Jane and Finch

So and drawing and art was like one of the few things I found myself actually being good at.

you know like kind of like growing up in like the northwest areas of Toronto around like Jane Finch and Rexdale area I was often like the only Viet the only Asian and grew up around a lot of Italians, which is kind of funny.

So it was a very Italian school.

And my parents sent me to a Catholic school.

On today's special episode, we speak with Rico King, director of the award-winning documentary Nikai Walks, and Yvonne Jones, community activist and one of the film's subjects, whose voice you just heard a moment ago.

Nakai Walks recounts the story of a 16-year-old survivor of gun violence in Toronto's Jane and Finch community.

While Nakai's personal story is one of resilience and hope, its backdrop is one of frustration, anger, despair, with the documentary highlighting the unrelenting cycle of violence in the community and its far-reaching impact.

Against that backdrop, we find community leaders like Devon Jones.

A longtime educator who worked in Toronto's Jane and Finch community for over 25 years, Devon lost over 30 former students to guns.

Determined to stem the tide of violence, in 2007, Devon founded YACE, an organization that delivers diverse programming to help young people succeed and to build safer communities.

In this heartfelt conversation, Rico and Devon share their individual journeys with gun violence.

Yeah.