Description
Whether community violence, intimate partner violence, sexual violence or child abuse, news outlets and other forums play a major role in shaping our perceptions of violence. Inevitably, stereotypes and myths are perpetuated. How can public health help to counter misinformation and partner with media to uplift evidence and science? This session will explore these questions and outline the way forward.
Contributors
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Kevin Kirkpatrick - Senior Executive Vice President, Metropolitan Group
Kevin Kirkpatrick has 30 years of experience in applying strategic communication to advance social good, including a wide range of public health outcomes. He has published and presented extensively on narrative, including those that shape gun policy and undercut gun violence prevention efforts. A former journalist and news producer, Kevin works with public agencies, foundations and nonprofits to articulate powerful narratives and apply strategic communication to propel changes in systems and policies, social norms and behavior.
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Lori Dorfman, DrPH - Director, Berkeley Media Studies Group
Lori Dorfman, DrPH, MPH, is on the faculty at the School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, and directs Berkeley Media Studies Group, a project of the Public Health Institute. BMSG works with advocates to build their capacity to use media advocacy so they can focus attention on transforming systems and structures to foster health. She studies media portrayals of health issues, including alcohol, tobacco, food, children’s health, health inequities, and violence, among others.
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Rashad Robinson - President, Color of Change
Rashad Robinson is the President of Color Of Change, a leading racial justice organization driven by more than 7 million members who are building power for Black communities.
Rashad is widely consulted on strategies for corporate accountability, transforming the criminal justice system, media and tech reform, culture change and narrative infrastructure, and building Black political power. He is a sought-after keynote speaker at events across the country, and appears regularly as a quoted source, interview guest and opinion writer in major media. In addition to media appearances, Rashad has been profiled by The New York Times, Wired, The Root, The Washington Post, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Fast Company, The Huffington Post,PBS, BET and several other outlets. Color Of Change has been named three times in Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies list—in 2015, 2018 and 2020—and was profiled by the Stanford Social Innovation Review. Rashad is the proud recipient of awards from organizations as varied as ADCOLOR, the United Church of Christ, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Foundation and Demos. Rashad was a member of the inaugural cohort of Atlantic Fellows for Racial Equity, and serves on the board of the Hazen Foundation. Previously, Rashad served as Senior Director of Media Programs at GLAAD.
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Jeanette Betancourt - SVP, U.S. Social Impact, Sesame Workshop
Dr. Betancourt is the Senior Vice President for U.S. Social Impact at Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street. She directs the development and implementation of community and family engagement initiatives making a difference in the lives of vulnerable children and their families. These research-based initiatives are designed to impact children’s early learning, health and well-being, and provide strategies and resources to counteract the effects of trauma while fostering the critical connections that adults have on children’s lives. Prior to joining Sesame Workshop, Dr. Betancourt created programs in adult learning and early childhood education at Teachers College, Columbia University. She is a licensed bilingual speech and language pathologist and educational therapist. She participates on several national and local boards and has contributed to the start of charter schools. Dr. Betancourt has a BA and MA in Speech and Language Pathology; an MS in Bilingual Reading/Special Education, and an Ed.D. in Special Education.