The (reader’s) choice is yours. By now y’all have heard the buzz, but let me go ahead and make it official. The inaugural St. Louis American Reader’s Choice Awards will be popping off next week with our nominations period.
I know there are a few uninformed folks who are saying, “Girl, what is the St. Louis American Reader’s Choice Awards? Get me in the loop!” Miss ma’am, I thought you would never ask!
Starting March 1, the faithful and beloved community who continually engage with our content will have the opportunity to celebrate individuals and institutions who, to steal the words of my girl Anita Baker, are giving us the best that they’ve got.
The twelve main categories are Arts, Culture and Entertainment; Business & Professional Services; Churches; Education; Food & Beverage; General Services; Health/Medical Professionals; Home & Garden; Lifestyle & Beauty; Shopping; Sports; and Vehicle Services.
The IG video is already doing numbers as it promotes the game‑changing experience that will allow us to “nominate loud, vote proud, and celebrate excellence.”
And while the awards are powered by the people, I get to be the first to tell you that our St. Louis American Reader’s Choice presenting sponsor is an absolute real one. They became cemented in my personal hall of fame by the way they gave my girl Tina Turner her flowers over the past few weeks with their kit (jersey) and related merch designed in her honor.
And don’t get me started on the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra tribute concert. I was two‑weeks‑ago old and perched in Powell Hall when I realized that strings and woodwinds take “Proud Mary” to a whole new tier!
But let me stop burying the lead. St. Louis City SC is continuing to show that they are here for supporting the culture by helping us present the best of it through Reader’s Choice.
Stay tuned through stlamerican.com, our social media platforms, and our print edition for details and next steps — but be prepared to show love to some of the best and brightest from March 1 through March 31 by casting your votes.
Standing on Business (Salute). Now y’all know that the corporate community is not necessarily my beat. However, it is my appointed duty to hip the folks to the can’t‑miss, must‑see, and place‑to‑be. When you keep that in mind, it would be grounds for dismissal if I didn’t let y’all know how everybody who is somebody — and anybody who even pretends to be somebody — had the 24th Annual Salute to Excellence in Business Awards Luncheon last Thursday at The Ritz‑Carlton, St. Louis filled to capacity.
And y’all are gonna accuse me of capping — and go right ahead so I can pull my receipts — but I haven’t been begged up on for tickets this bad since the last time Beyoncé came to town. I legit had to unplug my house phone, temporarily disable my Facebook Messenger, and change my caller ID so that it doesn’t read “The St. Louis American.” And even after all that, folks were still on my neck asking for a comp or to be my plus‑one.
One person even called me and said, “Look, I will buy a ticket if I have to.” I had to hit him with a, “Sir, that’s what you were supposed to do… and I couldn’t sell you one if I wanted to, unless you are willing to sit in a utility closet.” Folks found out the hard way that “sold‑out” is a real thing — and that a whole lot of stress and scrambling can be saved by buying tickets as soon as they go on sale.
With all of that said, let me get into how I got my whole entire life from this year’s Business Salute. I went in there to happily celebrate Akberet Boykin‑Farr, Leslie Gill, Eric Rhone, and Keith Williamson. I left that room ready to conquer the world! The level of inspiration after being in the room with the people who make it happen is bigger than words.
I will miss some people, so I won’t get too deep into shoutouts except to say that burgundy is absolutely Akberet’s color! And what was not on my 2026 bingo card was for Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Keith Williamson to have me cackling like I was watching my favorite Netflix stand‑up special. Eric Rhone, if you ever decide to produce a “Corporate Kings of Comedy” tour, you already have your headliner.
And since I’m already talking about a Rhone, let me show some love to Angela Rhone’s bob! Two words came to mind when I saw that precise cut with body for days: stiff where?
But seriously, a huge congratulations to the honorees, guests, and all parties involved for a Business Salute that people are still buzzing about!
The snow tried it, but the Deltas did that. I saw plenty of them at the Business Salute — including birthday girl Chalana Ferguson — but I made it my business to stop through Ryse Nightclub to celebrate with the Deltas for their delayed 100 Charter Kick‑Off celebration. It was a whole entire vibe… and was sold out as well. The ladies were 1913’d down to the socks. Did I spy Jackie Joyner‑Kersee in the building? If not, she has a non‑celebrity twin soror.
I had my heart set on watching the devastating divas party hard a few weeks back, but the blizzard said “lies.” And don’t you just love it when a rescheduled event still comes back swinging like it never missed a beat! The energy was high, the red was red‑ing, and the sisterhood was showing out in full formation.
I can’t wait to see what the STL DSTs have in store for the rest of their centennial — because if this snow‑date kickoff was any indication, the rest of the year is about to be a nonstop vibe!
RIP Rell. At this point, I’m trying not to turn Partyline into an obit page, but if you are looking for someone to blame, charge it to 2026. I had to issue prayers and condolences to the family and friends of Hottest Host T Rell. If you ever went to a party when he was on the mic, you knew because of how he took the turnup to the next level.