Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson showed his support of gubernatorial candidate Nicole Galloway on Wednesday as the two toured EyeSeeMe, a Black-owned children’s bookstore in U. City.
While Wilson is leaving his position as president and CEO of Deaconess Foundation to become president and chief executive officer of the Children’s Defense Fund in Washington, D.C., in December he knows the importance this election will have on the St. Louis community, especially the children. He hopes the people of the St. Louis region and across the state will elect Nicole Galloway.
“On the ballot in Missouri is a governor who kicked 100,000 children off of Medicaid,” Wilson said. “The governor who will be elected in November will have to oversee the administration of Medicaid expansion in the midst of a pandemic — a health pandemic that this governor could not keep his own family safe from, dare I say he could not keep himself safe from. It is critical in the interest of public health, and our children’s health, that Nicole Galloway be elected governor of Missouri.”
He found the visit to EyeSeeMe particularly valuable in that it is a small, Black-owned business Galloway, as governor, will need to serve and advocate for.
“It’s a place that understands cultural literacy and racial equity,” he said. “Nicole Galloway is the only one of these two candidates who has articulated a thoughtful plan informed by African American leaders to advance the Black community, including our children.”
EyeSeeMe store associate Christiana McClain gave a tour of the store to Wilson and Galloway as part of a string of campaign events in the area this week.
As the three walked around the store, McClain explained how the books are organized and how the inventory is chosen.
“So even though it’s a store for African American children, we have quite a few books about different communities,” the store associate said.
McClain, an SIUE creative writing student, told Galloway and Wilson the store has books centering on a variety of identities, including books on such topics as undocumented immigrants living in the United States.
“What I’ve learned, just working here in the time that I have, is that we will have people who are seeking literature that is diverse who may not belong to that diverse group,” McClain said. “So it’s not necessarily just for black children, it’s about [providing] that diversity for white children.”
After hearing that, Galloway noted how important representation is in order for others to see and understand different perspectives and experiences.
“I know this personally from my own experience — it’s hard to imagine something different it if you can’t see it, right?” Galloway said.
Outside the bookstore Galloway took questions with Wilson at her side that primarily centered on closing the gap between her and Gov. Mike Parson in Missouri’s gubernatorial race.
She noted Gov. Parson did not have an adequate plan for COVID-19, putting resident’s health and economic status at risk, particularly Black Missourians who are six times more likely to die from COVID-19 than white Missourians.
“COVID has exposed cracks in our health care system that have existed for a long time,” she said. “And some of those cracks include systemic inequalities in our health care system.”
She said she is committed to expanding Medicaid and increasing access to medical care.
Her stop at EyeSeeMe was one of several over the next two days that included a meet and greet with State
Representative Deb Lavender on Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday, Galloway was slated to meet with Boon County democrats, Webster County democrats and Teamsters Union Local No. 245.
EyeSeeMe is the largest collection of African American books for children in the United States. Located at 6951 Olive Blvd. in U. City, the store was founded by Pamela and Jeffrey Blair to provide “the very best children’s books on the market that promote positive images and stories about African American culture and history.”
To learn more visit eyeseeme.com.