They lift your spirits, prompt you to think, make you feel grateful and inspire you to do more. They connect you to our community, shining a spotlight on what's good about our city. They're stories that are Uniquely Milwaukee.
Milwaukee is a place of resilience and service. But a shadow of crime and violence hovers over parts of the city. You’ll find evidence of all these things in the people who see the latter and embrace the former by working to make Milwaukee safer. Vaun Mayes is one of them.
For years, Mayes has been an interrupter, building community trust and understanding while advocating for alternative approaches to policing and public safety. His efforts on the North Side haven’t gone unnoticed and are the subject of a a new documentary from doc|UWM students: Heavy Is the Crown.
The film features conversations with elected officials, law enforcement, educators and young people about the challenges and solutions to building safer neighborhoods. Director Sean Kafer and producer Mackenzie Savin played key roles in the project, and I sat down with them — along with Mayes — to talk about the documentary ahead of its premiere at the Oriental Theatre at 4:30 p.m. this Sunday, Sept. 27.
Film synopsis
Heavy Is the Crown is a feature documentary that examines violence, community and public safety on Milwaukee's North Side through the work of violence prevention specialist Vaun Mayes.
Beginning with the 2016 police shooting of Sylville Smith, the film explores the lasting impact of systemic disinvestment, interpersonal violence and contested approaches to policing. Intimate conversations with community leaders, elected officials, law enforcement, educators, youth and the family of Sylville Smith help reveal the challenges and possibilities of building safer neighborhoods through trust, accountability and sustained community engagement.
As Mayes and others work to interrupt cycles of violence, they encounter hope alongside skepticism and resistance, illuminating the complexity of creating change.
Produced by doc|UWM students under the direction of filmmaker Sean Kafer and Producer Mackenzie Savin, Heavy Is the Crown offers a deeply human portrait of a community working to redefine safety, dignity, and healing in Milwaukee and cities across America.
