June 27th, 2012
Last year we were very proud to release the Steve James and Alex Kotlowitz documentary The Interrupters in the UK. Steve came over for the release, and this week we were pleased to also welcome one of The Interrupters themselves; Cobe Williams was in town to work with the CeaseFire London team and he popped in to the office to meet the team.
The Interrupters tells the moving and surprising story of three “violence interrupters” in Chicago who with bravado, humility and even humour try to protect their communities from the violence they once employed. Ameena, Cobe and Eddie all have stories and histories of violence and gang activity. They use their own personal experiences and street credibility to work in the communities, interjecting where violence is prone to erupting and working with families to stop the infection and spread. Their work and their insights are informed by their own journeys, which, as each of them point out, defy characterisation.
Cobe is still working as hard as ever to build relationships with those affected by violence on the streets in Chicago. Just today, Chicago police announced a $1 million grant for the Ceasefire Interrupters and Ceasefire London are working hard to try and get some UK goverment funding here to support the initiative. As well as signing posters and DVD's, Cobe chatted with us about the film and his work, and how he is still in regular contact with Steve James and Alex Kotlowitz.
Here are some pictures from Cobe's visit:
Cobe signs some DVD's
What a great poster!
Of course we had to send him off with a Dogwoof bag!
Cobe adds his signature to Steves on our wall
The Dogwoof team say cheese!
