Calling it a “rising from the ashes,” the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis announced today (Mon., March 16) plans to build a new job training center on the site of the burned-down QuikTrip convenience store, at 9420 W. Florissant Avenue, in Ferguson. The QuikTrip Corporation donated the property, which was destroyed during the unrest following Michael Brown Jr.’s shooting death by then-Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9.
Michael P. McMillan, president and CEO of the local Urban League, said they are grateful to QuikTrip Corporation for donating the site for their new $500,000 Ferguson Community Empowerment Center. They expect to break ground this spring, after the site is cleared of debris.
“This truly is a ‘rising from the ashes’ to demonstrate how our community can work together to bring about positive change in the wake of events that have disrupted lives, prompted community unrest, and impacted the business environment,” he said at a press conference held at 3 p.m., Monday, at the Urban League St. Louis County Operations Center, 8960 Jennings Station Rd.
The facility will be the new location for the organization’s “Save Our Sons” workforce program. Announced in January, Save Our Sons offers job training and placement services for African Americans and other young men residing in Ferguson and surrounding North County communities.
The center will also offer counseling for housing, rent and utility assistance, and mental health services. Provident, Inc. will provide the center’s mental health counseling for youth and adults.
At the press conference, Michael Johnson, a QuikTrip board director, said he has been involved in the Urban League for years and wanted to do something meaningful on the location.
“We want to be part of our community’s healing,” said Johnson, who retired from the Williams Companies in 2008 after having served as senior vice president and chief administrative officer. “In order for this community to be everything it can be, these young men need the opportunity to be everything they can be.”
As he spoke, Johnson pointed to the dozen African-American young men who stood at the front of the room. They were participants in the Save Our Sons four-week job-training program, where they learn everything from public speaking and team-building to emergency financial preparation and health care.
McMillan said Johnson called him days after the QuikTrip burned asking what they could do. In the Urban League’s conversations with community members – particularly young men, they have expressed that they want jobs, McMillan said.
Several business leaders, including those from Emerson, Ameren, Civic Progress, pledged their support to the program. Regional Business Council executive director Kathleen Osborn presented McMillan with a $100,000 check.
“Projects like this don’t happen between institutions,” she said, “they happen between people.”
Osborn said it was important that Johnson participated in the Urban League, knew McMillan and knew St. Louis.
Great Rivers Greenway pledged to employ Save Our Sons graduates as trail rangers, who welcome guests and maintain the trails. They also pledged $100,000 to the program.
Kwame Building Group, an employ-owned local company, will be the construction management group. Joshua Randall, president of Kwame, said that McMillan has set a goal that this project be built with 100 percent minority workforce and minority business enterprises (MBEs).
“It is difficult for him (McMillan) to move forward building a project that is set with a mission of helping African-American men find jobs and not give the opportunity to African Americans to build the project,” Randall said. “Our role is to make sure that we accomplish that goal.”
Randall also said that he saw himself in the young men standing in front of the room, and his life could have been different if he wasn’t presented with certain opportunities.
St. Louis City Alderman Antonio French, who attended the press conference, said he is very supportive of the project.
“If the QT ever did rebuild, it would always be a potential target,” French said. “Trying to figure something there that could actually be a benefit and help with some of the problems that led to the destruction of the QT is important. And the Urban League is a great organization and has a great track record to make this successful.”
Longtime activist and protest leader Anthony Shahid also attended the conference and said the project is self-explanatory. The community needs jobs.
“We need commitments,” he said. “For 30 years, I’ve been out there and for 30 years young people are talking about jobs. And what Mike McMillan and the Urban League has done is they’ve been able to go out front and show the leadership role in making sure we can get jobs for our young people. And that means everything to us.”
