WEPOWER Wednesday’s Back & Celebrating Black History!
February 19, 2025
WEPOWER Wednesday's Back & Celebrating Black History!
Friend,
During a moment like this, things can feel so overwhelming that we become paralyzed. With approximately 85% of the region’s childcare funding coming from the federal government, WEPOWER’s 2025 budget relying on a significant amount of federal funds, ICE raids at our doorstep (literally), an attack on “DEI,” winter storms and winter illnesses abound, and heightened political chaos at all levels, what do we do?
Well, I’m not supposed to eat bread…but this weekend, I ate a lot of pizza — frozen pizza, airport pizza, and tavern pizza.
There’s no silver bullet for mitigating the “complete collapse of civilization,” but there are some ways we can navigate this moment and even let it catalyze revolutionary progress. Like a phoenix, we can rise towards justice and equity — with a slice of Imo’s pizza in our mouths on our ascension.
This year, more than ever, Black History Month feels so sacred. It reminds us that we always have the power to create our way out of our darkest moments. We have the power to create art (literary, visual, musical, etc.) and new cultural norms, an even more beloved community rooted in care and courage. We can create new visions and movements of solidarity and transformation. In the meantime, we also have the power to even create our favorite dishes to nourish our spirit and fill our tummies for the hard work we must do in the months and years ahead.
So, this WEPOWER Wednesday, we invite you to join us in our “creation” work as a remedy to sustain and care for ourselves, whether attending an upcoming happy hour or coalition meeting, grabbing coffee with a member of the WEPOWER team, or buying Black to support a local creative.
You can start by RSVPing for our Build Black Wealth Happy Hour in collaboration with 21c Museum Hotel taking place Monday, February 24th, 6-9pm. Enjoy complimentary cocktails, small bites, and music, and meet a special group of Black St. Louis business owners and creatives who will be featured at 21c in the months ahead!
NEWS
Closing The Racial Wealth Gap
Cheers to Two Graduating Cohorts of Biz Owners!
We are proud to celebrate the accomplishments of the 2024 Construction Industry and the All Industries cohorts of the WEPOWER Biz Accelerator. 20 Black and Latinx business owners dedicated 10-12 weeks to growing their business while committing to St. Louis living wage job creation. Let’s wish them all the success, and consider doing business with them this year!
Making Childcare a Civil Right
James S. McDonnell Foundation Invest in Early Childhood Playbook Efforts
The James S. McDonnell Foundation (JSMF) has awarded WEPOWER and partners $637,000 to conduct necessary research, planning, public awareness, and training to improve the regional early childhood education (ECE) system.
WEPOWER, IFF, the Gateway Early Childhood Alliance, Prenatal to Five Fiscal Strategies (P5FS), Watershed Advisors, and a broad set of partners, including the social sector, business, and governmental entities across the city and county, will deepen alignment and collaboration in service of making childcare a civil right. This work builds on the considerable efforts in St. Louis to advance early childhood priorities, including the development of the community-led Early Childhood Playbook and the creation of the Gateway Early Childhood Alliance.
St. Louis Rams Settlement Allocations Paused
The City Rams Settlement Fund has grown to nearly $300 million. After more than a year of community engagement, subsidized childcare was voted a top-four idea across the city, coming in #2 among Black residents and #1 for residents earning less than $25,000 annually. However, the Board of Aldermen (BoA) could not reach a deal. The Board can try again to reach an agreement after the spring elections in April.
We are encouraged that early childhood is a growing topic and priority among our city officials. If our public officials want to take care of those who call St. Louis city home as well as attract more residents, we trust they will continue to make transformational investments in childcare. Few policy solutions provide such a proven, lasting, and incredible social and economic return on investment.
Thank you to every community member who raised your voice to call on the urgent need to make childcare affordable, quality, and accessible for more St. Louis families. We are delayed but not deterred and remain very determined. 
CALLS TO ACTION
Join us Monday, February 24th, for cocktails, small bites, music, and the launch of a new partnership with 21c Museum Hotel, where they will offer curated experiences and products from locally owned businesses!
Join us and our partners on Thursday, February 27th, for the February PPAG meeting, where you will learn about funding opportunities for childcare programs and help shape the direction of the ECE PPAG!
Help drive our mission forward of making childcare a civil right and closing the racial wealth gap. We offer competitive benefits, including healthcare coverage, paid parental leave, and a childcare stipend.
See you soon, stay warm, and stay well!
Your Family at WEPOWER