HEAR ME–documentary on gun violence in Berkshire County, FREE screening at Images!

Hear Me features seven young people from Berkshire County who have been impacted by gun violence. We explore root causes, stories of impact, and a way forward–through the voices of experts: those who have lived it. Followed by a panel discussion and audience Q & A. Screenings and talk-backs aim to facilitate a broader conversation around effective gun violence prevention in Berkshire County.

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Hear Me faced substantial resistance to being shown publicly. We can’t wait to share it with you–and hope you’ll join us for this important conversation.

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Check out the trailer.

FREE! Please reserve your free tickets ahead of time–space is limited!

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Panelists will include Hear Me cast members and Professor Ben Snyder (Sociologist), among others.

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Mass shootings account for less than 1%of deaths by firearm. Suicide accounts for the majority, at 54%. Homicide accounts for 43%. Hear Me is about the 43%.

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A single homicide is estimated to cost a city roughly $10 million over time. Investing in prevention is a tiny fraction of that cost–and it means keeping more community members alive and out of prison.

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Gun violence is the leading cause of death for Americans under age 19. For young black men, not only is it the leading cause of death–it’s higher than the next nine causes of death combined.

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Berkshire County is 4% black. But the population of the Berkshire County Jail and House of Correction is 30% black.

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The cost of incarcerating one individual in Berkshire County is roughly $90,000/yr. That’s higher than the tuition of Williams College.

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How can we decrease gun violence in our community? How can we keep more young people out of the criminal justice system?  We hope you’ll join us to discuss how we might work to implement public health models that have been effective in reducing shootings and homicides in other cities.