A Red Circle

The mission of A Red Circle is to promote community betterment in North St. Louis County through a racial equity lens.

A Red Circle was founded in 2017 to investigate and identify the causes of racial tension and disparities following the shooting death of Michael Brown, Jr. in August 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri. Erica Williams, ARC’s Founder and Executive Director and a lifelong North St. Louis County resident, was very concerned with the lack of care, attention, and support that was being shown to North County residents during that time of upheaval. Gathering an abundance of community input, Erica expanded the organization’s focus areas to include education advocacy, community wellness, and the arts.

A variety of programs and services are offered within the organization’s three program focus areas: 

In the Education Advocacy Department, ARC seeks to provide equitable education opportunities for all students through implementation of the S.A.F.E. Program, Parent Café, and the work of the Education Advocacy Coalition to encourage school policy change focused on equity. 

The organization’s Community Wellness Department is focused on empowering healthy decisions and improving access to healthy food for all community members. The Community Wellness team is increasing healthy food access through initiatives such as the North County Agricultural Education Center in Pine Lawn and the Healthy Flavor Community Garden and Market in Riverview, and the future People’s Harvest Grocery Store in Bellefontaine Neighbors.  

The Art Department encourages black empowerment through art and creativity, offering a variety of experiences ranging from Art in the Garden workshops to Drumming4Peace Summer Camp for children. All of these initiatives support the organization’s vision of a North County community that benefits from equitable investment which will lead to a healthy environment and food ecosystem, quality education, and opportunities for everyone to enjoy the arts.

Read our blog about Black Philanthropy Month and Give 8/28 here: https://www.aredcircle.org/a-red-circle-celebrates-give-8-28-day-during-black-philanthropy-month/.