In the gritty and shocking book that follows the lives of poor African-American children, Alex Kotlowitz's There Are No Children Here accurately shows what life can be like for those not as fortunate as some. The story takes place in inner-city Chicago circa 1987 and revolves around the drug violence and nightmare that reigns in the Henry Horner housing project. Lafayette and Pharoah Rivers, two brothers born into poverty, are followed throughout this true story. The two live with their mother, LaJoe, and six siblings (while some move back and forth, between prison and other places). Their father, Paul, is rarely around due to his alcoholism and drug addiction. It appears that Pharoah and Lafayette Since the documentary focuses solely on young African Americans and the majority (if not all) of the individuals who resided at Henry Horner were African American, race plays a huge factor in the odds of life of those who grow up. in downtown Chicago. The demographics of those living in poverty in this book show that there is a serious problem in society and that Pharoah and Lafayette cannot simply overcome poverty by working hard. According to the text, LaJoe, their mother, has eight children (Kotlowitz 10), three of whom were in and out of prison at the time. Children are essentially born into a difficult cycle, difficult to break, due to the neglect and systematic racism that existed at that time and still prevails today. There was even a rumor that boys were shooting out train windows as they passed through often "blighted" neighborhoods, while young boys had heard that train passengers were shooting at them (Kotlowitz 7). However, this rumor might never have broken out if the boys had been white. The police also proved to be a potential enemy for young people growing up in Henry Horner. Near the end of the book, at the stadium, a white office called Lafayette a “n*gger” while he was receiving money to park cars in the parking lot (Kotlowitz 160). Not only did the police officer call Lafayette unforgivable racist slurs, but he proceeded to throw him into a puddle and grab him by the collar of his jacket. Race played a huge role in this man's life.