Living for We: Season 2 now available
Hear the latest episode:
S2E9: Hope in the Crossfire
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 said.
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.
Listen to Season 2: Keep Ya Head Up
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?
Every bullet fired creates two victims: the child in front of the gun, and the one pulling the trigger.
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.
Has gun violence impacted you or someone you love? Share your story. Your story might be shared in an upcoming episode.
Resources
This is more than a podcast, it's a resource for communities tired of chaos and ready to build peace. Click here to see a list of resources.
Season 1
In 2020, cityLAB of Pittsburgh released a study that ranked Cleveland dead last in terms of livability for Black women. On Living For We, we talk to Cleveland's Black women about their experiences at work, at school, in the doctor's office, and in community with each other in an attempt to answer the question... is Cleveland really as bad as they say it is for Black women?
Award-winning podcast
Living for We has received the following honors:
- Regional Murrow Award: Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Webby People's Voice: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
- Davey Awards: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (Gold), Series (Gold), Society & Culture (Silver)
- W3 Awards: Cause Awareness (Gold)