In Los Angeles, gang violence is a part of daily life. Last year there were 296 gang related deaths in the city. The gap between Westside and Watts is staggering. There is a one in 250 chance of being murdered in Watts versus a one in 100,000 chance in Westside. In this documentary in progress, Cecilia Peck explores LA’s gang culture and an effort to change one neighborhood at a time.

The film’s director, Cecilia Peck is known for her acclaimed 2007 documentary, "Shut Up & Sing," which looked at the Dixie Chicks’ highly charged musical odyssey after they denounced the Iraq war and fellow Texan George W. Bush.

Now she turns to her native city of Los Angeles and the epidemic of gang violence. Peck spent months attending gatherings of ex-gang members who try to intervene before a gang murder happens; she has followed the Mothers of Murdered Children, and has ridden and filmed with law enforcement through LA’s most violent districts. "We can’t live in this city and turn our backs on the problems further down the freeway," Peck says. In the process she hopes to teach kids to operate video cameras instead of guns, incorporate their footage into her film, and hopefully, create some production skills that are an alternative to gangs.

Peck needs financial support to finish this film. She also welcomes help getting the film shown in high schools, community centers, and websites like this. To offer your support, contact Cecilia Peck at veep555-at-aol.com