t been without its challenges. Much of the seed money came out of Johnson’s pockets, but as the program continues, so does the need for more funding. He started a GoFundMe for the project with a $50,000 goal — so far they’ve raised just shy of $5,000. They’ve also been slowed down by rainstorms and high temperatures. Johnson wanted to build the homes inside the Monarch Building on Martin Luther King Drive, a Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authorityowned warehouse. A

spokesperson for the St. Louis Development Corporation, which runs the LCRA, said the space isn’t permitted for people to build inside but is willing to help Johnson find another space.

Johnson has been trying to find a different space for the group to work. The volunteer-led group is an important program that gives displaced people a different option for a temporary home, said Johnson’s representative on the Board of Aldermen, Shameem Clark Hubbard of the 10th Ward.

“For any individuals that don’t want to go to the long-term shelter, don’t

want to go to the temporary shelter, don’t want to go to even the hotel rooms that have been offered here, this is the opportunity for them that gives them more stability,” Hubbard said.

The tiny homes could also help people for years to come. Johnson aims to store the homes that aren’t in use somewhere and when another disaster strikes, there’ll be extra homes.

And the tiny houses have attracted a lot of attention across the state, including from members of the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus.

“If Kansas City had this

situation happen, we’ll have houses stored here that we can put on the diesels and move down the road,” said Missouri state Rep. Michael Johnson.

Johnson learned about the program through Rep. Yolonda Fountain Henderson. She said she appreciates that the teens participating will be able to take their new skills beyond the current project.

“I’m getting some work done on my shed at home,” Henderson said.

“So I’m looking like, OK, maybe I can get these children in my house and finish my shed.”

Christian Riggins, 13, looks up while helping move framed walls for tiny homes as a volunteer with TinyHomeSTL on June 12 outside the Wesley House Association in St. Louis’ Penrose neighborhood.

For Gray, it’s all about taking matters in his own hands and doing what he can to help out his community.

“We have to come together and take charge,” Gray said. “By doing this, we can help out people in however many places by giving them somewhere to get away from the cold, the heat or just any kind of form of shelter.”

Published with permission as part of a content sharing partnership with St. Louis Public Radio. Visit stlpr.org to view the original story and to hear Erion “Prop-Man” Johnson on St. Louis on the Air.

Photo Brian Munoz / St. Louis Public Radio

Together We Thrive

Rising together

People’s Health Centers leads tornado relief and recovery

In May, powerful tornadoes swept through the St. Louis region, damaging homes, cutting power, and displacing families across the area. The impact was immediate and devastating.

At Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Centers, we knew we had to act quickly. As a trusted community health center for over 50 years, we have always been here for our neighbors, especially in times of crisis.

Just days after the storms, our Outreach Services team mobilized. We began working Monday through Friday, setting up at key community locations including Fountain Park, O’Fallon Park, Newstead, Natural Bridge and Chaifetz Arena to bring support directly to those affected. We also went out to neighborhoods to distribute relief items.

At each site, we distributed hygiene kits, cleaning supplies, food, water, diapers and other essentials. Our pharmacy team stepped in immediately, replacing medications for patients who had lost prescriptions or access to care due to storm damage. In addition, we provided on-site health screenings, behavioral health referrals, and appointment scheduling to ensure continuity of care.

“At People’s, we’re deeply committed to whole-person health, which means meeting individuals where they are and responding to their needs as they arise. We couldn’t

do it without the generous support of those who have donated and volunteered alongside us.”

— Dr. Ronald Griffin, Chief Operating Officer

This response involved our entire organization. Staff from departments across People’s Health Centers brought their talents to help meet the urgent needs of the community. Their commitment reflects our mission to serve the whole person with dignity and compassion.

We also received incredible support from our partners. LabCorp, the Department of Behavioral Health, and others came alongside us to provide supplies, manpower, and critical services. One volunteer even drove from Chattanooga, Tennessee, to assist. That type of selflessness has been a hallmark of this recovery effort.

Generous donations from organizations like JustServe, Fresh Winds Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, and individuals helped us deliver much-needed supplies, from adult briefs to cleaning products, directly into the hands of those who needed them most.

Throughout this emergency response, we also continued offering our full range of services, including:

• Primary Care and Family Medicine

• Dental for Adults and Children

• Behavioral Health and Counseling

• Women’s Health and Prenatal Services

• Pediatrics and Immunizations

• WIC and Nutrition

Support

• On-site Pharmacy and Lab Services

Our services remain open to all, regardless of insurance status or income, because we believe healthcare is a right, not a privilege.

Looking forward, we are excited to announce the upcoming People’s Promise Resource Center. This new facility will be a permanent hub for expanded health and wellness services, social support, workforce development, youth programming, and emergency response coordination. It represents our long-term investment in building stronger, healthier communities.

To continue our tornado relief efforts, we are hosting a Tornado Relief Resource Fair on Friday, August 23. This special event will connect residents impacted by the storm with health screenings, essential supplies, housing assistance, mental health resources, and community-based services—all in one place.

We understand that recovery does not happen overnight. It takes time, consistency, and community support. That is why we are committed to walking alongside our neighbors not only during emergencies but every day.

Together We Thrive

Sponsored Content

Building back together

Collaboration activates tornado recovery

By Christie Brinkman, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives, McCarthy Building Companies

The EF3 tornado that tore through St. Louis on May 16 revealed both alarming vulnerability and incredible resilience.

Hundreds of families in north St. Louis lost their homes, many of which had been proudly passed down through generations.

n McCarthy team members have eagerly donated thousands of hours and contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of expertise, equipment and materials to support the cleanup and recovery effort.

Adding to the distress, about 70% of those affected lack insurance coverage, leaving families with few options for rebuilding their lives.

The devastation of these losses cannot be overstated.

But this catastrophic storm also unleashed an extraordinary wave of community support that galvanized an outpouring of volunteers to the front lines to assist with recovery efforts.

McCarthy team members have eagerly donated thousands of hours and contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of expertise, equipment, and materials to support the cleanup and recovery effort. Joined by colleagues across the St. Louis construction industry, our crews have been energized by the spirit of collaboration, teamwork, and generosity that has defined our collective work.

So many others have also generously stepped up to help—from local, state and federal elected officials; to regional economic development organizations; to faith communities; to dozens of local businesses. What’s been most refreshing is that these collaborators have pitched

See McCARTHY, page 31

Christie Brinkman, of McCarthy Building Companies, leads a safety training for fellow construction team members who donated their time and expertise to support tornado cleanup and recovery efforts in The Ville neighborhood.

Photo courtesy of McCarthy Building Companies

By Steve Walentik, UMSL Daily

Jolaade Bada was a strong student who excelled at science throughout her years at Hazelwood Central High School. So much so that she’s planning on following a pre-med track with the goal of one day becoming a dermatologist when she starts college this fall.

But lab experiences Bada had in high school were fairly limited and typically consisted of group activities where a pipette might be shared among her and three of her classmates.

It was eye-opening to be running her own experiments this summer while working in the lab of University of MissouriSt. Louis Professor Wendy Olivas as she participated in the Collaborative Laboratory Internship and Mentoring Blueprint, also known as CLIMB. Olivas’ lab conducts research on Parkinson’s Disease, and Bada’s research aimed to examine how the regulation of gene expression by a group of RNA-binding proteins affects the degradation of specific mRNAs associated with the disease.

“It was a very hands-on experience,” said Bada, who learned basic lab skills such as how to label tubes, use a centrifuge, take notes and record results. She also maintained a

CLIMB aboard UM-St. Louis program helps high school students gain scientific lab experience Together We Thrive

culture of human neuronal cells and created mutations in genes involved in Parkinson’s to determine their effect on gene regulation by Pumilio proteins. “I was comfortable enough to ask questions

from anyone,” Bada said. “There wasn’t a time that I didn’t have a reading or I didn’t have a diagram drawn that allowed me to understand what I was doing and the purpose of my research. I enjoyed my

time in the lab, and I loved everyone I worked with.” Bada described her experiences while presenting in front of family members, friends and other supporters last Friday afternoon during CLIMB’s

closing celebration, held in the

floor

as

this

on the

She was one of six area high school students who took part in the program

Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center’s conference room

first

of Benton Hall.

paid interns

summer, joining Hazelwood East students Vajah Bassett and Makayla Glen, Hazelwood West students Imani

Jolaade Bada, a recent graduate of Hazelwood Central High School and intern in the Collaborative Laboratory Internships and Mentoring Blueprint, runs an experiment while working in the lab of UMSL Biology Professor Wendy Olivas. Bada was one of six high school students to take part in CLIMB this summer.

Photo by Derik Holtmann

Why I believe in FamilyForward

By Joe Holt

I grew up in a Section 8 apartment complex raised by a single mom who was working two jobs and going to college at night. Survival often came before dreams and aspirations. The streets were brutal, and trauma was a part of daily life. Getting jumped, bullied, and excluded wasn’t unusual, it was expected. That kind of environment doesn’t nurture hope; it teaches you to cope, to hide your pain, and to keep moving.

I developed survival skills early. I learned how to read a room fast, how to adapt to people in my environment, how to build relationships with the bigger kids for protection, and when necessary, how to protect myself emotionally. But those coping mechanisms came at a cost. They made it harder to trust, to connect, and to believe that things could be different.

day, I’m driven by the memory of what it felt like to need the very support we offer.

Looking back, I often wonder how my life might have changed if an organization like FamilyForward had been there. If a trained therapist had stepped in to say, “You matter. You are safe. You are not alone. And I’m here to help.” That kind of support could have made all the difference.

Today, I have the privilege of serving as the Chief Development Officer at FamilyForward. And every

FamilyForward exists to move vulnerable children and families in the St. Louis region and beyond toward a safer, healthier, and more stable future. We provide wraparound family services including trauma-informed therapy, parenting support, and community-based services that help families heal and grow. We don’t just treat symptoms; we address root causes. We don’t just offer services; we build relationships. When I walk through our offices or visit one of our sites, I see children learning to trust again. I see caregivers discovering new ways to connect with their kids. I see families no longer defined by their past but preparing for their future. And I see a team of professionals who bring compassion, expertise, and unwavering commitment to every interaction.

This is why I am working here. Because every day, we get to be part of someone’s turning point. We get to be the difference I wish I had when I was growing up.

FamilyForward is a community effort. It takes all of us staff, volunteers, donors, and advocates to create lasting change. And that’s where you come in.

If you believe that

every child deserves to feel safe, valued, and supported, we invite you to join us. Whether you give your time, your voice, or your resources, you are helping to build a stronger, more compassionate St. Louis. Your donation helps us provide therapy for children who have experienced abuse or neglect. It helps us train caregivers in trauma-informed parenting. It helps us reach families before crises escalate. And most importantly, it helps us offer hope where it’s needed most.

I know firsthand how powerful hope can be. I know what it’s like to be attacked and on the ground, and I know what it means when someone finally helps you up. That’s the heart of our mission at FamilyForward: to see, support, and to stand with families as they heal and grow. So, I’m asking you person to person, neighbor to neighbor, to stand with us. Donate. Volunteer. Work with us. Share our story. Be part of the movement to create a safer, healthier future for every child in our community. Because when we invest in families, we invest in the future of St. Louis and beyond. And tog ether, we can ensure that no child must face trauma alone. Joe Holt is Chief Development Officer for FamilyForward Together we thrive, join us as a team member, volunteer, or support us through a donation at FamilyForwardmo.org

Joe Holt

CHAMPIONS Initiative brings underrepresented into pipe trades

Tiron Cannon was ready to build something – physically and financially, for the present and for the future.

After working as a railroad technician, Cannon realized that he needed to take steps to provide for his future family. He also wanted to work with his hands to create solutions to real-world problems –following in the footsteps of a brother who worked in heating, ventilation and air conditioning, as well as a friend with a mechanical engineering background.

Cannon’s search for such work led him to the CHAMPIONS Initiative, a partnership between Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 562, the Mechanical Contractors Association (MCA), and the Plumbing Industry Council (PIC) that is designed to bring underrepresented populations into the pipe trades.

Cannon entered the CHAMPIONS Initiative earlier this summer and is fully immersed in training and education to build a successful life as a skilled tradesperson.

“I want to be able to provide for my family,” Cannon said. “I’m ready to learn new things.”

The CHAMPIONS Initiative is part of a growing movement of partnerships between labor and employers that are opening doors to life-changing employment for minorities, women, people who have experienced incarceration, and others with relatively

little or no historical ties to the skilled trades.

The program offers six weeks of hands-on technical training and professional development specific to the pipe trades, concluding with placement as a pre-apprentice with an MCA or PIC member contractor. Participants also receive a weekly stipend to support their living expenses while they participate in this full-time educational opportunity. In addition, CHAMPIONS –whose name is an acronym for Creating Hometown Advantages through Minority Participation in Our Neighborhoods –provides peer groups and intentional mentorship to participants as they progress into apprenticeship and beyond.

More than 60 CHAMPIONS participants are currently employed as union plumbers or pipefitters.

One of those graduates, Jessica Percell, is working as a refrigeration technician at Johnson Controls. A former bartender who entered the CHAMPIONS Initiative in 2024, Percell was the first participant to focus specifically on mechanical service rather than construction. Johnson Controls, a manufacturing and service company, took notice of her and brought her onboard as a pre-apprentice at the conclusion of the six-week program, and she continues to gain valuable experience in refrigeration.

“I show up ready to

learn, and they show up ready to teach me as much as my brain can process,” Percell said. “I feel extremely thankful for the position I am in.”

Percell is a graduate of another union construction pre-apprenticeship program that is changing the face of the industry – the Apprentice Ready Program.

Now in its 11th year, the Apprentice Ready Program is a five-week program offered at no charge to selected individuals who meet the admission requirements. The program, which is sponsored by the Missouri AFLCIO’s Missouri Works Initiative, is offered statewide; in the St. Louis area, it was formerly known as Building Union Diversity, or BUD.

With four ARP cohorts running each year in St. Louis, hundreds of graduates have been placed in every building trades union in the St. Louis region. The ARP program coordinates with individualized training programs in many unions, such as the CHAMPIONS Initiative, to provide additional specialized training in graduates’ chosen trade before starting work.

For Nicole Kupfensteiner, an ARP graduate and now a member of Laborers Local 110, the program was an opportunity to apply her background in the trades to a new career path as she searched for sustainable employment following

incarceration.

“I see the steps to take, which I couldn’t before,” Kupfensteiner said.

Recognized as a comprehensive apprenticeship readiness program (ARP) by North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU), BUD offers enrollees a comprehensive introduction to construction employment by using NABTU’s nationally recognized MultiCraft Core Curriculum (MC3) providing relevant national skills certification training, with a particular focus on job safety.

The three-part training model includes classroom coursework that covers both technical skills and life skills such as financial literacy, hands-on training, and trade placement advising to help participants find a place in one of more than 15 trades in the construction industry.

“Having someone in your corner like that makes a huge difference, and I’ll forever be grateful,” Kupfensteiner said.

The program also provides financial and in-kind support, including a weekly stipend, a bus pass, free work gear, and a tool allotment.

Some sectors of the skilled trades are expanding their outreach to youth. The Heavy Metal Summer Experience brings together Sheet Metal Workers

SMART Local 36 and the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors National Association (SMACNA) to host high school students – particularly young women and students from underrepresented communities – for a two-week summer camp with hands-on construction projects and tours of local contractor shops.

“By providing early exposure, mentorship, and real-world experience, HMSE aims to diversify the future construction workforce and inspire the next generation of skilled tradespeople—particularly those who may not have previously seen themselves represented in the industry,” said Susan Miller, SMACNA’s executive director.

Employers are joining the apprenticeship preparation movement as well. The Metropolitan Sewer District partnered with Missouri Works to establish the Workforce Development Grant Program. Spire provides a variety of financial and volunteer support through its community partnership program, Spire Serves.

Other employers participate in hiring events and graduation ceremonies that expose ARP participants to more career opportunities and industry contacts.

Anna Witte, a key member of Spire’s Workforce Development Team, said ARP is changing the game “by helping workers who may not

have otherwise pictured themselves in skilled trade careers find their path forward.”

“Many face barriers to accessing quality training programs, limiting their growth potential,” Witte said. “By investing in equitable education, apprenticeships, and vocational programs, we can empower workers, close skill gaps, and foster a more inclusive, resilient workforce.”

Recognizing the importance of developing the skilled workforce, Missouri Works has introduced another Apprentice Ready Program in the St. Louis area that is focused on manufacturing. Four cohorts of that program will run in 2025.

As participants in these vital programs look toward the future, Cannon, the railroad technician turned would-be pipefitter, dreams of a rewarding life as a skilled tradesperson and union member – perhaps even a business owner.

“Success looks like taking something I learned out into the open world,” Cannon said.

For more information on the Apprentice Ready Program, visit moworksinitiative.org.

For more information on the CHAMPIONS Initiative, visit mca-emo. org.

For more information on Heavy Metal Summer Experience, visit smacnastlouis.org.

St. Louis Council of Construction Employers

By Justin Bridgeman CEO, Heartland CocaCola Bottling Company

In 2017, Heartland Coca-Cola Bottling Company (Heartland) was formed by my father, Ulysses “Junior” Bridgeman. His legacy was built on excellence, humility, and a deep commitment to people, both inside and outside of the business. With its headquarters in Olathe, Kansas, Heartland serves 25,000-plus customers across Kansas, Missouri, Southern Illinois, and counties in Iowa and Nebraska. More than a bottler, Heartland is a company with a mission: to enrich lives and make a meaningful difference in every community we serve. When my father passed away in March 2025, I stepped into the role of CEO with pride, responsibility, and a vision for the future. I didn’t just inherit a business; I now occupy a rented space where I will continue the legacy of a belief system that my father and family have fostered in me since I was a young child. That belief system is one centered around people, around service, and around the idea that we are truly at our best when we work together.

Together We Thrive

Together we thrive, winning together

Our Heartland theme, “Winning Together,” is more than a slogan. It reflects our approach to business, community partnerships, and leadership. We believe success is not a solo pursuit. It takes collaboration, trust, and a commitment to a shared future. That’s why the theme of the St. Louis American Diversity magazine, “Together We Thrive,” resonates so deeply with us. At Heartland, thriving means lifting one another up by creating opportunities, investing in people, and showing up consistently in the places we call home. We don’t just operate in our communities; we are a part of them. Our employees live here. Our families grow here. And our customers depend on us here. That means our responsibility goes far beyond selling beverages. We must be a reliable partner, especially when our communities need us most. We invite collaboration. We want our community leaders, educators, and nonprofit partners to knock on our doors -- not

n Our Heartland theme, “Winning Together,” is more than a slogan. It reflects our approach to business, community partnerships, and leadership. We believe success is not a solo pursuit. It takes collaboration, trust, and a commitment to a shared future.

just for donations or sponsorships, but to help shape solutions together. Our vision looks beyond financial results. It’s anchored in long-term impact. In late 2024, we opened a new $400 million Olathe Production Campus (OPC), followed by a Grand Opening and

Ribbon Cutting ceremony in June 2025. The Olathe, Kansas OPC is a 700,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art facility that has been designed to power Heartland’s growth for generations to come. The OPC goes beyond the speed or scale at which we can produce our customers’ favorite beverages. It’s about sustainability, innovation, and training our people for the future. It’s about creating high-quality jobs in the Midwest and giving our teams the tools and skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing industry.

This is just one example of the kind of investment that ensures we’re

not only meeting today’s needs, but also preparing for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow. Of course, thriving together starts from within. Diversity, equity, and inclusion aren’t just priorities, but are a part of our DNA or when it comes to diversity, equity, and inclusion, it’s a part of our DNA. We ask ourselves hard questions: Are we truly living out our values? Are we fostering a culture where every team member feels seen, heard, and empowered? Are we doing everything we can to create pathways to leadership and success for all? Our

Photo courtesy of Heartland Coca-Cola Bottling Company

Together We Thrive

Counterpublic expands partnership with International Institute of St. Louis

Arts organization supports agency after abrupt funding cuts

By St. Louis American Staff

Counterpublic has expanded its partnership with the International Institute of St. Louis in response to the organization’s complete loss of federal funding

“It was clear this was a moment to act,” said James McAnally, Counterpublic co-founder and Executive + Artistic Director. “As an organization rooted in the belief that art can shape civic life, we saw the deepening of this partnership as both a responsibility and opportunity to invest in community, stand in solidarity — and to help build the future we want to live in.”

Counterpublic originated from an exhibition at the Luminary art gallery, which was co-founded by McNally and Brea Youngblood. It became a standalone organization in 2021, with a primary focus on the intersection of art and social justice.

Established in 1919, IISTL is the region’s leading immigrant service provider and information hub and the primary immigrant integration and refugee resettlement agency in Missouri. With nearly 1,000 volunteers and staff, the organization serves as a landing point for the city’s newest residents, offering comprehensive

services including English and citizenship classes, career path support, job placement, counseling and small-business development and microloans.

The organization also produces the Festival of Nations, which will take place August 23-24 in Tower Grove Park.

Earlier this year, IISTL was forced to furlough 60% of its workforce after the Trump administration suspended refugee

resettlement and withheld Congressionally approved funding.

At the cornerstone of this institutional partnership is the inauguration of the newly created role of Community Engagement Fellow, to be funded by Counterpublic and shared between the two organizations.

“We’re honored to support a critical institution like IISTL and to steward this partnership in a time

of great need,” said Melisa Betts Sanders, director of community engagement for Counterpublic. “New Americans are essential to the fabric of our city, and we remain committed to working collaboratively and creatively to support all members of our St. Louis communities — especially in moments of profound change, uncertainty, and injustice.”

Beginning this month, Grace Murekatete, who

Grace Murekatete, a former employment caseworker at International Institute of St. Louis, will be rehired following furlough as the full-time, two-year fellow at the institute thanks to the newly expanded organizational partnership with Counterpublic.

served as an Employment Caseworker at IISTL, will be rehired following furlough as the full-time, two-year fellow at the IISTL. She will support essential programming, including the beloved annual Festival of Nations. She also will serve as a key connector between the communities served by the IISTL and Counterpublic’s upcoming Triennial.

“This organization (IISTL) has helped me

meet people from various backgrounds and learn a lot from their diverse experiences,” Murekatete said. “I am very excited about this new role because I like to socialize and connect with new people in new ways.” As part of this deepened collaboration, IISTL’s campus in Tower Grove East has been named an anchor site for the Counterpublic 2026 Triennial, an exhibition of public art that takes place Sept. 12-Dec. 12, 2026. In addition to the International Institute, anchor sites for artwork display will be in the Ville and Greater Ville neighborhoods, near the St. Louis riverfront and at the National Building Arts Center in Sauget, Illinois.

“Our work with Counterpublic over the past year has shown what’s possible when community organizations and cultural organizations align around shared values,” said Kelly Moore, Director of Community Engagement for International Institute of St. Louis. “Together, we’re creating programs and pathways that reflect the diversity and vitality of our communities and working to ensure St. Louis is a place where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”

Photo by Carly Faye / Courtesy of Counterpublic

Together We Thrive

Commerce Bank invests in FergusonFlorissant families

By Tamara Lackland, Commerce Bank

At Commerce Bank, supporting the community is a priority. As a result, when we learned that leaders at the FergusonFlorissant School District were interested in financial education for parents and students, we immediately rolled up our sleeves.

District leaders were aware of programming Commerce had facilitated with another school district in the area and wanted to know if we could do something similar with them. Sharing our talent in financial services and providing financial education to families is something we’re passionate about, so we were confident this opportunity would be a good fit.

appreciated that we were able to answer every question and provide the information they needed in a way that was easy to understand. Some attendees said it helped them realize home ownership is attainable.

As a first step, the Commerce team met with district leaders to learn what information would be most helpful. They shared that many families in the FergusonFlorissant School District are renters, so information about pathways to homeownership would be helpful for parents to recognize that they have the ability to buy a home and start building generational wealth.

During the seminars, our Commerce Bank team learned that many of the attendees had never spoken with anyone affiliated with a bank, nor did they know how the homebuying process works. They would be first-generation home buyers, so it was all new information. Because of that lack of familiarity, and in many cases not having a close family member or friend who was a homeowner who could advise them, they assumed homeownership was not accessible to them. Our intent was to take the mystery out of homebuying and help them recognize that even if they aren’t ready today, they can take steps to be ready in the future.

n Out of those conversations grew a four-part series of seminars about homebuying, conducted every other month, during the 2024–25 school year.

Out of those conversations grew a four-part series of seminars about homebuying, conducted every other month, during the 2024-25 school year. The seminars touched on topics such as credit and how to improve it, the mortgage pre-approval process, and other resources for potential home buyers.

These seminars were met with positive feedback from the parents who attended. They valued the informal nature of the sessions, as it helped them feel comfortable asking any questions they had. They

The seminars are just one example of how Commerce has worked with the FergusonFlorissant School District this year. The bank also supported the district’s annual trunk-or-treat event, volunteered at a back-to-school fair, and led discussions during the district’s “Muffins with Moms” program, a breakfast series focused on women’s empowerment.

Supporting the community in this way is a team effort at Commerce; people from multiple areas of the bank have been excited to volunteer and help. We’ve all enjoyed working with parents and students of the Ferguson-Florissant School District, and we’re looking forward to doing even more together.

Tamara Lackland is retail group manager for Commerce Bank

Tamara Lackland

Together We Thrive

UMSL’s Nnanna to lead accreditation commission

St. Louis American Staff

George Nnanna, founding director of the University of MissouriSt. Louis School of Engineering, has been elected a commissioner and team chair for ABET, the nation’s leading accrediting body for college engineering programs.

The Maryland-based Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology accredits thousands of programs in applied science, computing, engineering and engineering technology at colleges and universities around the world. Nnanna’s role is with ABET’s Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC).

Nnanna was officially sworn in on July 19 at ABET headquarters in Baltimore, and his fiveyear-term begins Aug. 1

“I am honored to be elected by my peers to

serve in this important role,” Nnanna said. “The Engineering Accreditation Commission plays a crucial role in reviewing educational programs and making the final accreditation decisions — ensuring we uphold the highest standards of excellence.”

More than 4,700 programs across nearly 1,000 institutions worldwide hold ABET accreditation. Among its four commissions, the EAC is responsible for evaluating undergraduate engineering programs to ensure they meet rigorous standards for academic quality and professional preparation.

“A huge congratulations and heartfelt thanks to our newly appointed commissioners,” ABET said in a statement. “Your leadership and dedication are vital to maintaining ABET’s legacy of quality.”

Each accreditation commission is responsible for the continuous review

George Nnanna, founding director of the University of MissouriSt. Louis School of Engineering, will chair the Engineering Accreditation Commission team for the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. and enhancement of its particular criteria, policies and procedures subsequent to review and approval by the appropriate governance body.

In his role as EAC commissioner and team chair, Nnanna will lead accreditation reviews for mechanical and related engineering programs. He

Content

will help select, mentor and oversee more than 150 program evaluators who conduct over 100 on-campus accreditation visits annually — shaping the

quality and consistency of engineering education across the country and beyond.

This national leadership role elevates UMSL’s growing reputation in engineering education. As founding director, Nnanna has been instrumental in hiring faculty, designing curriculum and preparing to launch the university’s new School of Engineering in Fall 2025.

“George’s national leadership demonstrates his deep commitment to excellence, accountability and continual improvement in engineering education,” said Steven J. Berberich, UMSL’s provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “His dual roles position UMSL not only to launch and grow our School of Engineering with rigor but to ensure our graduates are well-equipped to serve Missouri, advance industry and innovate globally.”

Q&A with Bethany Jenkins of Missouri American Water

1. How long have you been an employee at Missouri American Water and what prompted you to apply for a job here? I started my career at American Water in September 2003 at what was the American Water Customer Call Center in Alton, Illinois. A member of my church who worked there suggested I apply as they were hiring for new call handlers.

2. What is your favorite part about the job? My favorite part of the job is that no two days

are ever the same! I love engaging with my team and the workforce as well as building relationships and networking with external customers like elected officials, public works directors & inspectors. I also enjoy engaging with our customer base. I learn something new or meet someone new every day.

3. What have you seen change in the last few years in terms of MAW’s efforts for a more diverse and inclusive workforce? Over the last few years there has been a concerted

Bethany Jenkins effort to increase our visibility to the community. We do that by partnering with local organizations such as the Urban League and the St. Louis Community College system attending career fairs. We truly believe in bringing your whole self to work, and we are committed to building a talent pipeline to present the best candidates possible for

open positions. I’m thrilled to work for a Company that stands on building a culture of trust, dignity and respect.

4. What do you see as the biggest challenges to MAW and the water industry as a whole over the next 5-10 years? The need for continued investment in our water and wastewater systems, including the technology component, so

we can continue to deliver reliable service and quality water to our customers!

5. What is some advice you would share with anyone looking to get into the field of Operations? The best advice I could share is start where you have the most interest. Whether it be customer service, construction, maintenance, or operations support. Not all jobs require a traditional 4year degree. You can be anything you want to be at Missouri American Water. There are many different

departments ranging from operations to finance. The opportunity for advancement and development are limitless.

6. What do you do for fun? Hobbies? Outside interests? I love to travel! My favorite places right now are anywhere with a beach, preferably on an island. I also am a massive college football fan so I’m ready for the 2025 season to start. #BoomerSooner!

Bethany Jenkins is Senior Operations Manager at MAW.

Photo courtesy of University of Texas Permian Basin

Sponsored

Together We Thrive

Continued from page 21

in with no concern about compensation, competitive issues or political affiliations.

We’re fortunate to be guided by several extraordinary community and neighborhood advocacy organizations, including 4theVille, Invest STL and Dream Builders 4 Equity. Because these groups have spent years building relationships and serving the community, they are ideally positioned to mobilize resources that will support the short- and long-term needs of residents.

In reflecting on my experiences as a crew member working in The Ville neighborhood, I’m most surprised that some of the smallest gestures carried the most weight. What a thrill it was to watch a kid’s face light up when choosing a favorite donut from the daily Pharaoh’s delivery. Or to witness a simple popsicle bring an unexpected smile

Coca-Cola

Continued from page 26

answers shape our culture, and our culture drives our performance.

But internal success means little if we aren’t also showing up externally. We want to win the market but not at the expense of relationships. We want to earn trust in every community we serve, including those that have historically been underserved or overlooked. That’s why we are intentional about hiring locally, building relationships

to a face streaked with tears. And we were all moved when an elderly woman invited our team onto her porch just to wrap us in a hug and say “God bless you.”

It would be easy to miss these moments, but for me, they served as powerful reminders of why we were there. In the aftermath of devastating loss, these people still found ways to embrace their humanity— and to share it with us. We came to serve, but those moments taught us just as much about grace under pressure as any formal training ever could.

The recovery is far from over. Families are still living in tents, roofs are still punctured and building foundations are still exposed to the elements. The long road to recovery will require sustained commitment and grit.

As we continue to support the recovery, the question isn’t just how quickly we can rebuild, but how we can build back stronger by amplifying the voices of those who know

with minority- and women-owned businesses, and ensuring our workforce reflects the diversity of the markets we serve.

The truth is, many of the things we invest in today, from leadership training to community partnerships, won’t bear fruit for years. But we know they will. Because we believe in the power of planting seeds, nurturing them with purpose, and watching communities grow stronger together.

As I look to Heartland’s future, I’m reminded of the values my father instilled in this company: faith, family, integrity, and

these communities best. The path forward lies not in grand gestures from outsiders, but in sustained partnerships that recognize community leaders as the experts on their own neighborhoods’ needs. May these neighbors continue to feel the extraordinary power of community as they rebuild their lives. And may we all keep coming together to support one another in times of need, rebuilding our city for and with each other.

As Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives at McCarthy Building Companies, Christie Brinkman is responsible for developing innovative solutions that deliver extraordinary value to clients. Her longstanding commitment to enhancing the St. Louis region is reflected in her volunteer leadership for numerous community organizations, including the Urban Land Institute (ULI St. Louis), Home Sweet Home and Missouri Baptist Hospital Foundation.

respect. These aren’t just words. They are guideposts for how we lead, how we serve, and how we build something that lasts.

So yes, we are a business. But we are also a neighbor, a partner, and a catalyst for change. Our success will always be measured not just by how many cases we move, but by how many lives we touch. That’s what it means to win together. That’s what it means to thrive together.

Justin Bridgeman is CEO of Heartland CocaCola Bottling Company www.heartlandcocacola.com

Together We Thrive

CLIMB

Continued from page 22

Mu’Min and Charlie Saunders and University City High School student Synia Brown. It marked the 11th year of a program that aims to foster scientific interest in highability students who might not otherwise have had opportunities to receive comparable hands-on lab experience.

CLIMB, supported this year with funding from the James S. McDonnell Foundation, the Trio Foundation of St. Louis and private donors, began as a partnership between UMSL and Jennings High School, led by now-retired biology faculty member Patricia Parker and co-directors Rhonda Key and Miranda Ming, then administrators in the Jennings School District. Since then, it has also served students from Hazelwood, University City, Ritenour and Riverview Gardens.

“It started trying to fill a critical need in providing accessible, authentic, hands-on scientific research experiences for high schoolers here in north St. Louis County,” said Associate Professor Lon Chubiz, who succeeded Parker as CLIMB’s director.

“CLIMB has looked for the past 11 years to show our participants what a future in science looks like and hopefully helps them see themselves in those careers.”

Beyond their active participation in labs working alongside graduate students, undergrads and faculty members, this year’s participants took field trips to the Missouri Botanical Garden, Saint Louis Zoo, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, Bayer Crop Science and the Shaw

Nature Reserve, where they received a tour from members of the Webster Groves Nature Study Society. The field trips were meant give them a glimpse at what active careers in science look like.

“The one that was very notable to me was the Danforth Center,” Bada said. “I liked learning how people came from all over the country – and even different countries – to work on science in that one place, and how they had machines for phenotyping that weren’t anywhere else, and just the lengths that people would go to really discover more in science.”

They had experiences

they never would have had elsewhere, such as when they visited the Zoo and got to feed and pet a black rhinoceros. Saunders, entering her senior year at Hazelwood East and dually enrolled at St. Louis Community College, shared a few fun facts she learned about the animals, including that their horns are not made from ivory but rather keratin, the same material that makes up human hair and fingernails.

Brown, who’ll be a junior at U. City, enjoyed her first visit to Shaw Nature Reserve. During what she described as a “plant safari” she even had the opportunity to sample a gooseberry.

But the most impactful moments were often in the lab or in the field.

While Bada worked on research related to Parkinson’s, Mu’Min studied Alzheimer’s in the lab of Professor Michael Nichols from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Saunders examined how nitrogen deficiencies impacted the development of rice plants while working in the lab of Xuemin (Sam) Wang who studies lipids as the E. Desmond Lee Endowed Professor in Plant Sciences with a dual appointment at the Danforth Plant Science Center.

Brown, working in the lab of Assistant

Professor Sara Miller in the Department of Biology, tried to explore the impact of tornados on the growth rates of paper wasp nests by gathering and comparing data from sites that were and were not impacted by the May 16 tornado that cut through St. Louis.

Glen, meanwhile, studied the effects of varying amounts of ethanol on the decision-making of bees while a member of Biology Professor Aimee Dunlap’s lab, and Bassett did research on organic and organometallic chemistry – specifically involving catalytic reactions – while working in the lab of Chemistry

Associate Professor Eike Bauer. Bassett, in her second year in CLIMB, found herself working far afield from last summer when she conducted research on the impact of environmental stressors on livebearer fish in the lab of Michi Tobler, the E. Desmond Lee Endowed Professor in Zoological Studies.

“I am not a chemistry person,” Bassett said. “I’m a biology person. I wanted to use this year to basically experience something new, to further my outlook, and it has taught me a lot. Being in the lab really helped me stand my ground and be more confident in myself.”

Intern Imani Mu’Min, a rising senior at Hazelwood East High School, gives a presentation about her experience in CLIMB, including research related to Alzheimer’s disease while working in the lab of UMSL Professor Michael Nichols.

Photo by Derik Holtmann