05/15/2026
It’s been 1 year since the tornado hit the city of St. Louis. I spent Friday evening helping friends in north city clear debris, haul bricks, and tarp. That weekend I spent time at the O’Fallon Rec Center with The People’s Response while also calling our bank partners and driving to local branches for supplies needed to distribute to impacted residents.
On Monday morning, I showed up to work in a t-shirt and jeans, meeting early that morning with my department directors and managers to remind them that this office is one that serves the community, asking them to join me in self-deployment because the need was great. I am grateful that so many of my team were ready and willing to respond and serve St. Louis. I presented my budget to the aldermen while my team members went home to change and get tools and gear. Over the next few weeks, our workplace was north city. In between using chainsaws and chucking tree branches, I was coordinating conversations with our banks to create financial relief for tornado victims. The city changed, so the work changed.
1 year later, our city, our state, and our federal government have dropped the ball in supporting people who need it the most. With our office managing the Rams funding since the settlement was disbursed, the $30 million in interest generated was assigned to relief efforts. But $30 million in funding to face $2 billion dollars in damages is not enough. An additional $65 million is also not enough. Our elected leadership on the local, state, and US level need to do better by North St. Louis. The insured and uninsured alike have faced challenges in claims and support of their rebuilding efforts. Humans have been displaced for a year. I am hopeful as well as grateful for the teams, groups, individuals, and organization that have stepped up since day one and continue to stand in with their action and their advocacy.
