SOCIAL MEDIA EVERYWHERE.

THANK YOU, JOANNA.

NOW THE AVERAGE AGE FOR CHICAGOANS TO WITNESS THE SHOOTING IS 14 YEARS OLD.

>> THAT'S ACCORDING TO A STUDY IN THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.

WE'RE GOING TO TURN TO SEVERAL YOUNG PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE CITY TO HEAR THEIR FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCES ABOUT HOW VIOLENCE AND SAFETY CONCERNS IMPACT THEIR DAILY LIVES.

JOINING US, OUR ERICA SMITH, A MEMBER OF THE YOUTH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL AT AFTER SCHOOL MATTERS.

JONATHAN MORALES, WHO IS PARTICIPATING IN THE MIX, A CHALLENGE THAT'S A PROGRAM TEACHING HIGH SCHOOLERS HOW TO BE ENGAGED IN THE POLITICAL SYSTEM SO THEY CAN BE INFORMED CITIZENS AND LEADERS AND THE VARIOUS JONES USE LEADER WITH COMMUNITIES UNITED AND ITS VOICES OF YOUTH IN CHICAGO, EDUCATION INITIATIVE THANKS TO EACH OF YOU FOR BEING HERE NOW TO LET'S START WITH YOU.

GO INSIDE ANOTHER STUDY HERE.

AND THIS COMES FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES THAT GETTING SHOT IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR BLACK USE.

IS THIS SOMETHING YOU MOVING UP THE STATS, BUT THAT REALITY THAT YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS ARE AWARE OZON YOUR FRIENDS IN AUSTIN >> THIS EVERY DAY WE WHEN WE GO OUTSIDE TO GIVE HAVE TO BE ASKED TO CAUSES TO LIGHT, WE AWARE OF OUR SURROUNDINGS.

MAKE SURE.

WE DON'T TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.

SO IT IS WE ARE AWARE OF IT.

WE JUST TRY NOT TO THINK ABOUT >> BUT YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT IS SAME TIME.

SO IT'S SORT OF TUG THERE.

I'M GUESSING GOT MORE CAUSES.

ERICA, IS THAT SOMETHING RESONATES WITH YOU?

>> ACTUALLY HAVE A COUPLE OF FRIENDS THAT HAVE JUST RECENTLY PASSED AWAY DUE TO GUN VIOLENCE ONE OF THEIR FUNERALS ARE TOMORROW.

IS JUST LIKE REALLY BAD.

KNOWING THAT YOU HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE EVERY 5 MINUTES TURN BEHIND YOU AND BE LIGHT ON EDGE.

EVERYWHERE YOU GO.

>> YOU CAN SO DIDN'T KNOW 8.

HOW ARE YOU COPING?

>> JUST DAY BY DAY.

CAUSE FIGHT.

EVERYBODY KEEPS DYING.

SO A CERTAIN POINT YOU GET TO LIKE.

IT'S JUST LIKE I DON'T KNOW.

>> DOES IT FEEL LIKE YOU SORT OF HAVE TURN YOURSELF OFF AND WHILE YOURSELF AWAY FROM IT OR >> THE KIND I HAVE TO KIND OF LIKED HER.

MY FEELINGS OFF BECAUSE LIKE, YOU KNOW, A PERSON CAN ONLY TAKE SO MUCH SO AFTER LOSING SO MANY PEOPLE, IT BECOMES LIKE SOMETHING JUST SITE.

BUT CERTAIN PEOPLE GET CLOSER.

>> YEAH, I'M YOU KNOW, IT GETS A PRETTY STRESSFUL THING TO LIVE WITH SUCH A YOUNG AGE.

HOW DO YOU COPE WITH THAT FOR >> I KEEP THAT WORK LIKE FOCUS OFF OF IT.

DOWN TO >> FOCUS ON SCHOOLWORK YOU HAVE A OUR FOR COMMUTE TONIGHT.

IS RIGHT?

AS THEY WITH THEM?

THEY HAVE DO A LOT.

>> ALSO LIKE MY SON LIKE MY MENTOR.

SO I REALLY DO >> YOU RUN SCARY SITUATION OR A STRUGGLE AND DO WE ALWAYS COULD TALK TO EACH OTHER?

IS VERY WELCOME.

OPEN THIS SPACE.

>> SO I REALLY ENJOYED SO I WITHOUT ANYTHING.

>> THAT'S I'M NOT TRYING TO IGNORE.

IT US A BIT ABOUT WHERE WHERE YOU LIVE AND DOES ANY OF THIS I LIVE MORE LIKE IN THE SOUTH SIDE.

SO LIKE AN AREA CALLED CHUCK AND HONESTLY LIKE THE AREA, I WOULD SAY IT'S KIND OF.

BUT IT'S ALSO, YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, COURSE, ITS OWN CONS.

COURSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S VIOLENCE.

THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE GAME SOMEWHERE.

>> SO, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, I'M GOING TO BE CAUTIOUS WHEREVER I'M WALKING.

WAS THAT LOOK LIKE >> BEING AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS, DON'T WHAT IT.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

HONESTLY, LIKE TO ME PERSONALLY, I I LIVE THERE MY WHOLE LEG.

SO I THINK I'M KIND OF JUST USED TO LIKE JUST WALKING NOW WORRY ABOUT MUCH.

>> YEAH, RECENTLY IT'S GETTING LIKE WE'RE SO OF COURSE YOU GOT TO BE LIKE CAUTIOUS BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL TURN OUT TO BE YOU SOMEDAY.

>> YOU FEEL LIKE IT'S GETTING WORSE.

YEAH, YEAH, I DO.

THAT SAID THERE ARE STEREOTYPES ABOUT YOUR AREA AT ALL THAT YOU THINK PEOPLE GET WRONG.

>> I'M HONESTLY NOT REALLY.

I FEEL LAKE VERY I LIVE IN.

IT DOESN'T IT DOESN'T GET TALKED AS MUCH.

SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S MUCH THEY'RE REAL TYPICAL THINGS BEING I OF COURSE, LAKE.

I JUST I DON'T KNOW.

I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, AND JUST LIKE BECAUSE SHE'S A NO.

VIOLENCE IN THE AREA.

SO, OF COURSE, IT'S GOING TO SOME TYPE OF SHOOTING BACK BACK TO BACK TO ONE ANOTHER.

SO JUST GOING TO BE CAUTIOUS IN THE KEEP YOUR SURROUNDINGS.

ON A CAUTIOUS AND JUST KEEP MOVING ON WITH YOUR DAY TO DAY LIFE.

>> IF YOU HAD A CONVERSATION WITH ANY OF YOUR PEERS OR FRIENDS, PERHAPS ABOUT.

>> WHY USING A GUN IS NOT THE RIGHT CHOICE OR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT GUNS IN WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHERE THE FEELS LIKE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.

>> SUCH AS LIKE SO BOX SPEECHES, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF WHAT IS THAT?

YOU'RE ALSO SPEECHES.

SOME BOX FEATURES ARE KIND OF JUST LIKE ON SPEECHES ABOUT THINGS THAT ABOUT A YOUTH LIKE WHAT THEY CARE ABOUT THE MOST, LIKE PROBLEMS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES THAT THEY CARE ABOUT THE MOST.

SO IT COULD BE LIKE PUBLIC HOUSING, GANG VIOLENCE, COMMUNITY VIOLENCE, JUST SORT OF THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO IN THOSE SPEECHES, YOU KIND OF HEAR MUCH ABOUT LIKE GUNS AND WHAT YOU SHOULD DO TO MAYBE TRY TO FIND A SOLUTION TO BRING DOWN THE LAKE, THE GUN RATE AND YEAH, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED YOU KNOW HIM START.

YOU'RE REALLY GOING THROUGH SOME REALLY HARD TIMES.

AND YET SOME.

>> COOL RECENTLY.

YOU DID GET TO VISIT THE WHITE HOUSE FOR A USE POLICY SUMMIT TO DO TALK WITH ANYBODY WASHINGTON ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE EXPERIENCED DO YOU THINK THAT THEY HEARD YOU?

>> YEAH, I'VE ACTUALLY HAD LIKE A COUPLE OF CONVERSATIONS WITH A LOT OF GREAT PEOPLE PEOPLE WITHIN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE CHOTEAU, I FORGOT HER POSITION.

BUT AND I'VE ALSO TALKED TO SECRETARY CARDONA, HEAD OF EDUCATION.

SO I'VE TALKED TO SOME HIGH-PROFILE PEOPLE THAT CAN >> MAKE A DIFFERENCE TODAY.

WHAT WOULD HE TELL YOU?

>> I DEFINITELY TRIED TO LIKE ADVOCATE AS MUCH AS I COULD NOT JUST THE BLACK COMMUNITY BUT THE MINORITY COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS.

OUR VERY POORLY BALANCED SHOULD I SAY BECAUSE I EXPERIENCE BOTH.

I WENT FROM I USED TO OAK PARK AREA.

SO I WENT I WENT TO A SCHOOL THAT WAS REALLY WELL RESOURCED SAYING VERSUS NOW WHERE FEEL AND SEE A DIFFERENCE.

>> YEAH, BECAUSE CAME FROM UP NORTH FROM SCHOOL AND THEN I WENT OUT SOUTH TO CSCS LONGWOOD IN.

I WENT FROM SCORING TO THE IN THE 100%.

HOW TO SCORING IN THE 60TH PERCENTILE DUE TO EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON.

AND JUST LIKE THE MENTAL HEALTH STRESS, IT BEYOND JUST EDUCATION AND TEACHING.

IT'S IT'S THE MENTAL HEALTH STRESS.

SOMETHING UNDERSTAND WAS PART OF THIS WHITE HOUSE SUMMIT.

YOU KNOW, I WANT TO GO DUE TO VARIOUS.

>> IN TERMS OF WHERE YOU SPEND YOUR WAKING HOURS AT SCHOOLS, YOU FEEL SAFE AT SCHOOL.

>> SOMETIMES LIKE MY SCHOOL.

IT'S NOT THE MOST COMPASSION.

WITH SAFETY.

AND ESPECIALLY LIKE THE BUT THEY DO OFFER PROGRAMS TO HELP WITH DAY TO TRY TO MAKE IT BETTER.

AND MY MY PROGRAM CAN UNITE NATION.

WE DO P CIRCLES THERE EVERY WEDNESDAY WE TRY TO ENGAGE, DO HELP MAKE SURE WE CAN DO BETTER AND CHANGES.

DO A LITTLE CHANGE >> JONATHAN, ABOUT YOU?

WHAT IS YOU.

WHAT DO YOU WANT?

YOUR SCHOOL SAFETIES APPROACHED?

>> HONESTLY NOT REALLY TOO SURE ON WELL, I CAN ANYWAY, MY SCHOOL IS HONESTLY, IT'S SOME I CAN SAY MAYBE LIKE SOMEONE, MAYBE NOT THE BEST, BUT IT'S AT SOME WHAT TYPE OF OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF FIGHTS.

THERE'S LIKE FIGHTS.

THERE JUST A LOT OF IT.

HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE THAT?

JUST TRYING STAY AWAY?

YEAH.

THEY KIND OF JUST LIKE AS TIM GO A DIFFERENT ROUTE OR ON JUST TRY TO MOVE OUT OF THE WAY.

BUT, OF COURSE, YOU SOME PEOPLE DO SAME.

>> SO JUST WANT TO LOOK AT THE FIGHT JUST TO SEE LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON.

AND ALL OF THAT.

SO, YEAH, THAT'S WHAT THE KIND OF DO IT.

THERE'S A FIGHT.

THE KIND OF NAVIGATE YOU WILL TO A DIFFERENT ROUTE.

MY SCHOOL.

>> WELL, THANK YOU FOR EACH OF YOU FOR SHARING YOUR I LOOK FORWARD HEARING WHAT YOU DO.