KINGSTON, R.I. – KINGSTON, R.I. – Sept. 25, 2025 – The University of Rhode Island’s John Hazen White Sr. Center for Ethics and Public Service will host the Rhode Island premiere of the documentary “Silence on the Streets” on Thursday, Nov. 6. The film examines the impact of the illicit opioid crisis on urban and vulnerable communities.

The film, which represents a unique public service partnership between creative artists, public health professionals, and law enforcement agencies, will be held in Edwards Hall on URI’s Kingston Campus. Doors will open and light refreshments will be available at 4:30 p.m., a panel discussion will start at 5:15 p.m., with the film screening to begin at 6 p.m. A question-and-answer session will follow. The event is free and open to the public; however, registration is recommended.

The film delves into the complex problems the opioid and fentanyl crisis has caused in Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous communities in urban areas. Filmed in Connecticut, the documentary features first-hand accounts from those afflicted by drug addiction, as well as experts who specialize in addiction, trauma, psychology, prevention, and harm reduction.

“Nationally, overdose deaths have begun to decline in some areas, but that progress has not reached Black and Brown communities, where numbers are still rising,” said Sharece Sellem-Hannah, the film’s creator and director. “Connecticut mirrors this trend. Our communities are still losing too many people, and we’re still fighting for equitable access to prevention, mental health support, and recovery services. At the same time, conversations about social determinants of health, systemic inequities, and racial disparities are gaining more attention.”

“Silence on the Streets” has initiated thought-provoking conversations and reminded audiences that drug overdoses continue to plague communities across the nation

“One of the primary missions of the John Hazen White Center is to foster university engagement in public service throughout Rhode Island,” said Marc Hutchison, director of the Center and professor of political science at URI. “To mark the 30th anniversary of the Center, we are bringing attention to this widespread public health crisis through the film screening and panel discussion as well as key stakeholder meetings throughout that week. We see these events as providing public service to URI and Rhode Island in helping combat the opioid epidemic that is ravaging our communities.”

The panel discussion will feature:

• Sharece Sellem-Hannah, creator and director of “Silence on the Streets”
• Robert Lawlor Jr., drug intelligence officer for the New England High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program’s (NEHIDTA) Connecticut Overdose Response Strategy (ORS)
• Donald Rose Sr., Sellem-Hannah’s father, a licensed community health worker in the Connecticut who shares his prior experience with addiction in the film
• Dennis Bailer, director of Providence programs for Project Weber/RENEW, a peer-led organization that provides support, community, and tools for people who use drugs, engage in sex work, or are unhoused
• URI Dean of Students Dan Graney
• Steven Williamson, Rhode Island Department of Health, URI adjunct faculty

The idea to convey these messages through film began after Lawlor attended “Matthew Rising” in 2020, a play written by Sellem-Hannah. The play was a fictional, but realistic depiction of the escalating opioid epidemic in Connecticut and beyond.

“Sharece asked if I would attend the play and participate in a panel discussion to share my experiences as a police officer,” said Lawlor. “I found it very impactful. I hadn’t connected the social determinants.”

Following the initial meeting, Lawlor, Sellem-Hannah, and Anna Gasinski from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Foundation had a series of conversations about how to reach a larger audience to address the rising number of overdoses affecting predominantly Black and Brown communities. Through funding from the Office of National Drug Control Policy and support from NEHIDTA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the CDC Foundation, and the Alliance for Prevention & Wellness, the documentary based on Sellem-Hannah’s lived experiences was born.

“The film gives a voice to the people who are most affected, holding a mirror to what we’ve lost and what we need to change,” said Sellem-Hannah. “It’s a reminder that the work is far from over, and that listening to these lived experiences is essential for meaningful action. It’s a call to recognize the broader issues of stigma, prevention, and recovery, and to understand that healing is possible when communities come together and support one another. My intention with this film is to humanize the data, showing the faces and stories behind the numbers.”

“There’s not one agency or one silver bullet that’s going to solve these issues because they are too complex, so we have to begin coming together as communities to address these issues,” said Lawlor. “Smaller states such as Rhode Island and Connecticut should be able to institute policies and infrastructure at the state level that can help support these issues. An argument can be made that we’re not doing a good enough job in that area.”

“Silence on the Streets” premiered at Southern Connecticut State University in December 2023. Since then, the documentary has been screened primarily in Connecticut, where Sellem-Hannah grew up, and Delaware, where the filmmaker resides. It’s been shown at departments of corrections, faith-based organizations, behavioral health organizations, harm-reduction organizations, a library, and an independent movie theater.

Organizations, schools, and agencies may request a free screening of the film via online form or by emailing Lawlor at rlawlor@nehidta.org.

Meanwhile, those interested in learning more about overdose response strategies, trends, and emerging threats in Rhode Island are encouraged to attend the URI Forensic Science October 31 presentation by Bryan Volpe and Tom Chadronet of the NEHIDTA. Volpe is a drug intelligence officer and Chadronet is a public health analyst. Both will also contribute to the Center’s events at URI the following week.