The Red Well Foundation uses arts to enrich lives of young people in Chicago

CBS Chicago is the proud sponsor of Chicago's Race Against Gun Violence in Grant Park, and all week, CBS News Chicago is focusing on groups working to end gun violence in the city.

One such group is The Red Well Foundation, which uses the arts to affect young people's lives positively.

CBS News Chicago visited John B. Drake Elementary School, 2710 S. Dearborn St., Shaun Redwell was teaching some students how to design shoes. Custom shoe designer Shaun Redwell asked questions to inspire the youngsters — what color would represent that specific day for the youngsters, or would feel like peace, or would represent when they feel the strongest, the bravest, the boldest?

Redwell isn't just a shoe designer. He's the founder of The Red Well Foundation, which hosts his shoe design clinic and other arts-related programs.

"The Red Well Foundation is just an organization of creatives where we give our expertise and our experience to young people — show them different avenues, ways, journeys about how to use their creativity," Redwell said. "You know, you can be the president, you can be a lawyer. But nobody tells you, you can be an artist, you can be a musician — you can be anything you want to be. So I wanted to give kids that exposure and that understanding."

Redwell started his foundation in 2024, after years of working with young students.

"The program is meant to be built around decision-making, so when we do custom shoes and different things, you have to think through the process. You have to make a decision," Redwell said. "So it teaches them how to make the decision, how to value the decision, and how to be intentional when they do the work."

Shena Jones is the dean of students at Drake Elementary School.

"It is important, because it gives our students an outlet to be able to be creative, use their minds, engage, and know that somebody is there to support them and engage with them," Jones said.

Jones said she can see a difference in kids who participate.

"They don't get in trouble as much. They reach out," she said. "They feel that there's somebody there to support them, and they know they always have somebody to have their back."

Drake students who talked with CBS News Chicago said they feel good after taking the class.

"Like, made me feel happy," said seventh grader Kylee Paul. "Like, like at ease, if you want to say that."

"I feel like I'm in my own space and I can just do what I put my mind to," said sixth grader Gabriel Ellis.

Now, the Red Well Foundation is teaming up with other organizations to put on Peace in the Park, planned for June 27 at Williams Park, 2720 S. State St.

"Right now, it's a lot of violence, and it's a lot of negative things that are happening within our communities," said Kewana Reese of The Protégé Project. "So to be able to provide them with the positivity — actions from not just older people, but people who were once their age — and to show that we can bring the community together, it's important."

"We have the same cause, we have the same purpose, and we have the same story," said Crishanda Burgos of the Inspire Foundation Group. "Let's get together and do one big thing and make a greater impact."

Redwell said he can see that impact with the kids he mentors.

"There's a sparkle in their eyes. They want to know more, they want to learn more, they want to engage, they want to get different experiences," he said. "So it's just kind of like a light bulb."