‘We gon’ be alright’

‘We gon’ be alright.’ As much as I love a messy ki or a shady cackle, I would be out of order if I didn’t take a moment to reflect on the new normal for so many in St. Louis after the tornado changed life as we know it on May 16, 2025. I was devastated as I rode through streets and communities that were part of my old stomping grounds leveled to the concrete foundation. Before I had a chance to truly sit in my sadness, I was overwhelmed by what I witnessed happening around me.  I saw us stepping up for us – in the trenches helping guide people through their next move after the unimaginable shock of having their entire lives being swept up in the storm. The storm pulled the band aid off of systemic disparities and disinvestment and exposed the wounds that have been infected for decades. But when that bandage was ripped off, it also revealed the heart– and healing hands – of our community. I would need the whole entire paper to give proper credit to everyone who did, and are still doing, their part as people have spent the last 363 days trying to rebuild and restore. As we reflect on this past year, understand that we will be seeing the impact of the tornado for years to come. But I’m going to quote my boy K. Dot as I encourage everyone to keep the faith and keep pressing forward. Of course, I had to make it safe for Partyline, but it still hits:

Wouldn’t you know, we been hurt, been down before. When our pride was log, lookin’ at the world like, ‘Where do we go?”…”If God got us, then we gon’ be alright. Do you hear me? Do you feel me? We gon’ be alright!”

The YLs have arrived! I was gonna say, “back to your regularly scheduled ratchetry, but it’s not time just yet. First I have to tell y’all that we have revealed the 2026 cohort of Young Leaders. Of course you are excited! You will have the chance to mee them in real life next Thursday (May 21) for The St. Louis American Foundation’s 15^th Annual Salute to Young Leaders Awards Reception. It goes down at 5:30 p.m. at The Four Seasons. Y’all already know it’s bout to be lit as can be considering the folks will be in full business attire. I’m not gonna give y’all too many details, but just know I walked out of “The Devil Wears Prada 2” full of inspo! Y’all already know how this set sells out. Don’t play around about purchasing your tickets or you might be on the outside looking in. Visit www.stlamerican.com to get more deets about this year’s honorees and to get your tickets! 

A curtsy for the queens. Because The Queens! Tour landed in St. Louis on Mother’s Day, I’m going to treat Godmama Gladys, Auntie Stephanie, TeeTee Patti and MiMi Chaka the same way I would want somebody to treat my mama if she got up on stage at Enterprise Center. Now to be fully transparent, if my actual mama – who I love more than life itself – was on that stage, I would probably be the first one to boo. And y’all would demand she be arrested. What? She knows singing is not her ministry. To truly describe her limited capacity for song, I have to steal a line from a TikTok comment and say she puts the harm in harmony. Now if you put her on stage and have her tell her little stories while whipping up a pot of greens…ten out of ten! But back to the saingin’ queens. Nobody can make me disappointed for spending my Mother’s Day with them. Was it the best showing I’ve ever seen from any of them? Absolutely not. But they have given us decades of timeless music and flawless live shows, so I will give them some Mother’s Day grace. I mean, do we really even need all the notes from them anymore? Exactly. I had a good time. The pauses and the technical hiccups had me a little irritated, but I’ve been through worse. And it was sufferable considering who was on the bill. Why does Patti changing wigs with her wardrobe always send me somewhere over the rainbow? Stephanie Mills was the vocal MVP of the night. I’m gonna go ahead and say that she is going to have the range for the rest of her life! 

Jamming at Twilight Thursdays. Is it me, or did that “Michael” movie put us right back in the middle of 1983! I mean its a peak “Thriller” Michael Jackson fandom season happening right now. The movie is breaking box office records, which put his music back at the top of the charts. And I know I’m about the fact that the “Michael” effect trickled down to Twilight Thursdays at the History Museum. They kicked off the latest installment of the series with a Michael Jackson and Bruno Mars tribute by JAM ( which is short for Jacson and Mars). It was jam packed. I don’t think I’m stretching it by saying last week’s Twilight Thursday was one of the most packed I’ve ever been to – and I’ve attended most of them. I knew what was up when traffic was heavy coming down Union past Page, but when I hit Lindell and Union I was nervous I wouldn’t find a parking space before the show was over – and it was 6 p.m. If I had known then what I know now, I probably would have parked behind the Esquire and just walked over. Yes, it was like that. Ask all the folks who were perched bumper to bumper on Lindell and missed “Dirty Diana” and “You Rock My World.” But I know y’all are aching to know how the show went. I was not the least bit mad at it – especially not “Dirty Diana” – and I’m sensitive about people messing with my Michael’s music. The Bruno numbers were cute too! I even had a ball in between the sets. I feel like Twilight Thursdays might have St. Louis record for the largest Tamia slide. They had to squeeze their elbows together, but they saw it through. Who’s uncle was that who walked past the show during his walk and attempted to moonwalk on the gravely path? Sir, you are lucky your ankles lived through that!