The film screening will be followed by a discussion about community activism and holistic approaches to violence reduction with film participant Brandon Scott, Mayor of Baltimore, MD; Jennifer Porter, Director, District of Columbia Office of Victims Service & Justice Grants; Erricka Bridgeford, the Baltimore Peace Movement; 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 Sean Plater, GM, WHUT/Howard University Television; Robert Salyer, Manager of Outreach & Impact, POV; Dr. Stanley Andrisse, Founder, Prisons to Professionals; Gabriel Goodenough, Director, The Body Politic and Dawne Langford, Producer, The Body Politic.
Networking opportunities with social justice, victim advocacy, non-violence, formerly incarcerated re-immersion programs and other related community and student organizations will be in attendance to share information about their programs and services, both before and after the main program.
The event is in collaboration between WHUT, Prison to Professionals and American Documentary and is open to Howard University students and the general public. Doors open at 5pm.
About the film:
The Body Politic pulls back the curtain on local American politics to reveal what happens after an electoral victory and asks, “when does change begin in a city embroiled in a fight over justice and equity?” Director. 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, as well as an inspired soundtrack, Goodenough provides what could be a brighter view of not just one city’s future but reveals a path forward for cities across America. The Body Politic, Goodenough’s feature directorial debut, is produced by Dawne Langford, John Benam and Goodenough. The documentary is a co-production with ITVS, and a co-presentation with Black Public Media (BPM).
This program is made possible by a grant from American Documentary | POV, with funding provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.