There has been a river of tears since the EF3 tornado hit the St. Louis area on May 16.
Tears are still being shed by the families who were victimized by the fury of Mother Nature, and also the friends and volunteers who came to their rescue.
My moment came a week later in the ruins of a ravaged Northside neighborhood.
It wasn’t just the utter devastation. I’ve witnessed disasters including the Great Flood of 1993 here and Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.
What upset me is the overwhelming reality of a potential, half-hearted governmental response to the unfolding tsunami of suffering.
I wonder if Bosley was contacted by the current administration for his advice. He is the only previous contemporary mayor with experiences dealing with disaster preparedness and recovery.
St. Louis has many bright people who are constrained by the suffocating web of racist, archaic systems. Our city is a reluctant learner, which rarely benefits from lessons of the past.
I’m a Sankofa woman—always going back to the past to learn from it and gaining inspiration to meet the future.
People of African descent, especially those who are descendants of enslaved people, have a treasure trove of survival tactics. We have been left with inspirational nuggets of wisdom to be tapped when we feel despair and futility.
St. Louis’ first African American mayor had barely celebrated his fist 100 days in office before the city was hit by catastrophic flooding of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. Levees collapsed and record flood levels resulted. It was our own Katrina.
Mayor Freeman Bosley, Jr. received national kudos for his leadership during the Great Flood of 1993.
Bosley convened city department heads, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Red Cross and other partners at a command post located in the Soldiers Memorial. He collaborated with Gov. Mel Carnahan and President Clinton to quickly declare St. Louis as a disaster area. Congress swiftly passed a $2.5 billion aid package.
Mayor Bosley personally delivered the evacuation orders to potential disaster victims along the River Des Peres. The white residents rebuffed his orders, claiming the only disaster was the [Black] mayor himself. One resident even publicly called the mayor a “lying idiot.”
The mayor then ordered the gas, electric and water utilities turned off. He ordered St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officer to go door to door to remove people from their homes. It was a bold decision that was met with resistance. It ultimately saved many lives.
I wonder if Bosley was contacted by the current administration for his advice. He is the only previous contemporary mayor with experiences dealing with disaster preparedness and recovery.
Over two weeks have passed since the tornado hit St. Louis and there seems to be no comprehensive recovery plan by the Spencer Administration.
It has been beautiful and moving to watch compassionate people help feed and house victims and be part of a gigantic clean up.
Basically, two distinct Black neighborhoods were hit, and we should be vigilant about ensuring that both get the resources needed. This cannot be about “who gets the hook-up because of who they are or who they know.”
A comprehensive plan must include clean up and relief effort that then moves to a rebuilding plan, complete with a realistic timeline.
We are at a point where heavy equipment is needed to remove the tons of debris left from the storm. The National Guard and area construction companies have such equipment and must be called into action. Several firms are helping with the effort.
They should also be involved in the rebuilding efforts.
Mobilization of resources should include our homegrown entertainers, athletes and other dignitaries who can help raise money and resources. They can also use their star power to pressure government officials to do their jobs in a timely way.
Companies, especially those with national headquarters here, should step up with resources and expertise that supports the relief and rebuilding efforts.
This tragic situation should not be subjected to the historic fault lines of race and class that plague this city. St. Louis can chart a unified response that leads to a more inclusive and humane city.
Ordinary people without big titles are already leading the way.