Former Alderman Antonio D French

Biography

Alderman Antonio D. French is serving his second term as the Alderman of the 21st Ward, representing parts of the neighborhoods of Penrose, College Hill, and O’Fallon, where he was born and raised. Prior to becoming Alderman he served the 21st Ward as the Democratic Committeeman and managed numerous winning political campaigns as the president of his own consulting firm.

In 2012, French founded The North Campus, an education initiative modeled after The Harlem Children’s Zone in New York City. The North Campus now provides after-school tutoring, mentoring and enrichment services for more than 150 children.

During his time on the Board, French, one of the youngest city aldermen, has earned a reputation for passionately serving his ward and creating new initiatives to improve the quality of life in north St. Louis. In 2010, the Riverfront Times named him “Best Local Politician”.

French’s “Block by Block” partnership with the non-profit Rebuilding Together and Boeing resulted in the rehab of more than 50 homes for seniors and disadvantaged homeowners in his ward.

In 2008, he founded a successful summer jazz concert series in O’Fallon Park, helping to revitalize that beautiful public park. This summer was its seven consecutive year. In 2010, French passed a bill creating a public arts trust fund in the city.

In cooperation with the St. Louis Police Department, he created “safe zones” for hundreds of children in north St. Louis to trick-or-treat every Halloween night.

French gained national recognition for his work covering the unrest in Ferguson, MO in 2014. He used social media to document the protests and the heavy-handed police response. He also helped keep the peace when the situation turned violent.

On the Board of Alderman he serves on the following committees: Ways & Means; Housing, Urban Development and Zoning; Parks; and Streets. He is a member of the African American Aldermanic Caucus.
 

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