Living for We, Season 2: Keep Ya Head Up

We list many local and national resources in the podcast. Click here to view them all.

This season aims to be a resource for the community. “Whether you live in Cleveland, Lorain, Akron, Canton—we can direct you to people ready to help,” adds Evergreen Senior Producer Erin Lann. The team has assembled a list for anyone in need of resources, whether they’re a victim of gun violence, worried for a family member, looking to escape their situation, or even re-entering civilian life after time away.

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.

Has gun violence impacted you or someone you love? Share Your Story. Your story might be shared in an upcoming episode.

Living For We is part of the Connecting the Dots between Race and Health initiative from Ideastream Public Media. Our show is produced by Evergreen Podcasts, and made possible by generous support from the Dr. Donald J Goodman and Ruth Webber Goodman philanthropic fund of the Cleveland Foundation.