In St. Louis, Mo., the next black political superstar might’ve revealed himself — he’s 11. Recently, Marquis Govan took on the St. Louis City Council, and CBS’ Jane Pauley, explaining that they’re focusing on the looting in Ferguson, Mo. but real problems, like job creation, aren’t being solved. 11-year-olds know about unemployment?
Marquis was profiled on CBS’s Sunday Morning program this weekend and shared that he didn't have the typical "American" childhood. He was in the foster care system for the first two years of his life until he began living with his great grandmother. But now he's blossoming and his grandmother recalled how she essentially allows Marquis to vote for her in political elections because he’s so knowledgable.
Govan is a bright star amidst St. Louis County's long shadow of police misconduct, abuse and racial disparity. It’s been over over one month since Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson shot Michael Brown and not one of those in charge of messing up that case, from Police Chief Tom Jackson to embattled prosecutor Jim McCullough, has been fired or has stepped down. The only obvious progress is the Justice Department’s attention thanks to Attorney General Eric Holder, the suppression of militarized police presence and the fact that Wilson testified before a grand jury last week for a few hours.
Brown's parents began a campaign to push police to wear body cameras in Atlanta on Sunday. Protestors continue to organize themselves, like at Sunday's St. Louis Cardinals game, and many more across the country are prepping action plans to continue their crusade through the winter months. The grand jury has until January 2015 to decide whether to indict Wilson in the fatal shooting of Brown and now the community is considering creating a citizen review board for the police department since, you know, they've proven they can't be trusted.
As for Marquis, St. Louis' bright spot, he's making the world a better place by poring over daily news programs, reading President Obama's Dreams From My Father and generally being a star kid. Later, he plans on becoming a Senator and eventually the President of the United States, you know, the usual.