Residents of Newark, NJ might want to tune in to the Sundance Channel this week. “Brick City”, a five-episode miniseries, has turned reality TV into art. The five-part documentary of Newark spotlights the young and charismatic Mayor Cory A. Booker, who is working tirelessly to fix the problems that plague many of America’s inner cities.

If you’re a life-long resident of Newark, you know that the city has suffered from its fair share of problems. “Time” magazine called it “the most dangerous city in the nation” back in 1996. In the opening scene, a 10 year-old boy is killed by a stray bullet. A bus-load of children who don’t have a strong father figure in their lives are left alone on Father’s Day. In one of the most heartbreaking scenes, viewers get a peek into Newark’s shattered public school system as the principal of Central High School informs students that the $100 million construction of their new school probably won’t be finished in time for the next semester. “They done promised this building for us, and we still didn’t get it. It ain’t right,” one girl says.

Despite the crime and bloodshed, “Brick City” carries a message of hope. Mayor Booker, who was elected in 2006, travels the city with a message of hope and optimism. He has since restructured the police department, started a job program for ex-felons, and began a summer internship program for local students. Most notably, the city’s homicide rate has decreased by more than 30 percent since 2008. Progress has been made!

“Brick City” ultimately suggests that the solution to solving Newark’s problems lies in the local citizens. The series highlights several residents who are doing their part to make their city a better place. This includes Jayda and Creep, two Newark residents who are expecting a baby. Jayda and Creep are former members of rivaling gangs, the Bloods and the Crips. Their relationship, strongly reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet, is volatile, but they are both working to turn their lives around. Jayda is planning on starting an organization to mentor young women, while Creep mentors young boys at the Integrity House. It’s difficult to project what will become of Jayda and Creep—she is facing an assault charge that could potentially put her in jail and she has kicked Creep out of their home for supposedly continuing his relationship with his ex-girlfriend.

The urban documentary makes a big comeback in “Brick City” with subjects like Jayda and Creep, who want to help other Newark residents avoid the mistakes that they’ve made. The camera consistently stays on the action, spotlighting city budget meetings, gang barbecues, and late-night basketball tournaments.

“Brick City” does tell the same story of life in an inner-city: fatherless children, gang-violence, and dilapidated schools. But ultimately, it is a story of a community that is fighting for change.