'The Chi' Season 3 Episode 4: Who's Camille Hallaway played by Lena Waithe, creator of the acclaimed series?
Spoilers for 'The Chi' Season 3 Episode 4 'Gangway'
Immaculately dressed in a suit, Lena Waithe's Camille Hallaway makes an impression almost immediately. The face is a Sphinx, there's nothing given away. Hair cut closely with a bit of design at the sides, and a voice that's deep, measured and calm at the same time. That's as far as we go to define Hallaway who's all set to give Otis 'Douda' Perry a run for his money as the mayoral race heats up.
Hallaway says she's from the city of Chicago and according to Reverend Jackson (Tory O Davis), she's not afraid to put the prayer in the politics. "How y'all doing tonight? You good?" Hallaway asks when she steps up. A tense silence follows as she continues talking about the violence in the community and also the disappearance of Kiesha Williams (Birgundi Baker).
"I was supposed to come up here and talk about my plans for the city, to get it working again, to work on improving our failed school system, but it's hard to that when our children aren't safe," Hallaway said. "Now that's not the Chicago I remember. I could play outside all day, My mother was gainfully employed, and when I got out of hand, my neighbors would discipline me. That's the Chicago I know and love."
"I often hear people talking about where our Black leaders are. Who's the next Martin Luther King? Where's Malcolm (X)? But I am telling you, It's time to start letting other people lead you to the promised land. I ain't Jesus, I'm just a woman standing before you asking you to lead yourselves."
And she wasn't done. "I don't wanna walk in front of you, I wanna walk alongside you," she tells the congregation. "Because we're all in this together." Chicago's rich history gets outlined when Hallaway says it was their ancestors who built the city brick-by-brick. She asks as to how residents could spill the blood of their own in a place of such heritage where the greats once lived. Hallaway also throws down the gauntlet on Perry.
"Now my opponent, Otis or Douda or Perry, I dont know what he calls himself this week, don't care about you. All he wants is a bigger office with a nice view. And to be real, that's what most politicians want. But lucky for you, I'm not a politician. I am a chick from the southside whose grandmother was part of the great migration and whose mom fought for civil rights," she says.
Hallaway also promises she would get answers to some questions that have been left unattended to for a long time — the steep increase in deaths, the quality of living, and mental health. The line of the day is when she says, "I am not perfect, but neither are you. So I implore you not to demand something of your leaders you don't demand of yourself."
Quite simply, Hallaway's ambition is to make Chicago great again and the rousing speech has no doubt won the hearts of all those who heard it. For those who have followed 'The Chi', Hallway's questions and points come across as valid and relatable. Perhaps she just might cut it as mayor and as far as speculation goes, might be instrumental in helping find Kiesha as well.
'The Chi' Season 3 comes on Sundays 9 pm ET on Showtime.