BY THE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION INITIATIVES FOR REDUCING VIOLENCE IN CHICAGO.

>>> THANKS AGAIN FOR BEING WITH US.

SOME ARE MONDAYS OFTEN MEAN NEWS OUTLETS ARE COVERING SOME VERSION OF THE SAME STORY.

THE WEEKENDS VIOLENCE.

IN THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF OUR SUMMER SERIES, WTTW SAFER CITY, WE ARE TURNING THE LENS ON OURSELVES AND THE MEDIA'S COVERAGE OF THE CITY'S PERSISTENT PROBLEM.

WE START OFF BY HEARING FROM FUTURE MEDIA MAKERS ABOUT THEIR IMPRESSIONS ABOUT HOW VIOLENCE IS COVERED IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND HOW THEY PLAN TO CHANGE IT.

BRANDON JOINS US NOW FROM NORTH LAWNDALE WITH MORE.

>> Reporter: WE ARE HERE AT THE NEW HOME OF FREE SPIRIT MEDIA.

AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.

THEY WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE ON MEDIA ARTS AND CREATIVE STORYTELLING.

THIS COMMUNITY, NORTH LAWNDALE, IS ALSO HOME FOR SOME OF THOSE FREE SPIRIT MEDIA PARTICIPANTS AND THEY TELL US THEY BELIEVE THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA IS MISSING OUT ON WHAT THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS REALLY MEAN FOR THEM.

19-YEAR-OLD DAVIS SAYS SHE IS NOT ONE FOR WATCHING THE NEWS.

>> THEY DON'T SHOW THE LOVE THAT WE SHOW AND HOW WE SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

HOW WE HELP OUT.

YOU'RE WALKING DOWN THE STREET AND YOU GO, HEY, HOW ARE YOU DOING?

>> Reporter: BECAUSE OF ITS COVERAGE OF VIOLENCE.

>> IT'S TRAUMATIZING TO LOOK TO WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO SLEEP.

IT'S ALWAYS THE NEGATIVES AND NOT THE POSITIVES GOING ON.

THERE ALWAYS SING THE BAD THINGS.

IT'S SO MUCH VIOLENCE.

>> Reporter: SHE IS NOT ALONE.

24-YEAR-OLD NATE POINTS TO A LACK OF CONTEXT IN MAINSTREAM MEDIA COVERAGE.

>> HOW YOU PORTRAY A SUBJECT TRULY AFFECTS HOW SOMEONE CAN DIGEST IT.

RIGHT?

I THINK WE DO NOT REALLY CONTEXTUALIZE THE PEOPLE WHO WE DEFINE AS PERPETRATORS AS VICTIMS.

WE DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW LACK OF RESOURCES AFFECT THE DECISION-MAKING.

HOW THEY, THEMSELVES, HAVE BEEN VICTIMIZED BY THE SYSTEM THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE TRYING TO THRIVE IN.

>> Reporter: THERE BOTH PARTICIPANTS IN FREE SPIRIT MEDIA, A NONPROFIT THAT WORKS WITH YOUNG PEOPLE 11 TO 25 YEARS OLD FROM THE WEST AND SOUTH SIDES OF CHICAGO.

>> THAT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT.

>> Reporter: STAFF WORK TO CREATE STUDENTS LIKE MEDIA ART PROJECTS TO AMPLIFY THEIR OWN VOICES.

>> THEY ARE THEIR OWN HEROES.

THEY CAN ALSO BE THEIR OWN VILLAINS.

IT IS UP TO THEM TO TELL THEIR OWN STORY.

>> THE FIRST THING I WILL SHOW YOU IS, KIND OF, HOW I PUT THESE ON FOR WORK.

>> Reporter: TODAY THEY'RE RECEIVING TRAINING FROM A FREE SPIRIT ALUMNUS PHOTOGRAPHER.

>> I LEARNED ABOUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CAMERAS AND THE CAMERA BENEFITS.

IT GAVE ME HOPE THAT I COULD BE ANYTHING.

>> Reporter: AND LEARNING TO TELL THEIR OWN STORIES, THE COUNTY PLANS TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE.

>> I WANT THEM TO KNOW IT IS OKAY TO BE UNIQUE.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE NO ONE ELSE.

NO ONE IS PERFECT.

>> Reporter: CREATIVE PATHWAYS DIRECTOR ALSO POINTS TO THE NEED FOR STORIES ABOUT THE COMMUNITY TO COME FROM THE COMMUNITY TO SNAP A COMPLETE PICTURE.

>> WE HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE WALKING ON THE STREET AND, LIKE, THIS IS HOME FOR ME.

I UNDERSTAND SOME OF THIS STUFF DOESN'T HAPPEN BUT THAT'S MY SCHOOL LOCATION.

SO, IT'S, LIKE, HOW DOES THE NEWS COVERAGE AGAIN GET ON THE GROUND SO THAT YOUNG PEOPLE ARE ALREADY ON THE GROUND AND TELL THE STORIES BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND WITH FRESH EYES.

>> THE GROUP HOPES MORE CHICAGOANS AND THOSE OUTSIDE THE CITY CAN EXPERIENCE THEIR COMMUNITY THROUGH THE LENS OF YOUNG STORYTELLERS LIKE NATE AND JULIA.

>> THEY ALWAYS HAVE BLOCK PARTIES OR GIVEAWAYS .

THE SCHOOL, THEY ARE STILL OPEN AND THEY JUST HAD A BARBECUE FOR ALUMNI AS THEY GRADUATED.

THEY'RE GIVING BACK BUT THEY DON'T SHOW THAT.

>> ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE IT.

THAT IS A GOOD PART.

>> Reporter: NOW, OF COURSE, THE PROGRAMMING HERE IS DONE FOR THE DAY BUT AS I MENTIONED, THIS IS A NEW LOCATION FOR FREE SPIRIT MEDIA.

THE PURPOSE IS ON THE GROUND FLOOR.

MORE COMMUNITY CENTRIC ON THE COURT AND OF OGDEN AND CENTRAL PARK.

THE GROUP IS RENTING FROM THE WESTSIDE ASSOCIATION FOR COMMUNITY ACTION WHICH HAS A HISTORY OF ORGANIZING.

THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TELLS ME THAT WENT VERY WELL FOR ONE OF