Filmed on the streets of Chicago, Episode 1 opens with an unfiltered look at the realities facing Black communities in one of America’s most scrutinised cities. Through local voices and lived experience, the film examines how poverty, segregation, and generational trauma contribute to cycles of youth violence.

While rooted in Chicago, the message reaches beyond America’s borders. Community members reflect on the growing concerns in the UK and warn against repeating patterns that have devastated neighbourhoods in Chicago. This opening chapter is both testimony and caution, urging awareness, reflection, and emancipation from cycles that cross oceans.