What is Lil Red Alerts?
LIL RED ALERTS™ is an educational safety series that encourages curiosity, sparks meaningful dialogue, and builds discernment. Spoken word poetry becomes dialogue and narration for the most vulnerable youth in communities around the globe. Memorable characters are seen in animated stories that include a mix of humor, heart, and real-world consequences.
Cast of Characters
Lil Red
Age: 12
Hoodie-wearing, sharp-witted brown-skinned boy who’s curious and creative, but also vulnerable to taking shortcuts. Red also represents misfits who are navigating real dangers in a world that doesn’t always share unspoken rules and street knowledge.
Goldie
Age: 14
Goldie is a big-sister figure, wise-savvy like a sage with golden locs. She knows about a few traps because she’s seen them all—she’s Lil Red’s “guardian angel” and will go out of her way to protect younger kids.
Granny O
Age: 70
Lives in the safest house on the block — full of herbs, teas, and history books. She’s got good WiFi and wisdom. She’s in one word: Original.
The Tricksters
Age: Varies
Digital and real-world predators appear in every episode. These smooth-talkers represent real-world threats and modern-day pressures to promote critical thinking.
Director Statement
Every child will eventually meet a trickster. My work is about helping them recognize one before it's too late.
I'm Venus Jones, a Director of Dialogue, spoken word poet, filmmaker, and educator with more than 20 years of classroom and stage experience. I believe curiosity, conversation, and discernment are among the most powerful tools we can give young people.
My first animated film, "Lil Red is Riding the Wrong Way in the Hood", took ten months of relentless determination to create. What began as a short film about trust and dangerous wrong turns quickly became something bigger. It inspired Lil Red Alerts — an educational movement using storytelling, dialogue, and practical resources to help children identify red flags, build discernment, and navigate tricksters both offline and online.
Living with ADHD and anxiety, I've made my own share of wrong turns. That experience fuels my commitment to meeting young people at life's crossroads before someone with harmful intentions does.