
FIRSTHAND: Gun Violence | The Mental Impact on Youth
Clip: Season 7 Episode 7 | 2m 2sVideo has Closed Captions
For Chicago youth, the streets can be a high-stress ordeal, or life-or-death experience.
For Chicago youth, going from one block to the next can be a high-stress or life-or-death ordeal. India Hart witnessed a shooting in her neighborhood that left her dad wounded. It wasn't the only time she experienced gun violence; her uncle and friend were both killed - leaving India and her parents having to deal with her PTSD. What do you imagine a safe and healing community could be?
Funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Additional funding provided by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Wyncote Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.

FIRSTHAND: Gun Violence | The Mental Impact on Youth
Clip: Season 7 Episode 7 | 2m 2sVideo has Closed Captions
For Chicago youth, going from one block to the next can be a high-stress or life-or-death ordeal. India Hart witnessed a shooting in her neighborhood that left her dad wounded. It wasn't the only time she experienced gun violence; her uncle and friend were both killed - leaving India and her parents having to deal with her PTSD. What do you imagine a safe and healing community could be?
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipI asked my cousin, like, "Where's my dad?"
I couldn't- It was hard to point my dad out.
I was like, "Daddy?"
So I'm looking for him and I see him, and then somebody just starts shooting.
Pah, pah, pah!
It was like nine shots.
And my dad got hit.
I didn't know where he had got hit, I just knew he was on the ground.
I froze up, and then by the time I came back to reality, I'm screaming and he not even right there no more.
I don't know where he went.
I just remember me consistently asking for my dad, "Where's my dad, where's my dad, where's my dad?"
He was in the ambulance, and I'm crying, I'm banging on the door, like, I need to see him and see if he okay.
And then the paramedics opened the door and my daddy, I see him move his head, he's like, "I'm okay, I'm okay."
I'm like... (big sigh) I thought I lost my dad, so, that was literally the worst.
[India's mom] Oh man, it impacted India greatly, she could not sleep, she would not sleep.
She even had a hard time sleeping when we pulled her in the bed with us.
You know, because she said every time she closed her eyes, she replayed that event in her head.
I got a lot in my head that I can't escape from, like, I keep replaying these events and I don't know what's wrong.
Like, in school, I would always move my desk to where I'm facing everything, I can see everything, because, I don't know, I just want to pay attention to my surroundings.
Like restaurants -- if I go to a restaurant, I'm looking at all the exits, I'm trying to pay attention to who came in and stuff like that.
At parties, I try to be aware of everything.
It kind of, like, gets in the way of me having fun because I'm so concerned about what's going on, I can't really enjoy myself in the moment.
FIRSTHAND: Gun Violence | Mothers Supporting Mothers
Video has Closed Captions
How do we support community members after the loss of a loved one to gun violence? (1m 28s)
FIRSTHAND: Gun Violence | Preview
Video has Closed Captions
Exploring the personal stories of people affected by gun violence in Chicago. (30s)
FIRSTHAND: Gun Violence | Trailer
Video has Closed Captions
Exploring the personal stories of people affected by gun violence in Chicago. (56s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipFunding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Additional funding provided by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Wyncote Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.