Living for We 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.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?
Living for We

Living for We

From WKSU

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.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?

Most Recent Episodes

S2E4: Something Greater Than Me

In this episode, we're heading to church with three men who once got caught up in street life, landed behind bars, and found a new purpose. Now, they're using their experiences to reach others who are struggling with what it really means to be a man. Stanley Frankart shares a powerful story about a moment when his life could have gone in a completely different direction—one where he might have faced a murder charge. But he believes divine intervention stepped in. It was in prison that he was introduced to Jesus, and today, he's one of the founders of Young Christian Professionals, a Canton, Ohio-based community organization that started behind bars and now helps others transition back into life after prison. We also talk with Bobby Johnson, a man who became a spiritual mentor to both Stanley and our third guest, Deshawn Johnson, while they were incarcerated. Bobby had a rough childhood, but at just 8 years old, someone told him he had something greater inside of him. It wasn't until he went to prison that he fully stepped into that calling—mentoring and ministering to other men. Deshawn Johnson joins us, too, sharing how he's thriving as a business owner. He runs The Experience Barber and Beauty Shop in Akron, a place where men can relax, connect, and have real conversations in a safe space. He's also paying it forward by providing jobs for formerly incarcerated men. The impact of Young Christian Professionals is growing—their mentoring program now reaches five prisons across Ohio. This is an inspiring conversation about redemption, purpose, and second chances. 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!

S2E3: You Right, I'm Wrong, I'm Gone

Something as simple as the smallest slight or embarrassment like losing a pickup basketball game, can lead to gun violence. Young people reacting in the moment and not taking half of a second to think, combined with easy access to guns is a deadly combination. Too often these interpersonal conflicts are leading to a loss of life or to prison time for young Black men. In this episode, we speak with two Cleveland teens about the stress of avoiding violence at school, and in their neighborhoods. Community advocate Walter Patton, founder of the award-winning mental health program Ghetto Therapy™️, also speaks with us. Walter started Ghetto therapy ™️in Cleveland's Outhwaite public housing community in 2018, and it now serves 1600 people every year with free weekly therapy meetings. He's joined on the couch by Cleveland Peacemaker's outreach worker Vincent Evans. Author of Self-Care for Black Men, therapist Jor-El Caraballo returns to share advice on how to handle interpersonal conflicts 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!

S2E2: No Safe Space

What happens when a regular day at school turns into the worst day of your life? Teens in Northeast Ohio are facing gun violence or the threat of gun violence in what should be a safe space. Living For We hosts Marlene Harris-Taylor and Myesha Watkins speak with Garfield Heights High School student Travis Page who found himself running for his life the first time he attended a football game as a freshman. A shooter interrupted the football game and sent students, parents and players scrambling to escape. We also meet a mom and a daughter, Reina Gomez and Francine Torres, who are still reeling from an incident at a Lorain County High School. Students and teachers were terrified when a student brought a gun into the building and the school went on lockdown – with everyone thinking there was a shooter on the loose. It was bad information, but students were traumatized and desperate to escape. We also talk to Dr. Terrance Menefee, a long-time administrator and principal in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. He lost 17 students he was mentoring to gun violence in a five-year period. Menefee shares the challenges involved in keeping kids safe when arguments that begin on social media can end in gun violence near school buildings. 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! - Moms Demand Action: Moms Demand Action is a grassroots movement of Americans fighting for public safety measures that can protect people from gun violence. In an average year, 1,602 people die and 3,753 people are wounded by guns in Ohio. Gun violence costs Ohio $22.3 billion each year, of which $493.7 million is paid by taxpayers. Learn more about gun violence in Ohio here. Students Demand Action: "We're young activists committed to ending gun violence in our communities. We've grown up in the midst of America's gun violence crisis. In fact, we've been called the 'school shooting generation.' Now we're rising up and organizing in our high schools, colleges, and communities across the country to demand action to end gun violence.'

S2E1: Both Sides of the Gun

Season 2 of Living For We: Keep Ya Head Up dives into the real-life struggles of gun violence in communities of color—stories that don't always make the headlines. In Episode 1, we sit down with Black men who are deep in the streets, a community leader fighting to break the cycle, and Jor-El Caraballo, a licensed therapist and author of Self-Care for Black Men: 100 Ways to Heal and Liberate. He shares tips on healing, self-care, and moving forward. Plus, host Marlene Harris-Taylor introduces a new co-host, Myesha Watkins, executive director of the Cleveland Peace Makers. Get ready for real talk, real stories, and real solutions. 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! Click here to access the resources/organizations mentioned in this episode!

Coming Soon: Keep Ya' Head Up

The wait is over! On February 11th, we'll be releasing the first episode of season two, titled Living For We: Keep Ya' Head Up. 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. We're excited to share that this season will also include video! The video version of the podcast will be posted on the Ideastream Public Media YouTube Channel, so make sure to check it out on the 11th! Episodes will release on all platforms every other Tuesday. In the meantime, want to hear from you! If you have been personally impacted by gun violence, or are working to solve this problem in your community, please leave us a message here. Or, please share this link with anyone in your life who has a story to tell. We might use the voicemail on the show, or call you for a full interview! We're thrilled to share this new season with you. See you next month, and Keep Ya' Head Up!

We Want Your Stories!

Hey, Living for We listeners, long time no see! We're gearing up for season 2, which will focus on the gun violence epidemic in the Cleveland area. We want to hear from you! If you have been personally impacted by gun violence, or are working to solve this problem in your community, please leave us a voice message at https://www.speakpipe.com/LivingForWeSeason2. Or, please share this link with anyone in your life who has a story to tell. We might use the voicemail on the show, or call you for a full interview!

E11: That's a Wrap

In a conversation led by creative director HeyFranHey, go behind the scenes of "Living For We" with the production team– host and executive producer Marlene Harris-Taylor, lead producer Hannah Rae Leach, and our in-pod therapist Dr. Angela Neal-Barnett. Learn more about Living For We here. Donate to Ideastream Public Media here! Leave us a voicemail at (216) 223-8312 letting us know your thoughts on the season! Read our foundational research, Project Noir by Enlightened Solutions, here. Check out photos from Enlightened Solutions' Living For We: Live event here!

E10: Love Language

Is there anything more beautiful than Black love? From sister-friends and treasured co-workers to devoted husbands and boyfriends, love makes life worth living, especially in a city where it can be so tough. How can we use the power of love to make Cleveland a better place for all of us, and how can we shape its future through the act of "living for we?" If you are someone you know doesn't feel safe at home, Dr. Angela recommends the below resources: Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 Text "START" to 88788 Visit http://thehotline.org/get-help/ for support via chat Learn more about Living For We here. Donate to Ideastream Public Media here! Leave us a voicemail at (216) 223-8312 letting us know your thoughts on the podcast. Read our foundational research, Project Noir by Enlightened Solutions, here. Check out photos from Enlightened Solutions' Living For We: Live event here!

Introducing When Magic Happens

Today, we're sharing an episode of When Magic Happens, a new podcast from WBEZ Chicago, where intergenerational convos of love and laughter collide. In this episode, we're discussing body-ody-ody-ody. Slim-thick, bean pole, pear, apple – how has your body been categorized? Cheryle, Jennifer and Taylor discuss body image and their relationships to their bodies over time. Then, we hear from Michaela Duerson, a plus-size model, talent agent, photographer and former gymnast, who explains the importance of appreciating our bodies at their many stages and why everyone is wrong. Find When Magic Happens from WBEZ Chicago wherever you listen to podcasts.

E9: School Daze

In the classroom, even the best and brightest of Black women are often encouraged to think small and aim low. Chronic underfunding of public schools in Black neighborhoods, steering of Black girls away from honors classes in suburban schools, and abundant microaggressions from preschool to graduate school make learning a challenge. Despite it all, Black women are finding ways to shine. If you're a Black woman in Cleveland and want to share your thoughts, leave us a voicemail at (216) 223-8312 and you may just hear yourself on the podcast! Learn more about Living For We here. Read our foundational research, Project Noir by Enlightened Solutions, here. Check out photos from Enlightened Solutions' Living For We: Live event here!