Precious Lives

Stories about kids, guns and how to stop the violence. Precious Lives, created by 371 Productions, is a 2-year, 100-part weekly radio series about gun violence and young people in the Milwaukee area. The series applies a public health lens to each story to help listeners understand the full scope of the problem: who are the victims and the shooters; how are the weapons obtained; and what can we change about the environment that contributes to violence in Milwaukee?

#003 Precious Lives: More Than A Teacher

WUWM 89.7 FM

Published January 27, 2015 at 10:46 AM CST

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Artwork by Trace Matabele's high school class.

Trace Matabele

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Trace Matabele was teaching art at Vincent High when her students were mourning the death of 17-year-old Precise Martin.

Emily Forman

Trace Matabele was teaching art in northwest Milwaukee when a student burst into tears.

The student was mourning the death of Precise Martin. A friend didn’t know there was a bullet in the chamber when he pointed an AR-15 rifle at Precise’s chest and pulled the trigger. That’s when Trace decided to change her lesson plan, and give her students a voice.

For more information on the smart gun debate, visit PreciousLivesProject.org.

Corresponding Content:

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Smart Gun Technology Video

Wisconsin Public Radio - Milwaukee Alderman: Increase Penalties For Careless Gun Storage Near Children