Youth Voices Take Center Stage in New Gun Violence Prevention TV Series ‘The Legacy We Choose’
- Rebecca Gilbuena
- Oct 1
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 1
When 19-year-old Sydney Oundo lost her close friend Jamari Rice to gun violence, she knew she wanted to do more than grieve. She wanted to act. That decision ultimately led her to Guns Down Love Up’s Youth Council where she planted the creative seed for episode 2 of 'The Legacy We Choose', a new youth-driven drama series premiering October 3 at the Walker Arts Center.
“My story follows Nia, a girl whose cousin Peanut is accidentally killed while they’re playing with a gun,” Sydney explained. “It’s about her grief journey and finding a mentor who helps her turn pain into purpose. That part is very personal for me, because my own mentors changed my life and pushed me to use my voice.” For Sydney, the series is about more than just storytelling. It’s about sparking courage in others.
“I want youth to feel seen and compelled to act,” she said. “Too often we feel powerless, like we can’t change anything. But I want people to walk away knowing they do have power, and they can make a difference.”
From Talk Show to Drama
The five-part series is the first television project from Guns Down Love Up, a Minneapolis-
based nonprofit that works to prevent gun violence and support youth leadership. What began as an idea for a teen talk show quickly evolved into a drama series once the Youth Council made their voices heard.
“When the young people said they wanted to do drama, we listened,” said Executive Director and Co-Founder Raeisha Williams, who also served as 'The Legacy We Choose' Executive Producer. “It was their vision, their stories. We just helped create the platform.”
Each episode explores a different facet of gun violence, from accidental shootings to community trauma, with an emphasis on resilience and peer-to-peer dialogue. Importantly, the show implies violence without showing graphic images on screen.
Building Stories, Building Skills
Guiding the production was filmmaker and restorative justice practitioner Ali Alowonle, who served as writer, director and producer. She described the process as both “magical” and
“unfathomable,” given the scope of what was accomplished.
“These productions normally take weeks with a full crew,” Ali said. “We had two adults and the rest were youth. They pitched their own story ideas, voted on which to pursue, and worked both in front of and behind the camera. We slowed down, explained the process and built their capacity as creators along the way. That combination of grit, patience and passion made it possible.”
Beyond the Premiere
The series will air on the CW Network this fall and will also be used as an educational resource in Minneapolis and St. Paul schools. Raeisha shared that episodes will be submitted to film festivals in 2026, while Guns Down Love Up will begin accepting applications for the next Youth Council cohort on November 1. Those applications will be available at gunsdownloveup.com. The new cohort will expand into theater projects and peer education.
“We’re just so proud of what these young people accomplished,” Raeisha said. “They’ve shown us not to underestimate them. They are not just the next generation, they are leading right now.”
The premiere of The Legacy We Choose takes place Friday, October 3, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Walker Arts Center.
