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!