June 21, 2025
In the wake of the recent tornadoes that devastated parts of St. Louis—particularly the historically Black neighborhoods in North St. Louis—Crossroads College Preparatory School responded with care, speed, and commitment to community. Starting June 10, the school opened its gymnasium and North parking lot as an emergency shelter operated by the American Red Cross, offering temporary refuge for families displaced by the storm.
This partnership with the Red Cross came together quickly, but in true Crossroads fashion, the community was ready to help. Staff, families, and students adjusted to new routines, using alternate entrances and supporting the shelter effort in any way they could. Volunteers from within and beyond the Crossroads community quickly began offering their time and resources to the shelter and beyond.
One beautiful expression of this collaboration took place on Juneteenth. Crossroads and the Red Cross co-hosted a community cookout—complete with red foods honoring the holiday’s traditions, chalk art, lawn games, and shared meals under the summer sun. The cookout was both a celebration and a moment of reflection, recognizing the continued struggle for Black liberation while also emphasizing joy, togetherness, and cultural pride.
One beautiful expression of this collaboration took place on Juneteenth. Crossroads and the Red Cross co-hosted a community cookout—complete with red foods honoring the holiday’s traditions, chalk art, lawn games, and shared meals under the summer sun. Juneteenth commemorates the day in 1865—two years after the Emancipation Proclamation—when enslaved people in Texas finally learned they were free. That delay has come to symbolize how Black Americans have always had to fight for their own liberation in the face of purposeful discrimination and systemic exclusion. The work is far from done—but Juneteenth is also a celebration of community power, joy, and resilience. Events like this remind us that justice and liberation are collective efforts, and that our strength comes from standing together.