Frank Edwards says the growing violence on the streets comes with major consequences.

“It’s only two ways the streets are going to take you. It will take you to the pen, or it will take you to the grave,” Edwards said.
Edwards says he joined a gang when he was just 14 years old.

“We wasn’t a gang then, we was just a group of guys,” Edwards told us, but he says that eventually escalated.
Edwards says he served time for assault, drug possession, and felony possession of a fire arm.

“Some of everything, violence…drugs. My first prison stay was actually for aggravated assault,” he adds, “Just being crazy. Trying to rep for the ‘hood, trying to live by the street cred. It cost me.”
After spending three years in solitary confinement, Edwards says he wanted to turn his life around, but that came with challenges.

Related: Timeline of Longview homicides, shooting incidents
“You have to have a made up-mind that you don’t want the same thing. You have to prioritize and put what’s more important to you, your life, your family,” Edwards says.
The 43-year-old says his time on the streets of Longview landed him in prison for 17 years.
Pastor Jerry D. Skinner mentored Edwards throughout the years, and he says today’s generation has the wrong priorities.

“They want to be in gangs, they want to be like other kids, but the church is a hand that could help them,” Skinner said.
Which is why Edwards says he uses his time speaking to kids and teens about his journey.

“To be that testimony that kids need. If you love these youngsters out in these streets, if you really love them, you will show them there’s a better way,” Edwards said.
Both men believe there is hope for the city of Longview.
“We got some bad apples out there, but everybody is not bad,” Skinner said.
Edwards says it’s going to take some dedication from parents, teachers and community leaders to make a positive influence.
Copyright 2015 KLTV. All rights reserved.

Title- A former Longview gang member is speaking out against the violence in his hometown
Source- KLTV
Summary- Ex gang member believes there is hope for Longview
World impact- This impacts me because I know some people who admire this lifestyle and claim to be involved in this and the truth is it’s not as glamorous as the TV and media makes it sound. Eventually you will be in a corner with no way out. So even though this is meant for just Longview it speaks for almost every other city, especially ones that have gang, drug, violence, or any kind of problems, this article should stand for itself.