John Ammann of Saint Louis University Law Clinic described Empower Missouri as “the conscience of St. Louis” in accepting its Community Advocate Award at the St. Louis Chapter’s 2016 Awards Dinner and Business Meeting on Thursday, May 19.
Ammann – who has argued countless cases on behalf of the Ferguson protest movement, both defending protestors and forcing changes in St. Louis County municipal courts – especially praised Jeanette Mott Oxford, executive director of Empower Missouri and a former state legislator from St. Louis.
Mott Oxford gave a legislative update during the business meeting. She celebrated the defeat of bills that would have legalized discrimination against same-sex couples and undermined labor unions, while citing bills where expensive lobbyists were able to out-maneuver the low-budget progressive advocacy organization.
She took the occasion to appeal to members to increase their annual giving. Membership dues to Empower Missouri – formerly the Missouri Association for Social Welfare, established in 1901 — are only $35.
Anna Crosslin, president and CEO of the International Institute of St. Louis, took her acceptance speech for the 2016 Community Service Award as an opportunity to make her own appeal. She pointed out that Catholic Charities is no longer helping resettle refugees in St. Louis, which has increased the International Institute’s need for volunteers. Contact them at 314-773-9090 or info@iistl.org.
Chris King, managing editor of The St. Louis American, accepted the 2016 Media Award on behalf of the newspaper staff. In introducing him, Empower Missouri board vice president Alison Dreith credited The American for its fair and “in-depth” coverage of the Ferguson movement and other stories relating to community and race.
Rasheen Aldridge, a Ferguson protestor who became a Ferguson Commissioner, did double duty at the event. He accepted the Ferguson Commission’s 2016 Organization Award and also gave a memorable keynote speech that ended in a chant by Assata Shakur: “We have nothing to lose but our chains.” He asked the audience at Il Monastero to chant with him repeatedly, each time getting louder.
There also was a group reading by Empower Missouri members and staff, as they read together a statement of solidarity with the Ferguson’s Commission’s commitment to working for racial equity. “We commit to work together,” they read, in part, “to collaborate with other groups in the region, and to take public action for racial justice.”
For more information about Empower Missouri, call 573-634-2901 or visit www.empowermissouri.org.
