THE POLITICS

Built in the 1960's as a solution to housing the urban poor, thirty years later Cabrini Green is being demolished and its residents dispersed. The demolition of Cabrini Green is part of a nationwide trend to tear down high rise public housing. What does this mean for the future of public housing? What happens to the communities within public housing? Who is entitled to live in the heart of the city and how shall they live? These overriding questions of urban life are the subject of Voices of Cabrini a gripping, half-hour film.

THE COMMUNITY

At its peak, Cabrini Green was home to 20,000 residents in 28 high rises and low rises on 70 acres of land. Currently the number has diminished to approximately 8,000 residents. Four high rises have been demolished, several more have been emptied and the rest are scheduled for demolition.

Resident Mark Pratt

THE CHARACTERS

MARK PRATT is an ambitious 30-something filmmaker who wants to be the next Steven Spielberg. As a longtime resident of Cabrini Green, Mark is torn about whether to move out of the projects. He loves his community, but wants to live where his family can have "a piece of mind - and we can't have that here."

TREVONTE PRATT, Mark's 13 year old son, is wise beyond his years. Trevonte speaks eloquently about his life in the film: "Sometimes I am ashamed to say where I'm from because they are saying so much bad stuff about Cabrini. But it's not all that bad. We're like a family here."

GEORGE ROBBINS has been cutting hair at Cabrini Green for over 40 years. His store on Division Street was a vibrant community center until it was demolished by the city. George was forced to move his business elsewhere, but will his customers return?