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 content for Living For We is the property of Ideastream Public Media and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
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.
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!
Living For We
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.
