New 400 Theaters to Host Screening of Rogers Park Youth documentary, “Silence the Violence”

From: Alderman Joe Moore

There will be a screening of the documentary film, Silence the Violence. Created by youth from Family Matters, an organization that works with families and youth in the North of Howard community, the film looks at the multiple causes of gun violence through the eyes of young men in Chicago.

The screening takes place next Tuesday, April 24th, 7:00 p.m., at the New 400 Theaters, 6746 N. Sheridan (just south of Pratt). A panel discussion with the young men will follow. Tickets are $10 and all proceeds will benefit Family Matters’ youth development programs.

To purchase your ticket and reserve your seat, click here.

The young men in the documentary provide courageous, genuine reflections about life and death, while posing the violence problem as both an issue of easy access to firearms and lack of access to alternatives to violence.

The result is a powerfully arranged collection of both everyday footage, statistics, 911 calls and personalization of what have come to be all-too-familiar news stories.

With this film and the discussion that follows, Family Matters aims to provide Rogers Park youth a platform to share their voices on the issue of gun violence and offer insights on ways to promote peace in our neighborhood and city. Their goal is to foster a safe atmosphere for constructive dialogue, leading to deeper understandings of these complex issues, and inspire future opportunities for collaboration and justice-oriented action.

Filmmaker Chris Spence, Family Matters’ Director of Teen Boys and Youth Engagement, assisted the young men in producing this film with funding support from the Community Church of Wilmette.

I urge you to see this path-breaking film on one of the most critical issues of our day.

Sincerely,

Ald. Joe Moore