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Youth leaders tackle gun violence at Essence Festival

A celebratory holiday week took a tragic turn in Chicago Wednesday night and early Thursday morning, as shootings across the Windy City claimed the lives of thr

A celebratory holiday week took a tragic turn in Chicago Wednesday night and early Thursday morning, as shootings across the Windy City claimed the lives of three people and wounded a dozen others.

According to the Chicago Tribune, all three fatalities were men in their 20s.

Finding a solution that will end such such violence is just one of the many issues set be tackled at the 19th annual Essence Festival underway in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Susan Taylor said on NewsNation Friday that she had "two hearts" that day--one as editor-in-chief emeritus of Essence magazine, and the other as the founder and CEO of National CARES Mentoring Movement.

"I'm looking at what has grown up to be the Essence Music Festival with all of these many people, and also the opportunity that we have to really make a difference in the lives of so many young people, who are struggling and dying on our watch, in Chicago and every city across this nation," said Taylor. "When a group of caring, able, stable adults knit ourselves together, with a curriculum, and really consistently enter the lives of young people, we can transform their lives. We can help them to transform their lives."

Watch the full NewsNation interview with Susan Taylor, Khary Lazarre-White, co-founder of Brotherhood/Sister Sol, and Lisa Nichols, who is part of the panel for Essence Festival's "empowerment experience."