The future of St. Louis, and of our University community, depends on our city’s commitment to breaking down the racial and economic boundaries that have so fractured it. The editorial board sees only one mayoral candidate both devoted to this cause and armed with the attitude to accomplish it: Antonio French.

A trio of St. Louis political and business leaders talked about economic and racial issues surrounding the April 4 St. Louis mayoral election, the first in 16 years not to feature current Mayor Francis Slay. The panel was co-hosted by the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement and the Clark-Fox Policy Institute at the Brown School Friday.

Every sentence that Antonio French speaks has a definite purpose. Though his slogan #BothSidesOfDelmar gives a succinct, marketable snapshot of his vision for the city, it’s not just rhetoric; the 39-year-old backs it up with detailed and passionate discussion of policy targeting the city’s most run-down neighborhoods.

In the next month, Forum will be profiling the upcoming mayoral race in St. Louis, the first election for the position in 16 years to not feature an incumbent. The new mayor will encounter an unprecedented amount of issues in our economically, racially and socially divided city, and we believe it is important to cover this election in these politically turbulent times.