Denzel Washington, Charlamagne tha God and other Hollywood celebrities are renting out theaters in Chicago, so residents can see a documentary about the violence that is plaguing their city.
The film is called Chicago: America’s Hidden War. Its synopsis describes it as a documentary that “pulls back the curtain to expose the pervasive genocidal-like behavior, explain what birthed and contributed to this war and why so little is done to stop it, and ultimately inspires a clear path toward change.”
One of the producers and subjects of the film is Afro-Latino pastor and former drug dealer Dimas Salaberrios, who is trying to do something about the gun violence in the city.
“Rwanda is happening on American soil,” Salaberrios told The Christian Post. “The rate of black-on-black, Latino-on-Latino crime is alarming. The film is designed to encourage people to get involved through mentoring programs and after-school programs.”
In an op-ed written by Salaberrios earlier this year, the pastor says he feels he is in a unique position to help Chicago find a solution to stop the homicides.
“I have the background and experience that might aid the peacemakers in the battles and divert some of the shooters and gang members from violence,” he writes.
According to statistics offered on the film’s website, 90.9% of deaths in Chicago in 2020 were a result of gun violence. Salaberrios writes that since 2001, over 77,000 people have been shot in Chicago.
For more information on Chicago: America’s Hidden War, visit the film’s website at chicagoshiddenwar.com.