Ep. 330 How to Transform a Community with Food w/ Erica Williams

·26 min·2 clips

Erica Williams explains why planting a garden in North St. Louis County isn't just cute—it's about a community that literally doesn't have food.

The episode begins with host LaTosha Johnson introducing Erica Williams, founder and executive director of A Red Circle, a nonprofit focused on racial equity and community wellness in North St. Louis County. Erica shares her background as a paralegal and mother of five, explaining that the killing of Mike Brown Jr. in Ferguson prompted her to start the organization. She discusses how her upbringing instilled Black pride, contrasting it with systemic racism she learned about later, such as redlining and restrictive deed covenants. Erica describes A Red Circle's key programs, starting with nutrition education that evolved into gardening and food production due to lack of access. The nonprofit is now developing the North County Community Nexus, a 44,000-square-foot building that will include People's Harvest grocery store, Bistro on the Boulevard restaurant, and a food production kitchen. She mentions pop-up events in Ferguson and plans for parking lot pop-ups in July as a proof of concept. Erica addresses challenges like explaining food justice to funders and defending SNAP benefits, referencing the film 'Against All Odds, The Fight for the Black Middle Class' to illustrate historical inequities. When asked for her one word for the year, she chooses 'audacious' due to the scale of their project. Erica advises aspiring community leaders to be bold, listen to their communities, and avoid assumptions like starting food pantries without consultation. She shares that a 2021 food summit revealed community desires for jobs and fresh food over liquor stores or pantries. The episode ends with contact information for A Red Circle and a call to action for listeners.

As heard by us

A grounded look at food access as community infrastructure in North St. Louis County.

A Red Circle brings food access down to the level of business, neighborhood trust and daily need. Erica Williams traces her path from paralegal work to leading the North St.

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Why you'd press play

You will hear Erica Williams explain how A Red Circle is building food justice work around North St. Louis County needs.

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