Living For We Podcast Por Ideastream Public Media arte de portada

Living For We

Living For We

De: Ideastream Public Media
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Has gun violence impacted you or someone you love? Share Your Story. Your story might be shared in an upcoming episode. In the Cleveland area, and in cities across the country, teens and young adults are dying in our streets – victims of gun violence. There's no question: it’s an epidemic. It's the leading cause of death for teenagers. Young Black men often feel like they a target on their backs. Kids in schools face metal detectors, police presence in the hallways, and shootings at football games. Jr. High students are carrying ghost guns. Every bullet fired creates two victims: the child in front of the gun, and the one pulling the trigger. This season, we're asking what can be done to reverse cycles of violence and retaliation when shooters value their reputation over their own lives. We know where this violence occurs, we know what drives it. How can we start Living For We and decrease the violence? We'll talk with people who are navigating streets where gun violence is normalized – seen as no big deal, while at the same time ruining lives. We'll listen to those fighting for their children and their communities, putting in work to uplift their neighborhoods and create meaningful change. This is more than a podcast, it's a resource for communities tired of chaos and ready to build peace. Living for We: Keep Ya Head Up is presented by Ideastream Public Media, and a co-production of Evergreen Podcasts.All Rights Reserved 2025 Ciencias Sociales
Episodios
  • S2E11: Hope in Akron

    S2E11: Hope in Akron
    Jul 1 2025
    In this powerful final episode of this season of Living For We: Keep Ya Head Up , co-hosts Marlene Harris-Taylor and Myesha Watkins turn their focus to Akron, Ohio — a Northeast Ohio city grappling with the harsh realities of gun and police violence. They sit down with community advocate Courtney Brown, founder of Winners and Leaders, and Taylin Ray, a high school freshman who was personally impacted by the violence. Taylin reflects on the loss of his good friend, 15‑year‑old Jazmir Tucker, who was shot and killed on Thanksgiving Day by police. There was an outcry of concern over the controversial incident, but the case is still being reviewed by local officials. Together, they also discuss how Courtney’s after-school program, including a transformative component called Man in the Mirror, is helping young Black boys see brighter paths forward. Later, the conversation expands to include Minister Stephen Muhammad and Marcel McDaniel of Akron's Street Teams initiative, which uses Credible Messengers — individuals with lived experience — to mentor youth and interrupt cycles of violence. This episode wraps up a season of emotional, raw, and affirming conversations with Black men and women across Northeast Ohio. Marlene and Myesha reflect on the themes of trauma, resilience, grace, and community power — and share how local heroes are stepping up, even when no one else is coming to save us. View our full list of resources here. Have you or someone you know been impacted by gun violence? Or do you have any thoughts about what was shared in today’s episode? Share your story for a chance to be featured on the show!
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    51 m
  • S2E10: The Cavalry Ain’t Coming

    S2E10: The Cavalry Ain’t Coming
    Jun 17 2025
    The summer before her senior year, Makayla Barlow had just gotten her driver’s license. While driving home from work through East Cleveland, her life was turned upside down—a stray bullet tore through her car window and hit her. She ended up in a coma for a month, fighting to survive. In this episode, Makayla and her mom, Natasha Lovelace, open up about that terrifying day in 2021 and how an off-duty police officer jumped in to help save her life. Even though Makayla still has bullet fragments in her head and deals with ongoing neurological issues, she’s not letting that stop her—she’s now in college and pushing forward. Hosts Marlene Harris-Taylor and Myesha Watkins also sit down with Dr. Edward Barksdale, a top children’s surgeon who recently left Cleveland’s UH Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital to become the Chief Surgical Officer for Chicagoland Children’s Health Alliance. Dr. Barksdale shares what led him to start an anti-violence program back in 2019. After seeing too many kids and teens come into the hospital with gunshot wounds—and realizing no one was coming to fix the root causes—he decided to take action himself. His program, called Antifragility, helps young gunshot survivors deal with the mental and emotional aftermath, offering therapy and support once they’re out of the hospital. It was created in response to research showing that many young victims are re-injured within a year of being shot. Dr. Barksdale talks candidly about how hard it’s been to build something that addresses not just the physical wounds, but the deep trauma caused by community violence.
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    47 m
  • S2E9: Hope in the Crossfire

    S2E9: Hope in the Crossfire
    Jun 3 2025
    Gun violence doesn’t care about city limits—and Lorain, a small town on the shores of Lake Erie, about 25 miles west of Cleveland, knows that all too well. For teens growing up there, guns are easy to get, and conflict resolution? Not exactly something people are taught. In this episode, we hear from Amir Whitehead, a high school student who lost one of his closest friends in a shooting on Lorain’s south side. His friend was caught in the middle of gang violence—a devastating reality for many young people in the area. Amir is part of a local program called ACES (Achievement through Community Education & Support). It’s not your typical anti-violence program—it’s more like a lifeline. It offers mentoring, counseling, and a way out for teens who might otherwise get pulled into the streets. One day, Amir was just walking to lunch when the associate director from ACES stopped him and said, “Hey, want a summer job?” That moment changed everything. ACES was started by Michael Ferrer, who’s always worked with youth. But when the Lorain police chief sent a letter to all the nonprofits in town basically saying, “We can’t keep the community safe unless something changes,” Michael knew he had to act. ACES doesn’t wait for kids to come to them—it goes out and finds the ones who need help most. Jessicka Castro, the associate director, gets it on a personal level. The program helped her when she was a teen, and now—even though she’s a registered nurse—she’s back, paying it forward. “This is my calling,” she says. And it’s working. 90% of teens in ACES go on to graduate. That’s not just a stat—it’s a sign of hope.
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    43 m
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