Cooked: Survival by Zip Code is a searing and thought-provoking documentary that uncovers the true cost of inequality through the lens of an overlooked national tragedy. Directed by Judith Helfand, the film examines the devastating 1995 Chicago heatwave, during which 739 people—most of them poor, elderly, and Black—died in just one week. While extreme heat was the trigger, the film reveals how the real causes were decades of systemic neglect: poverty, segregation, and the lack of investment in social infrastructure.

Blending investigative journalism, personal storytelling, and biting commentary, Cooked asks a haunting question: was this disaster a one-time event or part of a deeper, ongoing crisis? Helfand challenges viewers to consider what truly makes a community resilient—not emergency preparedness kits, but access to libraries, parks, healthcare, and connection.

With warmth and urgency, Cooked pushes us to reimagine disaster preparedness as an invitation to address the everyday emergencies hiding in plain sight. It’s a call to action to build a more just and livable world—starting with our own zip codes.

Join the Council for Ecological Discipleship for a powerful conversation about the documentary Cooked: Survival by Zip Code. Together, we’ll explore how this film reframes disaster—not as sudden catastrophe, but as the ongoing crisis of injustice in our neighborhoods. Let’s reflect on what true preparedness looks like and how our faith calls us to respond. Discussion is free. Registration required for participation in the discussion (Zoom registration link sent to registrants).

Learn more and register at https://www.ecologicaldiscipleship.org/cooked