Residents of Rio de Janeiro are increasingly taking independent measures to address gang violence, as political debates over security strategies intensify ahead of October’s presidential election. Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, advocates for hard-line tactics to combat organized crime, while President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva supports expanded federal involvement and stronger coordination among state institutions. Public safety has become a central issue, with many Brazilians criticizing the current approach of armed police confrontations as inefficient and leading to indiscriminate loss of life. In response, community-driven initiatives have emerged to address the security vacuum. One such effort is the podcast 01 Sobreviventes (01 Survivors), created by former drug traffickers who share their experiences to deter youth from criminal life. Host Fábio Santos, a former trafficker from Manguinhos favela, emphasizes the dangers of crime, stating that several individuals have left the world of crime or avoided it due to the podcast's influence. Alan Duarte, who lost multiple family members to violence, founded Abraco Campeao, a martial arts academy in Complexo do Alemao. The academy offers free classes in boxing, jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, and capoeira, along with educational talks, aiming to provide young people with a sense of identity, respect, and belonging. Students like Mherrhy Esperança Rosário, now studying software engineering, credit the academy with changing their lives. Vanderson Rocha Silva, who grew up in the City of God favela and left a life of crime, runs the R3 therapeutic community. The organization offers free courses in electricity, refrigeration, and English, helping former criminals transition into legitimate work. Rocha Silva recounted how two former gang members joined his electricity course and are now working as electricians. Nadia dos Santos, a grieving mother whose son was killed by police, has shifted her social project to focus on providing job training and opportunities for youth under 26. She plans to transform her home into a headquarters for the initiative, including a community food center. At a recent event in her son's memory, other grieving mothers called for changes in Rio’s security approach, emphasizing the lack of educational and employment opportunities for youth. One mother, Maria Rubia Brito da Silva, criticized the state for taking lives without providing alternatives, stating that opportunities could help children lead dignified lives.