From Gang Member to Gang Mediator

On the show this week, we hear from a former gang member in Chicago who became an interrupter—a person who intervenes in potentially violent situations to prevent people from getting killed. 

Ameena Matthews was born into violence. Her father ran a gang and her brother was killed on the streets of Chicago. 

Eventually, she left that world and joined a group called CeaseFire. The idea was simple: former gang members using their street cred to mediate conflicts between warring factions. 

Matthews is now the executive director of the anti-violence organization “Pause for Peace” and a candidate for U.S. Congress in Illinois’ 1st district. 

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