EthicalStL.org

Environmental disparities exist and persist throughout St. Louis. The Interdisciplinary Environmental Clinic at Washington University School of Law conducted a statistical analysis of these disparities, focusing on air pollution, asthma, illegal dumping, vacancy, lead exposure, indoor mold exposure, energy burden, and food deserts. The results were published in the Environmental Racism in St. Louis report. The Clinic has since examined the aspects of our laws and policies that create and perpetuate these disparities, and prepared recommended changes to those laws and policies that–if implemented–would effect change for the better. This presentation will address both aspects of the Clinic's work, namely, the disparities that persist and the changes necessary to help our city achieve environmental justice. Prior to joining the Clinic, Tara practiced law for 15 years.

Amy Miller will be in conversation with local author and yoga teacher Becky Vollmer to discuss the phenomenon of feeling “stuck” and how it shows up in our jobs, relationships, and personal habits. They’ll explore the tension between “wants” vs. “shoulds,” the stifling effect of other people’s expectations, and the way fear too often holds us back. But all is not lost! Becky holds that the opposite of fear isn’t just courage, it’s choice–specifically, soul-guided choice–and has specific strategies for making them work for you. We all have choices, she says; we just have to be brave enough to make them.

It's easy to think that someone is acting towards us in a certain way because of something that we did, or to get a reaction out of us, or for some other specific reason. Learning that whatever others say or do is always more about that person than it is about you can create a lot of freedom. Often, what frustrates us in relationships are the ways in which we miss each other in communication. Building on the understanding that people are different and that most annoyances can be neutralized with understanding, we can create more peace in our relationships.

Medicine, and science in general, have an unfortunate tendency to conceive of health as an ideal state. Patients are then judged as having failed when they do not achieve it. Doctors and nurses are judged as having failed if they do not continue to push their patients to achieve an ideal state. But patients exist in the world with the bodies they actually have. And those actual, non-ideal bodies deserve actual medical care, right now, as they are. Sadly, fat folks too often are told to "lose weight" by medical professionals before they are fully evaluated for their health needs. How would seeking health care be different for fat folks--and other folks with stigmatized health statuses--if medicine sought to achieve a less idealized version of health that actually meets people where they are.

Kyle is a St. Louis native and has been an Ethical Society member for a decade. He is a graduate of Berklee College of Music and has a book, “Humanist, All Too Humanist: A Nietzsche Interpretation” coming out this year.

The thing is: If Alice were exploring Earth, she would reasonably observe that nearly everyone needs therapy at some point in their life, for some thing…although not everyone gets the help they need. For the “Future of Health,” we welcome a panel of Mental Health professionals from our region who represent a wide range of specializations and perspectives. Join us for a lively and informative discussion of Mental Health, generally, as well as the trends and developments in practice. The goal is to normalize seeking mental health services. And, practically speaking, this will also be an opportunity for our community members to get a feel for what services are available.

The fetus supposedly justifies overriding patient autonomy in at least some reproductive health cases. However, since the case of contraception includes the same attitudes, behaviors, and practices, but no fetus exists, we can see that sexism is the true underlying reason for the widespread abuse of patient autonomy in reproductive health. Dr. Jill B. Delston is associate teaching professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Her monograph is entitled Medical Sexism: Contraception Access, Reproductive Medicine, and Health Care (Lexington Books, 2019). Delston is the co-editor of a textbook entitled Applied Ethics: A Multicultural Approach, Eds. 5 and 6.

Given that our tagline is “Being Human, Together” it seems reasonable that our shared humanity is a worthwhile topic, generally speaking. While not specifically grounded in “the arts,” perhaps there are more creative ways to consider how we care about each other and ourselves than what we’re used to. Let’s explore the ways in which how we care for each other can help us build an ethical future that will allow all of us to thrive.

As we navigate the current COVID recovery period, the future of the arts in our community and across the globe is being shaped by two dynamic drivers: 1) dramatic shifts in habit and engagement around arts consumption and 2) the latent potential for young people today to integrate the arts into their thinking and learning to ensure a vibrant future for the arts in decades to come. The first requires creativity and agility from art-makers to ensure that new, relevant channels can continue to make art accessible and to attract art-goers to traditional channels of consumption. The second requires a commitment to invest in young people with a level of grace and respect for their collective intelligence and emotional wisdom. Combined, our communities' success in addressing these two pressing needs will determine much of our future - not just our future in the arts, but also a future for the many gifts the arts empower: empathy, critical thinking, understanding difference, and cultivating creativity and hope.

Join Louise Jett, leader-in-training, as she speaks with St. Louis native Alonzo Townsend about his early life as the son of the late blues legend Henry Townsend, his childhood growing up in St. Louis, and his vision for the future of the St. Louis music scene. Alonzo is the youngest son of Delta blues legend and patriarch of the St. Louis blues, Henry James “Mule” Townsend and blues singer Vernell Townsend. Alonzo has made it his mission to carry on the blues heritage and become an active voice for St. Louis’ history and vibrant music scene. He is the founder of the Townsendx3 Agency which books the shows for The Dark Room and provides exposure for up-and-coming artists in our area.