Plot

From the award-winning team that brought you For Aaron: The Documentary comes the inspiring true story of the Lost Boyz of Chicago - a youth baseball league playing to reclaim their community from gang violence within one of the of the most violent neighborhoods in America. LaVonte is no stranger to the day to day gang violence, and he has chosen to continue to surround himself in the thick of it. We met with Lavonte Stewart and were immediately fascinated with his story. We knew this was a story we had to tell. This short film tells the story of a man hardened by the streets of South Shore, who, after a short term in prison, devoted his life to helping the community's youth through coaching a youth baseball league, the Lost Boyz of Chicago. Our crew followed Lavonte and his team for three long days and immersed themselves right into the world of South Shore Chicago. As a teenager, LaVonte was no stranger to holding his own in South Shore gangs. He roamed the streets with a firearm looking for his next victim. This was and still is the lifestyle in the community. Once you're pulled into it, it is really hard to break away. Now twenty years later, he carries a baseball bat and glove, seeking kids out in the very same community. His sole duty is to keep them from going down his same path and showing a positive life in return. Over the course of shooting the Lost Boyz of Chicago Documentary we were faced with many unforeseen challenges. Our film crew was stationed on the South Side of Chicago which is a tough neighborhood to adapt to not being a local in the community. We were stopped multiple times by gang members who told us we need to leave certain streets as gang violence was just minutes away from occurring. On the third day, as we unloaded our equipment, all production came to a halt as gun violence between rival gangs came less than 100 feet from our crew. Lost Boyz Inc.'s mission is to decrease violence, improve the social and emotional conditions, and provide financial opportunities among the youth in Chicago's South Shore community.