June 19--Some of the cast of Spike Lee's movie "Chiraq" will take part in a rally calling for peace Friday evening.
Auburn Gresham's St. Sabina Catholic Church said in a news release that the rally is an annual end-of-school-year event that will "call all Chicagoans to take responsibility for their block, neighborhood, city and be a peacemaker -- to break the code of silence and to take back our community."
This year, church officials said, Lee and the "Chiraq" cast and crew will be participating in the rally -- and filming it. It was not clear whether the footage will be part of the movie.
Actress and singer Jennifer Hudson is also expected to speak at the rally.
The film, dealing with black-on-black crime in the Englewood neighborhood, drew controversy even before filming began this summer with a working title -- "Chiraq" -- likening the violence in Chicago to that in Iraq.
Colleen Daley, executive director of the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence, who's also expected to participate in the rally, said that while the Hollywood presence may draw more marchers than usual, the rally wasn't staged for the film's benefit.
"Father Mike (Pfleger) isn't doing this because of the film," she said, noting the event draws thousands each year. "I believe in any attention we can get that this is an issue, that people are being shot and killed every day in our city."
The Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence participates in the rally every year, Daley said, but this year will also be displaying an art installation featuring statues of eight Chicagoans killed by gun violence.
"We spend so much time talking about statistics and numbers, we don't spend enough time talking about the victims," Daley said.
The rally starts at 7 p.m. on the steps of St. Sabina Catholic Church at 1210 W. 78th Place.
The first 500 attendees will receive free T-shirts, and free gang tattoo removal will be available Friday afternoon, according to St. Sabina's statement.
lzumbach@tribpub.com
