5) Black will host a benefit concert to raise funds for this prom season and plant the seeds to follow the Fairy Glam Project, which has been giving

back by way of prom for five years.“I’m trying to go all out,” Black

said. “A lot of the times these guys don’t really get rewarded the way that they should by the generation

C1 • APRIL 4 - 10, 2013 • ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

Dr. Poole’s advice for taking it off and keeping it off

By Dr. Kenneth PooleFor The St. Louis American

I have never been skinny and I am not likely to ever be thin. I am 5’10 or 5’11 (depending on who is asking) and I have an “athletic” build. I look my best when my weight is in the 190-205 pound

range. Despite technically being overweight by the BMI scale, my blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and other basic labs support my height and weight.

During the first several months following the completion of my

medical residency, I was full of new life changes and experiences. I had just opened a new solo medical practice from scratch,

completed my internal medicine boards, was taking MBA classes two nights per week, and my wife Megan was pregnant with our first child. I had little time for regular, quality exercise.

By fall of that year, I was definitely starting to see physical changes associated with weight gain. My face grew plump and fleshy. My pants were snug, and I had to get a couple of my suits loosened. The last straw was when I bumped into a former high school classmate who told me that I looked heavy. I knew it was time for me to make some serious lifestyle changes.

I knew my diet was unhealthy. I was consuming a lot of fast food and non-nutritious, high-calorie snacks and drinks between meals. I knew that simply cutting all of the

See HEALTH, C4

Gwendolyn, I don’t know what’s up with these women. It seems they have been “empowered” and have lost their minds. Women need to be brought down a peg or two.

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Getting healthy for the long haul My fiancée is taking a trip

without my permission!

How low will you go?

The aftermath of lowered

expectations in love

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

Is our dating life a product of our environment?

This question has been weighing heavy on my mind since I listened to the love woes of a wonderful woman with credentials and passion to rule the world. Her boyfriend, however, is none of the above. I mean he started from the bottom, but obviously loved the view.

Honestly, he’s so far beneath her that I wouldn’t be surprised if she told me she suited up in an MSD hazmat outfit and rummaged him out of the gutter. The tragedy of it all is that she KNOWS IT and continues to move forward with the dysfunctional relationship.

“When I was living a fast-paced life and focused life, I dated the movers and shakers,” she said. “Now that I’m back home, I just feel like my dating life is a direct reflection of my current station.”

So even though she has traveled the world and left a flame on the three continents, she is subjecting herself to dating a functionally homeless (i.e. crashing on the couch or in the utility closet of a distant relative and/or friend of a friend), jobless man with no prospects of a profession.

More importantly than his current life station and foreseeable circumstances, he has illustrated time and time again no serious passion and is working in the opposite direction of purpose.

Her justification of making this useless man worth her time is that her access to men on her level is limited – and the basic need to forge

By Kenya VaughnOf The St. Louis American

“We want to get dappered up for prom just like the ladies want to get glammed up,” rapper and spoken word artist Corey Black said. “We want to look just as good as they do.”

He was watching a segment about the Fairy Glam Project on STL TV and decided to figure out a way to

help young men. “I was sitting on my bed watching

and thinking, ‘I wish they had something for the dudes,’” Black said. “I was like ‘I should do something up that does something as far as donating tuxedo rentals.”

And just like that – two weeks ago, yes, as in 14 days – Operation Bowtie was born.

Tomorrow night (Friday, April

Suit and (bow) tie

See SINGLE, C4

See CURLY, C4

See TIE, C4

Dr. KennethPoole

Check out this week’sPARTYLINE

Page C12

that came before them.”For their end of the bargain,

worthy young gentlemen must have a 3.0 GPA, upload their report cards to operationbowtiestl.org and explain why they deserve a hookup.

“I’m trying to get limos because a lot of them don’t have vehicles and trying to make it as memorable as possible,” Black said. “I’m talking haircuts, getting these guys some etiquette classes and gift certificates and/or vouchers to take their date out to eat.”

The feedback to his startup service organization has been humbling and inspiring. The hip-hop/spoken word community has reached out. The Coliseum

Corey Black giving back to young brothers through prom

Corey Black

By Kenya VaughnOf The St. Louis American

“I love coming home – I’m always there,” said natural hair blogging sensation Nikki Walton, also known as Curly Nikki.

Walton was excited about coming back to her St. Louis roots and basking with her St. Louis “curlfriends” in her new title – accomplished author.

At the time she was speaking on the eve of the release of her debut book Better Than Good Hair: The Curly Girl Guide to Healthy, Gorgeous Natural Hair, written with Ernessa T. Carter, also from St. Louis.

This weekend she will bring home the knowledge she gained from the launch of her internationally renowned Curly

SheaMoisture and Nikki Walton’s St. Louis Curlfriends Meet & Greet (ages 21 and up) will take place 6-9 p.m. Saturday, April 6 at the Coliseum (2619 Washington).

an emotional and romantic connection trumps the idea of limiting relationships to men who are “qualified.”

And, in all fairness, she regularly implies that she is so far off the path with respect to what she planned for her life, so how could she judge or exclude men who are “a work in progress?”

Okay, girl. How low will you go?

As she plays love limbo into compromising situations that I’d dare not mention, I thought about how this phenomenon affects the emotional ecosystem of the single black female.

I’m NOT saying that a brother on the way up is a bad thing. But there are men wallowing in the shallow end of wasted potential that are getting shine and time of day that they don’t deserve.

Here’s the truth: I’ve seen it proven time and time again that there is no greater accountability partner than your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife.

What happens when you throw out expectations out of what you feel to be sheer necessity? People are more than happy not only to underwhelm, but imply the right to erase the few boundaries and ground rules that you set for the relationship.

I know from experience that I’m right about it.

I made it possible for a man

who wouldn’t even take me out for a date because I obliged to “an unorthodox relationship that let him breathe” because of his expressed phobia of commitment. Guess what, he turned around and married someone else – and the gag is that I thought we were still in our relationship for the first three years of his marriage.

I never required him to call consistently or anything, so when he fell off, I thought we were just during our “off again” cycle.

How did I allow this to happen? Well, mainly because I felt that none of the other fish in the sea were biting, so I was more than happy to snatch up the minnows.

We are wasting energy and emotions via men and women who we’ve allowed in

our space at a point when we shouldn’t be bothered. We are cluttering our proverbial nets with seaweed and garbage. Doing so not only makes it impossible for the catch of the day to maneuver his way in, but that useless rubbish can poke holes and fray so the good fish can’t hold on.

Regardless of how hard it gets for us single black females, wallowing among undesirables because you don’t feel worthy due to your personal or professional shortcomings is hurting us.

It’s time to spend some time getting to the heart of the matter and healing so that you can live up to the demands that you would impose on your prospective mate – and not expect or accept anything less.

bad stuff out of my diet would neither work nor last.

So, I eliminated the frequency of eating the bad stuff, but to prevent cravings, I allowed myself to eat what I wanted two days per week. I stopped buying food before and/or after my business classes and started packing a basic dinner of a sandwich (made at home), chips and a drink for class breaks.

I knew exercise would be the toughest part of my weight loss program because of my busy schedule. I solved the problem

of time by carving out intervals of 60 to 90 minutes that I could repeat each week for an effective exercise regimen. My office opens at 10 a.m. and has evening hours on Wednesdays. I found that 7 a.m. was a perfect time to exercise. On Thursday I work half days, so immediately after work I go to the gym. Saturday is my most flexible day, so Saturday mornings are perfect for my third workout of the week.

The bulk of my workout is aerobic exercise. I have a relatively full build at baseline, so weight lifting would make me look chunky and I preferred the calorie-burning, long-term cardiovascular benefits of aerobic exercises.

The first thing I do in the

gym is run four miles on the treadmill at a speed of 6.7-7.0, finishing in about 35 minutes. It took nearly a year to work up to that speed and distance. Core strengthening and sit-ups on an exercise ball for about 10 minutes are extremely effective. Lastly, I do approximately a half hour of strength training: pull-ups, dips, pull-ups, dumbbell shoulder press, bench press and standing squats spread over three days of the week.

I gradually shed 30-plus pounds. Sizes dropped, my energy level increased, my sleep improved, my snoring decreased and my face got thinner. I also lost the fear that I would regain the weight I lost because my diet and exercise

programs have permanently transformed my lifestyle.

As we get older, eating better and exercising regularly are less about quick fixes and more about creating healthy habits that you can sustain over decades. I only dropped 1-3 pounds each month, but collectively, this resulted in 30 pounds over the year. Talk with your healthcare provider about the ideal weight range for you and the best way for you to get there and stay there.

Good luck and healthy eating!

Kenneth Poole, MD, practices internal medicine at Mercy Clinic, Clayton-Brentwood.

HEALTHContinued from C1

APRIL 4 - 10, 2013 • ST. LOUIS AMERICANC4

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donated the space for his benefit show. Nappy DJ Needles volunteered to work the turntables and Kenny DeShields, Bradd Young, Sir Ervin, Thelonius Kryptonite and El Thought will be a part of the all-male entertainment.

“It’s only been two weeks since I came up the idea and it’s been guys hitting me up like volunteering to help – partly inspired by their own prom experiences,” Black said. “This one guy who offered to help was like, ‘I had to borrow my dad’s suit’ – his church suit – to wear to prom. He just put a bowtie on with it, and he said they drove him the whole night at prom because he had this regular suit on.”

He secured a special Operation Bowtie discount with Savvy Tuxedos in the Delmar Loop and is soliciting donations. He’s also looking for individuals to donate services.

“I just want them to know that there are young black males in St. Louis doing positive things,” Black said. “It would be nice to see us get a little dapper and show that we care about our youth. There’s probably a lot of these young guys who feel

like there aren’t really people out there to look after them when they are doing the right thing.”

Two days until the show – and with less than three weeks until prom season kicks off – Black is beaming.

“It’s really a blessing that people are for it and supporting it,” he said. “I hope they feel like somebody took the opportunity to take care of them. I hope that they let that in and take that moment of reflection and pay it forward.”

Black ultimately wants to make the program a national platform.

“Why not Operation Bowtie Chicago, LA, New York,” Black said. “It doesn’t have to be only in St. Louis – I’m looking to just make it as big as possible.”

“Thinking back on my own prom, it made me feel like a man that night,” Black said. “It’s just one of those things that you will remember. And to know that I will actually have a part in making somebody’s night that much more special, man, that’s just wild.”

The Operation Bow Tie benefit concert will take place at 8p.m. tomorrow night (Fri., Apr. 5) at 8 p.m. at The Coliseum (2619 Washington). For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.operationbowtiestl.eventbrite.com

TIEContinued from C1

Nikki brand, which has now grown to include a critically acclaimed natural hair “how to” guide.

Walton and SheaMoisture will present a St. Louis Curlfriends Meet and Greet/book signing as part of a regional tour.

“My story started in college,” Walton said. “I never had a relaxer. I grew up wearing the old school press and curl, and I wore that for about 20 years. But when I got to college at Truman State – three hours northwest of St. Louis – I didn’t have access to a black hair care stylist.”

Walton attempted to be her own beautician, which damaged her trademark tresses. As her hair became brittle and broke off, her self-esteem followed suit.

“Since I didn’t have a relaxer, my hair would shrink up,” Walton said. “I couldn’t even look in the mirror. I couldn’t wait until my beautician grabbed the blow dryer and I could feel my self-confidence coming back with every patch she straightened.”

As Walton looked into solutions for her own personal hair crisis, she was led down a path that would change her life – and her identity. She embraced her hair’s natural texture and the world followed suit with the birth of “Curly Nikki” four years ago, along with hundreds of celebrity interviews and hundreds of

thousands new “curlfriends” she met through her website.

The book is a condensed extension of the CurlyNikki.com experience.

“I always knew that I wanted to create some kind of companion piece,” Walton said. “Something where the information would be presented in a linear way in a narrative that’s fun and easy to read and that could be a quick reference guide.”

Her book puts healthy natural hair in the palm of women’s hands as a go-to guide, look-book and reference

for all stages of the natural hair journey – from the oh-so fearful big chop to the happily ever after of finding a natural hair routine that yields results.

“There are new products always coming out and new techniques to try, and sometimes we have to get back to the basics,” Walton said. “I’m hoping through the book people can walk away with a basic hair care regimen that they can build upon.”

She wants everyone to know that she is not about bashing those who get relaxers or wear weaves.

“I just want women to feel just as confident when they wear their natural hair as they do when they are wearing it straight,” Walton said. “Once you achieve that, I don’t care what you do with your hair.”

Walton says embracing how hair grows from the scalp is the first step.

“Black women especially have a unique situation because kinky, coily, highly textured hair is not seen as desirable in our society – there is this stigma attached to it,” Walton said.

“We have to change what we’ve been trying to mold ourselves to and it’s difficult because we are fighting nature. Our hair isn’t meant to be long and straight. When we learn to embrace the texture and work with it, that’s when we can achieve our ‘better than good hair.’”

In her opinion, doing so is essential to embracing personal beauty and value.

“Hopefully this next generation – my daughter and her peers – won’t have these self-esteem issues that are tied to our hair,” Walton said. “What you have is great, you just have to learn it and work with it.”

SheaMoisture and Nikki Walton’s St. Louis Curlfriends Meet & Greet (ages 21 and up) will take place on Saturday, April 6 from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. at the Coliseum (2619 Washington). For more information, visit www.curlynikki.com and http://www.eventbrite.com/event/5949311551# to RSVP.

CURLYContinued from C1

n “Black women especially have a unique situation because kinky, coily, highly textured hair is not seen as desirable in our society – there is this stigma attached to it.”

- Nikki Walton

C1 • ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • OCTOBER 3 - 9, 2013

The Geto Boys hit the Coliseum stage on Sunday

www.stlamerican.com

•Only Online • Ask Gwen

By Kenya VaughnOf The St. Louis American

“Bree is going shake things up – she is going to bring a little bit of drama to this season,” singer/actress Erinn Westbrook said of her new role on the Fox network hit “Glee.”

Westbrook is from one of the nicest families in St. Louis, but she wowed viewers as the new main mean girl last week when “Glee” returned to television.

“This is the fifth season and there have been other mean girls – and there have been comparisons to previous characters,” Westbrook

said. “I want them to see me bringing a certain type of spiciness to the cast and to see the energy – that is very unique to me, Erinn – that I bring.”

Bree is the head “Cheerio,” the cheerleading squad that creates catty chaos among the show’s characters.

She uses the form she perfected as varsity cheer captain for John Burroughs School, and a blend of all of her favorite teeny bopper film and television antagonists.

“Glee” was a breakout hit for Fox when it debuted in 2009, and a cult-like following instantly ensued. The “Gleeks” tune in by the

Black & Single

Check out this week’sPARTYLINE

Page C12

Erinn Westbrook brings it as Bree

St. Louis native Erinn Westbrook plays Bree on the Fox network hit “Glee.”

By Ciera Simril For The St. Louis American

The Missouri Botanical Garden will celebrate its 22nd annual Best of Missouri Market this weekend, October 4-6. This local shopping event will host 30 diverse vendors and more than 120 Missouri food producers.

Among those vendors will be Deborah and Freddie Lee Jr., makers of Freddie Lee’s Ghetto Sauce. They hit upon the idea of this hot sauce after having a conversation about moving out of the ghetto.

They were making sauce for family and friends one day when they sat together outside after finishing the

batch. It was a hot summer day. Deborah remembers seeing a speeding car and hearing gunshots, followed by police cars with sirens screaming.

Freddie looked at Deborah and said, “One day God is going to bless us to get out of the ghetto.”

That was when Deborah realized what they should name their hot sauce “Freddie Lee’s Ghetto Sauce.” Freddie told her they needed to pray on the name. When they woke up looking at each other, they began laughing again about the name of the sauce. After the laughter, they discusses memories of their childhoods and growing up. And

From the ‘Ghetto’ to the Garden

Deborah and Freddie Lee Jr. got their first break with Freddie Lee’s Ghetto Sauce when The Wine and Cheese Place began carrying their product. Now their sauce is sold at over 30 different locations in St. Louis city and county.

The Missouri History Museum’s presentation of “1968 The Exhibit” opens on Saturday, October 5 and will run through January 2014.

Last Poets performance kicks

off exhibit for pivotal year in U.S.

By Kenya VaughnOf The St. Louis American

If there is a year that stands alone as worthy of its own exhibit, it’s 1968.

Black America had tragically lost its King – and yet another Kennedy was gunned down at the height of his popularity.

The country was in the throes of a losing battle in Vietnam. Inner cities – including St. Louis and East St. Louis – were battlefields in their own right as riots raged.

There seemed to be constant conflict in every angle of American

Bowing out of the game to get focused

– and find love

By Kenya VaughnOf The St. Louis American

“I’m sick of looking these men in the face when I know I am wasting my time and being used for my company.”

She confessed that for the past six months she has been on a bare minimum of two dates a week – and more regularly than not she had been on a date every other day.

“Three dates a week … girl, how do you keep a job or clean your house?” I said.

“Who are you telling?” she said. “Plenty of times I would pack a bag and change into my date clothes at work. It would be after midnight when I get home.”

Now before I go any further, I feel like I have to state the obvious – when I say “dates,” I don’t mean sex.

I’m talking about going out with people on a regular basis – to movies, concerts, dinners, special events – where there is no potential for a venture into serious relationship territory.

Her intention with each of these guys is to transition into something official, but when it doesn’t they just kind of lock her in to spend time and she doesn’t refuse.

“I’ve been going in circles,” she

See SAUCE, C5

See POETS, C4See SINGLE, C4

North City couple serves hot sauce at Best of Missouri Market

The Tennessee State takeoverThe TSU school spirit was deep in The Edward Jones Dome on Saturday as the Tennessee State Tigers took care of business for the 20th St. Louis Gateway Classic Football Game on Saturday. TSU dominated the game against Ohio’s Central State Marauders from start to finish in addition to being crowned Battle Of The Bands champions during the halftime performance. Photos by Lawrence Bryant

History Museum

turns back clock

to 1968

STL native is new mean queen on Fox’s musical dramedy ‘Glee’

millions to see the antics at William McKinley High School, and the hybrid musical comedy and drama show has made household names out of alums like Leah Michele and Amber Riley. Westbrook is in prime position to follow in their footsteps.

“I would say that it’s overwhelming in the best kind of

way,” Westbrook said. “There are a lot of eyes on you. The show’s fan base has a lot of expectations. For the most part, they have been supportive and excited about Bree, so that has made the transition easier.”

See ERINN, C4

Rap legends The Geto Boys will return to St. Louis on Sunday night (Oct. 6) for

a special performance at The Coliseum Music Lounge. The group helped lay the foundation for what would become the

“Dirty South” hip-hop sub-genre with hits like “My Mind is Playing Tricks on Me”

and “Six Feet Deep.”

Dating detox

Westbrook caught the acting bug early. As a small child she would drape herself in feather boas and sequins, pretending to be her favorite characters in books, plays and movies.

“The first real experience came for me at 12 when I was at Chesterfield Day School and I was Annie in the sixth grade musical,” Westbrook said. “I had tried out for it and really wanted it. And there were a few people who were like, ‘You can’t be Annie because you would look funny in the wig.’ There weren’t that many African Americans in the school.”

But she tried out and got the part.

“Being on that stage performing (singing, dancing and acting), I just knew that I wanted to do all of those things for as long as I could,” she said. “From that moment, it became a serious passion for me and I knew I was going to pursue it with everything I had.”

And while she’s been consistently working as an actress and model, she still found the time to earn a BA in English and drama from Harvard University and advanced certification in

Spanish.“For me, it’s important to

show people that you can also still go to school and follow your dreams after,” she said.

She credits her success – in academics and acting – to her parents, Kelvin Westbrook and Valerie Bell.

“I’ve had wonderful examples in my parents who have encouraged me to accomplish things,” she said.

The role of a lifetime

She was in church when she got the call for “Glee.”

“I knew that I was going to be getting the news, and I just wanted to be okay

with whatever I was told,” Westbrook said. “I really just prayed on it. In those types of situations, you have to just let go and see what happens.”

Her call time was the very next morning. She has been at it ever since.

“I’m enjoying being on set, and I really enjoy the character that I’m playing,” Westbrook said. “I was a huge fan of the show prior to joining the cast. I dreamt that something like this would be part of my narrative – I hoped and I prayed that this would happen – but to be honest I never expected anything this big. It’s a tough business.”

She would love to eventually have a healthy rotation of

movies, music and Broadway on her regular agenda – in addition to working on the production side.

“But right now I’m just taking it all in and enjoying the moment, Westbrook said. “I’m taking it day by day and seeing how life unfolds.”

And the “St. Louis girl true and through who loves toasted ravioli and Ted Drewes” assures us that there will never be a dull moment with Bree.

“She is a feisty one, and you don’t know what sort of antics she’ll be up to,” Westbrook said. “But I can promise you she won’t disappoint in terms of entertainment.”

The fifth season of Glee starring St. Louis own Erinn Westbrook will continue tonight (Thurs. at 8 p.m. CST) on the Fox Network. Check local listings for channel.

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life. Heated battles were underway regarding everything from race relations to war, nuclear weapons and women’s rights.

Starting this weekend, visitors to the Missouri History Museum will be given a glimpse of one of the most tumultuous years American history when “The 1968 Exhibit” opens.

As a special bonus, spoken-word collective The Last Poets will return to St. Louis to headline the opening weekend of “The 1968 Exhibit” on Sunday, Oct. 6.

The Last Poets are known for helping lay the foundation for the hip-hop generation – and influencing everything right about rap music and the culture that would ultimately grow out of it.

Their own legacy is tied to 1968. Umar Bin Hassan and Abiodun Oyewole were among the poets who officially formed as a group on May 19 – the birthday of Malcolm X – in 1968. They have been offering their unique brand of politically charged pieces that promote black pride and liberation for 45 years.They will perform selections that are certain to capture the mood of 1968.The exhibit was developed by the Minnesota History Center, in partnership with the Atlanta History Center, the Chicago History Museum and the Oakland Museum of California.Some of the more compelling moments of the exhibit as it relates to African Americans include:

• APRIL: “I HAVE BEEN TO THE MOUNTAINTOP.” The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and its impact on the American people is told through a media presentation that includes the words of Dr. King from his “Mountaintop Speech,” given the day

before his murder, and oral history excerpts from people remembering King and his legacy.

• MAY: “I AM SOMEBODY.” Following King’s death, the Rev. Ralph Abernathy took up the Poor People’s Campaign. Visitors learn about the Campaign’s call for jobs, income and housing equality and view images of “Resurrection City,” a tent city set up on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

• JUNE: “THE DEATH OF HOPE.” Robert F. Kennedy’s brief presidential campaign and the effect of his assassination on Americans are explored. The presidential campaign of Hubert H. Humphrey is also presented.

• OCTOBER: “POWER TO THE PEOPLE” – Opening with the famous “Black Power” salute at the Mexico City Olympic Games on October 16, social movements fighting for inclusion and identity are presented, including stories drawn from the American Indian Movement and the Brown Berets, a radical Chicano rights group.

Visitors can use mobile devices to access an online calendar of 1968 events, film footage and oral history excerpts. They can also share links and make comments via social networking sites. A kiosk in the gallery allows access to the same content. Compilation playlists of popular music, movies and television programs will be available on iTunes and Netflix.

A website at www.the1968exhibit.org provides a place for ongoing discussions about the lasting impact of the year.

The Missouri History Museum’s presentation of “1968 The Exhibit” opens on Saturday, October 5 and will run through Jan. 2014. The Last Poets will perform 7 p.m. Sunday, October 6. For more information, call (314) 746-4599 or visit www.mohistory.org.

DANCEContinued from C1

ERINNContinued from C1

said. “I just kept hearing other women talk about how hard it is for them to find one date, and I felt bad complaining about going out all the time, because at least I had somebody paying attention to me. All of my girls seem to have a problem getting in where they fit in, so I felt like I had a leg up and settled with my situation.”

But the truth is, while she has the regular self-esteem boost by these men who seem to feel like she’s entertaining, nothing substantive has come of it. She’s just as single as

her friends who don’t have a healthy dating life.

And that operates against her goal of getting married sooner than later.

Well, the self-professed serial dater has decided to embark upon a “dating detox” for the next 30 days.

“I mean, what’s the point?” she said. “Yes, I get a good meal, a free show and decent conversation, but at the end of the night I go home alone and I feel like I’m not any closer to a relationship. I actually feel like, ‘Why haven’t they decided to take this to the next level – is it me?’ Then I get into ‘woe is me’ mode. The whole thing is silly.”

So she’s shutting down her rolodex. A polite, but direct

note was sent to her half-dozen “regulars” informing them not to contact her and she would be out of commission.

But her fast isn’t just for her old faithful fellas; she’s shutting out any new prospects too.

“All I was doing was trading one for the other,” she said. “I would rotate a new guy in, and when it was all said and done it would be more of the same. It’s easy to get comfortable when guys are consistent, even when he wouldn’t be talking about anything either.”

She admits that it was fun – even affirming – for a long time, but she compares empty dating to empty calories.

“It meets a craving, but at the end of the day you just end

up having to spend more time on the treadmill … the dating treadmill.”

She’s not really worried about what she’s missing as she temporarily bows out of the dating scene – mostly because she hasn’t met him after nearly 10 years of dating on a regular basis. But she also feels after this relentless dating without a purpose she might not even be in the right frame of mind to recognize – or be ready for – Mr. Right if he were to walk into her life.

“I just need clarity,” she said. “And I feel like the time I spend with these guys with ZERO intentions I could spend focusing on all the things I need to do that will make me a better wife.”

SINGLEContinued from C1

n “For me, it’s important to show people that you can also still go to school and follow your dreams after.”

– Erinn Westbrook

By Kenya VaughnOf The St. Louis American

“People are so into seeing the finished product, but we want to show the process,” said iconic Olympian turned health and wellness advocate Jackie Joyner-Kersee.

Through the new STL TV-produced

television show The JJK Effect, that’s exactly what viewers will see when they tune in 11:30 a.m. Sunday mornings on ABC 30.

In the 13-week show, which debuted the first Sunday in November, Kersee leads a group of influential St. Louisans on the path towards healthy living.

The hope is that from the initial assessment to the culminating show – when the participants are joined by the community to run the stairs of the Met building next month – viewers will see themselves in the host of people who have decided to take charge in front of the cameras.

“We’ve got a TV personality, we’ve got a radio personality, we’ve got people running multi-media platforms,” said Andre Holman, the mind behind the show and manager of STL TV.

“We have public servants, and

Exercise like an OlympianC1 • ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOV 28 - DEC 4, 2013

By Kenya VaughnOf The St. Louis American

Kasi Lemmons latest film – an adaptation of Langston Hughes’ “Black Nativity” – is jam-packed with formidable talent, but falls flat due to lack of substance.

The film’s release comes in the middle of what appears to be a renaissance for black movies with respect to major studio support and commercial success. But “Black Nativity” will likely be remembered most for giving rising urban

teen heartthrob Jacob Lattimore the opportunity to display his surprisingly impressive acting chops.

Though Lemmons deserves serious praise for her attempt to pull it off, the movie never quite fulfills its purpose due to being in the risky position of a musical that attempts to blend urban cautionary tale, grit, faith and inspiration.

In the film, push comes to shove for a single mother (Jennifer Hudson) and her son (Lattimore)

Black & Single

Check out this week’sPARTYLINE

• Page C8 •

Big screen bustA partnership between hip hop entrepreneur Jay Z and a high-end store accused of racially profiling customers; rapper-businessman Kanye West’s appropriation of the Confederate Stars and Bars flag for a clothing line. As entrepreneurs and brands connect with American corporations, should these rappers and other celebrities feel any sense of social responsibility?

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•Only Online • Celebrities and social responsibility:

should they be held accountable?

Film adaptation of Langston Hughes’ ‘Black Nativity’ fails

See NATIVITY, C4

See JJK, C4

Just here for Jesus The curious case of the church stalkerBy Kenya VaughnOf The St. Louis American

For two years Chantel (not her real name) has been feeling like singing the blues from the church choir as she deals with a fellow parishioner who has decided that she is going to be in a relationship with him whether she wants to or not.

“He came up to me one Sunday after church and told me how beautiful my singing is and stuff like that,” Chantel said. “Then he came up another Sunday and told me his name and how old he was and asked what my name was. He asked was I dating anyone. I told him that I was – but that didn’t nip it in the bud.”

She has let him down easy. She has told him that she’s just not that into him. She even created an imaginary boyfriend in the hopes that it would keep him out of her face. It didn’t.

She has done everything short of sending a note from an anonymous concerned church member, but still has been consistently harassed by a passive-aggressive stalker.

Thimes headlines Dunham fundraiser

Local diva helps struggling center stay afloatBy Bridjes O’NeilOf The St. Louis American

Homegrown and esteemed jazz vocalist Denise Thimes will headline An Evening of Jazz, a fundraising concert to benefit The Katherine Dunham Children’s Workshop. The event takes place Sunday, December 1 at the Grand Marias Golf Club, at 5802

See SINGLE, C4 See THIMES, C4

n Everyone has had a kind of semi-stalker every now and again, but getting mamas involved is something really new.

‘JJK Effect’ brings reality TV to process of getting fit

Denise Thimes will headline An Evening of Jazz, a fundraising concert to benefit The Katherine Dunham Children’s Workshop on Sunday, December 1 at the Grand Marias Golf Club in Centreville, Ill.

Jacob Lattimore, Angela Bassett, Jennifer Hudson and Forest Whitaker in a scene from the holiday film “Black Nativity.”

Jackie Joyner-Kersee’s new STL TV-produced television show The JJK Effect, will air Sunday mornings on ABC 30 at 11:30 a.m.

Antwann Binion’s original collection of outerwear and signature pieces used plenty of glamour to bring the heat for the culminating scene of the 7th Annual Leather and Fur Fashion Extravaganza presented with Hasina Dezigns Sunday evening at the Coliseum.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

Leather and fur luxeLeather and fur luxe

Lake Dr. in Centreville, Ill. Dancers from The Katherine

Dunham Children’s Workshop – directed and choreographed by Master Instructor Ruby Streate – will kick things off with a pre-show performance.

Thimes has taught theatre, music, and dance workshops in East St. Louis School District 189. She worked under the direction of Ralph Greene, former director and coordinator of The Katherine Dunham Center for the Performing Arts.

“We were able to go in and create an artistic atmosphere for the kids,” she said.

“Studies have shown that children who can express themselves through music, drawing, [and] poetry have a tendency to excel in their academics as well.”

She will perform a variety of music – jazz, pop, and blues – during her 70-minute set at the fundraiser.

The event comes on the heels of Leverne Backstrom’s public cry for help.

“We don’t have a steady revenue stream coming into the museum,” said Backstrom, board president of the Katherine Dunham Centers for Arts and Humanities.

The Dunham Centers generally operates on a month-to-month basis and heavily depends on individual and corporate donations for its survival, she said.

Ameren UE Illinois provided a $2,000 underwriting grant to produce the fundraiser, requesting that 85 percent of the funds go toward dance classes and educational programming at the Children’s Workshop. The Dunham Centers pockets the remaining 15 percent to cover day-to-day operational costs.

Backstrom said The Dunham Centers recently was on the verge of having its lights cut off. Gwendolyn Downs, of University City, immediately picked up the phone and unselfishly offered Backstrom a generous donation.

Downs preferred not to “toot her own her horn” when asked to disclose the donation amount.

“I sent them what I could afford,” she said.

Another devastating blow occurred when The Dunham Centers was vandalized.

“Someone backed a truck up to the back of the museum and stole all the air compressor units,” Backstrom said.

She said funds from a one-time $100,000 grant awarded

by the State of Illinois, earmarked specifically to cover infrastructure costs at The Dunham Centers, will be used to replace the air compressor units. The grant came as a result of Illinois state Representative Eddie Lee Jackson Sr.’s efforts at the state level.

Long-term fundraising efforts are being discussed.

“People just don’t realize that if they would give $15 and you get enough people to do that, that’s going to make a difference,” Downs said.

Dunham was a legend in her time, she said, who gave much of herself to the East St. Louis community.

“We, as African Americans, need to come forward, if we

want to see this stay alive and all the work continue,” she said.

Backstrom said The Dunham Centers “is one of the positive, culturally-enriching parts of the City of East St. Louis” that has had an impact on numerous young lives.

“Ms. Dunham could’ve left her legacy anywhere in the world but she elected East St. Louis,” she said. “It’s incumbent upon us to keep that legacy alive and thriving for generations to come.”

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, December 1. Show runs from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. For more information, contact Leverne Backstrom at (618) 795 -5970.

“He gave me a card for my birthday,” Chantel said. “ Every Sunday after church he moves quickly to come up and say something to me, asking me to dinner, then asking my mom why don’t we all go out.”

The fact that he knows her birthday, considering the “hi and bye” nature of their strictly cordial church member relationship, had her feeling some sort of way, but dragging her mother in the mix took it to the next level.

“My mom is more straightforward than I am,” Chantel said. “She was like, ‘I know those fine women that raised you taught you that no means no.’”

Wrong!When her mother didn’t

take the bait, he enlisted his own mother to serve as some

sort of tired “wing woman.”His mother went so far as

to get Chantel’s number and call her asking for Chantel to meet up with her over lunch or coffee to chat about something – though she didn’t say exactly what. Help.

“I don’t know why she wants to work on his behalf and thinks that I would want to date a man who doesn’t pay attention when you say ‘no.’ Or a man who sends his mama to try and work out his dating life for him,” Chantel said. “It’s really strange. I think everyone has had a kind of semi-stalker every now and again, but getting mama involved is something really new to me.”

Chantel never responded to the mother’s voicemail. Which seems to have made the mack daddy and his mama back down a bit from hemming her up after service – but it hasn’t stopped him from creeping her out with an uninterrupted gaze.

“I can’t even look a certain

direction when I’m in the choir because I know when I accidently make eye contact with him he’s going to stare at me for the rest of the service,” Chantel said.

“He’s made me feel uncomfortable at a church that I’ve been a part of for literally the past 20 years – a place that has felt like home to me.”

She has tried everything to let this man know that his persistence has actually had the opposite effect. He clearly doesn’t see that reading into body language and church member solidarity just makes matters worse.

“It’s frustrating, too, because I feel like at some point you should be able to get the clue,” Chantel said.

“All the time he has spent on someone who is not interested, he’s missing out on somebody who might be interested in him for real. He’s wasting his time and getting on my nerves.”

ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • NOV 28 - DEC 4, 2013C4

SINGLEContinued from C1

during the holiday season. With no way to make ends meet, Naima must send her son Langston to spend Christmas with her family – which she has been estranged from for her son’s entire life.

Heartbreak through song and hip-hop ensue as Langston hops a bus from Baltimore to his mother’s hometown of Harlem.

The streetwise teen faces the unease of pious grandparents – an influential pastor (Forest Whitaker) and first lady (Angela Bassett) – as he seeks answers to his uniquely strained family dynamic and hopes for a Christmas miracle.

Paper-thin with respect to substance, “Black Nativity” will leave viewers more frustrated with the film’s unmet potential and awkwardness in which the cast spontaneously breaks into song than filled with holiday spirit.

The music, ranging from original selections by Raphael Saddiq to gospel classics and holiday standards, works well enough together. However, as a whole “Black Nativity” never quite measures up – mainly because the narrative can’t seem to rise to the occasion that the music sets the tone for.

The predictable storyline couldn’t be further from the poetry and prose identified with the original author, Langston Hughes. Scene sequences, chance characters and situations seem piled on top of each other for the sake of simply carrying the story along to the dramatic climax – and manage to give everything about the film away in the process.

But Lattimore shines as Langston, capturing every nuance of the streetwise teen with good intentions who falls victim to circumstance. As per usual, Jennifer Hudson sings her face off on command. Cameos by Luke James, Nas and Mary J. Blige add to the up side of the musical element.

And while acclaimed actors like Bassett and Whitaker

are probably expected to bring the heat on the acting side of “Black Nativity,” the interaction between Langston and the stranger he encounters (played by Tyrese Gibson) provides the most interesting character dynamic and chemistry.

Gibson proves himself invaluable to the cast as he makes the most of his appearances as Langston’s unwarranted moral compass and voice of reason. He emits the natural air of ‘hood wisdom and the first-hand experience of a man who learned that the streets are no place to be.

“Black Nativity” opens in theatres nationwide on Wednesday, Nov. 27. The film is PG with a running time of 93 minutes.

NATIVITYContinued from C1

THIMESContinued from C1

then you have the entertainer with Darius Bradford. Darius is funny to me because he’s a comedian, but he’s letting people know that he’s serious and that it’s tough if you are not willing to put forth the effort and commit to it.”

The group travels throughout the area, visiting fitness centers and personal trainers. They partake in obstacle courses. Their strength and endurance are challenged at every turn.

“People don’t understand the discipline it takes to truly take control of your health,” Joyner-Kersee said. “It’s a lot of hard work, and that’s just the choices that we make in life and the challenges we are faced with. Anything worth having is worth fighting for – and you’ve got to fight for it.”

Holman says that STL TV had been searching for programming that focuses on fitness and health. Having one of the most celebrated Olympic athletes of the 20th century in the area willing to partner was downright serendipitous.

“The purpose is getting people up to look in the mirror and identify how they can do better,” Joyner-Kersee said. “And it’s inch by inch. Sometime it’s the smallest thing – but it’s the biggest thing that we need to overcome

to improve our health.”While she wants viewers to

be inspired by the group to take control of their health, she also wants people to see themselves in her and her incredible story as they watch the show.

“It’s not about Jackie Joyner-Kersee the Olympian, it’s about everything that it took for me to get to that level,” she said. “In the beginning I was struggling, but I found a way to stick with it. That’s what it comes down to. Don’t be intimidated and like ,‘Oh, that’s too much work.’ Do what you can and build on that. That to me is where the motivation comes from. It’s a process.”

Holman wants viewers to use The JJK Effect as motivation to take the first steps towards taking control of their health.

“It’s about the individual saying, ‘I’m ready to make a change in my life, and I want to see how other people have taken that step and how they’ve been committed to doing it so I can follow that same track,’” Holman said.

“Because we all need an example. We want people to find someone they can identify with on the show, connect with their story of working towards getting fit and say, ‘You know what, that’s me and I can do it, too.’”

The JJK Effect airs Sundays at 11:30 a.m. on KDNL ABC 30. For more information, visit www.stltv.net/jjkeffect.

JJKContinued from C1

‘An Evening of Jazz’ starring Denise Thimes

Price: $25.00 in advance/ $27.50 at the door. Ticket price includes complimentary hors d’oeuvres.

Purchase tickets: Jacob’s Herb Shop| 10310 Lincoln Trail,

Fairview Heights, Ill.| (618)-398-7675

Personal Touch Boutique| 1958 State Street, East St. Louis, Ill. | (618) 271-4066

Afro World| 7276 Natural Bridge Rd., St. Louis, Mo.| (314) 389-1717

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Jennifer Hudson and Jacob Lattimore