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?

#060 Precious Lives: Despite Leadership Changes, Milwaukee Youth Center Remains Safe Haven

WUWM 89.7 FM | By Eric Von

Published March 8, 2016 at 11:00 AM CST

Exterior of the Holton Youth and Family Center in Riverwest.

COA’s Youth Development Director Leslie Quevedo & Riverwest Holton Youth Development Programs Manager Greg Reinholt

One of Precious Lives' first interviews took place at the Holton Youth and Family Center. We set out to explore how gun violence impacts youth in Milwaukee and met many teens during Holton’s after school program who shared stories and insights. And although plenty of these teens have experienced violence firsthand, Holton always provided an alternative - a safe place to have fun.

Since then another youth center, COA Youth and Family Centers, has stepped in to keep afterschool programming running.

Precious Lives' Eric Von spoke with Riverwest Holton Youth Development Programs Manager Greg Reinholt and COA’s Youth Development Director Leslie Quevedo about their vision for the program's next phase.