Ameren donates 900 air conditioners
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St. Louis American See page B1
The
Serving, empowering and advocating for equity in St. Louis since 1928
CAC Audited JUNE 26 – JULY 2, 2025
Vol. 97 No. 12 COMPLIMENTARY
stlamerican.com
Lakeshia Finch pairs forgiveness with recovery ‘It just wasn’t in my heart to hate’ By Sylvester Brown, Jr. St. Louis American June 22, 2020, is a day that replays in Lakeshia Finch’s mind relentlessly. Along with the horrific, life-changing memory of that day is regret and questions. What if she had just gone home and not stopped by the Applebee’s in St. John’s for dinner with a friend? What if they had paid more attention to the strange acting young man who glared at them menacingly? What if they had asked him something? Would he still have pulled out a gun and randomly started shooting at innocent customers? The questions are, no doubt, unanswerable but, today, five years to the month of that tragedy,
See FINCH, A6
Winans, SLSO will benefit Urban League relief fund By Sylvester Brown and Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American
Photo courtesy of Lakeshia Finch
Lakeshia Finch works out with her physical therapist Guy Romain as she continues to recover from her gunshot wound.
Historic Black churches were among the thousands of structures destroyed or severely damaged in the May 16, 2025, tornado which ripped through north St. Louis and other parts of the region. In support of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis tornado relief fund, Grammy Award winning gospel artist BeBe Winans will perform in a benefit concert on Sunday June 29 at the Fo Theater. Winans, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, In UNISON Chorus and the St. BeBe Louis Symphony Winans Chorus will perform during “a powerful afternoon of music, healing, and community. Winans will share his stirring voice as he sings “Teach Me” and “Born for This.” Michael P. McMillan, president and CEO of the Urban League, has seen his organization entrusted by city political, civic, and non-profit leaders to help lead the recovery effort. “This is a Katrina-level catastrophe,” he said. “We are dealing with so many different things, including the extreme damage
See FUND, A6
Photo by Taylor Marrie / St. Louis American
Struttin’ their stuff
Street Runway Fashion show at the 6th annual Juneteenth Festival on Washington Ave.
JenkinsGray among police board nominees By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American
Tuskegee Airmen with ties to the St. Louis region, including James L. McCullin Jr., George H. Carper II, and Lewis J. Lynch. “This is not just a military history exhibit — it’s a civil rights story, a St. Louis story and an American story,” said Mark Sundlov, managing director of Soldiers Memorial Military
Sonya Jenkins-Gray, a former director of the city’s personnel department whose tenure ended in controversy and her termination, is among Gov. Mike Kehoe’s nominees to serve as a commissioner on the state board that will control the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Gray, who was dismissed after having one of her employees drive her to Jefferson City for a personal matter, is the lone prospective Black commissioner. Also introduced at a Monday press conference at police headquarters and awaiting confirmation when the state Senate reconvenes in January are: • Brad Arteaga is a former member of the city police oversight board, which reviews complaints filed against officers, and a member of the 2nd District Police Business Association.
See TUSKEGEE, A7
See NOMINEES, A7
A historic flight Local Tuskegee Airmen honored at Soldiers Memorial Museum By Ashley Winters St. Louis American Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Jubilee Day, is a special time to reflect upon and appreciate the freedoms that generations have fought to secure, but the 2025 rendition of this holiday was even more memorable for about 300 people who gathered on June 19 to celebrate the opening of The
Tuskegee Airmen: America’s Freedom Flyers. The event included the ceremonial renaming of Chestnut Street to Tuskegee Airmen Way, and a special proclamation from the mayor declaring June 19, 2025, as Tuskegee Airmen Day in St. Louis. This exhibit runs through Nov. 2. A dedicated section titled ‘Hometown Heroes’ honors 91
BUSINESS
SPORTS
Congressman Bell stumps for Medicaid at Affinia
The St. Louis American honors the top prep athletes
Congressman Wesley Bell’s no vote could not stop the House from narrowly passing President Trump’s budget bill that would “gut” Medicaid,” according to Bell.
The St. Louis American ties its annual bow on the high school sports year with its Player of the Year awards. Look for several of our honorees on collegiate teams this Fall.
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