News

Video: ‘A Safe Place to Play’ panel discussion

Published on February 3, 2021

A Safe Place to Play: Reclaiming Public Spaces to Strengthen Community

Monday, March 1
12:30 p.m. Central Time
Watch a recording of the panel:

Join a panel discussion about youth, community, safe spaces, and violence prevention inspired by the documentary film Pyne Poynt. Watch the film for free in advance of the discussion by streaming it on PBS or on WorldChannel.org. You don’t have to watch the film to take part. Feel free to invite friends and colleagues who may be interested in attending.

About the Film

Numbed by despair, the youth of Camden, NJ, one of America’s poorest cities, don’t know who to fear more — the police or the violent drug dealers. Resident Bryan Morton leads a charge to reclaim Pyne Poynt Park as a safe space for Little League baseball teams and the community. Against all odds, Morton rallies an array of stakeholders and transforms Pyne Poynt into a field of dreams, where for two sacred hours, the youth can play freely in the field.

Panel Speakers 

Mark Berg – UI Public Policy Center and Associate Professor, Department of Sociology and Criminology

Luana Nelson-Brown – Executive Director, Iowa Coalition for Collective Change

Sylvia Ortega – BEAM (non-profit) – New York City

Marizen Ramirez – Professor and PI, Link for Equity

Albert Sharp – Founder and CEO of Invisible Book Bag Inc – Chicago

Moderators:

Robyn Espinosa – PhD candidate in occupational and environmental health

Chelsea Hicks – PhD candidate in occupational and environmental health

This CPH Spotlight event is sponsored by the UI College of Public Health DEI Committee and the UI Injury Prevention Research Center.

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Ann Saba with the Injury Prevention Research Center in advance at ann-saba@uiowa.edu