Letter: Criticism of BLM insults tornado-recovery efforts by Black groups

Lynn Schmidt's column " The tornado devastated Black neighborhoods. Where was the BLM organization? " (Aug. 17) is more than disappointing — it is irresponsible journalism.

After a devastating tornado, our neighbors deserve recognition for their resilience and for the grassroots organizing that has been the foundation of recovery, while the federal government’s response remains uncertain. Instead, the Post-Dispatch ran this piece the day before school started — a year when many displaced students returned to class still facing devastation and trauma.

If this storm had struck Clayton, or neighborhoods like Shaw, Tower Grove South or Compton Heights in the ward I represent, the coverage would look different. We’d be talking about disrupted schooling, families fighting insurance companies