Diversity A business and social imperative
Special section
CAC Audited JULY 25 – 31, 2013
Vol. 84 No. 17 COMPLIMENTARY
stlamerican.com
Shalom Church hosts spirited school forum Superintendents, parents speak out on transfer issues Ty McNichols, who has served as Normandy’s superintendent for about two weeks, said tuition expenses explain why Normandy chose Francis Howell School District to subsidize transfer student bussing.
By Rebecca S. Rivas Of The St. Louis American No one held back on Monday night at Shalom Church (City of Peace), where about 400 people gathered to talk about students transferring out of the unaccredited Normandy and Riverview Gardens school districts. During the three-hour public forum, North County superintendents, pastors, parents and politicians spoke the “hard truth” about the educational system. Riverview Gardens Superintendent Scott Spurgeon, who has been on the job less than two weeks, pleaded with Riverview parents in the room to stick with the district. “Because if not, it will put us in a position where we
See FORUM, A7
Photo by Wiley Price
‘It’s an exciting time’ CEO speaks on diversity at Laclede and adapting to STL as a transplant By Rebecca S. Rivas Of The St. Louis American In 2011, the Laclede Group Inc. hired Suzanne Sitherwood, a transplant from Atlanta, as its president and CEO. Now Sitherwood is leading a St. Louis Regional Chamber team to grow this region’s economy by promoting diversity and immigration. Prior to joining Laclede, Sitherwood was president of Atlanta Gas Light, Chattanooga Gas Light and Florida City Gas. She has 32 years of expertise in engineering, interstate pipeline relationships, gas control and management. The St. Louis American spoke with Sitherwood about her experience in St. Louis and best practices in inclusion. St. Louis American: What are some “best Suzanne Sitherwood, practices” for diversity and inclusion you could president and point to at Laclede if CEO of Laclede your board was driving Group Inc. you to show a commitment?(The Laclede Group Board of Directors includes two African Americans: Arnold W. Donald, president and CEO of Carnival Corporation, and Brenda D. Newberry, CEO of Nesher, LLC.) Suzanne Sitherwood: It’s important to under-
See CEO, A6
Photo by Wiley Price
Rally for Trayvon St. Louis joined a national rally movement in protest of the George Zimmerman verdict across the street from the Thomas F. Eagleton Federal Courthouse on 10th Street at Walnut Street on Saturday, answering a call from the National Action Network. For more rally photographs, visit stlamerican.com.
Trayvon’s death must not be in vain COMMENTARY Walle A. Amusa For The St. Louis American In a strange and deeply personal way, we are moved by the simplicity of the Trayvon Martin case. He was the embodiment of humanity so tragically trivialized, of reason so senselessly and recklessly abandoned. The evidence caught on audiotape was incontrovertible. George Zimmermann, an
We must organize to strategically change the disgraceful devaluation and denigration of African-American children’s lives in communities across this great nation.
armed vigilante, could not conceptualize an African-American youth worthy of the presumption of innocence and acted accordingly.
Funding student healers Deaconess, Scholarship, American foundations partner in effort By Sandra Jordan Of The St. Louis American
A jury bought Zimmerman’s perverse, but common, view and believed Zimmerman had the right to pursue, assault and, with impunity, kill an unarmed African-American child. Incredibly, this same jury believed that Zimmerman, who never lost control of his gun, was the individual heard on tape screaming for help. Our outrage about this verdict is deeply rooted in our own mortality. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. eloquently stated hopes for a nation where people are judged, not by the color of
Eight area nursing students received critical funding toward their education and also encouragement to return home and serve the medical needs in St. Louis at a special luncheon on July 12 at The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis. Deaconess Foundation Nursing Scholarship recipients were awarded the first of two awards for the upcoming school year. The scholarships are given to selected St. Louis-area college students who are pursuing careers in nursing. The awards ranged from $1,500 to $5,000. Starsky Wilson, CEO of Deaconess Foundation, said the scholarships “support people who commit their lives to nursing, healing, teaching and caring
See TRAYVON, A7
See HEALERS, A6