Jamala is a long-time organizer, feminist and political strategist with deep roots in the Black Liberation Movement. She is a featured columnist for the award-winning St. Louis American newspaper, St. Louis’ largest black weekly. She is on the editorial board of BlackCommentator.com and is a featured contributor. Her columns also appear in the Capital City Hues (Madison, WI) and the LA Progressive. She has authored many articles for both local and national publications on issues that she is passionately involved in. Jamala is the author of The Best of the Way I See It, a compilation of her political writings over a 20-year period. She is also the author Ferguson is America: Roots of Rebellion.
Most people forget that Missouri was a slave state. The state would like to forget that part of its history and pretend that because it’s in the middle of the country, that makes it Midwest. It’s ugly history which includes the infamous Dred Scott case in St. Louis, which makes the state more Southern than Midwestern. It was ripe for the MAGA virus to make St. Louis white again.
The constitutional crisis that people kept warning the world about is now front and center.
Former Missouri State Attorney General and now Senator Eric Schmitt was crystal clear in his analysis of the campaign to rid St. Louis of its Black female legislators. Sure, his post-election post was braggadocious in nature but do not get lost in the tone. Focus on the words which confirmed my declaration that there has been a campaign to rid St. Louis of any Black, forward-thinking elected officials, making St. Louis white again.
Speak For Yourself is a community conversation focused on building relationships around equity and inclusion, specifically when it comes to the need for equitable funding practices for entrepreneurs of African descent.
The William L. Clay Scholarship & Research Fund (WLCSRF) marks its 40 Anniversary this year! Please save the date and plan to join us Saturday, June 7, 2025, 6:00 – 10:00 pm, at the Missouri History Museum for a celebration of “Legacy, Learning & Uplift.”
In these challenging times, we all need a space to breathe and connect inward. Join us for a free, community-centered Breathwork & Meditation Series designed to help you release stress, clear negativity, and reconnect with your inner peace.
