New PSAs aim to tackle Chicago violence in a fresh way

CHICAGO - A series of Public Service Announcements designed to grab the attention of Chicagoans and address the city's violence have begun airing, marking a new approach to combating this pervasive issue.

On Thursday, Father Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina Church discussed the initiative's origins and his hopes for its impact by the end of the summer.

The PSAs aim to share the stories behind the names of victims of violence, reaching people in a way that resonates on a personal level.

"This is not normal in Chicago or anywhere. We can’t wait for some big thing to change it. We got to change it," said Pfleger.

Partnering with FOX 32 Chicago and other stations, Father Pfleger is leveraging multiple platforms to spread the message.

"After March 3, when we had that gathering on Roosevelt and Canal and one young kid was killed and another wounded, I was struggling with what more we can do," Pfleger said. "The TV stations, the radio stations. We got it (the PSAs) on buses and trains."

The goal of the PSAs is to inspire action among viewers and listeners.

"You can’t see that and not be moved in some way, that people will say what can I do in my house with my children on my block. That some young person will hear it from a radio station and on TV and see it and say I gotta make the right choices," Pfleger added.

The campaign's objective is to make the message loud and clear, urging everyone to take proactive steps.

"Hopefully they'll get bombarded with this over the summer months and people will say let me see where my child is, maybe have a locator on their phone, maybe talk to them and see how valuable they are, or a young person say I'm too important to risk being shot and killed," Pfleger said.

The PSAs started airing on Thursday and will continue throughout the summer.

"If it saves 5 lives, 6 lives the whole summer — it's worth the whole thing," Pfleger emphasized.