Living For We

In this powerful final episode of this season of Living For We: Keep Ya Head Up , co-hosts Marlene Harris-Taylor and Myesha Watkins turn their focus to Akron, Ohio — a Northeast Ohio city grappling with the harsh realities of gun and police violence. They sit down with community advocate Courtney Brown, founder of Winners and Leaders, and Taylin Ray, a high school freshman who was personally impac...

The summer before her senior year, Makayla Barlow had just gotten her driver’s license. While driving home from work through East Cleveland, her life was turned upside down—a stray bullet tore through her car window and hit her. She ended up in a coma for a month, fighting to survive. In this episode, Makayla and her mom, Natasha Lovelace, open up about that terrifying day in 2021 and how an off-d...

Gun violence doesn’t care about city limits—and Lorain, a small town on the shores of Lake Erie, about 25 miles west of Cleveland, knows that all too well. For teens growing up there, guns are easy to get, and conflict resolution? Not exactly something people are taught. In this episode, we hear from Amir Whitehead, a high school student who lost one of his closest friends in a shooting on Lorain’...

Young Black men often don’t get second chances in the U.S. criminal justice system—but a new pilot program in Cuyahoga County is trying to change that. Take Andrew Hogan, for example. He was just 20 when he and his date were approached by the police. There was an illegal gun in his car, and that got him locked up. Andrew admits he knew he wasn’t old enough to legally have a gun, but he felt like h...

Lorenzo Roberson is a typical 10-year-old in a lot of ways. But like so many kids affected by gun violence, he’s carrying a heavy burden. In this episode, Lorenzo opens up about living in fear after losing his best friend to a shooting. He and his older brother, Angelo, talk about how unsafe they feel just walking the dog or going to the corner store in their neighborhood. The loss hit Lorenzo har...

Editors Note: On August 11th, 2025, after this episode was produced, a jury in Cleveland returned a not guilty verdict on all counts for Antoine Tolbert , also known as Chairman Fahiem, and two other activists from New Era Cleveland. - Chairman Fahiem, known to some as Antoine Tolbert, is a well-loved figure in parts of Cleveland — but right now, he’s fighting to stay out of prison. As the leader...

Through pain, resilience, and unwavering love, mothers carry the weight of loss in ways the world can never fully understand. This episode of Living For We: Keep Ya Head Up shares the voices of mothers who have lost a child to gun violence. It is a testament to their strength, a reflection of the love they continue to hold, and a call for change in communities torn apart by tragedy. We meet Marsha...

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 fac...

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 wit...

What happens when a regular day at school turns into the worst day of your life? Teens in Northeast Ohio are facing gun violence or the threat of gun violence in what should be a safe space. Living For We hosts Marlene Harris-Taylor and Myesha Watkins speak with Garfield Heights High School student Travis Page who found himself running for his life the first time he attended a football game as a f...

Season 2 of Living For We: Keep Ya Head Up dives into the real-life struggles of gun violence in communities of color—stories that don’t always make the headlines.  In Episode 1, we sit down with Black men who are deep in the streets, a community leader fighting to break the cycle, and Jor-El Caraballo, a licensed therapist and author of Self-Care for Black Men: 100 Ways to Heal and Liberate. He s...

The wait is over! On February 11th, we'll be releasing the first episode of season two, titled Living For We: Keep Ya' Head Up. 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'...

Hey, Living for We listeners, long time no see! We're gearing up for season 2, which will focus on the gun violence epidemic in the Cleveland area. We want to hear from you! If you have been personally impacted by gun violence, or are working to solve this problem in your community, please leave us a voice message at https://www.speakpipe.com/LivingForWeSeason2. Or, please share this link with any...

In a conversation led by creative director HeyFranHey, go behind the scenes of “Living For We" with the production team– host and executive producer Marlene Harris-Taylor, lead producer Hannah Rae Leach, and our in-pod therapist Dr. Angela Neal-Barnett. Learn more about Living For We here. Donate to Ideastream Public Media here! Leave us a voicemail at (216) 223-8312 letting us know your thoughts...

Is there anything more beautiful than Black love? From sister-friends and treasured co-workers to devoted husbands and boyfriends, love makes life worth living, especially in a city where it can be so tough. How can we use the power of love to make Cleveland a better place for all of us, and how can we shape its future through the act of “living for we?” If you are someone you know doesn’t feel sa...

Today, we’re sharing an episode of When Magic Happens, a new podcast from WBEZ Chicago, where intergenerational convos of love and laughter collide. In this episode, we’re discussing body-ody-ody-ody. Slim-thick, bean pole, pear, apple – how has your body been categorized? Cheryle, Jennifer and Taylor discuss body image and their relationships to their bodies over time. Then, we hear from Michaela...

In the classroom, even the best and brightest of Black women are often encouraged to think small and aim low. Chronic underfunding of public schools in Black neighborhoods, steering of Black girls away from honors classes in suburban schools, and abundant microaggressions from preschool to graduate school make learning a challenge. Despite it all, Black women are finding ways to shine. If you’re a...

When a Black woman becomes the first of her kind to receive a sought-after title or high-powered role, it’s a cause for celebration– but these breakthroughs have always hinged upon a lineage of elders forging thorny paths for those coming up behind them. In this episode, we trace that lineage from 94 year old former nurse Miss Arnell Hendricks all the way to Metrohealth’s new CEO, Dr. Airica Steed...

Cleveland is allegedly a healthcare mecca. There should be an abundance of quality care right here in town, but why can't Black women seem to find it? Dr. Carla Harwell of University Hospitals and Dr. Linda Bradley of the Cleveland Clinic, two Black woman doctors, join us to unpack that very question. Learn more about Birthing Beautiful Communities here. Learn more about Living For We here. Read o...

When their lives are placed into the hands of white doctors and nurses, Black women’s basic needs can quickly evolve into life-threatening ordeals. Medical professionals’ lack of empathy demands that Black women prioritize advocating for themselves and their families over self-care. How can Black women be healthy when doctors refuse to really hear them? Learn more about Birthing Beautiful Communit...

Black women don’t want to fight for basic respect in the workplace. When do they walk away from a “great opportunity” in a white space? How do they find the strength to do it? And what do they do next? This week we share the stories of two dynamic Black women– Leah Hudnall of The Legacy Perspective and Ramat Wiley of Adun Spice Company– as they create their own spaces and become their ancestors’ w...

For Black women, the climb to the top is often filled with impossibly high standards, blatant disrespect, and jealousy from those both outside and inside their community. What should they be expected to sacrifice in order to succeed? Author and former TV news anchor Romona Robinson, entrepreneur Ariane Kirkpatrick, and Cleveland Housing Court Judge Moná Scott share their bittersweet journeys to dr...

The powerful girls of the QueenIAM program, run by 27-year-old founder and mother Dameyonna Willis, tell us all about their big dreams and hopes for their lives in Cleveland. While the Commission for Black Women and Girls– an entity conceived in those girls’ best interest– struggles to get off the ground at City Hall, these young women are building a future for themselves through self-love and sis...

Living with trauma as a Black woman in Cleveland isn’t a rare experience, but what’s it like here when we find ourselves in the white-hot light of controversy and public scrutiny? How do we cope? Samaria Rice and Ayesha Bell Hardaway, both Black women with unique painful experiences in the court of public opinion share their stories.  Want to share your thoughts as a Black woman in Cleveland? Leav...

In 2020, Cleveland– a city with a nearly 50% Black population– was labeled the least livable city in America for Black women… and with data to back it up. This news has undeniably focused a lens on the not-so-positive lived experiences of Black women and femmes in our city, but… what can be done about it? 2020 CityLAB article naming Cleveland the least livable city for Black women Project Noir by...