It was Fall 2011 when Deborah Payne solved the puzzle stumping her Chicago neighborhood: who were these men in suits? Why were their homes being demolished? When a real estate attorney came to her door with a strange offer, she glimpsed the neighborhood’s future. An eye-opening saga of resistance in a South Side Chicago neighborhood, THE AREA documentary is a five-year odyssey of Englewood, where more than 400 African-American families are being displaced by a multi-billion dollar freight company. The documentary follows homeowner-turned-activist Deborah Payne, who vows to be the last house standing, and the Row-Row boys, teen friends who must start a new life across gang lines.

Join us for a post-screening discussion on displacement, environmental justice, and community activism with:
Deborah Payne – Protagonist & Co-Producer of THE AREA
Brian Ashby – Co-Producer & Editor of THE AREA
Carlos Leon – Organizer at Community Coalition
Cynthia Strathmann – Executive Director of SAJE

Trailer:
https://vimeo.com/289364042