This story is part of WTTW’s Firsthand initiative exploring gun violence in Chicago.

As Chicago experiences a surge in COVID-19 cases, data shows the city’s 2020 homicide rate is outpacing 2019.

South and West side communities are grappling with the virus’s disproportionate impact on Black and Latino Chicagoans while dealing with the trauma of gun violence.

One man’s nonprofit aims to give these communities a helping hand in times of need. We speak with Jamal Cole, founder of My Block, My Hood, My City, as part of our series.