Join baltimore Mayor brandon Scott at Howard University for a Gun Violence Documentary Screening
This event is free and open to the public
POV, the multi Emmy® and Peabody award-winning non-fiction series and WHUT / Howard University Television, the first and only public station in the U.S. licensed and operated by a historically black college and university (HBCU), in collaboration with From Prison Cells to PhD (P2P) a non-profit organization that counsels formerly incarcerated men and women towards building long-lasting careers, announced today they will host a screening and talkback focused on America’s gun violence and ways to curb the crisis on Tuesday, October 22, 2024 at The Armour J. Blackburn Ballroom at Howard University. The evening will consist of a screening of the POV documentary The Body Politic starring Brandon Scott, Mayor of Baltimore, MD, followed by a panel conversation about community activism and holistic approaches to violence reduction. The screening begins at 6:00pm ET; doors open at 5:00pm ET. Networking with social justice and similar organizations will take place from 5:00pm - 6:00pm ET and immediately following the program from 8:30pm - 9:30pm ET.
This event is part of American Documentary’s 2024 ‘Our America: Documentaries in Dialogue’ grant. This high-impact initiative mobilizes regional PBS stations and neighboring organizations to design and facilitate their own engagement events leveraging full-length, documentary POV films. Through intentional funding, ‘Our America’ cohorts are empowered to respond to and reflect the needs of their communities while using POV films to connect audiences, inspire civic dialogue, action, and understanding around social issues.
“This screening event reflects the heart of our mission at POV, rooted in the belief that films can spark meaningful conversations and inspire audiences to engage with issues that matter to their communities,” said Robert Salyer, Manager of Outreach & Impact, POV. “Our partnership with Howard University is uniting stakeholders, community activists, students, and policymakers at a time when civil discourse is increasingly absent from public life. Open, honest dialogue is essential to a healthy civic society, and our partners are using our films to create a space for these important discussions.”
"WHUT is honored to partner with POV and P2P to host this important film screening event and panel discussion about issues that are far too familiar to so many in our community - gun violence and making our communities safer for all,” said Sean Plater, General Manager, WHUT. “We hope that this event will facilitate necessary discussions and serve as a catalyst for new actions to help make our streets a lot safer for all. We applaud the work being done in Baltimore by Mayor Scott and others, and we look forward to discussing solutions to similar issues happening in Washington, DC. Howard University is the perfect location for such a powerful conversation and screening that is sure to be thought-provoking and engaging for all. We’re excited."
“At From Prison Cells to PhDs (P2P), we believe in the transformative power of second chances,” said Dr. Stanley Andrisse, Founder, From Prison Cells to PhD (P2P). Gun violence reduction isn’t just about policy—it's about providing opportunities, resources, and hope to individuals who want to build a better future for themselves and their communities. We are proud to stand alongside leaders like Mayor Brandon Scott, using our stories and our platforms to drive real change.”
The panel in addition to Mayor Scott will feature Jennifer Porter, Director, of the District of Columbia Office of Victims Service & Justice Grants; Erricka Bridgeford, the Baltimore Peace Movement (via Skype); Dante Johnson, Director of Community Safety Initiatives, Living Classrooms Foundation; and moderated by Dr. Bahiyyah Muhammad, Associate Professor, of Sociology & Criminology at Howard University.
Intros will be made by Robert Salyer, Manager of Outreach & Impact, POV; Sean Plater, GM, WHUT/Howard University Television; Dr. Stanley Andrisse, Founder, From Prison Cells to PhD (P2P); Gabriel Frances Paz Goodenough, Director, The Body Politic and Dawne Langford, Producer, The Body Politic.
Hailed by The Washington Post’s Ann Hornaday as “a beautifully crafted piece of art,” The Body Politic, directed by Gabriel Francis Paz Goodenough, a proud third-generation Baltimorean, spotlights young idealist Brandon Scott during his leadership campaign and first year as Mayor of Baltimore, a city plagued by chronic gun violence, funding shortages, and escalating crime. Through unfettered, authentic access to Mayor Scott and an inspired soundtrack, Goodenough provides what could be a brighter view of not just one city’s future but a path forward for cities across America.
“It’s an honor to partner with the nation's only Black-owned public media television station, WHUT-TV, where I also proudly started my career,” said Dawne Langford, Producer, The Body Politic. “We look forward to the generative discussion around the growing networks of community organizers who work to improve our collective wellness and healing from institutionalized inequality. We are also looking forward to modeling successful collective solutions for future leaders in the student body at Howard. The Body Politic aims to turn the lens to this crucial work that is consistently overlooked.”
The Body Politic, Gabriel Francis Paz Goodenough’s feature directorial debut, is produced by Dawne Langford, John Benam, and Goodenough. The cinematography and sound are by Gabriel Francis Paz Goodenough and John Benam, the editor is Thomas Niles, and the music composer is Caleb Stine. The executive producers are Rudy Valdez, Brock Williams, Jeffrey Pechter, Mark Grieco, Katy Chevigny, Marilyn Ness, Sally Jo Fifer, Erika Dilday, and Chris White.
The Body Politic, a co-production with ITVS, and a co-presentation with Black Public Media (BPM), will make its national broadcast premiere on POV Monday, November 25, at 10pmET/9C (check local listings) on PBS Television. The documentary will be available to stream until February 23, 2025, via pbs.org, and the PBS App. Now in its 37th season, POV continues to mark its place as America’s longest-running non-fiction series.
This program is made possible by a grant from American Documentary | POV, with funding provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.