NORTH NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Over the years, the 37208 zip code has taken blow after blow.
In 2018, the neighborhood was said to have the highest incarceration rate in the United States, with 14%, or one in every three young men, of which 93% are Black, behind bars.
In 2020, dozens of properties were damaged by the March tornadoes. Many are now at risk for gentrification.
A new documentary seeks to tell a more hopeful story about the neighborhood.
The film titled "Out North"was produced by Fiverr.
It follows Gideon's Army, the group focused on dismantling the school to prison pipeline and holding police accountable.
"The way these systems are functioning, it's allowing this harm, this poverty, this violence to just keep cycling over and over again," Jamel Campbell-Gooch said in the film. "And it's at a point where we've got to put our foot down and we have to stop it."
LT, with Gideon's Army, is happy with the side of the neighborhood the film showed.
"Somebody's got to show a contrast," LT said. "If all you see is destruction or whatnot, then if you've got someone who is injecting love, now they see that it is more than just destruction."
The film tackles gentrification, the changes on Jefferson Street and the incarceration rate.
"It showed our struggles, but also showed our smiles and joy," said Chef Mic True. "It was actually able to elevate you to a point of anger because it's like what are we doing in this type of situation? And then it touched your heart after seeing there's some people out here that really care."
Recently, the 37208 zip code was also the focus of an episode of “Disrupt & Dismantle” on BET.
