If you live in St. Louis and you’re wealthy and white, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are seamless. But if you’re poor and Black, these American ideals are often denied. They say the justice system is broken. The reality is it’s working the way it was always intended.
ArchCity Defenders (ACD) is a holistic legal advocacy organization that combats the criminalization of poverty and state violence, especially in communities of color. We fight for justice and equity for people throughout the St. Louis region and beyond with criminal legal representation, social services, impact litigation, policy and media advocacy, and community collaboration.
We not only defend our clients in court, we help families rebuild their lives together. And we won’t stop fighting until everyone in our community can live freely and thrive regardless of race, income or social status.
