The following aired on KCBS.

By: Davina La'Shay

I feel that my life is in danger at every moment of the day. I have 99 problems because of gun violence and owning a gun myself would make it 100.

The New York Times reports that the number of shootings in Oakland has gone up 60 percent in the past five years. I lost a lot of friends and family to gun violence in the streets of Oakland.

My friends can’t go outside their own social circle without bringing a gun for protection. Every single girl I know has access to a gun, and almost all the boys I know have their own.

I too have thought about getting a gun. I actually have access to several, but it doesn't make me feel any safer. If I had a gun myself, it would make me more likely to use it. And accidents happen that can lead to jail, shooting yourself or someone you love, and how does that help?

I want teenagers in my neighborhood to worry about getting there first job or first car before they think about their first gun.