Young activists work to defeat gun violence in Brooklyn

NEW YORK (FOX5NY.COM) - Longtime Crown Height residents acknowledge that gun violence is a part of its history. But the future of Crown Heights is on the minds of some young people who are also activists. The group is called YO S.O.S., which stands for Youth Organizing to Save Our Streets.

The teens spend eight months being trained on subjects like neighborhood engagement and conflict de-escalation by Rahson Johnson and other adults who've been saving streets a little bit longer and serve as mentors.

We spoke to activists Destiny Singleton, Mickea Smith Aiken, and Layla Bell, for whom the advocacy is personal. Bell's father and cousin were both victims of shootings.

With peace and goodwill in their hearts they take their message to the streets of Crown Heights. The teenagers help to define their neighborhood by redefining it.